1940's Cotton Day Dress

Rochelle from Lucky Lucille and Tasha from By Gum By Golly teamed up to host the Fall For Cotton Vintage Sew Along. I found myself with a free weekend and decided to tackle this lovely 1949 Advance dress pattern for my entry.

Advance 5185

I had been checking patterns to be sure they were complete to list in my Cynical Girl shop, and found this flared skirt dress pattern in a great size (though a little big for me), lacking instructions but still in it's original factory folds. This was the one. It was, after all, a vintage sewing challenge sew-along. I doubled up on the challenge part. An unprinted pattern with no instructions. Let the puzzle begin.

7:00 AM. My husband had just left for a writer's conference so I began, keeping the experience as vintage as possible. The fabric I chose was a piece of Cranston cotton I purchased over 30 years ago to make a copy of a vintage dress I really loved but never got to. It was perfect for this day dress. 

By 8:30 I had my pattern pinned, cut out, notched and marked.

I tried to find an 18" metal zipper in navy blue from my vintage stash but had to settle on a 22" navy or an 18" in cloister brown. I went with the blue.

Then the sewing began...... By 2:00 PM I had much of the larger pieces put together. The front facing and front of the bodice joined to make a shawl collar. That is one of my favorite types of collars so I had little difficulty figuring that part out without instructions. My 30+ year old Athena dress form isn't standing so straight any more. She is padded now with Fabulous Fit for that little extra I am carrying around now. It was a lot less expensive than purchasing a new dress form.

I decided not to serge my seams and instead use seam binding tape.

By 5:30 I had everything but the detail work to do. My pockets and buttons are pinned in place.

The buttons are vintage shell buttons upcycled from a vintage jacket that had seen better days. The buckle is shell as well. I will use white crochet cotton for the saddle stitching.

By 9:00 PM my dress was finished except for the marking and hemming.

And so I completed my Fall For Cotton Vintage Sewing Challenge. I entered it into the Flicker Fall For Cotton Group Page. So many lovely and just plain delightful entries into this challenge. I look forward to participating in another.

Prims Convertible Tote Bag Pattern

Another Prims 1960's Cover Your Own Buttons pattern. This is the Convertible Tote Bag. Download the free pattern HERE.

The William Prym Company of Dayville CT, a sewing notions manufacturer, who, together with Dritz, developed the first patent for fabric covered buttons.

Prims Whale of a Kari-All and Toy

Fun and whimsical, this whale shaped carry all can carry it all. This was a promotional pattern developed by the Home Economics Department of William Prym Sewing Notions Company of Dayville CT. Distributed in the 1960's, they encouraged the use of Prims Cover Your Own Buttons, Buttonsnaps and Buckles. Click HERE to download a free pattern.

The Smocked Dress

 

Preen

Before elastic there was smocking. The art of folding and stitching fabric to allow stretch was often used in the collars and cuffs of garments for men, women and children. Any fabric that can be folded into pleats can be smocked. Smocking can also be used as a purely decorative element as well.

I remember wearing this sweet little dress with the smocked detail on the midriff section. This is my sister Ann wearing the dress. Our dresses passed down from cousin to sister to neighbor. What a lovely detail on this little cotton dress.

Years later I purchased this vintage dress at a thrift store. It was well worn but the detail at the yoke, pocket flaps and cuffs was so beautiful that I had to have it.

 

The front yoke shows a method of pintucking or more likely tuck pleats worked in a chevron pattern.

The pleats are machine stitched after carefully folding and pressing. These surface details transform this ordinary sheath style dress into a Couture garment.

Smocking as a garment detail for other than little girls dresses has come in and out of fashion. This lovely Anne Adams dress pattern from the 1930's with neckline and sleeve smocking details is one example.

Anne Adams 2365

Or this lovely gown featured in Threads magazine:

Threads Magazine Issue 167

The smocking on the back of this dress from Bottega Veneta creates fullness. Imagine this triangular smocked insert inverted on the back of a halter dress with the full skirt trailing behind.

Honeycomb Smocked Evening Skirt McCall's 1746

That same smocking detail is featured in this elegant and dramatic 1950's honeycomb smocked evening skirt from McCalls. Find it HERE on Etsy.

Or this simple elegance in the yoke of this Simplicity pattern from the 1960's:

Or this charming 1940's McCall smocked blouse pattern for women.

McCall 1406 ©1948

The Dritz Smockruler made the addition of smocked accessories and decor so much easier with it's easy to follow instructions. Now more than ever decor and fashions such as smocked hats and bags became easy to make. 

For more Smocking Patterns to Download for Free Click HERE

Many of these vintage sewing patterns are still available though becoming rarer.Click HERE for free downloadable patterns for accessories and decor.

Half Scale and Minikin Patterns

Half Scale and Minikin patterns have been used since the turn of the 20th century or earlier, in both educational and commercial applications. Fashion designers draped miniature dolls or half, quarter or any of a range of size dress forms to perfect their ideas before committing to the full size model. 

La Bricoleus

These miniature versions allow the designer to view the garment in it’s entirety. By seeing the whole garment at once, the designer can easily correct any problems to ensure they don’t surface while constructing the full size garment.

atelier reverie larke

Madeleine Vionnet used miniature models to envision her designs.  "Vionnet's apparently simple styles involved a lengthy preparation process, including cutting, draping, and pinning fabric designs on to miniature dolls, before recreating them in chiffon, silk, or Moroccan crepe on life-size models. Vionnet used materials such as crêpe de chine, gabardine, and satin to make her clothes; fabrics that were unusual in women's fashion of the 1920s and 30s. She would order fabrics two yards wider than necessary in order to accommodate draping, creating clothes - particularly dresses - that were luxurious and sensual but also simple and modern. Characteristic Vionnet styles that clung to and moved with the wearer included the handkerchief dress, cowl neck, and halter top." Wikipedia

Madeleine Vionnet in her studio about 1920

Both the commercial Half Scale and Minikin patterns are printed in miniature. The Half Scale patterns by Simplicity include instructions printed specifically for the small scale whereas the McCall's Minikin is exactly the same as the full size pattern in every regard but the size of the tissues. 

 

But other pattern companies produced Half Scale patterns such as this Advance Pattern

Advance 6535 Vintage Pattern Wikia

Half Scale patterns can also be up-scaled to your size. How to Enlarge Patterns From Half Scale to Full Scale, published by the Center for Pattern Design is useful in understanding the various ways one can enlarge a pattern. There is even a section on how to utilize the images from the CoPA Archive to recreate patterns from their schematics.

Sandra Erickson 2012©

For drafting your own patterns, the small scale is perfect for working out ideas for flat pattern designs with minimal waste.  Visit TheSewingDivas blog HERE to see the process of working in half scale to make the Pyramid Dress by Julian Roberts Subtraction Cutting Method.

For more on this please visit Threads Magazine for Half Scale and 

To purchase Half-Scale Patterns of Representative Period Silhouettes visit Seeing Silhouettes

See how to cast your own Half Scale dress form  

Working with Half-Scale Patterns Video: 

 

Your Guide to Glamour by Marilyn Marshall

Marilyn Marshall stresses the importance of accessories in this 1950's weekly column. Her suggestion for a girl on a budget - Prims Cover-Your-Own-Buttons and Buckles.

Published in The Post-Standard (Syracuse NY 13 April 1952 Page 68)

Prims Camelot Casual

Prims Camelot Casual Skirt, Apron, Plastron and Babushka

Another 1950's Prims pattern. Do take a look at the 

caterpillar kilt pin. Download this pattern HERE.

Pleated skirt, Apron, shaped plastron, and head scarf. I suppose the term "Camelot" comes from the kilt and breast plate of the plastron.

The Prym sewing notions company traces back to the 16th century where it is the oldest family business in Germany. Hans Prym immigrated to America and in 1924 he established Prims, a sewing notions manufacturing firm as an autonomous offshoot of the historic Prym family business in Germany.  The Long Island plant expanded quickly and soon moved to a larger plant in Dayville, Connecticut. During World War II it's specialized machinery was applied to machine shop production of defense products. Today Pryms Consumer USA products include Prym Sewing, Dritz and others.

1940's Prims Clothespin Caddy Pattern

The Prym sewing notions company traces back to the 16th century where it is the oldest family business in Germany. Hans Prym immigrated to America and in 1924 he established Prims, a sewing notions manufacturing firm as an autonomous offshoot of the historic Prym family business in Germany.  The Long Island plant expanded quickly and soon moved to a larger plant in Dayville, Connecticut. During World War II it's specialized machinery was applied to machine shop production of defense products. Today Pryms Consumer USA products include Prym Sewing, Dritz and others.

I have uncovered several patterns that originated from the Home Economics Department or the Educational Bureau of William Prym, Inc, as this one does. Probably dating around the late 40's because the company first introduced the "Cover-Your-Own" buttons, snaps and buttons after 1946. This little gem is a whimsical take on a once useful accessory. And what a creative way to sell buckles and buttons. 

I don't know how these patterns got into peoples hands. Were they high school Home-Ec projects? I have searched newspaper archives and they do not appear to have been mail order. I have several packages of the buttons and buckles and none have any offers for patterns. I did see an advertisement for a sewing fair that had representatives present from many companies including Singer and Prims. They were doing demonstrations of their products and perhaps that is where they originated? The mystery continues.

For a pattern and instructions to make this nostalgic clothespin caddy click HERE.

How To Decorate Sweetheart Soap

I don't know if any of my sisters remember the big glass container in my grandmother's powder room that was filled with pastel colored oval bars with raised filigree and arabesque shapes. I didn't know it then but I recognize now that those were Sweetheart soaps. I still remember how they filled that powder room with their sweet perfume. They were right next to the jar of Tums.

How to Decorate Sweetheart Soap

I recently discovered this little 1960's fold out pamphlet with directions for decorating those little oval soaps. The kit, which originally contained the sequins, beads, tulle, felt and even the little head and hat, were sold for fifty cents and one Sweetheart Soap foil wrapper.

I have the entire booklet to download HERE. Sweetheart soap is no longer available except in vintage shops but this still might be a fun craft idea for the kids on a rainy day.

Vintage Sweetheart Soap from PrettyKeepers on Etsy

Prims Precious Pets Pattern

The Little Pet Jewelry Case and The Big Pet Lingerie Cache

I am trying to track down just where one acquired these Prims Patterns.  I have several that span from the 40's thru the 60's. They all have clever ways to use covered buttons and buckles. Watch for more patterns to be posted soon.

Click here for the pattern to 1" scale.

The Prym sewing notions company traces back to the 16th century where it is the oldest family business in Germany. Hans Prym immigrated to America and in 1924 he established Prims, a sewing notions manufacturing firm as an autonomous offshoot of the historic Prym family business in Germany.  The Long Island plant expanded quickly and soon moved to a larger plant in Dayville, Connecticut. During World War II it's specialized machinery was applied to machine shop production of defense products. Today Pryms Consumer USA products include Prym Sewing, Dritz and others.