Wedding dress information ...

Above is the completed Black wedding dress being worn by the bride.

There are specific design details about the style of garment & the fabrics used as well as more explicit sewing & making-up instructions - if you want to read them, just click here or if you would like me to make something for you, then please visit my website.

Patchwork & Embroidered Waistcoat: Step 8 - Toile fits OK ...

Met with my customer last week & she was delighted with the waistcoat. The ' lining/toile ' above fitted perfectly & she loved the idea of its reversiblity. We decided to lower the neckline a little (to show off the blouses under it), raise the side slits & shorten by around 2"/5cm. I also may add some machine embroidery along the yoke panels to match those of the main waistcoat.

A 'problem' is going to be the fastening as being reversible you can't really use standard buttons & buttonholes. I may decide to make some unusual buttons & then adapt them to be like cuff-links. I've done this before & it works well. I'm also thinking of making some ' patchwork buttons ' - although no definite idea yet.

Dressmaking Companies ...

Sewing has been a popular hobby in days gone past - especially home dressmaking. From the beginning of the 20th century, after sewing machines began appearing in every high street, patterns for making clothes steadily increased in popularity. After WWII and right up to the 1970s, they were available in almost every high street department store as well as retail fabric and haberdashery shop. It was fun to sew and be able to wear (and make) something quite unique!

BUT as everyone could afford to buy their own clothes it became 'unfashionable' to make your own and with many having less free-time, it was not as popular. Consequently, over the years sewing patterns have become less readily available, their ranges declined and many companies have disappeared altogether amalgamated.

I have always had a hobby of dressmaking and using sewing patterns and so I have a general collection spanning from appx. 1910s to date (a favourite I made from a long time ago). Mostly purchased within the UK, there are a cross-section of designs and sizes for children and adult garments as well as patterns for varied textile items that include soft furnishings, toys and accessories. The patterns have been produced by many different companies - mainly those readily available at the time. These include leading makes, such as:

Blackmore, Burda, Butterick, LeRoy, McCalls, Simplicity, Style, Vogue, Weldon

Dressmaking Patterns in Fashion Magazines ...

Some of my patterns originate from weekly magazines - available to readers who could send away for them.

The aim was usually to promote the magazine as well as sewing and fabric sales. This late 50s/early '60s pattern is typical of those generally available at the time.

Also note the subtle change to the pattern envelope and magazine WOMAN logo as it moves from the 1960s towards the 1970s.

Current fashion designers were often featured with the pattern garment being made up and photographed in the magazine. Here are just 2 such patterns – featuring designs of John Bates and Jean Muir.

Dressmaking Patterns – Designers ...

During the 1960/70s, there was a variety of manufacturers who produced dressmaking patterns. Some of the main 'fashionable' ones were: Vogue, Butterick, McCall's, Simplicity, Style and LeRoy although there were others not quite as popular. These main ones had a range of dressmaking patterns available from the latest ‘young designers’ of the time so that you could sew your own ‘original designer' garment at a fraction of the cost and in a fabric or colour of your own choice.





BUTTERICK 6979 - c.1970sThis one was designed by Betsy Johnson at 'Alley Cat' - a fashionable boutique of the period.












STYLE 3349 - c. 1960s
Another pattern - although not designed by a recognised or named designer, it featured garments that were almost identical to those from the BIBA range of clothes.