Dating butterick patterns
Tailoring periodicals were published, and still often are, without a drawing of the finished garment, but with a layout showing the seamlines. Sleeves often overlapped, as most were two-piece sleeves.
The same was true of dresses of the 19th century- certain pieces overlapped, and by grouping together, you saw which seams matched as well as what pieces went together. You would have to follow dotted lines that varied per piece in order to trace out a garment. All of these types of patterns did not include seam allowance, grainlines, notches, or other markings- other than the occasional mark for a roll line of a collar and, very occasionally, button placement.
Many did not even tell what size a finished garment would be. The home sewist was expected to have a very good familiarity with garment construction and basic pattern drafting in order to create their own garments. In fact, many times, a person would take this to their dressmaker and have them made for them, rather than making them for themselves at home.
These early patterns did not include printed markings or seam allowances, but had perforations holes and notches cut out. Early patterns were folded tissue with a little piece of paper glued to the outside piece of tissue which included information and extremely brief, text only, instructions, an illustration and description of the finished garment, the size, and fabric requirements. Over the next nearly hundred years, home sewing patterns went through a transformation with top companies competing fiercely to be the first to bring new technology both in the way the actual patterns were made and presented to the instructions that aided the home sewer.
These two companies combined helped to create the home sewing pattern like we know it today. Looking at McCall patterns makes vintage sewing seem more accessible, because even their patterns as early as the s seem more understandable than most vintage patterns did up until the s. McCall started by doing perforated patterns just like every other pattern maker. By the turn of the century it was standard to include seam allowances in the patterns, though patterns of earlier times may not have included seam allowances. The home sewer would need to add them. McCall Pattern Ad, McCall Patterns originally included perforations for pattern markings, like their other competitors, but they eventually joined the competition that was part of the new, popular, tissue paper patterns, and fought to develop new technology that would give them the edge over other companies in the field.
This site uses cookies. These early patterns did not include printed markings or seam allowances, but had perforations holes and notches cut out. There were various companies that offered these patterns, but some of the most popular were Anne Adams, Sue Burnett, and Marian Martin. And another from Kindest regards from Switzerland, Doris aka Frau Button. In this series I will offer tips for using vintage patterns based on my experiences and research. Its funny, I MUCH prefer vintage patterns — and generally avoid new and reproduction and even indie pattern companies at all cost.
The first pattern company to introduce printed patterns was McCall, who started printing directions on their patterns in , and held the patent rights to their printed pattern technology until This pattern is a pattern which was published before McCall started printing on their patterns.
It dates from the Edwardian era and what you see on the back cover is all you would get in terms of instructions. There are a few illustrations, which was somewhat rare for patterns this early, as most were text only. By the s you can see the addition of a fabric cutting chart. These were for vintage fabric widths, of course, which are different than our fabric widths today. Here we see an envelope from the early s. From the advent of printing on patterns, until the early s, most printed patterns by any pattern company will say something about including that technology on the envelope.
The reason McCall started printing their patterns was because they noticed errors in patterns that were cut with the perforated method. Patterns were cut out on a giant press type machine and the holes cut at the same time- often hundreds at a time.
Here you can see the suggestions they give for adding design to this dress- here they suggest getting one of their transfer patterns to use for accents. Instructions for construction were usually a drawing of the finished garment with arrows and numbers for steps- not individual step-by-step drawings like we know today.
Here you can see part of one pattern piece. On the pattern piece are instructions for finishing. Early McCall printed patterns were printed with blue ink and the instructions were basic and printed right on the pattern envelope. By the late 20s or early 30s McCall added color to their envelopes, as you can see here.
This is from It is important to note, for pattern dating purposes, that when McCall started printing their patterns, instead of doing perforated patterns, they included a copyright date on their pattern envelope. The exception is the year , when Simplicity started adapting the printed pattern technology, after the McCall held patent expired.
Printed patterns by Simplicity are dated Unprinted patterns by Simplicity did not include a copyright date in Patents protect the technological advances, not the actual garment design. Patents would be taken out for envelope layouts, printing techniques, packaging, methods of marking, etc. As long as a patent was in place, the company or person who did not hold the patent could not use the technology. This is why, in early pattern development, certain companies held the patent for printed patterns McCall , while others had them for step-by-step illustrated instructions Butterick.
It was only after BOTH those patents expired that you saw both of those technological advances in the home sewing pattern industry being available by the same pattern company.
Other pattern advances were patented, but instructions and pattern printing were the big ones that changed and shaped the industry. A patent date would last for 17 years from filing date current patent term is 20 years from filing date. Now, back to where we were…. The instructions were still printed on the pattern pieces, though there is more information included now than there were in the s patterns. Below can see a cutting chart. Below you can see the instructions for putting the dress together. Vintage instructions assumed you knew how to put a garment together with little help, since most women learned sewing in school or from their family.
Another way to learn was by book- and sewing books and sewing instructions had different purposes, just like today. The instructions told you basically what steps went in what order, and the book would teach you technique. Basic finishing was included in the instructions, however, as you can see here. By an amazing coincidence, its number also dates it to September, This is how it was illlustrated and described: The slip-over blouse is smart to wear with a wrap-around straight skirt with set-in pockets, etc….
It is not the same as the copyright date on a modern pattern. They may have been available in stores a little earlier, but being featured in the magazine means the fashion was current.
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Statistically, the chance of my finding two vintage patterns currently for sale on Ebay which date to the same issue of The Delineator was pretty small, but, incredibly, they also appeared on the same page. That is why I was able to supply pictures of them from the magazine.
Filed under s , ss , s , Vintage patterns. Tagged as s fashions , s styles , s , Butterick , Butterick Publishing Company , copyright date , dating Butterick patterns , dating vintage Butterick patterns , Delineator , how to date Butterick patterns , patent date , Pattern , thirties clothing , thirties fashion , vintage Butterick patterns , vintage fashion , vintage magazine , vintage patterns , vintage sewing patterns. Website for Dating Butterick Patterns, Part 2 witness2fashion.
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Five Blouses and a Hat from witness2fashion. A Lament for Bound Periodicals witness2fashion. You are commenting using your WordPress. You are commenting using your Twitter account. You are commenting using your Facebook account. Notify me of new comments via email. Notify me of new posts via email. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Here Is a Typical Pattern Chart from The Delineator, January I have been working on this project for over a year, ever since I discovered that, in the s and s, there was a chart near the back of every Delineator , listing all the patterns illustrated in that issue.
Photo used with permission of Bill Walton Antiques. Finding the date for Butterick pattern Photo used with permission of connieandcompany. Delineator, September , page Twitter Facebook Google Email. January 1, at 8: