Sew Retro: Butterick

Showing posts with label Butterick. Show all posts

catalog Sunday

This Sunday is Butterick Fashion News May, 1939.

I don't know if all JoAnn's stores are having sales, but the one near me had all the Butterick patterns at $0.99 each!!! I bought the four patterns above for just under $4.00. Hopefully other locations have similar pricing, so all of you can stock up too.

A Kate Middleton Wedding Dress Pattern Giveaway!

Hello Ladies,

I am hosting a giveaway of a lovely new Butterick wedding dress pattern on my Facebook page! A few weeks ago Butterick released B5731 (BP249) that is very similar to what Kate wore for her big day back in April. While there are some obvious differences between the original gown and the pattern version, the front of the dress is almost identical. You can read a complete article about this gown here. It was fun to see how Butterick chose their model to look like the Princess, with the same dark hair, giant sapphire ring, and a replica of the royal bouquet, halo tiara, and acorn shaped earrings. If you view the back of this pattern, you will certainly notice that there are some departures from the orginal gown, and if I ever made a dress from this pattern, I would probably scrap the back "bustle/flounce" piece and recreate that part myself.

All that to say, you can enter the giveaway for this pattern in sizes 6-14 on my Facebook page, by simply 'liking" it and leaving a comment so I can contact the winner. The contest is open internationally and will close on October 1st, on which day the winner will be announced.

Happy sewing!

Katrina

catalog Sunday

This Sunday I have pages from a Butterick magazine dating about 1938/39.

Cummerbunds and Bows

I absolutely adore reproduction vintage patterns. I also love vintage patterns – they both have their pros and cons.

I purchased Simplicity 2491 from an ebay seller.

The envelope on my copy is horribly torn, but there are yardage notes written by a previous owner.

The pattern tissue for the scoop-neck version (the one that I chose) was obviously made up by someone as the edges of the tissue have been cut in places with pinking sheers. I absolutely love the idea that someone used this very pattern tissue to make up their own version of the pattern – I only wish that I could see how it turned out!

So I will be the first to admit that working with vintage patterns is wonderful and always an adventure. However, I do have a few issues with them. For one, you can never be sure that the pattern will be complete until you open it up and examine everything. Also, the tissue may be ripped or smell funky, which is never fun. I have had a couple of unfortunate ebay experiences (thankfully, not with Simplicity 2491) in which the pattern tissue inside the envelope had nothing whatsoever to do with the advertised pattern. When you do find the pattern of your dreams, it is often in a size that will not work without major adjustments. And, of course, when I want a bit of instant sewing gratification I can just cut into, a vintage pattern is not the way to go.

Enter the reproduction pattern.

I am so thankful that there is enough interest in vintage looks that companies big and small are reproducing and saving these wonderful patterns, although they sometimes making fitting alterations that I do not always appreciate.

This is not the first vintage reproduction from the McCall pattern company that I have made, and it will surely not be the last. Try as I might, I cannot resist the adorable vintage pattern sketches on each envelope, no matter how simple the silhouette.

It is actually a brilliant marketing ploy – everything looks better on an elongated fashion sketch with an impossibly small waistline!

For this particular pattern, I had some serious gaping from the upper bust area to the neck. I thought I had fixed the problem using the muslin (what a good girl I am!), but after putting my dress together, the neckline was still not laying flat. To fix the problem, I added another dart. Unfortunately, the dress was already lined, so it is not the prettiest fix in the world, but it makes the dress wearable. And I should have added a bit of boning at the center back bodice as it has a tendency to pull downward over a day of wear.

Overall, I am very pleased with the end result, and plan on using many more of the reproductions in my stash, and I am sure that I will be seduced by another adorable envelope illustration in the future and add to my extensive collection!

More of my vintage adventures may be found over at my blog, Lilacs & Lace. Feel free to stop by and say hello!

Prairie Style, 1978: Butterick 6038, McCall's 5948, and dirndl skirt

Clearinghouse post on 1970's prairie style:

The first bit is Butterick 6038 (1978 or 1979), a casual blouse with a split neck, gathered front, collar, and side ties at the waist. I wasn't sure how I felt about this but I think it's growing on me. I'm notoriously fussy about fit and I was sort of afraid this just said, "boxy!", and possibly, "maternity!", but I don't really think now that it's that bad (and I'm trying to become less picky about fit). If I make it again, I'll trim down the tops of the sleeve caps, both to avoid having to gather them so much and to make the shoulder fit a little less awkward.

The fabric is Kona cotton in "Snow" which, ironically, is off-white. It's about the color of unbleached muslin but without the natural brown flecks (I wanted to use muslin but couldn't find any that was opaque enough to look decent). It's kind of stiff but it did behave beautifully, without any stretching or distortion.

6038 also looks cute with jeans.

I have no idea why I'm not smiling.

Here it is with an improvised dirndl skirt, which is not specifically retro but also not really not retro. This one was made of two yards of brown Indienne-style calico and uses this awesome half-elastic waistband tutorial.

I'm from Texas; I'm allowed to wear boots with everything. If it's not already in our state Constitution, it should be.

Here's 6038 again, but with McCall's 5948 (1978), which is full-blown Seventies prairie chic and not ashamed to say so.

The waist ties.

This pattern didn't include pockets, and I am morally opposed to clothing that doesn't have pockets, so I added some small patch pockets to the front, since the side inserts made side-seam pockets awkward.

Butterick 5744 (1952?)

I got this ages ago. It's not dated but I think it's from 1952 (it's at least from the early 1950's). I cut it out and then got discouraged about how I thought it would look, regretted potentially wasting fabric I loved on a dress that wouldn't fit, and put it away. Recently, I got to feeling guilty about my unfinished projects and vowed to get it out again and finish it, either to wear or to pass along.

It's a cute idea, but anything that claims to fit sizes Bust 3o to Bust 38 should raise the eyebrows of any sensible seamstress. Seriously? Even Spandex doesn't claim to cover that wide a range.

I don't actually believe it would fit sizes 12 through 20, but I'm right in the middle (size 16/bust 34) and it fits me pretty well. I didn't do the sweetheart neckline because I'm not that sold on sweetheart necklines, and because I thought the 800 miles of bias binding looked like enough trouble without adding extra scallops. (On the up side, I am now really, really, good at mitering corners . . . )

The buttons are not really crooked.

Verdict: There are a few things I would change if I made this again. I'd make the neck-hole smaller shorten the upper body (the waist ties sit too low. I'm 5'7" so it's not like this should be an issue), and possibly add darts to the back. The un-flared skirt is yardage-efficient but doesn't make for the best fit. It does need to be worn over a tank top or an athletic bra that is decent enough to be seen (the woman in the pattern illustration has a bit of camisole or slip visible under her arm). You can't do any energetic running or the sides will gap a bit and, well, flash your legs up to there, but it's fine for puttering around the house.

However, it's very comfortable and I could see myself making a couple more, with adjustments, to wear at home.

I messed up the ties. They should have been single-layer, not double, but I wasn't sure because I've misplaced my instructions. Also, if you make this, make them longer, narrower, and don't bind their edges. They'll tie much better that way.

I'd sort of like to raise the sides and maybe have them button under the arm so I didn't need the extra layer of tank top underneath.

I'd really love to find a copy of Advance 5722, which has a more fitted bodice and flared skirt. Maybe I can fudge it.

My Walk Away dress.

Hi Sew Retro folk! I wanted to show you all my latest project. I whipped this dress up in a couple of hours last weekend, but had to wait for a sunny day to take some photos. This dress was very easy to make. I have the reproduction pattern so it has the various sizes on the pattern pieces, which was useful for me, as I have a pear-shaped body. I was able to cut the bust to one size, and then the waist and hips in a larger size.

There has been a lot of hating towards this pattern, the general consensus online seems to be that it has no shape and looks like a large apron/hospital gown. I totally disagree. I think (for my shape at least) that it turned out to be super cute and is a perfect dress for our warm Australian summers. I do think though that the success of the dress relies on good fabric pattern choice, and the correct contrast bias binding - otherwise I do see how it could end up looking like the wearer was disappearing beneath 4 meters of fabric!

I wore this dress out today, visiting a cafe and doing a bit of shopping, and three people complimented me on the dress! That never happens when I wear the clothes I make - so for me this dress was a success :-)

I teamed the dress with Casey's latest romantic Edwardian updo. This was my first attempt at the hairstyle and I think its a cute look.

Have any of you ever made this pattern? Would love a link to see your version :-)

You can see more photos at my blog - All Things Quilty... and Sewy!

Sam xox

Butterick 5059 - My Mod Dress

Hi Everyone,
I've finished another item for Sewing through the Decades Challenge, Butterick 5059.
Here is the pattern:

and here's my version:

For more info and photos check out my blog, Modern Suzie.

Thanks!

Butterick 8084 made up

Butterick 8084 IS made up... but not by me!

My lovely Aunty Bub (she of the generous heart that gave me many of my vintage patterns, as I wrote about here ) made up Butterick 8084 quite some years ago... and by my stroke of good fortune, the dress has been passed down and passed along and wound up with me!!

Here is the pattern that she gave me...

...and here is the dress that her daughter has given me...

A less cheese-tastic, more detailed photo is available on my blog, Crimson Gardenia.

Happy new year all!!

And why yes, those are some FABULOUS 1940s white suede shoes! :0)

Vintage Pattern Stash

Hello all!

Since I'm in the middle of sewing project which I think will take me beyond Christmas (well beyond), I decided to bust out the pattern box and see what was in there and document it.

I was lucky enough to be given a bag of patterns by my lovely Aunty Bub - the seamstress of our family - and whilst I've only made one of them so far, they are just glorious and I love every one of them.

I have made View B of the last one - I just can't seem to find the photo right now. I will dig it up after Christmas and post it.

More patterns busted out of the box at my blog, Crimson Gardenia.

Butterick Fashion News

I recently received some Butterick Fashion News from the late 40's and early 50's. So in December, because I have no time for sewing, I am sharing select tidbits of these Fashion News magazines on my blog.

Because the cold weather last week was getting me down, I started with the June 1949 Fashion News.

This is the only one with the City Paris insignia - odd.

Feel free to come check them out!

not quite Mommy Dearest.....

Recently I made my daughter a dress from 1940 (Simplcity 3836) the view on the right.

I thought maybe it was high time to make one for myself - this one is Butterick 2611. The pattern envelope was made from a shiny paper rather than the usual and the ink seams to have worn off the illustration a bit - but the enclosed pattern was complete...

The front of the bodice is bias cut - and a bit clingy, but very feminine....not something that I have worn for quite a while....

Butterick 5919

I was watching the episode 'Sleeping Murder' in the latest TV series interpreting Agatha Christie's classic stories about Miss Marple, when I knew I just had to make a dress similar to this one:

So I found this pattern on eBay for a mere 99 cents:

And made this:

For more pictures and details about scalloped pockets, please visit my blog :)

Butterick 6710

I've been feeling quite autumnal lately, so here's my first project for fall. First, the pattern:

Here's my interpretation:

Please visit my blog for more pictures and thoughts :)

Butterick 7245 (Dress)

The pattern:

My interpretation:

For the back view and thoughts, please visit my blog :)

Butterick 5209: Reproduction Pattern circa 1940s

I recently finished this purple polka-dot dress using Butterick 5209, a 1940s reproduction pattern. The skirt was a four-gored skirt grafted from Simplicity 2123, a 1940s pattern. More garment construction details and pictures can be found on my blog.