Vera Maxwell's Four Way Pattern

In my business you never know what you are going to find when you acquire a new lot of patterns.  I always wonder who the person was who had the patterns before me.  Did she sew for herself or for her family?  Where some of these patterns her moms or her friends? You often get an idea of the size of the person over time as the eras change - so do the styles and sizes of the patterns.

Inside a very plain envelope came a really cool surprise for me.

Not only was there a really great sewing pattern in it.

The envelope also included a magazine article about the sewing pattern from This Week Magazine from March 2, 1947.  Notice on the last image from the article there is a section torn out, I'm sure that was the coupon that was mailed in for the sewing pattern. It is great to see models wearing the pattern rather then just illustrations!   Here is another version of the same article with the coupon included 

Mad Men Maternity

Simplicity 3309

In the Spring of 2009 my company was contacted by the costuming department for the TV show Mad Men. Season 3 had several pregnant characters. The designers contacted me for sewing patterns for day and evening maternity wear, and outfits. I know from reading up on the show, that they use a lot of original vintage outfits for their costume department - but who in the world would save their maternity clothing from the 1960's?

Simplicity 2977

I'm sure they mixed and matched elements from various patterns to put together their outfits. I am sure they also looked at image of Jackie Kennedy from when she was pregnant. What you don't see from the sewing patterns is construction details of the maternity patterns. Modern patterns have a stretch panel to help with the changing body shape of a pregnant woman. The maternity sewing patterns that I have from the 1960's use a series of ties and overlapping sections.

Vogue 5228/ Advance 3323

Here are some images of the patterns they purchased from my company. See if you can match them up with the Season 3 costumes!

Are you tired of the same old maternity designs, or lack of sewing patterns for maternity clothes? Check out the vintage ones at Patterns from the Past!

Butterick 2781

Butterick 5394

Simplicity 4641

Simplicity Designer's Patterns

Between 1949 and 1950 Simplicity produced a line of patterns. They started the same time as Vogue's Paris Originals Line. The patterns have an oversized envelope (8" X 11"). They where nice styles, but they are not VPO's.

Simplicity 8002 c. 1949


Simplicity 8104 c. 1949

This one is the closer to a Vogue style. Notice the pleating on the front of the skirt.

Vogue Paris Original Model - 1189 c. 1952 Dessès - Suit - pleats on the side of the skirt. Didn't someone try that on the Project Runway Post Office challenge with BAD results?

Simplicity 8293 c. 1950

After 1950, this line of patterns was discontinued. I have not seen these patterns in the vintage re-issues.