Well, it's true that not every Pattern Patter Team member is from the USA, but it's also true that pattern companies have been making Patriotic-themed patterns for a very long time! I thought today we'd take a look at some of those patterns that celebrated both history and country.
Picture from Vintage Pattern Wiki
Starting in the early 70s, excitement started building for the bicentennial of the United States. By 1976, a huge number of bicentennial-themed costumes were on the market, produced by pretty much every major pattern manufacturer.
Image from Vintage Pattern Wiki
Here's the lady's & girls' version of the Butterick "Make it Real" bicentennial costume set.
Picture from Vintage Pattern Wiki
This Betsy Ross costume is available in Pattern Pattern Team member Purple Plaid Penguin's shop.
Picture from Vintage Pattern Wiki
You could even make bicentennial costumes for Barbie & Ken with this mail order pattern.
Image from Vintage Pattern Wiki
Here's another historical / colonial costume for Barbie-sized dolls.
Picture from Vintage Pattern Wiki
This mail order pattern features a revolutionary era styled dress for the bicentennial.
Pictures from Vintage Pattern Wiki
Simplicity introduced a whole line of bicentennial costumes for everyone in the family. They are quite nicely done and continue to be very popular.
Simplicity 6787 @ team shops: Grey Dog Vintage, Clutterina's Shop
Image from Vintage Pattern Wiki
This one features a photograph instead of an illustration. Pretty cute, if you ask me.
Picture from Vintage Pattern Wiki
How about these historical-esque sampler-type embroidery patterns, available in the shop of team member Cloe's Closet ?
Image from Vintage Pattern Wiki
This pattern pre-dates the bicentennial, and is a little more "Civil War era", but shows that Advance was in on the historical costume game, too.
Picture from Vintage Pattern Wiki
Meanwhile Vogue released these revolutionary-look granny gowns that were still suited for the 70s.
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Picture from Vintage Pattern Wiki
Uncle Sam has been a long time popular costume as you can see from this circa-1940s Butterick pattern. Also included a Revolutionary-style costume. They got a lot of use out of this pattern and seem to have produced variations on it for at least 30 years.
Picture from Vintage Pattern Wiki
This mid-60s pattern featured a Revolutionary style and Uncle Sam costume for both father and son, very similar to the one above.
Picture from Vintage Pattern Wiki
I think this is probably a 1950s version of the same pattern shown above. The illustration is very cute!
Picture from Vintage Pattern Wiki
Does anyone know more about this probably 1930s DuBarry Uncle Sam pattern? It's probably really rare!
Picture from Vintage Pattern Wiki
This Uncle Sam pattern from Ideal Patterns & Montgomery Ward probably dates from the 1930s and was found in an Ideal Pattern catalog. I've never heard of one of these being available for sale, probably very, very scarce. Is Uncle Sam wearing lipstick? :)
Picture from Vintage Pattern Wiki
Or how about this truly incredible Uncle Sam costume for 18" Dolls? Circa 1920s!
Image courtesy of Vogue Vixens
Team member Vogue Vixens has this unusual pattern in stock, Simplicity 7540, featuring soft sculpture dolls of Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty. Circa-1980s and likely a result of the Cabbage Patch Kid doll craze.
Image courtesy of Pattern Matters
Or how about this unusual and cheery Uncle Sam windsock available in team member shop Pattern Matters?
Here's some more highly interesting and VERY RARE Uncle Sam patterns are featured at Unsung Sewing Patterns, check them out!
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Uncle Sam wasn't the only character in the patriotic pattern game!
Picture from Vintage Pattern Wiki
The Lady Liberty in this circa 1950s pattern looks pretty blase about the whole thing.
Here are some pretty amazing WWII era transfers I spotted at the Vintage Pattern Wiki.
Picture from Vintage Pattern Wiki
These "Victory Aprons" are so great! Looks like she's serving sandwiches to various military branches? Argh, it's adorable! I want to frame the envelope.
Image from Vintage Pattern Wiki
Even this little Marian Martin dress has a subtle patriotic eagle motif and star-shaped buttons.
As seen in Vintage Pattern Wiki
Here's a much newer but equally patriotic pattern featuring Lincoln, Lady Liberty, Uncle Sam and George Washington.
Available in team member shops Vintage Needle Finds, Lonestar Blondie
Well, which one is your favorite? Do you have a favorite? Did you ever make one? Did you ever wear one? Did I miss one that you like a lot?
Let us know in the comments!
Happy July 4!
Love seeing all of the patterns! I especially liked the early Uncle Sam pattern by DuBarry. Thank you for the informative post.
ReplyDeleteThanks muchly! I love DuBarry patterns and seeing that Uncle Sam one made me pretty excited!
DeleteWow, I never imagined there were so many patriotic patterns! Fantastic post - thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I was surprised too. I have a feeling there's lots more unknown patterns in a similar vein laying around waiting to be uncovered. Especially in terms of patriotic WWII (or even WWI) era patterns, I think I haven't found them all yet.
DeleteThanks for all the research and time it took
ReplyDeleteto find all these absolutely awesome patterns.
I love Uncle Sam too.
Thank you for the comment, it was fun to look all of them up.
DeleteGreat collection and thank you for the time, so many fun and historical patterns!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading! :)
DeleteFantastic collection! Love the Victory aprons from WWII.
ReplyDeleteI love them too... very patriotic and cute. :)
DeleteFun patterns! I think the Butterick 4260 pattern on the upper left may be the one my mom made for our town bicentennial parade! We had matching dresses, but in different 70s colors and patterns (and different sizes - I was a kid!). I still have hers because I sometimes do some historical artisan reenactments, but don't fit in it - she was thinner then than I am now.
ReplyDeleteHow fun! My mom has some of the Simplicity bicentennial looks in our personal stash, but I don't think they've ever been used!
DeleteVery nice posting. Can someone tell me what the name of the pointed waist front in Mail Order pattern 4929 above is called?
ReplyDeleteHello! This is often called a basque or basque waistline.
DeleteThanks for the info Nessa!
DeleteLove these!
ReplyDelete