Happy Holidays Mega Post!!

I know it's been a while since we've updated around here!  Things have been pretty hectic the last several months so I apologize.

Anyway, I thought I might do a fun post off interesting and fun patterns from the Vintage Patterns Wiki, that have a Christmas or holiday theme.

Via Vintage Pattern Wiki

There must have been dozens of these "felt appliqued stocking" patterns over the years.  If you go to enough flea markets and antique shops you will see some old ones for sale and maybe even guess which pattern was used to make them!

Here's a bunch more, all really cute.   I especially like McCall's 2271's cat and dog stockings.  Also, team member Kinsey Sue has Simplicity 4519 in stock if you're interested!  Frisky Scissors also has a similar pattern in stock!

All of these patterns are somewhat hard to find, as are most patterns from the 1950s these days.  They aren't impossible to find though, and turn up with varying frequency, though you can be sure they'll sell in a hot minute if the price is right.  Very popular, and why not?  Just look at how cute they are!

Via Vintage Pattern Wiki

This unusual pattern is supposed to be a pajama bag, though I'm having a bit of trouble imagining what this might look like in real life.

Via Vintage Pattern Wiki

Oh, more cheery appliques you could put on most anything.  I don't recall seeing a table runner like that one before.  Note it even has little pockets for napkins or silverware for your Christmas party buffet.

Via Vintage Pattern Wiki

Speaking of adorable appliques, how sweet is that Christmas tree skirt?  Not the kind that goes around your Christmas tree.. the kind that goes around YOU.  Try it in red and green at your next soiree and everyone will stand in awe. ;)

Via Vintage Pattern Wiki

Christmas then or Christmas now, felt makes it easy to make a festive decoration.  :)  I love how cheery these are.. I use a lot of vintage decorations like this in my own home.

Via Vintage Pattern Wiki

Still more cute patterns featuring appliques!  These are really easy and festive, I hope you'll give one a try!  Retroactive Future has McCall's 2616 in stock.

Via Vintage Pattern Wiki

I know I mentioned both of these last year, but they are my favorites!  I love the little girl's appliqued skirt (perfect for ice skating!) and the matching "cowboy Santa" aprons for the whole family!  How sweet!  Did anyone really make these?  I hope so. :)

Via Vintage Pattern Wiki

Lest you think "Elf on the Shelf" is a modern invention, here are some cutie-pie pixies you can sit on your mantle this Christmas.

Via Vintage Pattern Wiki

These 1970s stockings are so funny!  I love the roller skate!

Still MORE cute appliqued ideas.  I love the "Door Santa" in the top right pattern, don't you?  Cloe's Closet has it in stock!

That's about all for now.. I hope you enjoyed!  Please check out all the festive Christmas patterns from Pattern Patter Team.

Happy Halloween From The Pattern Patter Team

Halloween is nearly here!  I know all of you are busy sewing your special Halloween costumes, so let's take a look at Halloween past!

I had the luck to find this lovely vintage costume catalog from Ladies Home Journal, circa 1920s:

Ahh!  This cover is so pretty and Art Deco.. and some of the costumes inside are a real treat.

First some international costumes from places around the globe...

Or maybe some loosely-interpreted historical characters are more up your alley?  (Dolly Varden is from Dickens, so she's fictional!)

Still more whimsical international themed designs... I love the French Sewing Girl, don't you?

Here are some lovely characters from theatre and legend...

Of course, it wouldn't be Halloween without some fairies and witches... :)

Nobody says no to a cute patriotic costume!

Still more whimsical international costumes!

There were also many child-size costumes included in the catalog.. very sweet ideas

More child-sized or teen-sized costumes... I didn't know the Campfire Girls had been around so long..

And that's it!!

One really interesting thing about this little catalog is that descriptions list not only fabric requirements, but crepe paper requirements, if you should want to make the costume out of paper instead of fabric.

The fabric requirements are listed with the regular descriptions and pictures, the crepe paper requirements are in the back.

The descriptions are really so cute, but if I listed them all we'd be here until NEXT Halloween.

I hope you enjoyed this!  Have a lovely Halloween!

Let's Add Links To The Vintage Sewing Patterns Wikia: A Tutorial For Beginners

So, you want to know how to add links to the Vintage Sewing Patterns Wikia, but it seems kind of complicated!  Not to worry, I can help.  It's not as scary as it seems.

Let me give you a simple tutorial on adding your pattern link to the Wikia.

First, of course you have to go to the Vintage Sewing Patterns Wiki at http://vintagepatterns.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page or by clicking HERE.

NOTE: These are instructions when using the CHROME browser.  I don't know if all of these will work in other browsers, but it should be just about the same.

It's probably a good idea to have the pattern you want to add opened in one tab, and the Wikia opened in another.  Then you can easily flip back and forth between them.

Next, you want to find the pattern to which you want to add your link.

In this case, I was looking for Vogue 1015, a pattern designed by Bill Blass.  If a pattern is already in the database, it will pop up.  You can highlight either the Vogue 1015 or Vogue 1015 A and hit "Enter,"  Make sure you use the search bar on the main Wikia homepage.

In this case, Vogue_1015 was the correct pattern I was looking for.  But if it wasn't, you can add an "underscore" plus "A" to the end of the address and hit "Enter" again to look at the next entry in the Wikia.

This is me hypothetically typing the "_A" to check the next Wiki article.  But since it was the correct entry on the first try, we don't have to do that.

So, now we'll scroll down to add our link!

See that little "Edit" next to "Sources/Vendors"?  Click there. :)

Now in this case, some people have already added links.  That's good, because it's easier for you.  Put your cursor at the end of the last link, and hit "Enter."  This will give you a new line with a new block next to it.

Now, you want to click on that funny looking button up there.  That's the "Add Link" button.

This new window will pop up.  It looks kind of scary, but don't be afraid.  You can do this!

Where it says "Target page or URL" you copy/paste the link to the pattern in your shop.

Where it says "Text to display" you type the name of your shop.

Then you need to hit "OK" to save it.

Now, if you want to add a size next to the name of your shop... you can do that now.   Don't add it as part of the link, write it after you've added the link.   Then when you're done, make sure you hit "PUBLISH" to save it.

THAT'S IT!!!

So, we looked at what to do if links are already there.. but what if they aren't?  Don't worry, it's not much different.

See, no links!  What should you do?  Well, click the edit button just like last time.

This time, we're going to edit in "Source Mode"  This is the better way to edit Wikia.  Click the "Source" button.

This time, you're going to type in your link manually.

-  First, type an asterisk.
-  Next, type a left bracket like this:  [
-  Then, copy/paste the link to your listing.
-  Then, type one space
-  Then, type the name of your shop
-  Then, type the right bracket like this: ]

Then, you can hit publish.  If you want, before publishing, you can switch back to visual mode by clicking the "Visual" button to check to make sure everything looks okay.

Either way, make sure you hit "PUBLISH" or it won't save.

And that's all!!!!

Later, we'll talk about adding a whole new pattern listing to Wikia.  It's a bit more complicated but we'll give it a go, right? :)

McCall's Patterns for Skipper - Advertised in Barbie Magazine

I've been meaning to do a giant post about how the various pattern companies encouraged young girls to sew for their dolls, and especially their Barbies for a long time!

Unfortunately, that post is still a while away, but I thought you might enjoy seeing these advertisements for McCall's patterns I found in 1960s Barbie Magazines.

I didn't realize this one was a McCall's ad until I looked at the small print.  Mattel licensed both with Advance and with McCall's to produce sewing patterns for Barbie, Ken, and Skipper and their friends.  These patterns are all very accurate and fit the dolls very well.  This one is specifically advertising a Skipper-only pattern, McCall's 7716.

This one has the patterns pictured at the bottom.  McCall's 7480, 7428, 7429, 7430, 7431.

More about sewing for Barbie & her friends later! :)

Butterick August 1960

Here we are in the dog days of summer.. let's take a peek back to Butterick, August 1960!

Butterick 9441

Oh dear, to the dismay of children everywhere, August means back to school!  And Butterick has some really cute back-to-school fashions for 1960.  This is a total collegiate look, don't you think?

Butterick 5436, 9442, 9439, 9437, 9475

I love the cute graphics with the chalkboard writing and the typewriter print.  Some of these are made with "1 yard" thus the "1 yard line" pun.

Jersey Girl Patterns has Butterick 9422 in stock!

Similar "One Yard" patterns:

1.)  McCall's 6022; @ Fancywork
2.)  McCall's 4680; @ Clutterina and Grey Dog Vintage
3.)  McCall's 5910; @ Sydcam123
4.)  Butterick 2431; @ Jeanie's Shop

Butterick 9484; 9452; 9465; 9457; 9487; 9482

Really cute looks for girls and teens shown here!  Which one do you like best?  The 60s were such a rollercoaster of a decade... can you see the beginings of the mod look here?  (If I tried to paint in that dress, I'd have paint all over my skirt...)

Some similar looks:

1.)  Simplicity 4643; @ Happy I Found It
2.)  Advance 9469; @ Pitter Pattern Place
3.)  Simplicity 5223; @ So Sew Some and Jeanie's Shop
4.)  Advance 9671; @ Selvedge Shop

Butterick 9470; 9469; 9460; 9459; 9426

So many cute looks!  If you want to look put together, you can't beat these looks.  Ahhh the days when people went to class not wearing pajama pants...

Butterick 9469 is an "outfit maker" pattern, with several options for both blouse and skirt!  Lucky for you, it's in stock at both Grandma Made With Love and Redcurlz's.

Some similar looks:

1.)  McCall's 6052; @ Kinsey Sue and Fancywork
2.)  Simplicity 4633; @ Selvedge Shop
3.)  Simplicity 4257; @ Grey Dog Vintage
4.)  Simplicity 5471; @ Vogue Vixens

Well, I hope you enjoyed this look at August 1960!  Let us know what you like best. :)

Patriotic Patterns!! (Re-Post)

I thought you might enjoy this LOOK BACK  at last year's 4th of July blog post...  have a lovely holiday!

Simplicity - June 1973

Simplicity 5688

Oooh, summer days are here, and that means summer fashion!  Let's look at 1973... you'll be surprised how stylish you can be in your retro fashions. :)

On the cover... an adorable playsuit with skirt add-on... so fun for those long summer days.  In stock now at People Packages and Clutterina's Shop.  Such a cute playsuit will never go out of style.

Simplicity 5692; 5695; 5697; 5687

The summer fun continues!  Look at all these cute outfits!  All stylin' and easy to sew.  You can make them today and wear them tomorrow. :)

The adorable tie midriff blouse + crop pants (5695) is great for a day on the lake!  In stock now at Fancywork, Kinsey Sue, and Clutterina's Shop.

The sweet crop-top and shorts combo (5697), in stock at Sew Vintage Detroit... also comes with pants or a skirt.

Simplicity 5670; 5671; 5673

Nothing says summer like a little sundress.. and these are perfect for any gal's wardrobe.  Any picnic will be prettier if you show up in one of these. 

Simplicity 5671 is in stock at Retroactive Future. (Comes with pants, too!)

Or try some of these similar dresses from the Pattern Patter Team:

1.)  Simplicity 9225; Grandma Made With Love

2.)  Butterick 4449; Roma's Maison

3.)  Simplicity 9779; Redcurlz's

4.)  McCall's 9746; Cloe's Closet

Simplicity 5705; 5704; 5667; 5668; 5669

Don't forget the little ones, of course. :)  Plus dresses and outfits you can make in a JIFFY.

The cute little sundress, 5705, (which can also be worn a as a top with pants) is in stock at Redcurlz's.

Here's some more "Jiffy" patterns you can make so quick!

1.)  Simplicity 5079; We Are Vintage Sewing
2.)  Simplicity 9072; California Sunset
3.)  Simplicity 6079; Blue Tree Sewing Studio
4.)  Simplicity 8865; Clutterina's Shop

Simplicity 5675; 5678; 5679; 5677

Casual dresses make the scene, stylish now as they were then. :)

Cute 5678, with it's keyhole neckline, is in stock at MBChills.

Here's some similar dresses with cool contrasting details like in 5677...

1.)  Butterick 5959; Fancywork
2.)  Simplicity 9338; Happy I Found It
3.)  Simplicity 7804; Purple Plaid Penguin

Simplicity 5693; 5694; 5712; 5694

Summer means SWIMMING and these beachy swimsuits are perfect for you!

Similar swimwear from the team:

1.)  McCall's 3606; Vintage Needle Finds
2.)  Simplicity 9321; Frisky Scissors
3.)  McCall's 2839; Erika With A K Vintage
4.)  Butterick 6267; Roma's Maison

Simplicity 5724; 5725

Crewel was very popular and trendy in the 1970s... lovely floral designs.  A similar floral crewel design, Simplicity 4716, is in stock at DRC Rose Patterns.

Simplicity 5708; 5696

Great tennis looks on the back cover!  Anybody want to play a match?

Similar looks:

1.)  Simplicity 9417; People Packages
2.)  Simplicity 9966; Blue Tree Sewing Studio
3.)  Butterick 4342; Clutterina's Shop
4.)  Simplicity 6398; Retroactive Future

Well, that's about it for right now!!  I hope you enjoyed this look back at Summer, 1973!

What's your favorite pattern? :)