Next Level Nerd - McCall Sewing Pattern Dating and Collecting Resources

Collecting sewing patterns can be a really fun (and expensive) past-time. One of the most fun aspects of this can be hunting down more information about a particular pattern. This can be done a few ways but the best way to find out more about a pattern is to find publications from the pattern company and see if they feature your pattern.

I found this McCall 1738 doll pattern in a 1929 McCall Quarterly. A few days later, I found the French Boudoir doll the pattern was made for at an estate sale! Pattern Nerd heaven!

In addition to printing monthly Style News flyers handed out free at dry goods and department stores, some companies also printed quarterlies that were available for purchase, as well as counter catalogs to have on display in stores.

Some companies also had their own monthly magazines in which patterns were advertised along with novel installments, home decor and homemaking articles, and news. Other companies partnered with magazines already in publication to advertise their pattern in the fashion section.

This post will focus on the types of pattern advertising used by McCall Patterns.

Counter catalogs could be found in stores at the pattern counter, much like they are today. They were often 100-600 pages of fashion eye candy. These are extremely rare and highly sought after as many were simply thrown out every few months.

McCall Catalogue of Complete Designs July, 1930.

The sister catalog to this was the McCall Complete Catalog of Designs, also to be found at the pattern counter, but featuring needlework and accessories. These for some reason are easier to find and are worth 1/10th of what regular counter catalogs go for.

McCall Quarterly Winter, 1925.

McCall Quarterly was an average of 60-100 pages in length and had the distinction of advertising patterns that were based on couture designers - these names often didn't make it printed in the catalogs or on the pattern itself, likely to save on licensing fees. These were published from approximately 1920 to 1931.

You can find reproductions of some of these for download here.

McCall Fashion Book Mid-Winter 1932-33

In 1932, McCall Quarterly was renamed McCall Fashion Book and was published quarterly and sometimes bi-monthly as such until the late 1930s.

McCall Style News was created monthly by McCall and a template was sent out to department stores that carried the patterns to be printed at their own expense and given gratis to customers. These will often have the store name printed at the bottom. I have seen these as early as 1924 and as late as the 1970s.

McCall's November 1928.

McCall's November 1928.

 McCall's Magazine started out in 1873 and was Originally Called The Queen. In 1897 it became McCall's Magazine - The Queen of Fashion and was later shortened to just McCall's.

Published monthly, it is a little utilized pattern dating resource, but a really great one! These often included fashion pages illustrated in mostly color, about 4-14 pages worth! In the 1920s McCall Magazines, couture designer names are often mentioned with the designs - this is my favorite way to find out if a pattern was created by a couture designer or not. I even found out from a 1928 magazine that one of the patterns in my collection was a House of Worth design!

Page from 1925 Autumn McCall Needlework

McCall Needlework was published starting in the early 1920s and was often bi-monthly. While McCall Quarterly focused on clothing and accessories, vintage McCall Needlework focused on patterns for embroidery, pillows, aprons, hats, gloves, toys, curtains, smocking, needlepoint, and cross stitch to name a few.

Other pattern research resources you might find useful:

Vintage Pattern Wiki.

Vintage Pattern Nerds Facebook Group.

How about you? What is your favorite method for researching and dating sewing patterns?

PS. New in pattern happenings this week: The Vintage Sewing Pattern Nerds Facebook Group has opened its own Facebook Pattern Selling Group. Vintage Pattern Nerd Boutique is a great place to buy or sell rare patterns without fees and commissions so stop by and check it out!

Happy sewing,

Found in a Bag, a Second 1920's Dress!

In a recent post I mentioned that I had a few boxes about, filled with bits, scraps, and bags of things from my late mother's house. This next dress in a bag came from this stash of goodies as well. The dress has recently found a home with a collector who is skilled and dedicated to restoring 1920's dresses. I'm glad it's going to a loving home, and I thought that you might like to see some pictures showing some of the amazing details this little beauty featured.
I present to you, Dress in a Bag 2.0.

The upper body of the dress was shattered - a sadly common weakness of dresses like these. With so much added weight from the beads, a dress like this sitting on a hanger for 60 years or so may very well start to fall apart at the weight-bearing uppers.

Remarkably, after a detailed search, it looked like maybe only 3 or 4 beads in total had gone missing.

This floral motif was amazing - the silk was painted inside the beaded outline.

Luckily, the under-slip was in almost pristine shape; even the snaps were still securely sewing in place at the side.

I think by far though, my favorite detail was the ombre effect of the dye at the petalled hem.

Happy sewing,

Some Catalog Love from McCall 1929...

Hello my dears,
Today's post is simply some eye candy from a McCall's  Sewing Pattern Catalog from 1929. I've been catalog obsessed this last year. I started with one, fell in love and before I knew what had happened, I had just under a dozen.
Lord help me, but they are beautiful to behold.
So without further ado...

Found in a Bag - the 1920's Dress

As many of you already know, my mother was an antique dealer - her specialty happened to be vintage clothing and she was a master at restoring difficult pieces. Those great items though that she found beyond repair were always saved hoarded to be later used to help in the restoration of something else. Some pieces ended up as parasol covers, beaded purse linings, or period correct doll clothes.
Others were forgotten about and tucked away in every spare corner and cranny she could find in the antique house she owned - also slowly being restored. When she passed away, my sister and I went through many boxes, and sometimes, rather than digging through the contents of an entire box, I would follow a hunch and decide to give an entire box a new home in my sewing room hoard, sight unseen.
It has felt special, opening these boxes over 2 years after her passing, and feeling close to her again.
My most recent excavation brought to light a dusty Dollar General bag with what I can only describe as the pleasing weight and bounce of silk inside.
I decided to photograph the bag as I dumped its contents on my sewing table, and what follows is my experience of said bag. I though you might like discovering the "Dress in a bag" as much as I did.

What Constitutes a Sewing Pattern... with Freebies!

Hello my dears. Today I would like to opine a bit about sewing patterns (quelle surprise!). Seriously though, I feel like many of us are missing out on the wide variety of sewing pattern types that history has given us, so here is a bit of a Sewing Pattern types TUTORIAL. A pattern is defined as "a model or design used as a guide in needlework and other crafts". These designs might not always be what you'd expect when you read the word PATTERN.

Standard: We're all familiar with a standard sewing pattern. By this I mean a full-sized, cut it out, and lay on your fabric pattern. These were made popular by the big 4 pattern companies over the last 100 or so years but they have become so standard that many have never heard of other types of patterns at all. 
For example, this  reproduction of an original 1920s McCall's pattern:

But what other types of patterns were available throughout history to the average seamstress?

Dressmaking: Modish Draperies, Flounces and Panels from 1928

Today, my dear readers, I have a real treat. From Fashion Service of 1928, I bring you lessons in draping flounces and panels! This is a fantastic technique that you can use in both historical dressmaking as well as modern. It's a wonderful way to personalize a basic pattern with your own flare. In the examples that follow, picture playing with contrasting fabrics, the combination of prints and solids, or added panels of lace for a more luxurious look.

Without further ado, here is the original article:

The ease with which the modish draperies of the season may be achieved is here illustrated. On a foundation dress that may be new or one of a previous season that you wish to refurbish, straight lengths of material are draped in smart but simple ways to produce the soft, fluttering effects so prominent in the feminine mode that sponsors the "dressmaker" type of dress.

To drape effectively, use soft muslin for trial material and plenty of pins. Follow the diagrams accurately and always mark the center front and center back. When the drape runs over the waist line, cut out slightly as shown.
Finish the edges of the dress fabric with picoting, binding, facing. or tiny rolled hems, as the effect may require, having first determined the size in muslin.

Rippling Cascade Panel - Picture adding this in a bright, contrasting color...

Handkerchief Drapes - Imagine these in alternating colors...

Hip Flounces - These would be a good way to add a bit of length to a dress that's a bit too short!

Minaret Flounces - You could add these if you have a narrow figure to add the illusion of fuller hips.

Diagonal Side Drape - Did you get a wine stain on the skirt of your dress? A diagonal drape is a great way to save the dress if the stain won't come out!

We briefly explored draping in my most recent pattern drafting class and I became quite interested in the topic. I found that since the class didn't expound as much as I would have liked (due to time constraints) that my collection of Fashion Service magazines were actually a rather useful supplement.

I had one very fun draping assignment in the class - draping around a motif shape - that led to some fun experimenting that I would love to explore further some day... maybe for the next Air Force ball (she said wistfully, knowing that her husband has begged not to be dragged to any more of them...).

Oh, and in other news, I'm delighted to announce that one of my longest running patterns, Depew #3007 Draped French Blouse, is now available in multiple sizes (including 34"-41" bust sizes) in both paper and digital forms!

Available in both digital and paper versions at MrsDepew.com.

How about you? Have you ever done any draping? Do you have any favorite draping books or resources that I might enjoy obsessing over?

Happy sewing,