| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Lacy |
Posted - Oct 25 2005 : 06:42:08 AM
Hi all--
So, I'm getting married in about six months and am having a heck of a time finding a dress I LOVE. We're having an outdoor "farmstyle" wedding, and I'd like to wear a short dress with a full skirt (and cowgirl boots at the reception!)-- very 50's-- and let me tell you, they are NOT in style right now!!
Soooo, I've decided that I need to design my own and have it made ( I wish I could do it myself, but I'm a SERIOUS beginner, and don't even have a sewing machine yet!). But I'm sort of looking for a starting point. Does anyone know where I could find vintage 50's dress patterns or pictures of wedding dresses? I've done some searches on the internet, but have as yet been unsuccessful. Or if you have photos or ideas from your own weddings, that would be great!
Thanks for your help!
Lacy |
| 14 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Utahfarmgirl |
Posted - Oct 28 2005 : 09:52:37 AM
I'm gld to see you have your priorities straight, Lu. Right on!
Patricia
Happy Wishes! |
| thehouseminder |
Posted - Oct 28 2005 : 08:49:30 AM
Ohhh! Girls!
I LOVE vintage patterns too. There is an independent thrift shop here in Omaha which is in an area where many of the residents are retired and cleaning out their stuff. Besides getting great fabrics and trims by the bag, I ususally leave with an armload of patterns too. Hardly any of the other shoppers seem interested in them. I pick out all the nice ones and the ones I won't use I put on Ebay starting at .99 so that others can enjoy them. I was really shocked one time when a 60's Swing Coat Pattern by Vogue sold for $62.00. Wow! Of course, I just spent it all at the thrift store.
When we were young, there were moments of such perfectly crystallized happiness that we stood stock still and silently promised ourselves that we would remember them always. And we did. --Holly J. Burkhalter , "Four Midwestern Sisters' Christmas Book"
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| Clare |
Posted - Oct 28 2005 : 08:41:15 AM
I have my mother's 1951 wedding dress pattern! I'll see if I can post a pic of it, and let ya know! When she moved last year I took her two drawers full of patterns for myself! I can't bear to part with them... I remember all those dresses and shirts that she made from them for me and my brothers. Memories! 
"I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have." - Abraham Lincoln.... http://farmstyle.blogspot.com
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| Lacy |
Posted - Oct 28 2005 : 08:23:15 AM
Yea, my grandmother moved out of the house they'd lived in for 48 years about 4 years ago and threw out or sold ALL of her old patterns and fabric and stuff-- SO SAD! My mom keeps looking at the things I'm picking out and saying "my mother HAD this pattern and we got RID of it!!" -- aaahh, good to know that packratting comes in handy! |
| greyghost |
Posted - Oct 28 2005 : 08:19:11 AM
Yep, I am very happy when I find someone selling old patterns at a garage sale! I spent hours going through boxes of them at one sale - it was awesome! Dh was probably bored but I had a blast. |
| thehouseminder |
Posted - Oct 28 2005 : 06:45:09 AM
You have to remember that they are actually not "just paper." They require a designer to come up with the image of the finished product, talented draftspeople to turn that image into pieces which will provide the shape, a textile expert to figure out what weights and types of fabrics will work best, Instruction Writers to provide directions any skill level can follow, and pattern testers to make the finished model. Then they get to go back to the drawing board if it doesn't work. Then there is the Walmart mentality of always needing a deep discount. The pattern companies are forced to put ridiculous prices on them so they can sell them at "50% off" every day. I keep running lists of the patterns I need and wait for the $0.99 sales. Hancock Fabrics has Simplicity at .99 through 10-31 right now. McCall's patterns will go on sale for .99 next Thursday. The lowest Vogue ever seems to go is 75% off.
As far as the vintage patterns go, pattern collecting is big. There are people who are fashion enthusiasts collecting patterns when they cannot even sew. There are a lot of factors which determine the value but the big one is that the tissue and envelope are fragile and even the oil from your fingertips can degrade them so condition and nice envelope art are key.
Lucinda
When we were young, there were moments of such perfectly crystallized happiness that we stood stock still and silently promised ourselves that we would remember them always. And we did. --Holly J. Burkhalter , "Four Midwestern Sisters' Christmas Book"
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| Lacy |
Posted - Oct 28 2005 : 06:34:22 AM
Yea, and the vintage ones (i got outbid on the one on ebay) end up being like $25!! Annie- those are great! I think I'm going to get all three just so I can start my 50's dress collection-- I love them!
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| greyghost |
Posted - Oct 28 2005 : 06:26:03 AM
Unrelated but related question:
Why the heck are patterns so expensive????
It's just thin paper, printed on by a machine and shoved into a paper envelope. Why does it need to be $13 to $8?
I have some of my mom's old patterns - $1.25! I know, it was the 60s & 70s, but still... |
| AnnieT |
Posted - Oct 26 2005 : 5:39:42 PM
There are several "new" patterns similar to those shown in the ebay listing. Here is a link:
http://store.sewingtoday.com/cgi-bin/butterick/shop.cgi?s.item.B4512=x&TI='retro'&page=1
http://store.sewingtoday.com/cgi-bin/butterick/shop.cgi?s.item.B4513=x&TI='retro'&page=1
http://store.sewingtoday.com/cgi-bin/voguepatterns/shop.cgi?s.item.V2561=x&TI=20006&page=3
I also have a pattern that I bought new several years ago, but was unable to locate online today. It is Butterick P409: Retro '52 Collection. A fabulous dress along the lines of those in the above links.
Annie
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| bramble |
Posted - Oct 25 2005 : 12:06:14 PM
Lacy- Check your email!
with a happy heart |
| thehouseminder |
Posted - Oct 25 2005 : 11:37:26 AM
You might try browsing the pattern section of
avintagewedding.com
Very cool 50's stuff there!
Lucinda
When we were young, there were moments of such perfectly crystallized happiness that we stood stock still and silently promised ourselves that we would remember them always. And we did. --Holly J. Burkhalter , "Four Midwestern Sisters' Christmas Book"
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| Lacy |
Posted - Oct 25 2005 : 11:04:15 AM
Thanks Kay-- those patterns are just what i'm looking for...
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| Utahfarmgirl |
Posted - Oct 25 2005 : 09:21:12 AM
Glory Be, I wish I had a waist like that. Ever, in my life. Sigh.
Happy Wishes! |
| therusticcottage |
Posted - Oct 25 2005 : 07:45:48 AM
Lacy -- here's one on eBay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/vintage-circa-1950s-Maudella-Wedding-Dress-pattern_W0QQitemZ8228513091QQcategoryZ3119QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
GO WHITE SOX!!!!
http://rusticcottage.blogspot.com/ |
