How to Use Vintage Dress Patterns

Vintage dresses come in a wide variety of styles, whether you want a dress from the fabulous fifties or something even earlier. Some vintage dresses are timeless classics, and others evoke the unique style of the times. You may want to make a dress that stands out as vintage, or you may want to use a vintage style that has come back into fashion again or make your own fashion statement. By using a vintage dress pattern, you can combine the style of the era with your own fabric choices. Read on to learn how to use vintage dress patterns.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Vintage dress pattern
• Scissors
• Iron
• Ironing board
• Fabric
• Straight pins

1. Look through current pattern catalogs at the fabric store or online to find vintage style dress patterns. Some companies, such as Vogue, offer sections specifically devoted to vintage style patterns, or reproductions of old patterns. These patterns can be more affordable than original vintage patterns, and they come with complete pattern pieces in a variety of sizes, as well as complete instructions.

2. Look online for original vintage patterns from the era you want. You can find websites that specialize in out of print patterns, as well as online auctions of vintage patterns. If you buy an original, out of print pattern, check with the seller to make sure the pattern still has all the pieces. True vintage patterns may only be available in a limited number of sizes (and the size system may be different than modern patterns), so be prepared to alter the pattern to the size you need.

3. Cut out the patterns carefully. If you’re using an old pattern with fragile paper, you may want to make copies of the patterns or tape them to sturdier paper so they don’t tear.

4. Preheat the iron to a very low setting and gently iron the patterns to get out all the wrinkles. This makes the patterns more accurate when you cut the fabric.

5. Use the chart on the pattern envelope, if available, to find out how much fabric you need. If the pattern doesn’t have a fabric chart, lay out the pattern pieces to calculate the yardage and the width of the fabric you need.

6. Find out what other accessories you need to complete the vintage dress, using the guidelines on the pattern envelope or the picture of the dress as a guide. If you’re using an old vintage pattern, you may want to substitute modern conveniences, such as fusible interfacing or polyester zippers, for some of the original directions.

7. Follow the cutting guide in the pattern directions to pin the patterns to the fabric and cut out the pieces. If your pattern doesn’t have a cutting guide, check for any markings on the patterns themselves, such as pieces that need to be placed on the fold.

Tips & Warnings

• If you’re working with an incomplete pattern or resizing a vintage dress pattern, you may want to test the pattern by making it out of muslin (cheap cotton) first, so you can adjust the patterns if needed before using your real dress fabric.
• You can make the dress from new fabric or, for a genuine vintage look, find old fabric and buttons through thrift shops or online auctions.
• Look for vintage accessories, such as vintage hat patterns, to complete the look.
• Use caution when working with scissors, irons and pins.