General Chat

Can anyone remember the Petticoat magazine with their basic pattern which I think you had to send for - it was made out of white j-cloth type material and then they showed how to adapt it each week or month or whatever it was. This must have been in the 1960's. I still have mine somewhere. I can remember making a skirt and coat once and finishing it off with the buttons on the train.

PatternReview.com is excellent for checking out various patterns. Someone may have sewn a particular pattern and they write about the likes and dislikes,helpful hints on fitting and fabrics etc.

Hi Valerie My Mum was a tailoress and I remember the floor often being covered with brown paper as she cut out her own patterns and designs. I don't think she ever bought ready made patterns. We always had all the latest fashions as kids, as Mum would 'run' them up on the old treadle machine in no time! I used to fall asleep at night to the sound of that treadle machine going. She taught me too, but funny, now I absolutely hate sewing! She died when I was 14, but I just have to hear an old treadle machine and it takes me right back! Christine

I used to make lots of my own clothes in the 60s & 70s, as I often found it difficult to buy things I liked that fitted properly. I haven't made many things more recently, but I've still got all my old sewing patterns (Simplicity, Butterick, Vogue, etc) in the loft, and as those styles seem to be popular again now, I'll dig them out and see what can be done with them, although the sizing will need to be upgraded quite a bit! CB >|<

Which ones do you prefer and why.