Ladies’ Home Journal Archive

by Shawn Pursley | Mar 15, 2023 | Library

Much like last month’s find, we began searching for references to one of our items, a Ladies Home Journal reproduction, the Mid 1910s Dress with Suplice Blouse. Saundra Altman, our founder and current Creative Director, used the LHJ March 1914 to help produce...

Demorest Magazine archive at Valdosta State

by Shawn Pursley | Feb 28, 2023 | Library

Last night, we began searching for references to our item 1954B, our reproduction of the 1899 Demorest Bernard Waist, https://pastpatterns.com/…/late-1890s-bernard-waist…/ We did find an ad for it in a 1901 Buffalo newspaper, see pic #2 for this ad....

Past Patterns 0806, the Lowell Mill Dress sewing pattern

by Shawn Pursley | Feb 22, 2023 | Library

We love seeing the end results of our patterns! Check out what Kate Scott did with with Past Patterns 0806, The Lowell Mill Dress sewing pattern, via...

Resizing Vintage Patterns

by Shawn Pursley | Feb 21, 2023 | Library

The most common question that we get, here at Past Patterns, goes something like this, “Hello how much would it cost to resize patterns 6053 and 8159? I’m approx around a 47 bust, 42 waist, and 53 hips?” The answer..too much. In order to do the...

1876 Science and Geometry of Dress

by Shawn Pursley | Feb 9, 2023 | Library

When Louisa Jackson published The Science and Geometry of Dress in 1876, her intent was for it to be “a complete Guide, Instructor and Text-Book on Measuring, Designing, Drafting and Cutting Ladies and Childrens clothing suited not only to the studies of the...

1858 Union India Rubber Co Catalogue

by Shawn Pursley | Feb 3, 2023 | Library

In 1858, The Union India Rubber Co was the Exclusive Manufacturer for Rubber Based Clothing using Goodyear Rubber Patent. To say that they came up with some creative uses of rubber in clothing would be an understatment. Their catalog starts with rubberized coats, then...