Copy a pattern or use an original?

[mentha]

Not for me I trace new patterns as well, just so I can continue using them for other sizes.

 

[CherryRed]

I use originals, too. However, my favorites get ironed onto iron-on interfacing. That keeps them intact. Also, I'm not sure if newer sewers are aware of pattern weights, but it's much safer to use them then pinning the pattern to your fabric. As for alterations, if I'm using a 50's pattern, I usually don't have to do alterations. For 30's and 40's patterns, I prefer pin and pivot over slash and spread where possible. With pin and pivot, I can do alterations on the first run of a muslin.

OK, I know what slash and spread is, but what is pin and pivot?

 

[Inky]

I copy my original vintage patterns as well, so I can slash them up to grade them and keep the original intact, should I ever want to sell or trade it.

 

[kamikat]

OK, I know what slash and spread is, but what is pin and pivot?

It's the altering technique favored by Nancy Zieman and the Palmer/Pletsch books (Real Fit for Real People, Pants for Real People, Jackets for Real People). If you are new to fitting, I highly recommend Real Fit for Real People and Fitting Finesse by Nancy Zieman. If you don't know her, she hosts "Sewing with Nancy" on PBS and runs http://www.nancysnotions.com/

 

[Lady Day]

This interesting convo was kind of dominating the 'made' thread.

I thought it deserved its own thread

LD

 

[evelyns-niece]

thanks

Thanks for all the advice! Now I just need to go get a roll of paper Thankfully, the peddler's mall had several patterns for like 40 cents each! I love inexpensive fun!

 

[MissAmelina]

I have a roll of heavy white paper that I bought at a school supply store for a few bucks. I've traced about four dress patterns with it and the roll still looks brand new.


I've a 5 ft. long folding table up on cinder blocks that I use as a cutting table--it is a little higher than my waist (this saves your back and neck when working for long hours...trust me....and it is a cheap alternative to a fancy schmancy cutting table....more money for fabric and patterns).


After carefully ironing the pattern piece without steam, I place them on at a time on the paper, pin them down, and carefull trace around them with one of those tracing wheels---i don't worry about using carbon paper, as the little holes left behind are perfectly visible under good light. And the paper is so thick it provides a stable backing on which to pin. I have not done any damage to a pattern piece thus far using this method. I also particularly like the sound it makes and how it feels pinning thru the paper onto the table....is that weird? Like listening to sand in a vacuum.....

Anywhoo....I mark all the notches and dots and label each piece with a sharpie and then cut it out and and stick it appropriately to my dress dummy.

After all the pieces are stuck to Rosalind, I take a peek to see if there are any obvious alterations to be made (like if the bodice won't pull over the bust to meet the waist seam, or if it is obvious the bodice will not be wide enough when I lay it on the center line of the dummy...then I know right away that I need to do an FBA and it save me some time). This also gives me a good idea of what the dress might look like and gets me extremely excited.....then I do my happy dance.

After making a muslin, if I choose to do that step, I slash it or take it in, and I make any alterations to the traced pattern pieces and write my notes on them. I know some people make a seperate list of notes for each pattern, but I am such a visual person it makes more sense to me to see "increase seam allowance by half inch" written directly on the pattern piece on the seam line for future constructions.

The tracing and muslin do take time.....sometimes I want to just dive right in and start cutting that fabric already....but I am such a clumsy klutzy girl...it seems like the more careful I try to be, the more messy and dangerous I become. I have ripped and spilled and sliced and stained. So I take this step that allows me to be rough and tough with the pieces as it appears to be in my nature.

I am envious of those of you who have delicate fingers.
But I think either way you do it, it's okay.
The point, for me, is being creative.
And like I said before, nothing lasts forever. Might as well use them. Just use them with respect.

 

[Joie DeVive]

I'm also a tracer. I view vintage patterns as pieces of history, and if I own one, I am it's conservator. I view it as my job to keep and preserve it for the future to the best of my ability. Even pattens from the 1970s are almost 40 years old. That's pretty good for little pieces of paper.

This is the same way I feel about vintage clothes, and why I own and wear very little original stuff. Of course, I'm a terrible klutz, so that probably informs my views. Being able to simply exist without destroying the things around you probably makes things a little different.

I trace mine onto actual tissue paper, and copy the directions. I don't find it particularly tedious or time consuming. The other girls are right, that the directions tend to be much more fragile than the patterns themselves. Just be aware that some copy shops are fussy about copying the directions, let alone the pieces due to copyright concerns. The only other solution I came up with for the directions was to keep them in a poster frame while working on the actual piece. I was never overly happy with that though.

 

[evelyns-niece]

The tracing and muslin do take time.....sometimes I want to just dive right in and start cutting that fabric already....but I am such a clumsy klutzy girl...it seems like the more careful I try to be, the more messy and dangerous I become. I have ripped and spilled and sliced and stained. So I take this step that allows me to be rough and tough with the pieces as it appears to be in my nature.

Thank you MissAmelina! This sounds like me... I'm klutzy too and a little overeager to just get going already sometimes! It was very informative to hear your process.

Whether I like it or not, admittedly things usually turn out better when I take extra steps to protect myself ... from myself, lol!

Thanks to all the ladies for your encouragement to take my time and stop looking for shortcuts already!

 

[deadpandiva]

I always trace vintage patterns. I hate it. It's time consuming and I am not very good at it. I have some patterns with really big peices. I think I may tear my hair out when I start them.

 

[MissAmelina]

I timed myself last week and it took less than an hour to trace a dress pattern with gores and darts and stuff....when I saw that it really did not take that much time, I felt less pissy about it.

 

[Lady Day]

Cool!

LD

 

[deadpandiva]

I timed myself last week and it took less than an hour to trace a dress pattern with gores and darts and stuff....when I saw that it really did not take that much time, I felt less pissy about it.

The more I do it the faster I may get but right now I am really slow. It's worth it once I have the final product and I know I will use it over and over again. I may be doing something wrong because it takes me hours to trace one dress pattern.

 

[MissAmelina]

The more I do it the faster I may get but right now I am really slow. It's worth it once I have the final product and I know I will use it over and over again. I may be doing something wrong because it takes me hours to trace one dress pattern.

I have a nice roll of thick white paper from a school supply store...I just pin the pattern pieces to the paper and carefully cut them out....just like fabric. The paper is sturdy enough to provide plenty of stability for the weakened pattern pieces. Sometimes I trace with a little marking wheel first, but now I usually just cut and then transfer any special markings (grainlines and dots) with a sharpie. (there is a longer explanation above this post aways...)

 

[Snookie]

They've survived 75 years of basements, attics, spills, damp, floods, bookworms, smoke, air pollution, other people handling them, etc. What's a little love from a gal in Philly gonna hurt 'em??

Unless vintage items are cared for with museum quality care, even careful use will damage them. Most of our pristine vintage items have survived because they were neglected, not in spite of it! Not that I think you're doing anything wrong, I'm definitely of the opinion that it's fine to carefully enjoy these items - I certainly do. But it's true that exposure to light, air, and oils from our hands all take their toll.

If a vintage pattern is in decent condition and I'm not doing alterations, I use the real deal. Ditto to everyone on pattern weights and straight edges - I frequently trace my pattern onto my fabric before cutting, especially if the fabric is slippery. Obviously, alterations or fragility means I will make copies - usually only of the pieces I need, though.

Soup cans and staplers also make fine pattern weights!

I don't like using tracing paper, the sheets are never large enough and you're constantly shifting everything around. Any tips (besides growing some patience!) would be appreciated.

I store my vintage patterns in acid-free comic book envelopes w/cardboard, inside pattern boxes. I think this is critical to preservation AND keeps me organized. I don't worry about pattern being crushed or losing pieces, and it's easy to keep notes, adjusted pattern pieces and swatches with patterns.

 

[Medvssa]

I always copy all of my patterns on manila paper, even if they are contemporary... and sometimes even if I drafted them myself, for future use, as the manila tends to tear.
Maybe this comes from the fact that I am used to Burda style pattern pages, where many different garments and sizes are printed all on top of each other with different dotted lines, and you have to copy these to be able to work with them. I always considered it just another step of the process.

Everything will eventually be old and fragile, possibly valuable, and I cannot take this thought off my head so I try to be as careful as possible. But of course I am especially careful with my 1870's fashion magazines and patterns. On the other hand I also think that things, just as us, get old and fragile and eventually disintegrate. But the longer they are kept the longer us or others will be able to enjoy them.

 

[Antje]

I always copy, I'm not really sensitive for my patterns and make a big mess of it so so copying is better for me esspecially when I decide to make a dress again.

Most of the time I make even a preview of a dress with some really cheap fabric, so I won't mess it up with an expensive fabric

 

[Anachronism]

I use originals, too. However, my favorites get ironed onto iron-on interfacing. That keeps them intact. Also, I'm not sure if newer sewers are aware of pattern weights, but it's much safer to use them then pinning the pattern to your fabric. As for alterations, if I'm using a 50's pattern, I usually don't have to do alterations. For 30's and 40's patterns, I prefer pin and pivot over slash and spread where possible. With pin and pivot, I can do alterations on the first run of a muslin.

I've heard the tip about interfacing, but i'm not sure what heat level would be appropriate?
also, where do you get pattern weights? or what can you use? I've tried using regular 1-2lb barbell type weights but they aren't so nice to the pattern.

 

[Miss 1929]

I use a set of chrome cocktail glasses as pattern weights! It's so vintage. And actually, they are great - just the right weight, I turn them upside down and then there's a handle!

And I use brown postal wrapping paper to copy onto, as it's very cheap, a yard wide, and available everywhere. I looked into buying a big roll of white paper but it was more than $50, not for me.

And I do photocopy the instructions! otherwise they do tend to tear. Especially when the cat decides she need to help me sew.

 

[live vintageous]

For 30's and 40's patterns, I prefer pin and pivot over slash and spread where possible. With pin and pivot, I can do alterations on the first run of a muslin.

I need to know too!! I have done slash and spread, but I've never heard of pin and pivot. Would you mind giving a brief explanation or a resource? Sorry, I've just begun to sew, so I have much to learn!