Victorian sewing patterns?

[Random Mumblings]

Am in need of a pattern to make a long Victorian skirt of some sort, and also a pair of knee length knickers. Any ideas? Ebay my best bet?

[Shadowcat]

There used to bre free patterns for Victorian bits and pieces on this site - as a banner advert. Goodness knows how you find it without going through every one though..........

Gottit!

http://www.tudorlinks.com/treasury/index.html

s.

[Alice the Huswyf]

Butterick Making History Range from your local haberdasher - but at £7.50 a shot.......

[Tuppence]

I have assorted books with patterns in them - re-send me your address, and let me know which bit of victorian and I'll photocopy for you.

[frances]

There is also the Vinatage Pattern Library in the USA which will sell or loan out copies of extant patterns. Take your pick from hundreds of patterns.

I cannot possibly tell you in a public place what I think of the Simplicity range of patterns. Maybe they should be re-named 'the make it complicated when the original is simple, company'.

[Gothic-Haven]

Past Patterns in the US have a great range of all era's I have the Victorian Bell Skirt pattern unused if you are interested

[sally]

Slight tangent, but the antique pattern library has downloadable original pattern books for all sorts of trimmings in amongst the knitting, crochet and tatting instructions, some of which may be useful for your project
http://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/completelist.htm

[Megane Peaks]

Simplicity do very simple Victorian Patterns.

for bloomers use 9769 'The Fashion Historian'

for the skirt use 4900 'Costumes for Adults'

Hope these are useful

[laura]

"knee length knickers"?

If you want (real original actual) Victorian underwear, ie drawers, then use French eBay - three pairs for about a tenner including postage for the ones with plain edgings ie 'only' a four-inch deep frill of broderie anglaise trim on the legs!

the search terms you want are "culottes" and "ancien" - you can use Altavista babelfish to translate a it though it struggles sometimes with sewing terms.

Cheaper, quicker, and almost certainly more beautiful than making your own unless you're one heck of a needlwoman - those edgings are gorgeous, even the plain ones!

btw, "culottes fendue" are open drawers, ie no crotch seam - very practical if wearing fourteen layers of petticoats and stays but not to everyone's confidence and comfort!

laura

Here's three pairs and a skirt for 10.5 euros - postage seems to be well under ten euros to the UK - send a message to the seller first to ask!
http://cgi.ebay.fr/lot-de-3-culottes-1- ... dZViewItem

[Random Mumblings]

Thanks everyone.

[Tuppence]

If you want (real original actual) Victorian underwear, ie drawers, then use French eBay - three pairs for about a tenner including postage for the ones with plain edgings ie 'only' a four-inch deep frill of broderie anglaise trim on the legs!

But if they really are original Victorian, they should seriously, seriously not be worn - they should be kept in proper conditions to preserve them.

Anybody wearing them should simply be shot.

Debbie, the preservation-of-antique-clothing-fascist

[laura]

Oops - better make my last will and testament then!

If it mitigates any, I hand-launder my ancient stuff and never use modern methods or chemicals.

I grew up in a household that never threw anything out - my kitchen knives were my great-grandmother's, with a crown and VR stamped into the blade... we have garden and DIY tools from before 1900 too and just use them as always. Other stuff I've bought in junk shops because I'm more comfortable with older things than with new things.

If we stopped using everything that's over 50 years old... blimey, that's all my crockery, most of my cutlery, half the glasses, lots of the tools, and quite a chunk of my wardrobe! Drawers, petticoats, shoes, boots from C19th and far more from the early C20th. This 1930s desk my friend's uncle made. This vintage retro kitchen stool I'm sitting on that was my Gran's.

I don't use or wear anything that's not well-preserved, and I don't think we have anything rare (I'm an archaeologist), so all the stuff we use or I wear is still very strong.

Living History?

laura

[frances]

I too use Victorian and Edwardian undies. Particularly corset covers, drawers and chemises; also aprons and white caps. In my experience much old cotton and linen likes being laundered and regains a good texture and colour after washing and ironing.

Obviously if it is falling to pieces one sews up the holes and repairs tears to fabric and trim. But then if one wears it there is nothing lost as it was not useable or worth saving for the future before anyway.