Plus-size patterns…from antique garments!

I recently began working on a project to pattern and digitize larger antique garments. Every once in a while I find something in my price range on eBay or Etsy, and now you get to benefit! In 2021 I produced several patterns for the MFIT exhibit The Roaring Twenties and the Swinging Sixties (which are free …

Free 1920s camisole pattern – 1X/2X (24.5)

This is a simple camisole pattern (or brassiere/binder pattern, if you wear it tight) suitable for the mid-to-late 1920s. It is patterned from an antique garment in my collection with a 47.5” bust that was probably home-made. This pattern is free for personal use (not commercial) as long as you credit me or link back …

Recent projects (1490s-1890s)

I was updating my dress list and realized that I'd never bothered to post about a lot of my recent projects. Oops. I don't tend to post about smaller projects or ones that I didn't consider interestingly challenging, and as I get more familiar with sewing techniques and eras, there are fewer ensembles I consider …

Free 1890s corset pattern – plus size!

I added an 1890s corset to my personal collection a few months back, bought from a dealer in Europe. The reason I couldn't pass it up was that it has a 33" waist! It's in pristine condition, and I sent it off to Michelle at Clockwork Faerie, who does amazing work drafting, digitizing, and sewing …

Images of stout women, 1850-1930

As I work on my dissertation about fat fashion history, I've been collecting antique photographs of women who were larger than the ideal (as well as a few disabled women, but that's another post). Time to share some of my favorites with you all! The entire album can be accessed here, though I'm working on …

1630s Purple Velvet Ensemble

Finally - a new project! I've wanted to try 1630s for a while (ever since I completed my 1660s project and enjoyed it so much) and I finally stocked up on some fabric and the Seventeenth Century Women's Dress Patterns book. I'm aiming to use the cream slashed-satin bodice in the V&A collection as a …

Teens Pattern Review

I thought I would post today about the project that you may have seen a few hints of on my social media, which was a week of sewing with Abby Cox that produced two full nineteen-teens-era suits and an additional skirt. (Video forthcoming.) We worked with five patterns in order to create the set, and …

1915 Wool Walking Suit

Time to talk a little about a project I worked on last summer - a coral and purple wool walking suit for Not Your Momma's History! 1915 fashion plate Cheyney knew exactly what she wanted, and we tweaked the design of a Le Style Parisienne fashion plate from 1915. The white suit in the center …

1903 Lingerie Dress

Apologies for the creasing - this cotton was the devil! Double-posting on the heels of my 1880 dress because this is another project that got sidelined and then hastily finished during the pandemic! No detailed project descriptions here, I'm afraid. If anyone recalls my black wool 1903 gown from several years back, this is essentially …

1880 Bunka Gakuen Gown

It's been so long since I did a proper sewing report....and this is not going to be one entirely. 😅 However, I just realized that I never posted about making my 1880 Bunka Gakuen gown, which I began sewing right after the pandemic hit. I drafted part of a post many months back, so here's …