Vintage Patterns

Whether we’re pulling a pattern directly from the archive or recreating from a former pattern illustration, we adapt the design to modern size charts for that brand. But remember, wearing ease for vintage style garments is different to modern. This means clothing was designed to be more close fitting and you’ll see this when you compare the body and finished measurements of the patterns. The step-by-step instructions are unchanged so you experience sewing the pattern as it was originally designed.

Just like our modern pattern designs, there is a range of patterns for every skill level. Beginners may find our McCall’s Archive Collection and Simplicity Vintage patterns a great starting point as they come complete with easy-to-follow instructions, making them very accessible to beginners. Our Retro Butterick patterns include a few styles to push your skills with jackets and interesting seams to construct. And our Vogue Vintage collection features many couture style garments that you can use to develop your skills further.

Our multi-size patterns mean you don’t have to struggle finding an authentic single-size vintage pattern in your measurements. And as we adapt our patterns to modern size charts this makes them easier to fit as you don’t have to work around historic differences in body shape. We also apply printed pattern markings like notches and darts to our pattern pieces which aren’t always included in vintage designs. Plus you’ll always know every pattern piece is present and intact when you buy it, which is a risk with a second hand pattern.