Tuesday 22 July 2014

The Golden Dressmaker

It sounds like a 1950's film title.
Instead it's a 1950's text book for "cutting your own patterns which will save you pounds in cash and hours in time"...sigh, I love this! 1st you will need to work out how to use the obscure tiny ruler that is the key to drafting all the patterns in the book.  It's rare to find the book and the ruler together, yet here they are, having lived 50+ years in my MIL's bookcase.

I confess this kind of 'challenge' is the perfect rainy weekend afternoon for me. Add in a coffee & old movie in the background & it's a happy studio bunny up here in the hills!

But what to make first?  The classic mens BBQ shirts on p128, or the petticoats, which I'm sure will be useful, on page 72  or cocktail frocks p 65.

Not since plotting out 5th scales at uni have little pattern diagrams looked so strange.  While studying pattern drafting we worked our trial pattern designs to 1/5th of full scale . Mostly my fellow students disliked this immensely, it's fiddly and exacting. I found it strangely calming. I love pattern making and am possibly a bit strange this way.  Like nutting out instructions for furniture construction, or indeed, working through the occassional Ikea instruction booklet...this little ruler is perhaps the equivalent of an Ikea allen key!  and the pictures are delightful.  I cannot decide -  to keep the book (300 pages, 275 'illustrated models') or let it go to a new home.  I'm drawn to letting it live on my bookshelf for a while, it's just too much fun!

Enjoy the pics.



14 comments:

  1. I don't sew but I love these pictures! I often use pictures to base my drawings and art off- thank you for this :)

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  2. I'm with Melissa on this. I'd love to LEARN how to sew, but I haven't done so yet. Great stuff here!

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  3. What a great book! It reminds me of a pattern system I used to own but even better.

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  4. I love 1950s patterns, they remind me so much of my Mom and her sewing days! I can barely sew a button, on, but I love using patterns and pattern books in my mixed media paintings. This was a visual treat! :)

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  5. What a Fabulous Book! I self draft a lot of my own 1950's style frocks (and petticoats are a pain in the ^*% to sew!)

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  6. I have this book and patterns they have just been given to me by an elderly lady who never used it.
    But sadly I don't have the ruler
    Any ideas on how I can make my own scale ruler to enable me to use the system ?
    Thanks Tracey

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  7. Hi Tracey, I have a scan of the ruler which can be emailed. let me know your email address and I'll send it off. you can email me direct if you like jandersonstudio(at)optusnet.com.au

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    1. Do you still have the scan of the ruler? I have just inherited the book but we can't find the ruler anywhere. Is your email address still the same?

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    2. hi Sarah, yes same email, send me your email address and i'll send to you. cheers. Jo

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    3. Hi Jo-Anne, I recently found this same book but it is missing the celluloid ruler. I'd love if I could also have a copy of the scanned ruler. Could I email you?

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  8. I would love a copy of this book.. I can´t find it anywhere in Denmark..

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  9. I would love a copy of this book.. I can´t find it anywhere in Denmark..

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    1. Hello Sarah! I don't know if you will see this but feel free to email me at weirdsews@gmail.com- I do have similar scanned copies of books like this I am happy to share with anyone :)

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  10. Hello! I am a little Obsessed with radial drafting systems like this right now- do you happen to know anything else about your copy, or happen to have any more scanned images of it? I'm happy to share my archive of all the other copies I've found online and my own similar copies I have scanned myself.
    Anyone is welcome to email me at weirdsews@gmail.com to chat about this! :)

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