PDFs of vintage 50s pattern drafting system - instant download - Spring 1957

This wonderful pattern drafting system dates from Spring 1957. 97 different outfits for you to admire…. AND for you to draft as patterns to sew at home!

The illustrated models include the latest dresses, beautiful bridalwear, blouses, suave suits, skirts, and captivating coats! Accompanying the illustrations are instructions and schematic diagrams that let you draft these designs to your own measurements.

Originally, all this was in Italian (with some French). I have translated (and expanded) the instructions and text into English. The actual few words on the schematic diagrams are still in Italian, eg. "waistline", "center front", etc. I have compiled a key with the translation of every phrase and word you will come across in these actual drawings.

In your instant download, you will receive five files:
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1) the actual illustrated booklet of all the models, in good quality for your reading convenience. 20 pages, some in colour, others in part colour, others in black and white. (Great simply for browsing, inspiration, eye candy, scrapbooking, etc, etc!)

2) the instruction booklet, 5 pages, which includes:
a. Instructions in English on how to produce your own magnified grid to your exact measurements.
b. A key in English for all words in Italian still on the diagrams.

3) The schematic diagrams for you to draft 97 models. Please note that 4 outfits illustrated in the booklet do NOT have patterns (nos.4957 to 5600). (Occasional words on patterns are still in Italian, but all of these words are translated in the Key.) 26 pages.

4) Two PDFs that contain the pages from the illustrated booklet in best quality – I've done this so you can, if you choose, print these in tip-top quality for display, etc. (Splitting them up into two batches keeps the file sizes manageable.)


How the pattern drafting works:
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Basically, the drafting system works by you making a large template grid unique to your measurements. The grid is made ingeniously by simply folding a precisely measured piece of paper in various ways (so the creases form the gridlines). Then you can lay transparent paper over the top. Copy the little diagrams given using the grid as your guide – this scales up the pattern to your exact measurements. One customer has also told me that if you happen to have a "Frohne Modelle" system enlarging tool, this works to scale up the diagrams to full-size patterns. Other customers have made smaller patterns to make clothes for dolls!

It's a fascinating idea, and fun to study, but I recommend you will need to be a fairly advanced sewer and comfortable tweaking your own pattern to achieve a good fit. There are numbered notches that should be matched, but no other information is given on how to put your fabric pieces together, how many of each piece to be cut, etc. I'd definitely recommend you make a mock-up out of muslin/inexpensive fabric before committing to that sumptuous silk you have in your stash!
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Technical details:
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Pages are formatted to size A4 (210mm by 297mm) for you to print easily at home.
(Just make sure your printer is set to 100% and A4 borderless.)

You can also print on US Letter paper (215.9mm by 279.4mm). However, you'll need to trim a little white margin off the sides of your printed pages if you want to display them. It does not matter if your printer scales down the technical diagrams when printing – this will not affect your finished pattern at all.

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The boring bit about copyright: The original source is out of copyright. However, the translation, scanning, reformatting and remastering of these images are my work. You are welcome to use these images for personal non-commercial use.

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Thanks for your interest! Check out the rest of my store here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/glassoffashion