I have a bit of a mystery. A challenge, a conundrum for all of you.
While I was counting pattern pieces of some of my older patterns (something I'm just getting around to), I came a cross this beauty...? Well, I would say beauty, but I have no real way to know. This pattern was stuffed in an envelope (as shown) with no instruction sheet, and no pattern picture.
When I discovered this, I was quite intrigued. What kind of pattern is it? What are the details? What size is it? Using my powers of pattern deduction, and giving the pattern the benefit of the doubt, I've narrowed it down.
I think the pattern is the one on the mailing envelope. Pattern # 1998, 40 bust. I measured out some parts of the pattern, a dress, and conclude that taking ease into account, this is indeed a 40" bust.
The dress is a one piece dress (skirt and bodice attached), and is shaped with waist darts.
- B- Front
- C-Back
- D-Facing
- E-Sleeve (perforated for short)
- F-I believe it is a front skirt pleat (hence the marking on the front of the B piece)
- H-Belt?
Is this catching your interest yet?
Another thing that makes me link it to mid 30s is the asymmetrical front of the bodice. Two triangle shapes to be closed with buttons (as marked by the large angles circles). Oh boy! It favors a dress I recently showed you all. I love that style treatment!
Are you all salivating yet?!
In order to see if I could find a picture of this mail order, I looked in the vintage pattern Wiki. No such luck. That is why I am seeking help from all of you.
My searching for a look for this dress can only go so far, but a few hundreds of pairs of eyes can really help out! Please, check your stashes, comb through your mail orders and see if any of you have a picture of this dress. Is it missing a piece? A collar perhaps? What size did it go up to? Was 40B the limit!?
I'm dying to know! Help me out everyone. Thanks!
The large piece is the front with shoulder and centre front darts. The small piece is the facing for the pointed closing. I think the three holes in a vertical column are for the hem with the finished length the centre one. There might be a collar? Maybe that's piece A?
ReplyDeleteWhat's the last piece with the three holes in a diagonal line? That could be pocket or trim guide.
I collect old dolls' clothes patterns. Lots of them use the holes as guides for stitching down rows of trim.
P.S. Do you think the holes on the side front are the guide for inserting a zipper? You're so brave. I love old patterns, but these ones can give me a headache sorting them out with a diagram.
ReplyDeleteThe pieces I have I can identify (and did), Bunnykins. I'm looking for the actual image to the pattern. :)
ReplyDeleteAs I said in the post, I think that diagonal line is a marker for a skirt pleat. In a lot of 30s skits with pleats, you'd see the pleat sewn down in a V shape. Since this front piece is on the fold, Id assume that is the case.
Hi :-)
ReplyDeleteI am not sure that the pattern inside is the one on the outside: I found some pictures of other patterns with the same envelope. Although I do think that your pattern might have a softly folded collar.
Oh, I totally know the pattern on the outer envelope is NOT the actual pattern inside. Those mailing envelope were just stock. Im looking for the patter itself. On these mailings, the pattern # and the bust size were always listed above or near the recipient's mailing address.
ReplyDeleteIs everyone looking out there :)
I don't have anything like this at all and it isn't in CoPA either.
ReplyDeleteA mystery indeed! New to your blog and intrigued already. Am your latest follower. Come say hello sometime.
ReplyDeleteDid you see #1612 in the wiki? (large photo here) To confuse things more, the pattern number is not on that mailing label anywhere (although the bust is). On that label it has an unrelated number (order # maybe), the bust size, and the mailing date. I checked CoPA too and just looked at pictures in case the # is wrong but I didn't see anything with a front closure like that.
ReplyDeleteSorry, Shelley, I thought you were looking for both image and agreement on what pieces are there. Wish I could help with the actual image. I've seen similar, but not the exact one.
ReplyDeleteThanks ladies, I so appreciate the help and eyes :)
ReplyDeleteSarah, thanks for the pic, but I would say that the pattern that is paired with that envelope isn't the correct pattern. On the mailing envelope, the pattern # is clearly listed, then its pattern size.
Oh mail orders! Why could you all not be more organized!!!!! :D
And on a stranger note, I was counting more pieces and came across another mail order that had the first piece start with the letter B! GEEZE! So I might not be missing a piece after all.
Keep the ideas coming everyone! Thanks!
I figured that could be the case! I know I have mailorder patterns from family that I know for certain are in the wrong envelope.
ReplyDeleteYou could also try Pattern Rescue's Pattern Quest page, I'm sure they'd be happy to post what you've got!