There’s something so magical about holding a vintage sewing pattern in your hands. I’ve always found the beautiful illustrations on the front of vintage sewing patterns to be incredibly delightful and charming, and knowing that these patterns are most likely pre-used and pre-loved makes me feel like I’m holding a piece of the past in my palms. I’m also someone who struggles with shopping, as the clothing and silhouettes that speak most to my personal style aren’t easily available (my sweet spot is the late 1950s to the early 1970s), which is why finding sewing patterns from that time makes me so happy.
So where do I find these vintage sewing patterns that speak to me? Honestly, everywhere! I’ve found some fun finds online, have been gifted vintage patterns from friends and have spent countless hours digging through bins at my local thrift stores before I emerge triumphant with a single McCall’s 1970s maxi dress pattern. Searching for vintage sewing patterns isn’t just about the end product (a fab sewn garment) but about the hunt as well, which is why I’m sharing my favorite tips for searching for vintage sewing patterns.
I’ve arranged these tips in order of where to find inspiration and begin your search, as well as where you can find vintage patterns online and out and about. If you love all things vintage sewing or get a rush from thrifting, be sure to check out our Thrifty Sewist series about topics such as where to source vintage fabric or how to find old quilting books.
Photo provided by Prime Publishing
Get Inspired
There are so many wonderful places to find vintage style inspiration online and for me, that typically starts with Pinterest. I love the ability to build a mood board for a certain decade and you can find not only vintage sewing patterns but scans of vintage fashion spreads, runway shots from the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, and stills from your favorite TV shows of yesteryear. As someone who is already a fan of 1970s style, I’ve recently started watching The Mary Tyler Moore Show for the first time (a favorite of my mom’s from her high school days). Whenever I see a look that I love, my first instinct is to go to Pinterest to see if I can find a still from that episode and save it to my vintage board. That way, when I’m in the mood to find sewing inspiration, I already know where I can pull ideas from.
I also recommend doing a Google deep dive if you already have something in mind. Hidden among the search results, you can sometimes find wonderful WordPress or Tumblr blogs that focus on sewing historical garments or on style from a specific decade. Reddit is also a great place to start searching if you have a question regarding a particular pattern, as are Facebook groups dedicated to vintage style and sewing.
Narrow It Down
After you’ve envisioned the look you’re going for, it’s important to start focusing your search on the elements of the garment that you’ll be sewing and researching where those types of patterns are available. Sewing patterns have been mass produced as far back as the mid-1800s but in terms of vintage patterns that you can find at say, a summer garage sale, you’ll need to narrow down your search realistically. While you can find authentic sewing patterns from the 1960s to modern times at garage and estate sales, Etsy or your local thrift store, anything older is going to require more online research.
There are pattern makers and historical costume designers who have created beautiful reproductions of sewing patterns to sell online (sometimes available in both paper and PDF versions), so if you’re searching for a skirt pattern from the Victorian era, for example, I would recommend looking into these specialty sellers. Some pattern companies like Simplicity also offer a selection of historical costume patterns online as well, so narrowing down your search to the year or decade before you start shopping is key. For historical costume patterns, I would recommend checking out the “Stitch in Time” section of Simplicity’s website, which offers patterns for sale as well as some fun facts about sewing patterns throughout history. The older the type of pattern you want to make, the more research you will need to do.
Photo provided by Prime Publishing
Shopping Online
I’ve found there are three modes I go into when shopping for vintage patterns online. The first is the previously mentioned focus on a very specific historical garment that requires heavier research. The second is seeing a pattern online whose age generally ranges from the 1960s to the early 2000s (typically a pattern I’ve found on Pinterest), in which I can clearly see the pattern’s brand and pattern number. This gives you a few avenues to pursue. You can, again, try to find the pattern in a Facebook group or see if the brand offers the pattern on their own site. You can also try searching for the pattern on sites like eBay or Etsy, which vary on quality and pricing but are great for finding specific vintage patterns.
My third shopping mode is more about quantity over quality. If you’re a sewist who favors certain types of projects over hunting for a specific pattern, you might enjoy purchasing a lot of vintage patterns instead of a singular pattern. Etsy, eBay and Goodwill’s online store also offer the ability to purchase a lot of vintage sewing patterns (such as a lot of old children’s clothing patterns) for relatively low prices. There’s much less control over the quality of these patterns but if you’re just getting your feet wet with vintage sewing, this can be a fun and affordable option over pricier patterns.
Tried and True Thrifting
The majority of the vintage sewing patterns that I own are patterns that I’ve found at thrift stores or garage sales. If you are eager to start making your own vintage garments, these are hands down the most affordable places to find sewing patterns. You may have to dig to find some gems, but I’ve walked away from garage sales with ten vintage patterns for one dollar. Other similar places to hunt for vintage patterns in person include estate sales, flea markets, church sales and antique stores (the last one may be slightly pricier, depending on the age of the pattern). We’ve written several articles about sourcing vintage materials on the cheap, so if you’re curious about exploring this shopping option, be sure to check out our article on garage sales and vintage sewing tools and notions here.