I used to make most of the family's clothes back in the olden days (70s) - husband's shirts, son's shirts and shorts, daughter's everything. I decided to make a few things for the granddaughters since I'm a little rusty in the sewing clothing department and they are always in need of clothes. Well, first of all I suffered from sticker shock...patterns are now 13.95. Tissue paper has sure gotten expensive. I waited until the patterns were 99 cents before I picked one up. I should have looked in the attic where I stored all the old patterns but I'm sure a mouse has used them for a nest or something and besides...it's too hot to go up in the attic. There are so many retro 70s fabrics now - I'm sure I have several little girls' patterns from that era I used for my daughter.
Anyway...I took the DGD's measurements mostly for the shorts to be sure they fit properly in the waist and crotch but I figured a loose fitting shirt made no difference so I made them each a shirt in the size they wear in Walmart clothes. Now it looks like they will have a couple of shirts for next summer. They are a little on the large side I think.
Patterns ARE expensive, which is why it pays to either buy them on sale and/or recycle old ones. Especially in children's clothing, only the pictures and sizing changes, which is why vintage patterns are so hot these days.
ReplyDeleteAnd what is worse, measurements are so different now. Always go by measurements, not store-bought clothes sizes (we have all done that). The size women's 12 from the sixties or seventies is now an 8 or so. *Sigh*