Trusted a vintage pattern from 1972 without checking the seam allowances first

I was cutting a rayon crepe for a client's event dress in my home studio last Tuesday and the whole bodice came out 2 inches too small because the pattern used 1/4 inch seams instead of the standard 5/8. Has anyone else run into old pattern sizing issues and found a reliable way to catch it before cutting?

2 comments

2 Comments

jason_stone14d ago

Rolled that same way with a 1950s Simplicity last month.

fiona73714d ago

The real trick nobody talks about is checking the grainline on those old patterns, not just the seam allowances. I got burned once and now I measure the pattern pieces diagonally across the bust and waist before I even touch fabric. You can have the right seam allowance but if the grainline is off by a degree, the whole thing pulls weird when you hang it. @jason_stone probably knows what I mean, those 1950s Simplicity patterns were notorious for wonky grainlines too. So I lay the pattern flat, measure from shoulder to side seam on the bias, and if it's off by more than a quarter inch I adjust the grainline before cutting. Saves a lot of heartache with expensive fabrics like rayon crepe.