Sifting Through Endless Edwardian Patterns

Stash of Edwardian Patterns
Stash of Edwardian Patterns
Stash of Edwardian Patterns

With all the fervor surrounding the centennial celebrations of the Titanic sinking, statehoods for Arizona & New Mexico, the Girl Scouts and LL Bean, and many other Edwardian events, I wanted to put together a list of clothing patterns available.

Please note that this list is certainly not exhaustive. I only want to give a good starting place for those seeking to re-create fashions from the years 1900 into the 19-Teens.

If you know of others, please share them in the comments so we can all benefit.

All links lead to the main pattern company sites. Feel free to internet search and/or order from your favorite pattern supplier or the pattern company itself.

Links updated September 2021

Past Patterns – generally well drafted with sources listed and other period information (Some of the Past Patterns you see in the above photo are discontinued and are really hard to find.)

Past Patterns Corset Covers & Drawers
Past Patterns Corset Covers & Drawers

# 106 1901-08 Straight-Fronted Edwardian Corset

#107 Two Edwardian Combinations

#108 Four Edwardian Corset Covers

#117 French Drawers

#112 Turn of the Century Reception Gown

#400 Edwardian Tailored Shirtwaists

#404 Edwardian Gibson Tucked Blouse

#405 Two Tucked Waists

#406 Edwardian Tucked and Side Closed Waist

Attic Copies (published by Past Patterns) – traced from original diagrams so only 1 size available; includes the minimal instructions from the originals; recommended only for confident and/or advanced sewers

(Click on the name link above to go to the Past Patterns webpage listing all the Attic Copy patterns. They are numerous so take a gander at all the offerings.)

Attic Copy Ladies Dress 1911-1914 8211
Attic Copy Ladies Dress 1911-1914 #8211

Truly Victorian – well designed and generally easy to follow. Please tell Heather I sent you!

TVE01 - Edwardian Corset
TVE01 – Edwardian Corset

#TVE01 1903 Corset

#TVE02 Edwardian Underwear

#TVE21 1903 Trumpet Skirt

#TVE22 1905 Circular Skirt

#TVE41 1903 Plain Blousewaist

Laughing Moon – JoAnn’s patterns are always well done and full of additional information

Laughing Moon 1912 pattern
Laughing Moon 1912 pattern

#104 1909-1913  Day or Evening Dress

Sense & Sensibility – Please tell Jennie I sent you! Relatively easy patterns designed for the modern sewer.

S&S 1910 Tea Gown Pattern
S&S 1910 Tea Gown Pattern

1910s Tea Gown

1909 Beatrix Jacket

1909 Beatrix Shirtwaist

1909 Beatrix Skirt

1912 Kimono Dress

Edwardian Walking Jacket

1914 Afternoon Dress

Folkwear – decent patterns that produce period-esque garments

Folkwear Edwardian Underthings
Folkwear Edwardian Underthings

#205 Gibson Girl Blouse

#227 Edwardian Bridal Gown

#203 Edwardian Underthings

#226 Princess Slip

#209 Walking Skirt

#210 1918 Armistice Blouse

Promenade Patterns – only three published patterns; recommended for experienced sewers

[12/30/14 Editor’s note: seems this website is down or no longer exists. Search for vendors that may still have stock.]

Promenade Patterns 1910-14 Dress
Promenade Patterns 1910-14 Dress

1905 Summer Gown

1910-14 Gown for Dancing or Dinner

1912 Evening Gown for Dinner or the Theater

Ageless Patterns – for those truly advanced; little or no sewing instructions; most traced straight off period diagrams (with seam allowances added) and produced ‘as is’ with period sizing (Listed below are only the ones seen in the photo at top; she has over 800 patterns to sift through. Whoa!)

Ageless Patterns #1362
Ageless Patterns #1362

#1337 1902 Summer Petticoat

#1353 1912 Checked Silk Blouse

#1361 1912 Gray Wool Skirt w/Buttons & Trim

#1362 1912 Yellow Silk Evening Dress

#1363 1912 White Batiste Princesse Slip

#1371 1912 Black Silk Corset Cover w/Frills

#1374 1912 Brown Wool Dress w/White Inserts

#1378 1912 Taffeta Skirt w/Ruffles

Rocking Horse Farm – ok patterns; you’ll find the occasional missing markings or mismatched edges

[Editor’s Note 3/8/16: Rocking Horse website seems to have been hacked and site leads to phishing links. All links have been removed for safety. Please search for vendors of Rocking Horse Farm patterns.]

Rocking Horse Farm Edwardian Coat Suit
Rocking Horse Farm Edwardian Coat Suit

1909 Ladies Coat Suit

1911 Embroidered Waist

Ladies Hobble Skirt

1915 New Empire Day Dress

Simplicity – one of the Big 4

Simplicity Titanic-inspired Dress
Simplicity Titanic-inspired Dress

#8399 Titanic-inspired costume – out of print but copies on eBay and Etsy

#7157 1900-1925 Princess Slips – out of print but found on eBay and Etsy and other sites

#5905 1900-1910 Petticoat and Corset Covers – out of print, but search

#5943 Edwardian Tea Dresses – also out of print but Google it

Wingeo – fair line of patterns; cover sketches are basic, patterns themselves are ok but mockups required; great shapes to start with

(12/30/14 Editor’s note: Seems this website no longer exists. Search for vendors.)

Wingeo Double Breasted Jacket
Wingeo Double Breasted Jacket

#407 Victorian/Edwardian Yoked Waist

#409 1910-15 Gown & Overdress

#410 1910-15 Double-Breasted Jacket

#411 1910-15 Skirt

#412 1910-16 Hobble Skirt

Nehelenia Patterns – a European pattern designer & store

Nehelenia 1913 Ball Gown
Nehelenia 1913 Ball Gown

#NP E304 1913 Ball Gown (only available in size 32″ bust) (cover artwork seems promising of a delightful gown!)

Pattern Resources From Books

Patterns of Fashion 2: 1860 – 1940 by Janet Arnold – sketches and pattern diagrams taken from original garments printed on grids for easy enlarging; FABULOUS resource!

Period Costume for Stage & Screen: 1800-1909 by Jean Hunnisett – many basic and foundational patterns on grids

The Voice of Fashion (1900-1905) and The Edwardian Modiste (1905-1909) both published by Frances Grimble – pattern diagrams from period sources that need to be drafted out with a specific ruler system (included in each book); a wide variety of garments to fill your costume closet! Love these!

 

For those inclined to only go off pattern diagrams or other original sources, here are a few resources I found online.

  • Costumers’ Manifesto: Thornton’s International System of Ladies’ Garment Cutting, London 1912

Please let me know if this list helps your search for sewing patterns. And please support these small businesses and independent pattern producers so they will continue to draft patterns for our sewing projects.

26 thoughts on “Sifting Through Endless Edwardian Patterns

  1. hOLLY says:

    I know this article is from many years ago and that you wrote that some of the patterns are hard to find but I am so desperate to find the middle brown past patterns pattern. What is the name of it?

  2. Samantha says:

    If anyone is interested in Ageless Patterns, I’d recommend buying them via Patterns of Time. In addition to their site, they have an Amazon storefront which is how I buy mine. I’ve had nothing but issues ordering directly through Ageless. She doesn’t have your usual online shopping cart system and you either have to email/call with your credit card info or mail her a money order.

  3. melody says:

    I sew and also “Re purpose” premade pieces. I keep my eye out for long velvet tank dresses and those lovely fancy tunics and over dresses from India that have tons of beads,sequins ,all set on sheer net. .You can layer the net tops over the tank dresses… add wide waist shashes and presto an decent fancy “teens” dinner dress with little or no sewing.

  4. Kimberley says:

    Thank you for this well ordered, era specific, hands on pattern availability website. I LOVE THIS. I have been searching for modest clothing, and recently got hooked on 1890sish clothing and you have such a plethora of items. I plan to spend a lot of time on this site. Please know all the work you have done is APPRECIATED!

  5. marywa says:

    I just pulled out my Simplicity 8399 and found I have no instructions any idea how I might get those without repurchasing the pattern?

  6. Kiyoshi says:

    This is a great list, Thanks so much for posting! But in my ‘research’ (mostly photos) for centennial stuff, I find that Arizona and New Mexico might be a little more ‘outdated’ than fashion on the Titanic. The last two contiguous states were kinda ‘back-woodsy’, and even today we’re somewhat overlooked, so older styles (earlier 1900’s, very late 90’s) might have been in common use.

    • Jennifer Rosbrugh says:

      I’d agree with you on the slightly out-of-date fashion. I grew up in New Mexico and have a variety of photos from the turn of the Century. There’s also tons in my hometown museum. From what I’ve seen the fashions are fairly current, maybe only a couple years behind “high” fashion, but isn’t most everyday people nowadays? And yes, one would probably still see c. 1900-02 styles.

      Enjoy the pattern list!

  7. Gina In Vista says:

    I really liked the book “American System of Dressmaking”. I could really use that for my everyday sewing needs and inspriation when doing costuming. Thanks for the great resource

  8. corsetra says:

    I went through my patterns the other day and pulled out
    butterick 4092 1914 skirts (B4091 1914 blouses looked too new for titanic)
    B3765 is Corset covers.
    Simplicity 5905 is corset covers and petticoat. Petticoat shape may be a bit old.

    • Jennifer Rosbrugh says:

      Oh! You’re right about those Butterick ones. I totally forgot them and have them in my stash. They seems to be a mash-up of early 1900s (with that poufy bodice front) and mid-Teens with those straight sleeves. The skirts are very 1912-ish.
      Thanks for posting them!

  9. Beth says:

    Perfect timing! I just finished my dress for the Jane Austen Evening and bought fabric for my first Teens dress (navy and white striped linen, for an afternoon tea dress). This post is so helpful!

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