Vintage patterns are easy to locate on ebay, with a number of sellers offering the most unique, as well as popular, patterns of the day.  Surprisingly, the majority of vintage pattern buyers buy them to sew with, not to collect!  If you have a favorite pattern that your mom or grandmother made for you, or if you want to find the pattern from your prom or wedding, it's likely you can find it on ebay!

Vintage patterns started in the late 1800s, with the original patterns being offered by Butterick.  Patterns, at that time, were easy to get, with listings of pattern numbers being listed in such magazines as Pictorial Review, McCalls, Good Housekeeping and of course, VOGUE.

The earliest patterns were unprinted tissue paper, and required the seamstress to match up notches and holes, in order to make the garment.  Instructions were absent, or very limited, as most women knew how to sew, and didn't need extensive help.  The envelopes in early patterns were in black and white, with simple illustrations which featured models whose features were softened for the photo, and bore only minor resemblance to a real person.

In the late 20s and 30s, color was added to the illustrations.  The patterns of this time period featured beautiful details, and are truly works of art, and came from companies like Simplicity, McCall (no 's yet!), Butterick, Vogue, and Advance.

Much of the old clothing we accumulate has lost its usefulness. It may be too worn, or unflattering, and seem to lack any redeemable qualities.

Here is a list of suggestions for things to do with your old "non-vintage" clothing. Feel free to comment and add your own ideas!

1. Rag rugs.

2. Dust rags for around house, oil rags for garage (t-shirts especially good for this)

3. Make a book bag.

4. Donate to a homeless shelter.

5. Cut up old shirts to make cloth napkins. Put two pieces together and then hem around the outside. Flannel shirts are likely to fray badly.

6. Recycle into quilts, pillows (as well as the batting and backing).

7. Make mattresses for pets. Use old mattress pads/blankets or rags for the batting (insides), and fill with layers of rags (preferably with zippers and buttons already removed) or use pieced fabric or sheets for the backing. Tack with needle and thread at 3 or 4 spots near the middle of the "sandwich" to keep the innards from shifting as the animal chews it.

8. Your local animal shelter/adoption shelter can always use kitty cushions or puppy pads (see #7). Since animal control is always picking up sickly animals, these small cushions are good to put inside the cages for padding. When a dog or cat is sick on it, it can just be thrown away.

9. Old thread-bare towels might work for batting.

10. Make a rag bag.

11. Make old shirts and pants into bags with handles.

12. Make feminine products (panty liners, etc), and handkerchiefs.

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the array of supplies, trims and accessories you see at the fabric store, or intimidated by the complicated look of styles in the pattern books. But there are lots of fashions that are suitable for beginners! And there's nothing like the thrill of adding something to your closet that you made yourself.

And on eBay, there's a great selection of patterns -- many of which you might find nowhere else! Here's a little advice on what to look for in the patterns you see.

Sewing separates is a great way to begin!

Often beginners assume that it's better to choose patterns for dolls' clothes as they learn thinking that smaller means easier. That's usually not the case. It's tough to sew neatly when you're struggling to align seams around small, tight curves. Then there are those tiny buttonholes, mastering all the needed attachments... an instant headache!

It's better to start with something that has longer, straight seams -- and not much else. Zippers, a basic element in most dresses, are a bit challenging for a first-timer, as are buttonholes and other closures. The best way of avoiding them is to sew something that doesn't have to go over your head!

The first thing you must know is that pattern sizing is not the same as ready-to-wear sizing.  If you wear a size 8 when you purchase your clothes from a department store, you may require a pattern size larger than a size 8.  But don't worry, you have not gained weight!  This is because pattern manufacturers do not use the same standard measurements as clothing manufacturers.  They are two different industries who use two different sets of measurements.  I've worked in both industries and I've compared the standard measurements.  Trust me, they are totally different.  I've also purchased patterns and sewn for other people.  The patterns were larger than the person's ready-to-wear size each time, yet their clothes still fit and so did the garment I made for them!  So don't be alarmed by the difference.

Why are some designers collected more than others?  Why do some designers realize such high prices on eBay?

Pucci, Diane von Furstenberg, Ceil Chapman, Issey Miyake - why do these names on patterns always get such high prices - or do they?

Name Value Alone

It is not only the name value, but the style of the pattern, that gets the highest prices.  A few examples:

• I had a Pucci pattern sell for 99 cents, even though it was a large Vogue pattern envelope.  The design of the garment was just not spectacular enough.
• I had Diane von Furstenberg (DVF) patterns not even sell:  some of her 1970's frumpy (obviously non-wrap) dress designs.
• I sold a Ceil Chapman dress pattern for 99 cents on eBay which was the starting price on a 7-day auction and included the words Ceil Chapman in the title.  It was a gorgeous, unusual day dress but not the glamorous, evening dresses that sell for such high prices.
• Rudi Gernreich invented the topless bathing suit, but his sewing patterns do not get the high prices one would expect for such an innovative designer.

Name Value Plus Style

It is the designer name, plus a fabulous style, that garners the most money.

It is also the designer name, plus what the designer was famous for, that gets a high value, Ms. Von Furstenberg's wrap dress, for example.

Dating vintage sewing patterns is one of the most difficult tasks to do.  I put the date in my title, however, when I am listing patterns for sale on eBay because I find a lot of collectors only look for patterns of a certain decade.  Hopefully, this guide will help you better date your own patterns or patterns you see for auction on eBay.  Of course, I am not referring to the instances when the pattern itself is dated, as those outlined below, but to those circumstances when there is no date whatsoever to be found on the pattern envelope, or on the instruction page.  I will discuss below dating patterns made by the following pattern companies:  Vogue, Hollywood, Simplicity, Butterick, Style, McCall and McCall's.  I specialize in selling vintage Vogue sewing patterns and they can be very difficult to date.  I think it is their innovative design styles that make these patterns even more difficult to date than other patterns. 

Finding a Date on a Dated Pattern

Simplicity dates virtually every pattern from the 1940's to the present.  From the 1960's up, the date is usually found on the pattern envelope in really tiny type at the top of the back of the pattern envelope.  Prior to the 1960's, the copyright date is usually found on the pattern instruction page, usually on page two, usually in the middle at the very bottom of the page.

Vogue dated a lot of their patterns in the 1950's.  That date can be found on the front of the envelope, at the bottom left corner, in very tiny type.  They also date their patterns from the 1980's to the present.

Butterick patterns are not dated.

A - Adjustment - minor change made directly on the pattern tissue prior to cutting fabric.  Many patterns have adjustment lines printed on them for lengthening and shortening.

B - Baste - a temporary method of holding two or more layers of fabric together by sewing with long stitches.

C - Casing - a closed tunnel of fabric that encases elastic or a drawstring.

D - Dart - a stitched fold that tapers from a seam to a point in the body of the fabric, used to create shape and control fullness.

E - Embroidery - decorative designs fromed by machine or hand needlework.

F - Facing - a piece of fabric used to finish raw edges, particularly at garment openings such as armholes, necklines, and front and back openings.

G - Grain - the direction in which the threads that make up the fabric run.

H - Hem - the raw edge of any fabric, but usually of a garment, turned back to the wrong side and stitched down.

L - Lining - a soft, lightweight fabric used to cover inside construction details while giving the garment a smooth, custom-made look.

M - Marking - the transfer of significant construction symbols and lines from the paper pattern to the fabric.  Common marking methods include:  tracing wheel with dressmaker's carbon paper, tailor's chalk, tailor's tacks, thread tracing, and disappearing ink pens.

Buyers: use this guide to help you know  what to ask sellers before bidding on their patterns; you will never be missing a piece again.

Here are things I learned how  to do to sell used sewing patterns

*Make sure the pattern is clean, and that means no food marks.

*All instruction sheets are included in the package

*Count all pieces  these are normally listed on the package or on the instruction sheets.

*Note any tear damage to the pattern

*If pattern is cut to a size, be sure to note it in your description.

*Place brand and pattern number in the auction  or title if you can. Be sure to include it in your description, I know people search by brand or pattern numbers.

*Note damage to envelope if any  because many sewers used that as a guide.

*Always note year and cost of the pattern, this will help experience shoppers what era they are searching for.

This  will help buyers to make a informed decision on weather to purchase or not.

Buyer if these are not listed on auction, please email seller and ask because there is nothing more frustrating  than not having all pieces to complete your project.

Thank you for reading and please feel free to vote.

And check out this guide written by onebighoax to help you place all those copyright and symbols in you description: