Posted on

Patternmastery: a mathematical post

Scroll down to see more content

[Pattern-master, by Octavia E. Butler.  A whole series of novels, highly recommended.  Nothing at all to do with this post though!]

I typed up a spreadsheet of all my patterns, marking off which ones I have made once, which have been used multiple times, and which have not yet been used.  I also analysed them by pattern company.  I also intend to mark them off by garment type, but I haven’t done that yet!

So, 182 patterns, not counting those in books [I don’t have many sewing books, and most of them are costume or historical references.]

31% are so far unused, but that won’t last long!  42% have been used once, and 27% have been used several times.  Of course, some of those single use patterns, like wedding dresses, are consigned to storage for good.  Some will in time be re-used.  The 42% includes 12 in process, or stuck at the toile stage.

I think that’s pretty good, I’m not buying patterns and just keeping them for the sake of it, I buy to use.  On the whole, I’m pretty good at buying styles that suit me, and fit my lifestyle, which is why I re-make quite a lot of them.

By pattern company: I was unsurprised to find that the vast majority are Vogue and StyleArc, then there’s a little clump shared fairly evenly between McCall’s, Simplicity, Butterick and Truly Victorian.  After that, just dribs and drabs.  I was surprised to see just HOW MANY Indie companies are represented though, internet shopping clearly has its effect.

Anyhew, here’s my list.

Vogue   34

StyleArc 29

McCall’s  17

Simplicity  14

Butterick  13

Truly Victorian  10

Burda/Burdastyle  9

Folkwear & Hot Patterns  5 each

Reconstructing History  4

Kwiksew, New Look, Wearing History & Silhouette  3 each

Sewaholic, Harlots & Angels, Colette & Laughing Moon  2 each

Then all the one-hit wonders:

New Mode, A Verb For Keeping Warm, Angela Kane, Fairytale, Katy & Laney, Ohhh Lulu!, Tessuti, Style, Sense & Sensibility and Sew Spoiled.  Phew!

I also have 5 unidentifiable PDF downloads and 6 rub-offs from RTW.

Once my current batch of cut out stuff is finished, I think I need a splurge of sticking PDFs together [I have THIRTEEN unstuck] and then I’ll assemble the next batch for cutting out.  I’m off to the markets next week with some sewing buddies [join us if you’re free] and I will need a specific list of stuff to hunt.

Stop yawning, it’s interesting, honest it is!

15 thoughts on “Patternmastery: a mathematical post”

  3. I’m not yawning! 😃 But would I do the same? Nope. I have all mine sorted in ring binders, so I can glance at shirts/blouses, skirts/dresses, trousers, jackets/coats and kids’ wear. No idea how many there are, but fairly certain it’s less than you.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Lots of indies there I have never heard of. I am also influenced by the internet now when I’m searching for a pattern. Much more comfortable than spending ages going through those massive catalogues like we used to!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Mad isn’t it? I used to always look through the Style catalogue first, then McCall’s, then Simplicity/Butterick. I don’t remember any others! I could spend hours browsing until I made a decision, then scurry off to buy fabric for my new prize. the weird thing s that back in the day, I never bought fabrics at the market, I always went to Lewis’ first. Very odd!

      Like

  7. Hello Demented Fairy. I’ve followed your witty and insightful posts for years. I found you on The sewing forum when you were sewing your daughters exquisite wedding dress and loved the way you got over all the challenges you faced. I’m a bit shy so haven’t posted much (read that as virtually nothing) about myself as half the time I don’t think I’m very good at this sewing lark even though I love creating things and was honoured to sew my daughter in laws wedding dress. Your pattern collection struck a chord, I have a ‘sort of’ system for my patterns, they’re in fabric tubs, roughly sub divided into categories and by brand. I’ve run out of tubs and need to make some pronto, that’s the trouble with those blooming tempting half price sales I keep seeing, I just can’t resist. I seem to have a problem, gulp, a biggish problem. I’ve discovered I’m a patternholic. I knew I had a lot of them stuffed in those tubs but it wasn’t until you deftly organised yours into an informative list that I thought to add mine up. Oh dear, I’m in shock. I think I’m going to have to sort through them like you did and see just how many are so similar as to not be strictly necessary in my collection. (Unfortunately I’m pretty sure I can persuade myself they’re all necessary) I have 350 patterns, if I say it fast it’s not too bad surely? That’s in addition to the Marshall cavendish fortnightly collection in the early ’80’s. I was young, newly married, didn’t have any spare money really but scraped together the fortnightly money for the entire collection of 26 parts then they did a further special collection add on of another 13 parts. I collected them too. I didn’t buy the purpose built binders etc but made my own from old cardboard covered in sticky fablon 😁 Ha, what a sight. I loved to browse the pattern catalogues like you too. I’d gaze with awe at the Vogue one, could never justify the money for them then behave myself and buy a better value brand, either Simplicity (even my wedding dress was Simplicity 9846 made in 1981) or a McCalls or a Style.
    Sorry this is such a long post, it’s probably just as well I don’t often chat. 😂
    Thank you demented fairy for your inspiration, you sew beautifully and have fun at the same time. Brilliant reading for all your fans.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Tricia! I think you’ve been saving up your comments to let them all out at once lolz!! Fun is the key I think, don’t let the patterns daunt you [Vogue are no harder than others, on the whole]. No fashion police, no sewing police…but the pattern hoarding police will get you unless you start using them up! Gotta use ’em, they’re what you chose after all…go on, you know you want to!

      Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.