Wal-Mart Patterns

[jphollis]

Hey Folks,
I was browsing around at Wal-Mart the other day and ran across some patterns for period shirts and undergarments. The patterns are made by SIMPLICITY, and look fairly correct. Has anyone seen these and know anything about the authenticity of these patterns?

Deo Vindice

[KarinTimour]

Re: Wal-Mart Patterns

Dear Sir:

Check the civilian list here and also the civilian board on cw-reenactors.com. Elizabeth Clark and several other civilian living historians and seamstresses have posted a discussion of at least some of these patterns.

I've only seen the civilian patterns -- has Simplicity also come out with uniform patterns?

Sincerely,
Karin Timour
Period Knitting -- Socks, Camp Hats, Balaclavas
Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid Society
Email: Ktimour@aol.com

[Justin Runyon]

Re: Wal-Mart Patterns

Once again, the search function is a great thing, or rather it can be if used.

Simplicitys Unifrom patterns (since that is not covered in the thread concearning the new civilian line) are worse than anything you've ever seen on sutler row.

[ElizabethClark]

Re: Wal-Mart Patterns

Just to ditto Karin and Justin... the Martha McCain Fashion Historian patterns by Simplicity make a functional base for historic styles (Simplicity tweaked them in modern ways in a few instances, such as seam finishes, and some of the techniques were simplified to the point of making them hard to do, but that's a Simplicity thing... the designer's research for that line is very nice, and the pattern shapes do a decent job conforming to the historic shapes.)

Any Other Simplicity Pattern (besides Martha McCain's) Is NOT workable for historic use.

[DukeRPSC]

Men's shirts

Folks:

I can't say enough good things nor recommend highly enough the fine book Thoughts on Men's Shirts: 1750-1900 by William L. Brown III. Here's a review from cw-book-news.com: PRO: Well-written, well-illustrated with many patterns and sufficient data to reproduce any of the many shirts shown. Interesting to anyone, shirtmaker or not. CON: Could have used more context. The overview information was interesting but somewhat underdeveloped.

I have it and it is a fine text. I also own a shirt made to conform to Shirt #7 in the book made by the Quartermaster Stores. Beautifully executed entirely by hand.

Good luck with your project, but if you're going to spend the time and a quality fabric, go with a good pattern and good techniques as shown in the referenced text. Wal-Mart just ain't the answer.

[HOG.EYE.MAN]

Re: Wal-Mart Patterns

I was browsing around at Wal-Mart the other day and ran across some patterns for period shirts and undergarments.

Oh that's wonderful.... I love talking about Wal-Mart here. Pick me up a bag of chips next time you browse around.

Wal-Mart just ain't the answer.

No doubt..... You said it Duke. :)

I remain,
Hog-eyed

[DukeRPSC]

Re: Wal-Mart Patterns

Quote:
Wal-Mart just ain't the answer.

No doubt..... You said it Duke.

I certainly didn't mean that as any kind of put down and hope it wasn't taken as such. I have picked up some really good fabrics ( cotton drill, ticking, heavy canvas, etc ) on occasion and at good prices at WalMart. It's just that there are better sources for patterns and the background on why the patterns are right such as is set forth in the text referenced above. I think it is certainly desirable to have the right patterns, materials, construction techniques on our clothing and accoutrements, but I also believe it is highly desirable and interesting to those who are interested in that sort of thing at LHs or whatever to know the whys and wherefores as well. You just never can tell when you'll come across someone interested in that level of detail.

[HOG.EYE.MAN]

Re: Wal-Mart Patterns

Oh really?? Screw Wal-Mart....... What do you guys think about that? Let's get serious.

Dear Sir,
While I can fully appreciate the animosity toward Wal-Mart (which many consider to be the Evil Empire), please keep the discussion to a high standard of politeness, as you agreed when joining the forum.

Regards,
Elizabeth Clark
Moderating Team

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Wal-Mart Patterns

While I got a great deal on a floorjack and an Eminem cd at Walmart a while back, I can honestly say that it isnt the place to find quality items for a serious living historian. Especially since any number of quallity patterns are available with a click of a button from a number of vendors on this site. Not to mention, why not send money to a fellow hobbiest, rather than a huge insitution like Walmart, that is doing major damage to local "Mom and Pop" stores and American maufacturing companies.

[Jas2on]

Re: Wal-Mart Patterns

Im no connosier of salt pork, but the Wal-Marts here in New Mexico sell a decent slab. A lot of old Mexican recipes call for it and Wal-mart provides!

PS. Where in the heck is the spell check icon?

[HOG.EYE.MAN]

Re: Wal-Mart Patterns

PS. Where in the heck is the spell check icon?

Jason,

We don't have a spell check feature here.... Use your "microsoft word" to check your spelling before you post. It's a pain in the neck jumping around, but it gets the job done.

Welp, I'm heading up to Wal-Mart...

[Jas2on]

Re: Wal-Mart Patterns

Jason,

We don't have a spell check feature here.... Use your "microsoft word" to check your spelling before you post. It's a pain in the neck jumping around, but it gets the job done.

Welp, I'm heading up to Wal-Mart...

Ahh ok.. I havent posted since the new site came up.. I mostly just read here...

[Yellowhammer]

Re: Wal-Mart Patterns

To revisit an old subject, in order for any reproduction article to be authentic, you need three points:

Materials, Pattern, and Construction.

Materials- All the stuff you use to make an item.

Pattern- Pattern can be a paper clothing pattern, an original item, or a primary source. Basing a reproduction on a reproduction, no matter how good, is a mistake.

Construction- The construction techniques used to reproduce an item.

This is an all or nothing equation. Using your example, if you want to make a shirt, you'll need good cloth, thread and buttons; a correct pattern; and either personal knowledge of or access to a seamstress with period correct needle skill and construction techniques. The best tailor and cloth in the world won't make an authentic shirt if you are using incorrect cloth.

Make sense?

[55th VVI]

Re: Wal-Mart Patterns

Can we just lock this thread already?

[Canton Zouave]

Re: Wal-Mart Patterns

Josh,

I don’t want to repeat what Yellowhammer and Duke have already stated, but it really is good advice. The simplicity patterns simply don’t cut it. A simple search of the web would give many better sources for patterns.

However, here is some additional advice, especially when it comes to shirts. I can only assume, since you are looking at patterns, you or some else knows how to sew, which is always a good start. Take the money that you would have spent on the patterns and buy William Brown’s book, “Thoughts on Men’s Shirts in America, 1750-1900”
(ISBN # 1-57747-048-6) Select a shirt that fits the period from Bill’s work. The number 7 is an excellent shirt, and easy to make, even with neck gussets. All it takes is some simple math skills to adjust the “On the Square” pattern shirts. By using a sizing chart you can take the known dimensions and expand or contract them to fit your size. The excellent drawings in “Thoughts on Men’s Shirts” are done by Andrew Chamberlain. They have included many “blown-up” images and dimensions so you can easily draft a pattern. I would also recommend that you buy “The Workwoman’s Guide, by a Lady, 1838”. This is an excellent primary source to study and learn the basic sewing techniques, and the book also details the construction of various “On the Square” shirts. These two works would easily cover the areas of “Pattern and Construction”.

Both “Thoughts on Men’s Shirts” & “A Workwoman’s Guide” are available through the bookstore at “Old Sturbridge Village”.

http://www.osv.org/Gifts/Index.html

Finally, as for “Material” you would best be served by acquiring some Family Heirloom Weavers shirting (they have some left…not much…but some), Country Cloth shirting, or buy some quality linen (hanky linen don’t count…unless you are making a very fine dress shirt). I have also used Reproductionfrabrics.com fabric in the past, but have found that some of their materials vary in weight, and what may look really good on the web site may be a shear fabric once it is delivered. It is always best to ask questions. On top of all of this add:

1. 100% cotton thread
2. Bees wax for the thread
3. Period Buttons ( Mother of Pearl, Glass, Bone)

With this in hand you should be able to make a good shirt. From there acquire some good patterns for the rest of your kit. Look at Past Patterns and Country Cloth for pattern types. Country Cloth would actually have all of the patterns that you need, and they run close to size…unlike some patterns. The instructions for a CC kit may take a couple of reads to get it down, but the patterns are worth the effort.


Here are a few links that may help out.

http://www.crchilds.com/

http://www.pastpatterns.com/1850.html

http://www.pastpatterns.com/meas.html