Victorian Patterns And Sizing Tutorial

This is an awsome post... It's exactly what I have been looking for, Thankyou for sharing

 

This is such an informative and smart method to create a doll-size pattern :O Thank you for sharing!

 

Thank you for doing this! I think it'll take me some time to get the hang of it but it really is an excellent thread!! ☺

 

Awesome tutorial! but I'm not that talented. I do enjoy your tutorial though.

 

@Doll-Mage I have had a look at the download links you provided, and it contains the correct paper ruler gauge, which is great. You also mentioned the book bought through Amazon because you had the rule/gauge for that. Can I ask you about finding these correct rule/gauge for the cutters patterns. What search terms should I use? Also, do you find the patterns, then set about looking for the gauge? Do most pattern cutters guides come with a relevant gauge/ ruler?
Thanks for this info, I just love it...

 

I know when I wrote to Folkwear, I got this reply:
Hello Nicole,
Oh I'm so sorry that we won't be able to help you at all with down-grading our patterns to doll size. That's a BIG size difference and really will require major re-design. Perhaps a dressmaker can help you, but I suspect it will be best if you start from scratch and not try to re-do an adult pattern.
You might look in the various pattern catalogs at a nearby fabric store. I believe that several of them (McCall's, Simplicity) do have patterns for dolls and you may find something you can use as a starting point.
Thanks so much for your kind words about Folkwear!
Kate M.

 

If you would like to create a doll pattern from a regular modern type adult sewing pattern, it is pretty easy. Grab the insert guide pages of the pattern, the part which has all the pattern pieces laid out and numbered etc... Scan those into your computer, get ready to print out... This depends on which size doll you want, but set the printer to print out at the required size... I must point out here that I am very new to making doll size clothes, but I found several great threads here on DoA covering this exact subject, which go into much more detail than I have... Please run a quick search here on DoA to find the resizing of regular patterns. I have just completed the two best outfits I have ever made from this method using regular modern clothing patterns.

 

I'm about to sew a late Victorian gown for my SID, and I've been dreading starting because of how complicated they look. This post is awesome! Exactly what I needed Now, I'm actually looking forward to getting started!

 

I have had no luck at all finding rulers for these patterns, though I have learned that they are called "apportioning rulers." Maybe someone else will have more luck

 

@Zardi ... Hi, I too love this thread, and it is the best resource I have found which as actually helped me to make patterns and sew up the outfit. At the beginning of the thread, there is a link to a public domain website, have you looked at it yet? I found that this was unbelievably helpful, even without the correct ruler, because it gives you each pattern piece which you can then print off to the correct size for your doll. What I tend to do is find one true measurement for my doll like say, centre- back or arm length and then maximise the intended pattern until the pattern piece is the measurement I need, and print it off. This has worked well for me a few times now. I do hope I made sense !!! Also, the book which is mentioned from Amazon is readily available and my local library has a copy now ha ha ... I too will continue to look for the rulers, who knows one day I may be lucky!!! In the meantime, there is a wealth of items to be made from the website mentioned. Good luck, and fingers crossed

 

It does make sense. The point of the rulers, though, is to account for different proportions (thicker waist with a smaller bust, for example), so if the doll doesn't match the same proportions as the pattern pieces, you will still need to do quite a bit of adjusting to the pattern. I think I've worked out how to make my own grading rulers, though, so I just need to test them. The book mentioned is too late in the century for what I need, but the public domain one works. However, it doesn't include the rulers, hence needing to find them or make my own

 

Oh

,
Oh, wow... This sounds great, that you can make the grade rulers for the public domain site. As there are some great pieces there. I totally agree with the difficulty encountered if the rulers are unavailable!!!! I myself, am useless at math. And, would have no chance in making such a ruler...ha ha ... Please let me know how you get on, and if possible share how I may be able to make one too???

 

This is so helpful! I need to size down an American Civil War uniform and really had no idea how to get started. This post contains some great tips, so I'm feeling a little more confident now.

 

I have them on a Google spreadsheet right now. Once I know they work (or at least that the theory works), I will share the spreadsheet here so people can enter their own measurements and print rulers.

 

Awesome!! Where did you find them?

 

I can't believe Folkwear answered you that way LOL It is NOT particularly difficult to downsize human patterns to doll size since they almost all have those very helpful diagrams showing all the pattern pieces on the guide LOL I've got about 500 patterns (being a costumer) & have done this w/many of them.

 

I found this book incredibly helpful and plan ( also suggest) to take out an inter-library loan for all books mentioned in the aforementioned links as it will cut costs and show exactly what is in each book without making a commitment to buying it. You are also supporting your public library by doing so so it's a win win.

 

I immediately downloaded a pdf copy and began scrolling through. It's wonderful! I agree that using inter-library loan is an excellent thing to do. Public libraries are a great way to try before you buy when you're looking for pattern and sewing-help resources.

 

I'm glad you found it helpful! Also @Doll-Mage 's photo of rulers is actually very close to scale as the graphing ruler matches very close to the one I have. If push comes to shove I might just screencap the image ( if that is alright with Doll-mage) and make my own. But to the library first!

 

Ahh alright, thanks for the input!

 

Thank you so much for sharing! I'll have to try this method out myself.

 

Thank you for sharing. I need to try that!

 

I am super excited about this...I have been looking for this kind of tutorial...thank you!

 

This is amazingly helpful! It's one thing to just say 'oh, pick a pattern you like and resize it to your doll' and another thing entirely to do it. I'm really happy you took the time to show us your methods of work. Thank you so much!

 

Very cool! I love learning historical tidbits that I never thought to wonder about before I don't know that I 100% understand what an apportioning ruler is, but I love the link to the old book I will do more research in this area so I can understand better

 

Thank you very much! This is the easiest way of reducing patterns that I have found!

 

This looks like it is going to be an amazingly useful thread when I start sewing clothing for dolls. Thank you so much for the tutorial and for everyone's additional feedback!

 

Awesome, thank you!

 

A very well-done how-to, useful even to such amateurs as myself, and inspiring. Thank you!!

 

This is really useful, thank you so much for the tutorial, I have I ton of historical patterns from my time in college and this proportions will help me a lot!

 

Wow thanks! Although I doubt I'll make such difficult clothes, it's good to know I could if I want

 

I'm so glad I ran into this post, I've been wanting to use some historical patterns for quite a while but could never make sense of them, never would have guessed such rulers even existed! now that's some great research skills

On second thought, I think it would be so adorable to make matching outfits for humans and dollies

 

so, so helpful on converting patterns!

 

Great tutorial worked out just perfect!

 

Would you happen to know the proper way to scale for 65+ cm dolls? This is a fabulous tutorial!

 

Omg I’ve been looking for this! Thank you

 

Thank you so much for the tutorial it will Ben very helpful once I attempt to make clothes for my doll.

 

Thank you so much for sharing this. You explained everything very clearly and it's really nice to learn about the apportioning scales.

*edit*
I looked through the book you linked and saw a number of very nice patterns. You mention you have the scales that go with the book. Would you be willing to share? Or could you tell me the bust circumference that goes with the scale you adapted for bjd? Then I can try to scale them for my doll (she will need the children patterns anyway)

 

Thank you!

 

If you would like to draft patterns from scratch with your dolls measurements without the special rulers. Here are a few book suggestions
Designing patterns A fresh approach to pattern cutting Hilary campbell. ISBN: 978-0-855950-404-1 this book has measurements in cms. It shows you where to take the key measurements on your body (doll in this case) list them and then you use those measurement to create your basic block. the block is the skin tight fitting piece which you can then copy to alter to add shaping like darts slash the patter to add flair and so on. if you can get a square ruler with 45 degrees and 90 degrees marked on it, and a long ruler you are good to go. Quilting rulers can be used too.

Winifred Aldrich is another author of pattern drafting books, I have her metric pattern cutting for womens wear ISBN 978-1-4051-7567-8 but bear in mind non of these book will include garment assembly instructions they are all about creating the pattern. you add your ease and seam allowences on as part of the pattern making process. but once you have a BLOCK the core pattern you can change arm hole size, necklines etc, different skirts can create whole new looks. Very liberating to create Anything! you can dream up. bit daunting if you have no garment construction preknowledge tho. so I'm fumbling my way through.

have fun creating.

The one you mention above reminds me of one that has been on crafting channels recently Lutterloh system, that has ruler and you buy what patters you like from them and use their special ruler but it sounds the same idea.


the one downside to Lutterloh system like the original one mentioned by the original poster of this thread is that it locks you to their rulers. the two books I mention you can use regular ruler, yes if you get keen you can get a hip curve ruler but if you have french curves set you can do the arm hole shaping and hip curves with those.

 

sorry

 

The Sewing Goatherd: Making Apportioning Rulers ( For Patterning the 1890's Tea Gown)
Use this tutorial to make your own apportioning scales if you have oddly shaped dolls :3

Thank you for this, Doll Mage. I'm going to transfer this idea to modern patterns because this will take the headache out of printing the correct scale when I do this digitally.

 

Hi, I am interested in making patterns from some of these books, and I came across this link when I was Googling apportioning rulers:

Books & Downloadables Archives

You can download PDFs for two different sets of rulers on this site for $5 each. They're for American Garment Cutter and Diamond Garment Cutter. I was curious as to whether or not anyone had downloaded these already, and if they would work for our dolls here?

There are also links to several other books on this site here at the Chicago History Museum:

Apportioning Rulers: The Secret to Scaling Historical Patterns - Chicago History Museum

I haven't tried this yet, but I just wanted to know if I should download these to try scaling patterns. I'm pretty new to BJDs. And if you haven't come across these rulers before, then I really hope this helps!

Thanks!

 

Yes, thank you, but how do I alter that to work with my doll? She's a ResinSoul Mei, so she's a 1/4 scale. When I read about it, it sounded like the spacing between the inches or centimeters would be different between a 1/3 and a 1/4 scale. Or am I wrong?

I usually just work from patterns, so this is really new to me, and I just got my doll in May, so I'm only just starting to sew in miniature, even though I've been sewing my own clothes for quite some time.

I feel like I need to have the right materials in front of me before I can really go through these tutorials and try to figure them out, otherwise I just can't really grasp the concepts properly.

Thanks!

 

You MAY want to use this method that was linked in the post immediately above yours: /threads/victorian-patterns-and-sizing-tutorial.709902/page-2#post-12570783 Apportioning rulers are a pretty confusing place to start with sewing for dolls... There's kind of no way around doing a lot of math. (As far as I know.)

 

Thanks! I did read that Sewing Goatherd blog, I had just hoped that I would be able to find apportioning scale rulers that had already been made, since my doll is a fairly common size.

The tutorial says you need "A set of apportioning scales that are compatible with your cutting guide" in the list of materials necessary to begin, so because I don't have that yet, I haven't been able to really try figuring it out. Maybe that's really silly of me, and I'm sorry. I just thought I would be able to find that first, and then go through the tutorial with all the items I needed. Sorry.

Thanks for your help. I'll go back to that blog and try to figure out how to make my own.

 

For those of us not working with DD: This appears to be the right set of apportioning scales/rulers. I will probably buy this in the next few weeks and make some 1/4 and 1/6 rulers for hose of us with smaller resin cuties.

American Garment Cutting System Scale / Approption Rulers | Plus Size Included

 

Bless you! Now I can make adorable Victorian outfits for my dolls.

One quick question: am I using the one apportioning scale for ALL of a doll's measurements?