Free Online Historic Sewing Patterns Masterlist
This list is a WIP, made by me and for me of patterns hosted online. I feel like there's enough out there for free to keep you going for ages, if you're comfortable with the basics of adapting patterns.
Museum collection patterns from original clothes, from the 1700s-present
http://www.costumingdiary.com/free-historical-costume-patterns.html
Collection of good links online
http://sidneyeileen.com/sewing-2/
Nicely written tutorials on corsets and costumes, esp for earlier fashions
https://mantuadiary.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/tailoring-books.html
Links to free, original books on tailoring and dressmaking, from 1800 to 1946. Most have draft instructions. Gentlemen and ladies.
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection
Image gallery of historic garments; best way to look at originals without leaving your bedoom.
Roman legion costume guide! Plus some pages on civilians, celts, etc
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/radical_romans/costume.htm
Basic Roman toga and tunic, for men and women.
http://blacktauna.tripod.com/byzantine.html
Basic pattern and lots of written info about Byzantine costumes. This is a rare period, so even though this site is quite sparse, it's still Cool; and it has lots of good historical links too.
This is a fabulous masterlist of patterns for SCA-era and early costumes. I did start pulling some of their links out to add to this list, but decided it was redundant - because this whole masterlist is a must-read of excellence. Top recommendation if this era is your thing.
http://www.vikingsofmiddleengland.co.uk/downloads/clothing-guide/male.html
How-to-viking-clothes guide. really nice - comments on stitches and materials.
http://www.aidan-campbell.co.uk/PDFs/Guide%20to%20Viking%20turnshoes.pdf
How to make viking shoes. This chap's website has a number of good Viking resources on it.
http://www.aidan-campbell.co.uk/PDFs/Viking%20costume%20Guide.pdf
A great Viking costume guide, very visual showing at a glance styles and colours for different social ranks of costume.
http://www.axemoor.net/pdf/1_Embroidery_for_Clothing.pdf
Lovely book on Anglo Saxon embroidery - photos, patterns, and tips.
http://www.gjar-po.sk/~kassayova9c/the%20medieval%20tailor's%20assistant.pdf
The Medieval Tailor's Assistant - PDF book with skills, patterns, fabric tips, a gloriously helpful book!
http://garbindex.com/
The Garb Index - lovely, neat site overviewing common clothes from this era. What are they? When were they worn? And links to some patterns.
http://www.kostym.cz/Anglicky/obsah.htm
Number of patterns from medieval/renaissance originals, plus essays on history. Nice site.
http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/cloth/bockhome.html
Middle Ages patterns from surviving garments, really well sourced. The patterns are extremely basic - just the shapes - so you will need some independence to turn them into useable patterns, but clothes from this era are not too challenging!
https://archive.org/search.php?query=subject%3A%22Tailoring%22&sort=date
Period tailoring manuals out of copyright at the Internet Archive
What a gem. Lots of pdf magazines, and most important, pattern making guides from the period.
http://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/
Mostly sewing, crochet, lacemaking etc. Free victorian and edwardian patterns for embroidery, tatting, knitting etc
http://www.tudorlinks.com/treasury/freepatterns/index.html
Great collection of original patterns from magazines/books - Victorian, Edwardian, and some gents, including underwear
https://www.uvm.edu/~hag/godey/fashion/di.html
1850s images from Lady Godey's book, an American fashion mag. Historically accurate, but not very user friendly.
https://mimimatthews.com/19th-century-fashion/
No patterns, but an exceptional overview of Victorian fashion era by era, including gents, including information on etiquette and law etc too
http://costumes.unc.edu/costar/view/Costar/public/Spage.jsp?spageId=301
Costar have patterns for some of their historic costumes, but not all, and I've yet to find a nice index. This is for a Victorian bodice.
http://www.lavoltapress.com/
Not free: an index of srs bsns books with reproduction patterns.
https://victoriantailor.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/shirt
Blog focused on regency and victorian menswear, with lots of photos and step by step tutorials
http://www.marquise.de/en/1700/i_herstellung.shtml
THIS WEBSITE IS A GLORIOUS WEBSITE with lots of photos of fashion plates from every era, AND original pattens. Some links are broken :(
http://koshka-the-cat.com/patterns.html 8 photo tutorials for various eras, not patterns per se but start from rectangles or simple shapes
https://adamselindisdress.blog/2014/06/21/how-to-make-a-victorian-cage-bustle/
Victorian cage bustle tutorial. This blogger has also written one for a flounced petticoat, cage hoop, the bustle pad, and lots of other great tutorials, not only undergarments
https://bridgesonthebody.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/1911
Excellent, detailed tutorial taking you step by step through a 1911 corset, complete with pattern. Great info for any new corset-makers
https://corsetmaking.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/new-year-new-corsets.html
Wonderful series of links to corset-making resources
http://www.thesewingacademy.com/compendium/
Mid 19thC undergarments
Image Leicester
Symington corset patterns - Victorian and Edwardian. These are for experts only: they are a flat, drafted pattern drawn in pencil on a muggy background, and will need a lot of interpreting and existing corset skill to use. A description of how to use these patterns is here: http://corsetmakers.livejournal.com/1912131.html (this group has a lot of advice and resources for corseting!)
All-eras
http://www.lacma.org/patternprojectMuseum collection patterns from original clothes, from the 1700s-present
http://www.costumingdiary.com/free-historical-costume-patterns.html
Collection of good links online
http://sidneyeileen.com/sewing-2/
Nicely written tutorials on corsets and costumes, esp for earlier fashions
https://mantuadiary.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/tailoring-books.html
Links to free, original books on tailoring and dressmaking, from 1800 to 1946. Most have draft instructions. Gentlemen and ladies.
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection
Image gallery of historic garments; best way to look at originals without leaving your bedoom.
Ancients
http://www.larp.com/legioxx/index.htmlRoman legion costume guide! Plus some pages on civilians, celts, etc
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/radical_romans/costume.htm
Basic Roman toga and tunic, for men and women.
http://blacktauna.tripod.com/byzantine.html
Basic pattern and lots of written info about Byzantine costumes. This is a rare period, so even though this site is quite sparse, it's still Cool; and it has lots of good historical links too.
Viking/Celtic/Medieval/Early Stuff
http://garbindex.com/t-tunic/patterns.htmlThis is a fabulous masterlist of patterns for SCA-era and early costumes. I did start pulling some of their links out to add to this list, but decided it was redundant - because this whole masterlist is a must-read of excellence. Top recommendation if this era is your thing.
http://www.vikingsofmiddleengland.co.uk/downloads/clothing-guide/male.html
How-to-viking-clothes guide. really nice - comments on stitches and materials.
http://www.aidan-campbell.co.uk/PDFs/Guide%20to%20Viking%20turnshoes.pdf
How to make viking shoes. This chap's website has a number of good Viking resources on it.
http://www.aidan-campbell.co.uk/PDFs/Viking%20costume%20Guide.pdf
A great Viking costume guide, very visual showing at a glance styles and colours for different social ranks of costume.
http://www.axemoor.net/pdf/1_Embroidery_for_Clothing.pdf
Lovely book on Anglo Saxon embroidery - photos, patterns, and tips.
http://www.gjar-po.sk/~kassayova9c/the%20medieval%20tailor's%20assistant.pdf
The Medieval Tailor's Assistant - PDF book with skills, patterns, fabric tips, a gloriously helpful book!
http://garbindex.com/
The Garb Index - lovely, neat site overviewing common clothes from this era. What are they? When were they worn? And links to some patterns.
http://www.kostym.cz/Anglicky/obsah.htm
Number of patterns from medieval/renaissance originals, plus essays on history. Nice site.
http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/cloth/bockhome.html
Middle Ages patterns from surviving garments, really well sourced. The patterns are extremely basic - just the shapes - so you will need some independence to turn them into useable patterns, but clothes from this era are not too challenging!
https://archive.org/search.php?query=subject%3A%22Tailoring%22&sort=date
Period tailoring manuals out of copyright at the Internet Archive
Victorian & Edwardian
http://siamcostumes.com/guides.phpWhat a gem. Lots of pdf magazines, and most important, pattern making guides from the period.
http://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/
Mostly sewing, crochet, lacemaking etc. Free victorian and edwardian patterns for embroidery, tatting, knitting etc
http://www.tudorlinks.com/treasury/freepatterns/index.html
Great collection of original patterns from magazines/books - Victorian, Edwardian, and some gents, including underwear
https://www.uvm.edu/~hag/godey/fashion/di.html
1850s images from Lady Godey's book, an American fashion mag. Historically accurate, but not very user friendly.
https://mimimatthews.com/19th-century-fashion/
No patterns, but an exceptional overview of Victorian fashion era by era, including gents, including information on etiquette and law etc too
http://costumes.unc.edu/costar/view/Costar/public/Spage.jsp?spageId=301
Costar have patterns for some of their historic costumes, but not all, and I've yet to find a nice index. This is for a Victorian bodice.
http://www.lavoltapress.com/
Not free: an index of srs bsns books with reproduction patterns.
https://victoriantailor.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/shirt
Blog focused on regency and victorian menswear, with lots of photos and step by step tutorials
http://www.marquise.de/en/1700/i_herstellung.shtml
THIS WEBSITE IS A GLORIOUS WEBSITE with lots of photos of fashion plates from every era, AND original pattens. Some links are broken :(
http://koshka-the-cat.com/patterns.html 8 photo tutorials for various eras, not patterns per se but start from rectangles or simple shapes
https://adamselindisdress.blog/2014/06/21/how-to-make-a-victorian-cage-bustle/
Victorian cage bustle tutorial. This blogger has also written one for a flounced petticoat, cage hoop, the bustle pad, and lots of other great tutorials, not only undergarments
Underwear & Corsets
https://bridgesonthebody.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/1911
Excellent, detailed tutorial taking you step by step through a 1911 corset, complete with pattern. Great info for any new corset-makers
https://corsetmaking.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/new-year-new-corsets.html
Wonderful series of links to corset-making resources
http://www.thesewingacademy.com/compendium/
Mid 19thC undergarments
Image Leicester
Symington corset patterns - Victorian and Edwardian. These are for experts only: they are a flat, drafted pattern drawn in pencil on a muggy background, and will need a lot of interpreting and existing corset skill to use. A description of how to use these patterns is here: http://corsetmakers.livejournal.com/1912131.html (this group has a lot of advice and resources for corseting!)
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