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.

All-eras

http://www.lacma.org/patternproject
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.

Ancients

http://www.larp.com/legioxx/index.html
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.

Viking/Celtic/Medieval/Early Stuff

http://garbindex.com/t-tunic/patterns.html
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

Victorian & Edwardian

http://siamcostumes.com/guides.php
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

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!)