A Brief History of Garment Sewing Patterns in the United States

Installment 2 of 250 years of America’s sewing history – A Brief History of Garment Sewing Patterns in the United States! In case you missed Installment 1, I am doing a twelve-part series on important and popular topics in America’s sewing history to honor America’s 250^th birthday in 2026. Let’s dive into patterns!

The Beginning – Pre-America

Sewing patterns have long pre-dated the United States' existence. The earliest known sewing pattern book was written by Juan de Alcega in 1580 … nearly 200 years prior to the birth of America. In the beginning, patterns were primarily used by tailors or seamstresses to make garments for people. The patterns were rudimentary and vague. Trade knowledge was essential for knowing how to construct garments. Each garment was tailored to fit the individual for whom it was for. Patterns were made strictly for industry use. It wasn’t until the late 1700s when the use of sewing patterns began to transition to home use. Enter America.

Patterns in America – 1800s

Sewing patterns first became available to the home sewist when publications such as “Godey’s Lady’s Book” and Mme. Demorest’s magazine, “Mirror of Fashion” began including unprinted sewing patterns in their publications[1]. “Godey’s Lady’s Book” magazine was founded in 1830 in Philadelphia and published from 1830 to 1898. Mme Demorest’s magazine was founded in 1860 in New York and was published through 1899. The patterns provided were simple for the home sewist to make and consisted of very few pieces. These publications helped to introduce patterns to their readers, but the focus of the magazines consisted of a variety of topics. The first American company to focus solely on sewing pattern creation and distribution was the Butterick Pattern Company. Ebenezer Butterick founded the Butterick Pattern Company in 1863 in Sterling, Massachusetts.

Butterick was first to market with a pattern company devoted to home sewist. He pioneered graded patterns in America. The graded sizes allowed sewists to make a garment in multiple sizes for other individuals. The popularity of Butterick’s patterns can be traced to the greater accessibility of home sewing machines in the late 1800s. Sewists now had the means to make their own garments and looked to Butterick to provide the latest fashions in pattern form.

Not far behind Butterick was James McCall. McCall started the McCall Pattern Company in 1870 in New York City. Like Butterick, McCall created garment sewing patterns, but he also expanded into accessories and home décor.

A recognizable name today, the Vogue Pattern Company started as an off-shoot from the popular Vogue magazines. Founded in 1899, Vogue patterns were primarily sold via mail orders.  

The early American patterns were made of thin, unmarked tissue paper. Machine punched holes and notches indicated sewing points.  The size and placement of the holes became a code for various sewing cuts, pleats, darts, etc. Construction instructions were printed on pattern envelopes and were bare-bones at best. Each company published literature promoting their patterns and best practices on how to make them. Butterick and McCall rounded out the most popular pattern companies heading into the 20^th century.

Patterns in America – 1900s

1920s

We see the first real innovation in the pattern industry in 1921. McCall introduced the first ever printed sewing pattern. This was a revolutionary concept at the time. Prior to this, patterns were punched by machines in large bunches. Due to the nature of the thin tissue being punched by large machines in bulk, pattern pieces tended to shift, and a stack of punched pieces may have holes that did not line up with other pieces from the same stack. Even a 1/8^th inch off could cause a garment to not make up, fit, or look right. With a printed pattern, all pattern pieces would be identical. The outlines of the pattern pieces were printed in addition to the needed markings (such as for darts, grainlines, pleats, cuts, etc). In addition, the names of the pieces were printed, making it much quicker to identify what the pieces were. McCall patented this concept, and competitors were forced to find ways to operate around the patent.

In 1927, the Simplicity Pattern Company was founded in New York City by James Shapiro and his wife, Caroline Hutchins Shapiro. Simplicity aimed to set themselves apart from the successful Butterick and McCall companies by focusing on simple-to-use, affordable patterns. Simplicity also created and published literature around sewing and their patterns. Due to McCall’s patent on printed sewing patterns, Simplicity began with unprinted, punched sewing tissues.

1930s

By 1931, Simplicity was ready to expand production and opened their main manufacturing plant in Niles, Michigan. This plant remained in operation until 2007!

Other pattern companies that started in the 1930s include:

• ·      Advance Pattern Co. – Founded in 1932 in New York. Grew to become one of the “big five” pattern companies[2]. There is an interesting article about the Advance Pattern Co. linked in Footnote 2 at the end of this blog. View our Advance patterns for sale here.
• New York Patterns – Founded in the 1930s in New York. These patterns were sold in dry good stores and via mail[3].
• Ann Adams – Founded in the 1930s by Reader Mail, Inc. in New York. These were mail order patterns that were purchased through catalogs and newspapers.
• Hollywood Patterns – Founded in 1931 by Conde Nast Publications. These patterns were fashioned after the costumes and outfits of Hollywood stars.

The 1930s pattern-scape was one of glamour, bias cut gowns, and a more “feminine” silhouette. The drop waist and loose-fitting styles were left behind in the 1920s.

1940s

The 1940s were defined in large part by World War II. Textiles were rationed and pattern companies began producing slim-fit and utilitarian patterns. Patterns were designed to use as much fabric from the smallest cut possible, minimizing fabric waste. Patterns through 1945 had a tailored look, practical for women entering the workforce. Upcycling and mending clothes was a focus and patterns were created to assist with making-over current garments. Most patterns at this time were still unprinted, perforated tissue. McCall’s patent on printed pattern technology expired in 1938 and companies spent the 1940s adopting pattern printing technology into their own businesses.

After the end of World War II, pattern companies began to introduce patterns that were no longer constrained to fabric rationing. Fuller skirts and more design frills began to appear, leading into the “New Look” of the 1950s.

Popular pattern companies in the 1940s:

• Butterick (shop our Butterick patterns here)
• McCall (shop our McCall patterns here)
• Simplicity (shop our Simplicity patterns here)
• Advance
• Du Barry (shop our Du Barry patterns here)
• Hollywood
• Vogue

1950s

The post-war fashion industry took off with Dior’s “New Look”. The “New Look” featured full, voluminous skirts, and cinched waists. These designs used significantly more yardage than in the war years garments and really symbolized a return to pre-war extravagance. The utility, practical-focused garments of the 1940s blossomed into the renewed “feminine” silhouette achieved through more restrictive undergarments, such as corsetry.

The 1950s saw a boom in home sewing and pattern companies kept up with this demand. Most companies had switched over to printed pattern tissue and emphasis was placed on “easy to use” patterns. As a nod to high fashion, brands such as Vogue and Simplicity introduced designer pattern lines to mimic the designs coming out of Paris fashion houses.

By the end of the 1950s, the fashionable, poofy skirts and frilly designs began to be replaced with simpler, shift designs. As America headed into the 1960s, pattern companies were once again challenged with changing, fashionable silhouettes.

Popular pattern companies in the 1950s:

• Vogue
• Simplicity
• McCall’s (Pattern envelopes from 1870 to 1951 will have the "McCall" name and envelopes from 1951 onwards will have the "McCall's" name)
• Butterick
• Advance
• Spadea Patterns – founded in New York in 1950 by Jim and Jean Spadea. These patterns were publicized in Life magazine and were known to be authorized replicas of high fashion designers (such as Givenchy).

1960s

The 1960s brought about the A-line shift dresses, geometric prints, shorter hemlines, and a range of new textiles. Early 1960s designs were focused on clean lines, boxy styles, and bold prints. Simplicity introduced their “Jiffy” line which focused on quick and efficient sewing. Less time spent sewing and more time spent enjoying your new garment! There were still designer pattern lines that focused on taking high fashion designs and patterning them for home sewists. Designers such as Mary Quant, Oscar de la Renta, Pauline Trigere, and Yves Saint Laurent had licensed designs with large American pattern companies.

The invention of new textiles such as PVC and spandex, and a surge in polyester, nylon, and rayon fabrics allowed pattern companies to create new patterns, better suited to these materials.

In late 1967, the pattern industry shifted to new sizing developed by the Measurement Standard Committee of the Pattern Fashion Industry[4]. The goal was to align pattern sizing with standard ready-to-wear sizing. The size and category changes reflect the new style of clothing, and the changing body shapes from the prior decade.

As America rolled into the 1970s, fashion would once again change, and it was up to the pattern companies to keep up with the home sewing demands.

Popular pattern companies in the 1960s:

• Simplicity
• Vogue
• McCall’s
• Butterick
• Spadea
• Advance (Production dropped off in 1966)[5]
• Kwik Sew – founded by Kerstin Martensson in 1967 in Minneapolis, MN. Kwik Sew focused on sewing patterns for knit and stretch fabrics.

1970s

The 1970s fashion heavily favored flowy, loose-fitting garments. The rise of unisex designs is also seen in the 70s. Pattern companies continued to focus on easy-to-sew patterns. Nearly all patterns were on printed tissue. Patterns were sold in single-sized envelopes. Sewing literature, such as books, were published by the pattern companies to teach sewing techniques useful for their patterns. There continued to be designer pattern lines, with names such as Karl Lagerfeld, Diane von Furstenberg, and Betsey Johnson.  Diane von Furstenberg pioneered the wrap dress which became an extremely popular pattern.

Popular pattern companies:

•       Folkwear – founded in the mid-1970s by Barbara Garvey, Alexandra (Jacopetti) Hart, and Ann Wainwright in California. Folkwear patterns were for historical or ethnic garments.
• Vogue
• Butterick
• Simplicity
• McCall’s
• Kwik Sew

1980s

The 1980s fashion scene was one of power suits, bold colors, and strong lines. The 80s saw an increase of women in the workforce and pattern companies began producing patterns for “wear to work” garments. It was common to see designs with shoulder pads, drop waists, and leg of mutton sleeves. Patterns were still typically printed on tissue, but the industry started to see multi-sized patterns. Including multiple sizes in a pattern envelope made it cheaper and more efficient to sew and adjust sizing.

The home sewing industry struggled in the 80s. Inexpensive ready-to-wear garments, social stigma around making clothes, and the lack of time to sew all contributed to the decline of home sewing. Sewing became more of a hobby, not so much a necessity. As a result, pattern companies began to shutter. Advance Pattern Company officially dissolved in September of 1980[6]. Polynesian Patterns and Pacifica Patterns, both smaller scale pattern companies that peaked in the 1960s/1970s, were out of business by the early-1980s.

Popular pattern companies:

• ·     McCall’s
• Vogue
• Butterick
• Simplicity

Patterns in America – 1990s to Today

What are known as the “Big 4” pattern companies: Butterick, Simplicity, McCall’s, and Vogue, remained staples through the 1990s until today. The 2010s saw a rise of independent pattern brands (AKA Indie brands) competing with the Big 4. The Big 4 had not really innovated in the space, which allowed for indie brands to tackle updated sizing, body form changes, and modern styles. Multi-sized patterns became the norm. Indie brands have also revolutionized the way sewists access sewing patterns.

Printed tissue is still a common form for sewing patterns, but technology is innovating the sewing pattern space. Digital patterns are on the rise. Digital patterns are increasing accessibility for home sewers to a wide range of pattern styles, while allowing them to print patterns out on their own. Online shopping has drastically increased and making patterns available for those online shoppers has been key to staying in business. Indie brands through their own websites or through utilizing platforms like Etsy, have been successful in selling online. Some sewists don’t seem to mind the print and assemble format of these digital patterns while others prefer having the printed tissue provided in purchased pattern envelopes. Pattern designers have also benefited from online sew-along videos. These videos help teach individuals who may not have significant sewing knowledge get started and finish a garment.

The newest pattern innovation has been the use of projector patterns. There are no physical patterns used. Projector patterns have been popping up in recent years as an eco-friendly alternative to an industry that has utilized physical patterns since the beginning of time, really. Projector patterns bring a couple of positives to sewers, one being the lack of a physical pattern and the positive ecological impacts of that, as well as the ability to auto-size patterns to your specific measurements. Physical patterns run off of standard sizes set by committees in the industry. No one person fits those exact measurements. Pattern alterations are always needed to fit a garment to a person’s unique measurements. Digital software can size a pattern to specific measurements, taking a lot of prep work out of sewing. These digitally altered pattern pieces are then projected onto the fabric to be cut out. This is all still new and not perfect, but it is exciting to see such innovation after decades of stagnant growth in the pattern industry.

In 2025, the conglomerate that owns the Big 4 sewing pattern companies filed for bankruptcy. The future of physical sewing patterns was up in the air, as this company owned the only tissue-printing machinery left in the United States. In late 2025, the sewing pattern portion of the company was purchased, for now saving the 4 big brands that have been in business for nearly 200 years. As exciting as innovation is, it is a bit scary to see companies that have survived and thrived for 200 years come close to shuttering. Where the industry goes from here is unclear, but there is no doubt that innovation is necessary to keep the industry alive, relevant, and future-focused.

Conclusion

Throughout America’s 250 years, there have been such interesting and diverse creations in the garment sewing pattern industry. Butterick helped pioneer the first sewing patterns for home sewing use. McCall patented the first printed sewing pattern. Hollywood Patterns made sewing garments like the movie stars accessible. Simplicity focused on affordability and ease of use. Vogue became synonymous with high fashion designs. The ebb and flow of the American economy dictated styles. Looking back is insightful on how far the industry has come and neat to see the companies that are still standing, all of these years later.

Going forward, we see the teetering nature of physical patterns and the technological advances of digital patterns. Time will tell what the next 250 years of sewing patterns will hold, but looking back to the resilience and grit of the last 250 years gives me hope. Let me know what you think of the history of sewing patterns! Which decade is your favorite? What predictions do you have for the next 250 years of sewing?

For a wonderfully comprehensive deep-dive into sewing pattern history, check out the book, A History of the Paper Pattern Industry: The Home Dressmaking Fashion Revolution by Joy Spanabel Emery.

Footnotes