From Paper Patterns to Patterns-on-Fabric: Home Sewing in Sweden, 1881–1981

From the end of the nineteenth century and one hundred years onward, home sewing was an important part of many women’s duties, but it was also a pleasure, something that existed parallel with the emerging mass-produced ready-to-wear industry. The paper patterns used for home dressmaking were often sold and distributed through women’s magazines. These pattern sections were both a kind of reader service and a conscious strategy to capture the female target group. This article, based on an analysis of three Swedish magazines, is the first in-depth survey of patterns for home sewing of women’s clothes in Sweden. The study shows how the magazines adapted to changes in society with increasingly easier patterns and ready-cut fabric for their readers. By highlighting women making their clothes in the home, this article contributes to an often-neglected area of women’s memory and fashion history.