Maudella Madness

I have become a little bit fixated on Maudella patterns. Enabled, of course, by eBay and having some money in my Paypal account from selling a few things. Despite my best intentions, money never stays in there for long, it's like free money to be reinvested in eBay. after sewing blogs, Paypal is the biggest enabler ever - "Oh, do you like that thing you've seen on eBay? Look, here's some money in your account and in a few clicks, it's yours..."

Anyway, I'm not sure how it started but this was the first one I bought:

Maudella 6039 -  Lovely practical daywear dress, right? Uncut and factory folded, and a steal at £1.24. I love the options for the triangular insert and the contrast binding at the armholes, options worthy of any modern independent pattern company.

Then I looked at the other patterns the seller had listed - a whole load of unused Maudella patterns from around the same era, although I'm not sure exactly what date as they are undated. By the illustration style I'm guessing late 70s/early 80s. The Maudealla company was started in 1937 but was taken over my New Look in the 1970s. It looks like the Maudella branding was gradually phased out to become New Look, and New Look is now owned by Simplicity.

The next three patterns I bought are all numbered close to each other so I think I have honed in on a very specific season.

Here they are:

 Maudella 6038 - 99p and reminded me of a variation on the Wiksten Tova pattern that I like so much

 Maudella 6034 - Also 99p. I was definitely swayed by the illustration of the bobbed lady on the left. I think I want to be her.

 

 Maudella 6042 - A whole £3.50 but what a lovely summer dress. Again, I love the headscarf lady

The seller cut me a postage deal and the four patterns together were about a tenner. Utter bargain, don't you think?

And then I bought this Simplicity number from 1974:

Simplicity 7272 - It's missing a back facing but was only 99p. I like both the tunic and the dress and the embroidery (transfer included) looks like a nice feature if you could be bothered

Prior to this mini pattern splurge and the Sewaholic Belcarra blouse which I bought on its release, I haven't bought a sewing pattern for about a year so pattern stash re-invigoration is definitely due. Buying these patterns has reminded me how great vintage patterns can be, plus it seems like I am developing a pattern era that I really love. No more fancy 1950s dresses for me, but hello useful and practical 70s/early 80s patterns that I can wear every day. I definitely like some of the modern independent patterns plus some of the classic styles from the big pattern companies, but I'm enjoying finding a pattern era that feels like 'me'.

Do you have a preferred era or pattern company that feels like 'you'?

K x