Well, nobody's perfect! ;-) Even with a year of design, drafting, testing, redrafting and more testing, patterns go to press with mistakes in them. Information on these errors is below, along with techniques to make corrections (if you have an uncorrected early pattern sheet). Fortunately, all of the errors are minor and easy to fix! If you find an error on one of my patterns and are the first person to report it, I will send you a free pattern of your choice. Please keep in mind that the ePatterns have already been corrected. Important: I have made revisions to some patterns and am happy to provide the revised pieces as PDF files to customers who own the earlier version of the pattern. Check the Revisions section below to see if you need an update. If so, contact me, and I will send the PDF files for you to print on your end. Thanks!

General Note for All Patterns

A customer alerted me to the fact that the ink will transfer off the patterns if you iron them! This is because the patterns are printed through a heat-transfer process, and heat will just transfer the ink right back off (although it will leave the patterns intact). If you want to iron the patterns flat, I would recommend putting butcher paper over your ironing board and ironing on the wrong sides of the sheets (the sides with no ink). Another customer informs me that you can also use this "flaw" to transfer the pattern pieces onto butcher paper or interfacing, leaving your original patterns intact! Great idea!

Contents

Click to go straight to the info you need!

Ladies' 1780s Portrait Dress Pattern

A customer caught an error in this pattern on 12/27/10. The sleeve instructions say to match the crossed circles, but you actually don’t need to do that. It’s the girl’s version of this pattern that has the crossed circles. To match the sleeves properly, you only need to start at the armhole angle by matching the sleeve corner (with a 5/8″ overlap as illustrated). Pin around the smooth side of the sleeve until you reach the “leftover” portion that needs to be pleated. Pleat into place and finish at the corner. That’s it!

All Regency Gown Pattern Instructions Printed Prior to March 30, 2006

Amazingly, this oops went unnoticed for eight years! It's an omission in the pattern instructions that no one brought to my attention and that I didn't catch until I made a dress with a lined skirt in 2006. That's got to be some kind of record (ouch!). ;-) Here we go: If you line the skirt of this dress, you will need to turn under BOTH sides of the placket rather than just the one side. This is because I intended to make a drawstring closure option for this dress, and with a drawstring, you don't want any of the placket to show. Because I insert the drawstring into a casing between the skirt and the lining of the dress, I didn't catch this until I made a drawstring dress with lined skirt this year! I usually never line my skirts (preferring a petticoat), and when I wrote the pattern instructions back in 1998, I totally forgot about the drawstring option and left it out. To all of you who may have attempted to line your skirts and found the placket sticking out beyond the bodice, I humbly apologize! Totally confusing, I am sure. If you'll turn under both sides of your placket, you'll find the skirt and lining match the bodice perfectly. The Regency Gown neckline supplement now includes the drawstring option. Thanks so much for your patience.

2003 Regency Gown Pattern Corrections

NOTE: These "oopses" do not apply to patterns purchased prior to 6/17/03 (see corrections for the earlier version above).

  1. The bodice pieces are all missing the lining notation. The bodice front piece should read, "Cut 1 of lining on fold." The side back and back pieces should read, "Cut 2 of lining." Sorry about that! Note: If you purchased this pattern after 8/6/03, the error had already been corrected, so you can ignore this.

  2. The bodice back and front pieces do not match properly at the side seams on the size 18 only. One piece is 3 5/8", while the other is 4 1/4"! I have no clue how this went undetected for so long; I was sure I'd doublechecked all the seams before pasting the pieces to my master sheet! All you need to do is trim the larger piece down to match, trimming at the upper portion (armhole)--not the lower portion (waistline). Note: All patterns ordered after 1/28/04 do not have this error, since the sheet has been corrected and rescanned at the printer's. Thanks!

2006 Regency Gown Pattern Corrections

NOTE: The first "oops" does not apply to patterns purchased prior to 1/16/06 (see corrections for the earlier versions above). The second "oops" only applies to patterns purchased from an unknown point in 2009 to May 11, 2010.

  1. The latest version of this pattern has larger armholes and wider short sleeves. However, I forgot to update the pattern layout to reflect the wider short sleeves. For sizes 14 and up, you will not be able to cut out the sleeves on fabric folded vertically (with fold on one side and selvedges on the other). Instead, you'll need to open the fabric to the full width and fold it horizontally to get the entire sleeve cut out. This will also mean you need to add 1/4 yard to your yardage requirement in order to fit the larger sleeve.

  2. At some point in 2009, the yardage chart for this pattern was accidentally switched for the yardage chart that goes to the Simplicity version of this pattern. I believe it happened when we changed printers. I must have given the new printer the wrong PDF file of the chart. I am not sure exactly when this happened, but if your yardage chart lists "View 1" and "View 2," you have the Simplicity version, which calls for drawstring for View 2. I apologize for any confusion, as the original Regency Gown pattern doesn't have a drawstring option! Click HERE to download the correct chart. (If you've purchased this pattern after May 12, 2010, you've got the correct chart.)

Early Regency Gown Pattern Corrections

NOTE: These "oopses" do not apply to patterns purchased after 6/17/03. I've corrected all these oopses in the revised Regency Gown pattern! If you have the earlier version, you do not need to purchase a new pattern, however. Just follow these instructions to correct the mistakes. Thanks!

  1. The skirt back piece was "shrunk" by the printer to fit the pattern sheet (which is limited to 49.5 inches in length), so it does not match the skirt front piece by about four inches. I was not made aware of this change until 1,000 patterns had rolled off the presses--eek! If you are under 5'4" tall, you won't need to add any length to the skirt back. In fact, you will want to cut both skirt pieces shorter than the printed skirt front length. I designed the length to accommodate ladies up to 5'8". The best way to doublecheck your needed skirt length before cutting your skirt pieces out is to hold your measuring tape up at your bra band (right below the bustline) and let it fall down over the hipline (on the side of the body). Look in the mirror to see how long you want your skirt, then have someone tell you what the measurement is at that point. Add 5/8" for the skirt-bodice seam allowance and add as much as you wish for a hem (one inch is plenty). That's how long you want to cut your skirt front (measuring the side seam). Take this same measurement and make sure the back skirt piece's side seam is the same. Voila'!

  2. Somehow I ended up taping the wrong bodice front piece onto the pattern sheet. You will find that the bodice front is slightly longer than the bodice side back at the side seam. My final "master" pattern here matches perfectly at the side seam, but I accidentally used an earlier draft when I taped the final pattern pieces to the sheet. Everything else about the piece is correct--you'll just need to cut the extra length off the bodice front, starting at the side seam and tapering down into the bustline curve.

  3. The bodice back piece has two cutting lines -- one for A-C cup sizes and one for D. If you use the "D" cutting line and also plan to line your skirt, you will need to add to the width of the skirt back lining piece. I completely forgot to add a "D" cutting line to that piece! Just add as much to the center back of the skirt back lining piece as is added for the "D" line on the bodice back. Thanks to one of my Costume Classroom students for discovering this error!

  4. If you are using stiffer materials (thick cotton, satin, taffeta, etc.), the side back piece isn't going to "ease" as nicely or evenly into the back piece curve as it would if you were using muslin, voile, organdy or other fabrics with more "give." So if you find that, after adding the side back piece, there is an extra bit of material on the back piece (leading up to the shoulder), just trim it off diagonally as you did for the extra bodice material (so that you don't trim down the width of the shoulder). This isn't an "oops," since I figured most people would use the lighter materials that stretch more often than the stiffer materials. I didn't know how else to make the side back piece to allow for this difference in fabrics, so don't panic if you end up with "extra!"

Regency Gown Supplement Correction

[Note: If you purchased this supplement after 2006, the first correction does not apply. The pattern has been corrected. If you purchased it after July 2009, the second won't apply either, as it was corrected then.]

  1. I accidentally drew an extra size line above the 26 on the shoulders of the bodice front and back pieces. I forgot to erase the line before I took this pattern to the printer, so there are at least 60 supplements out there with the extra line. Just ignore it; cut your bodice out according to the appropriate size number!

  2. In the original waistband instructions, I omitted a very important step to help you get the correct measurement! The original instructions say, "Next, measure the back of the bodice (which you have already made) from one side seam to the back opening..." It should read, "Next, measure the back of the bodice (which you have already made) from one side seam to the back opening, and double this measurement (since you have two sides). Add this number to the skirt front measurement...." Your waistband will definitely be way too short if you don't double the bodice back measurement!

Regency Underthings Pattern Corrections

[Note: If you purchased this pattern after April 2007, none of these apply. The pattern has been corrected.]

  1. There are typos on three pieces of the Short Stays pattern. The strap, side back, and front should all say "Cut 2" of the various fabrics -- not "Cut 1." (This applies to patterns printed prior to June 2006.)

  2. The yardage chart has typos for the chemise for all sizes (this applies to all patterns shipped previous to April 12, 2007). Please click HERE for the corrected chart!

Elegant Lady's Closet Pattern Corrections

All patterns and ePatterns ordered after January 7, 2009, have problems 1 and 2 below fixed and don't need to be corrected. #3 and #4 were fixed in September 2009. #5 was fixed in mid-July 2011. #6 was fixed March 17, 2012.

  1. The "*" markings on the sleeve pieces were accidentally swapped to the opposite side when this pattern was finished. This error went uncaught for nearly three years. For those of you who experienced frustration in getting the sleeves into the right place, I do apologize! [Do remember that if you ever have difficulty with a pattern, I welcome your feedback. Folks who spot a real, uncorrected error get a free pattern!]To correct your "*" and gathering markings on each sleeve, click HERE to download the zip file containing the upper portions of each sleeve with the corrected marks in place. Do keep in mind that it's always best to try out the fit of the sleeve prior to sewing it in place. With the elbow-length sleeve, you want the dart at the back to cup the elbow. If the sleeve doesn't feel like it's hitting right, just rotate it slightly until it does, then mark where it needs to go. Ultimately, every pattern needs a slight bit of tweaking for a perfect fit, so don't hesitate to move something if it needs to be moved!

  2. The original instructions have now been modified to add the following note to the elbow-length sleeve section: With lighter, gauzier fabrics such as voile, Egyptian muslin, or organdy, you can ease these sleeves into the armhole. However, easing is neither "easy" nor recommended for heavier, stiffer fabrics (like thicker cottons, silk, taffeta, etc.). The fullness in the back of the sleeves of this time period was designed not so much for looks as it was for ease of movement for the wearer. It will be difficult to cross your arms in front or raise them over your head if your sleeve is precisely fitted to the armhole, particularly with fabrics that don't have a lot of "give." Instead, I recommend that you use the dotted lines on the sleeve head of the pattern piece to run gathering stitches. The gathers (or pleats, if you prefer) should be placed between the side back seam and the dropped shoulder seam of the bodice back. This will create the fullness that allows you to move freely and comfortably while wearing your dress. If you prefer a fitted sleeve out of heavier materials, you will need to trim the curve of the sleeve head so that it is slightly narrower -- and be prepared to sit and stand very primly erect when you wear your gown. No playing cricket in the pasture for you! ;-)

  3. This error went uncaught until June of 2009. The instructions say to put the skirt pieces together, "matching notches," but there are no notches on the pattern pieces! I fixed this error in September 2009, and you can download the PDF of the corrected skirt markings by clicking HERE. There also appears to be a bit of confusion about the length of the skirt front and back for this pattern. The skirt back piece appears in full on the pattern sheet, but the skirt front is nested inside and is not a full piece. Instead, there are size lines given only partially down the side. In the instructions and on the pattern sheet, I say to cut the skirt pieces to the appropriate length according to your own measurements, but several customers have missed this notation and cut the skirt front shorter than the skirt back at the side seam. I do apologize for this confusion and have added a more prominent note to the pattern sheet to prevent future difficulties!

  4. A customer dropped me a line in August 2009 to let me know the notions list on the ELCP yardage chart did not include double-fold bias binding (for binding interior seams). The instructions explain how to make your own binding, but if you prefer to purchase ready-made binding, you will need one package. This has been added to the notions list on the chart now!

  5. A customer wrote me in 2010, asking for help with the ballgown sleeve in this pattern She was having difficulty matching the underarm seams–finding she had “leftover” material at the top (or too little material at the narrow end of the sleeve). I discovered that the sleeve that ended up on the final pattern sheet was incorrectly scaled, so I sent the original sleeve to my laser plotter to have the grading done properly from the correct starting point. To get the replacement sleeve (in all sizes), click this link, and that will give you a printable PDF to tape together.

  6. I got a note from a customer in July of 2011, asking about the gathering lines for the ballgown sleeve. It seems when the sleeve was redrafted, I remembered to redraw the gathering lines for the top of the sleeve but forgot to add them back on at the bottom! Click the link in #4 above to get the corrected sleeve (which now has both lines of gathering drawn on). Thanks!

  7. After fixing the skirt and sleeve markings on the paper pattern, I managed to replace Sheet 1's PDF in the ePattern version, but I forgot to overwrite Sheet 2! While adding these items in 2012, I discovered that the appendix with instructions for the reticule had never been included in the ePattern since 2010! Those are all in place now, and if you purchased the earlier ePattern, please drop me a line with your Paypal order number, and I'll activate a new download link to replace your version.

Regency Spencer/Pelisse Pattern Corrections

[Note: If you purchased this pattern after 2004, the first two of these do not apply, as they were caught and corrected then. The third correction was made in 2009.]

  1. This applies only to the first 60 patterns printed -- the size numbers were omitted from the center back lines on the bodice back piece. They are on all subsequent patterns. For those who received a flawed pattern, the size lines are as follows (going from the inside to the outside): 8-12, 14-16, 18-20, 22-26.

  2. Not really an "oops" but an omission: In step 3B, I instruct you to pin the sleeve together, but I do not follow that with instructions to stitch the sleeve seam! Instead, I say, "Pin sleeve seams together, making sure you catch only the basted end of each wristband. Turn sleeves right side out and run gathering stitches in the top of the sleeve as marked." Obviously, you'll need to stitch the sleeve seams before you turn the sleeve right side out! LOL!

  3. The "Front" and "Back" markings on the top curve of the sleeve were reversed and went uncaught for many years! The fullest curve of the sleeve goes toward the back of the jacket so that the gathers provide room in the sleeve head for movement. If you insert the sleeves and find that they curve toward the back of the jacket, simply swap the sleeves, putting left into right and right into left. That will correct the error.

Girls' 1780s Portrait Dress Pattern Correction

  1. The laser plotter did not scale the elbow-length sleeves properly for length--only for width--on the first print run of this pattern (pre-11/24/10). If you purchased this pattern from a retailer other than sensibility.com, you will not have received the replacement sleeves via email. To obtain those, simply click here to download the ZIP file containing the replacement sleeves for sizes 1-4 and 6-14. Thanks!

  2. A customer wrote about the crossed circle marking, asking if it's supposed to match up to the side back seam instead of the side seam. My advice is simply to rotate the sleeve in the armhole until you get the best fit. This is actually what would have been done during the time period anyway, as sleeves were set by hand on a standing model. It's the same advice I have for the Elegant Lady's Closet sleeves. You make the bodice first, then make the sleeves. To pin the sleeves into place, pull the sleeve up the arm and rotate until the dart cups the elbow and the sleeve has a comfortable fit. That's where you pin it in for sewing, making the darts at the top/back of the armhole. As you know, no two people are identical. Broad shoulders, narrow shoulders, low bust point, short waist, high waist--you name it! We are all unique and have different fitting issues. So just double-check the fit and placement of the sleeve on the girl for whom you're sewing, and you'll be fine!

  3. The Girls' 1780s pattern was sized on a laser plotter in 2010, which I hoped would be far more accurate. However, a few customers wrote to tell me that it looked like the seam allowance was missing for the bodice pieces in sizes 1-4. After checking the pieces against my original drafts, I found that both side back pieces and the bodice front had been slightly "shaved" during the plotting process. Unfortunately, the laser plotter did not have any time to redo the pieces before Spring, and I had all my sewing tools packed until late May 2010 here in Kenya! I finally gave up on the plotter and unpacked my tools to do the job myself. I've corrected and tested the fit for sizes 1-4 and double-checked the other sizes. I emailed the file containing the revised Side Back 1, Side Back 2, and Bodice Front PDFs to everyone who purchased this pattern through Paypal, and copies are going out by post for everyone who ordered via snail mail. If you purchased from another retailer and did not get these corrections, please drop me a line through the contact form with the purchase date and name of the retailer, and I'll be happy to send the PDFs via email.

Girls' Regency Dress Pattern Corrections

  1. The seam allowance notation is missing from the first 15 patterns I printed and sold. The seam allowance for this pattern is 5/8". Seam allowance is noted on all patterns sold on or after 10/28/2003. Thanks!

  2. The directional arrow is missing from the long-sleeved pattern piece (showing to cut the sleeve out on the grain). If you purchased a pattern after 1/15/04, you have the corrected pattern and can ignore this notice.

Girls' Regency Spencer/Pelisse Pattern Corrections

[Note: If you purchased this pattern after 2003, none of these apply. The pattern has been corrected.]

  1. On the first few dozen patterns that were printed, the center back pieces say "Cut two," when they should say "Cut one on fold."

  2. The first few dozen patterns also had the sizes reversed on the shoulder areas on the large piece (instead of 6-10, you have 10-6).

Girls' Pinafore/Pantaloons Pattern Corrections

[Note: If you purchased this pattern after 2006, this correction does not apply. The pattern has been corrected.]

The smallest ruffle piece should have size markings for sizes 1-2 and 3-4. As originally printed, it only has 1-2. The smallest ruffle is, of course, for 1-2, and the next line up is for 3-4.

Ladies' Romantic Dress Pattern Corrections

[Note: If you purchased this pattern after December 2007, none of these apply. The pattern has been corrected.]

  1. On the first 50 or so patterns printed, the yardage chart is incorrect on the jumper bodice and lining for sizes 24 and 26. Instead of reading "7/8," the chart should read "1 7/8" for those sizes.

  2. All patterns printed prior to 7/9/2007 are missing the "+" marking on the sleeve that is meant to correspond with the marks on the bodice front to show where the sleeve matches the shoulder of the bodice. The "+" goes directly at the center top of the sleeve (right below the word "Gather").

  3. All patterns printed prior to 12/15/07 have an incorrect marking on the center back bodice piece. The size 12 line hits the 8/10 line at the side back curve. Whoops! All you have to do if you already have this pattern is to continue the 12 line 1/4" down to its curve line.

Romantic Blouse Pattern Corrections

  1. The first 100 pattern instructions printed omit the yardage for the front facing and the instructions for cutting out the facing. You actually do not need any extra yardage, since there is room to cut out the facing next to the blouse pieces. :-)

  2. One of my customers discovered that the pucker under the collar on this pattern was actually a design flaw in the original garment that inspired this pattern. I've now fixed the pattern to eliminate the pucker. If you purchased a Romantic Blouse pattern before August 20, 2007, you will need the fixes. Click HERE to download the zip file containing the corrections (for the bodice front, you'll need to tape the four "frontfix" pieces together). These files are in PDF format, which opens with the free Adobe Reader. Be sure when you print the pieces that Adobe is scaling to 100% (sometimes it shrinks pieces, so you'll want to double-check). To use the corrected pieces to change your original pattern, you need to match the "elbow" at the bottom right-hand corner of the Collar Extension on the PDF of the bodice front with the one on the original. If you have the newer version of the pattern with the words "Collar Extension," then you can just match the words when you overlap the corrected piece over the original. For the bodice back, match the XL shoulder and neckline curve on the PDF to the original. If you put the pieces on a light box or against a window with bright light outside or on a lightbox, you'll be able to match them perfectly.

  3. As far out as 2016, a customer pointed out an omission I've not caught in all this time! The lengthen-shorten lines are missing on the blouse front and back. They go one inch below the side seam notches, and you can use a ruler to draw a straight line across each bodice piece from that point, making sure the ruler is at a 90-degree angle with the straight edges of the center front and center back. I actually am short-waisted and don't have to adjust this pattern to fit; I just place the pleats on bodice front and back in such a way that they nip in at my natural waistline.

1909 Edwardian Gown Pattern Correction

If you ordered this pattern prior to August 26, 2004, and did not receive an e-mail from me, please contact me. I will send you a new pattern free of charge! This one went to press with some errors, so it has been redone. The pattern instructions are still correct, but some of the pieces are missing notches, and some of the sizing lines were off. Thanks!

Edwardian Apron Pattern Corrections

  1. This correction applies only to the earliest version. The back waistband piece was not labeled on the first pattern sheets or on the pattern layout diagram. So, if you have an early apron pattern, that little unmarked rectangle is the back "belt" (waistband) piece, and it can be cut out anywhere you have room on the material when you cut out the back straps and pockets. :-)

  2. One of the instruction illustrations was incorrectly rendered in the early version of this pattern. In the picture demonstrating how to attach the back strap to the waistband, the back strap is shown curving away from the center front. The curve of the strap should be sewn on facing the other direction. (This illustration has now been corrected, so this will not apply to you if you have the latest version.)

  3. On all patterns printed before 1/08, the "Miss Petite" line was inadvertently omitted from the back strap pattern piece. You can simply copy the "Miss Petite" lines from the main apron body pattern piece onto the lower portion of the back strap to fix this error. The "Miss Petite" lines are for short-waisted ladies who want to keep the straps from sliding off their shoulders! ;-) Please also scroll down to the "Revisions" section on this page for updates made to this pattern in 2008!

Girls' Edwardian Apron Pattern Correction

[Note: If you purchased this pattern after August 3, 2009, this does not apply. The pattern has been corrected.]On all patterns printed prior to August 3, the yardage chart contains an error. Under the yardage amounts for bias binding, you need to double the amount for all sizes over 4. I accidentally forgot to double the amounts when I took my measurement notes and entered them into the spreadsheet chart the first time. To download the corrected chart, click HERE.

"Beatrix" Jacket Pattern Corrections

[Note: If you purchased this pattern after January 15, 2008, none of these apply. The pattern has been corrected.]

  1. This only applies to the first 25 patterns that were printed: The jacket back piece says "Cut 2 of Fabric" and "Cut 2 of Lining." You only need to cut one of each on the fold. I had originally designed the jacket with a seam down the back, meaning you needed two pieces. But I changed it to cut out on the fold, so you only need one of fabric and one of lining!

  2. On all patterns printed prior to 1/08, the "D Bust" cutting line is missing from the shoulder of the bodice side front piece. Simply copy the cutting line from the bodice front onto the shoulder of the bodice side front to fix this.

  3. The yardage requirement for interlining was inadvertently left off the yardage chart. You'll need one yard of material for bodice interlining.

  4. When I taped all the skirt pieces to the pattern sheets, I accidentally left off the cutting lines for 45"-wide fabric. There should be two sets of cutting lines for the skirt pieces -- one set for 54"-wide material and one set for 45"-wide. I did this because I hate wasting fabric and thought it would be nice to show how to use up all the material with as little waste as possible. But I totally forgot to tape down the 45" cutting lines! If you lay out the skirt pieces on 45"-wide material, you will see that they run off the edges. Just taper the skirt pieces down from the top to fit onto the fabric. Your skirt will look just as nice. :-)

  5. Under step one of the Skirts and Overskirts section, the instructions say, "Sew skirt lining side and front seams together. Repeat for underskirt." There is actually no skirt front seam (it is cut on the fold), so ignore that!

"Beatrix" Shirtwaist Pattern Addition

 All patterns printed before May of 2008 are missing a note in the instructions. The note goes under the "Leg o' Mutton" sleeve option:

Note: Using the long sleeve pattern piece as indicated will create "demi" versions of leg oí mutton sleeves. If youíd like your sleeves very full (like the ones shown on the 1909 model on the front page), then substitute the puffed sleeve pattern piece, lengthening it as necessary to match the length of the lines indicated on the long sleeve pattern piece and adding the dot where marked. The rest of the instructions are identical.

1910s Tea Gown Pattern Corrections

[Note: If you purchased this pattern after March 10, 2004, the first two of these do not apply. The pattern has been corrected. The third error was corrected February 2, 2010.]

  1. The yardage requirement for interlining was inadvertently left off the yardage chart. You'll need one yard of material for bodice interlining.

  2. When I taped all the skirt pieces to the pattern sheets, I accidentally left off the cutting lines for 45"-wide fabric. There should be two sets of cutting lines for the skirt pieces -- one set for 54"-wide material and one set for 45"-wide. I did this because I hate wasting fabric and thought it would be nice to show how to use up all the material with as little waste as possible. But I totally forgot to tape down the 45" cutting lines! If you lay out the skirt pieces on 45"-wide material, you will see that they run off the edges. Just taper the skirt pieces down from the top to fit onto the fabric. Your skirt will look just as nice. :-)

  3. Under step one of the Skirts and Overskirts section, the instructions say, "Sew skirt lining side and front seams together. Repeat for underskirt." There is actually no skirt front seam (it is cut on the fold), so ignore that!

1912 Kimono Dress Corrections

  1. Many customers reported that the neckline scoop on the original version of the pattern was not deep enough to allow the gown to slip easily over their heads. I have revised this on the master pattern, and I now have available a PDF file of the new neckline (bodice and inset). I am e-mailing everyone who has already purchased this pattern, but if you haven't gotten a note yet and would like the PDF, please click THIS LINK to download the file. The revised pattern sheet was scanned at the printer on March 13, 2006, so those folks who purchased the pattern after that time got a corrected pattern and won't need the PDF. If you're in doubt, though, don't hesitate to download the file and compare it to your pattern sheet. Thanks for your patience as the kinks were worked out. We can test and test on our end and still not find fitting issues that affect people of different shapes! ;-)

  2. Several alert nursing moms have written to tell me that the nursing option given in the instructions does not work well for ladies with a low bust point (I tested the pattern on myself and my mannequins, and we all have high bust points!). If you find the nursing option given in the instructions inadequate for your needs, there is another way to create nursing access (thanks to customer Carol K., who dreamed it up!). I've now added the new method to the instructions (available in mid-March), but if you have the early version of the pattern, please CLICK HERE for the additional directions!

  3. The "DD" option given is not necessary for anyone other than those gals with a high bust point. You may actually find that you do not need to make any adjustments at all for DD other than adding a little bit of length to the skirt (which is something you choose according to your personal tastes anyway). As always, try a muslin bodice before you cut your fashion material! This is a step I recommend with every pattern, and it saves a lot of hassle and grief, giving you the opportunity to check important fitting points prior to sewing your dress.

  4. A customer contacted me in February 2011 to let me know the yardage chart for this pattern was actually the 1910s Tea Gown pattern chart with the wrong title. Somehow these two charts got mixed when we changed printers. Oops! This has been corrected, but if you still have the wrong chart, you can get a PDF of the correct one by clicking HERE.

1914 Afternoon Dress Pattern Corrections

[Note: If you purchased this pattern after 2003, none of these apply. The pattern has been corrected.]

  1. This only applies to the first 30 patterns that were printed, but I taped the wrong capped/cuffed sleeve to the pattern sheet! I thought I had discarded it after I made changes to it, but apparently not. In the final version of the bodice, I made the armholes smaller than in my initial draft, so the original capped/cuffed sleeve pattern is too large for the armhole and will not ease into it. If you have a pattern with the larger sleeve (the top curve of the sleeve measures five inches larger than the armhole measures around), you can "fix" this problem easily. Just cut the sleeve vertically up the middle, then overlap the two halves to take up 2.5" of the sleeve. Now the sleeve will fit beautifully into the armhole!

  2. There is a typo on the first 100 or so patterns printed. The "DD" bodice front piece says, "Cut 2 of fabric on fold" and "Cut 2 of lining on fold." I have no idea what possessed me to type that! You do, of course, need only one of each!

Girls' 1914 Dress Pattern Correction

[Note: If you purchased this pattern after 2007, the first two of these do not apply. The pattern has been corrected. If you purchased the pattern prior to 2012, number three applies.]

  1. The fold line on the bodice back pieces was accidentally omitted on the first print run of this pattern. To add the fold line to your pieces, just measure in 1/2" from the back edge and use a straightedge to make the line.

  2. The piece marked "Puffed Sleeve Band Guide" should actually read "Puffed Sleeve Band and Waistband Guide." Would you believe this error was not caught for three years?!

  3. The yardage chart had mistaken amounts for sizes 6, 8, and 10 under the 60" wide option. The chart listed MORE fabric for wider material rather than less! The chart has been corrected, and you can get a copy by clicking Girls' 1914 Pattern Chart to download.

1940s "Swing" Dress Pattern Corrections

  1. If you purchased this pattern before March 7, 2003, you'll see that the bodice front piece is missing the grainline to help you cut it out properly! To cut this piece out correctly, lay it out on your material so that the gathering line (below the shoulder) is at a 90-degree angle to the selvedge or the fold of the fabric.

  2. If you purchased this pattern prior to January 15, 2003 and have not received a note from me, please e-mail me. I have a corrected pattern piece to send to you!

  3. On all patterns purchased prior to 1/05/06, the fold line is missing for the self-facing on the bodice front. This has been added, but if you have the older version of the pattern, simply measure in two inches from the bodice front edge and use a straightedge to mark the fold line (which runs parallel to the front edge).

  4. I pulled this pattern on 1/5/2008 to revise it and make it easier to attach the back facing and topstitch the front shoulder overlap. If you bought the earlier version (copyright date earlier than 2008), drop me a line for the revised instructions. Please also note that there was a very old error that never came to my attention until this revision. The bodice front piece has some mismatched lines at the shoulder area. Click HERE to download the PDF of the fix. The red lines are correct--the old lines had all sizes from 8 to 14 connecting to the size 8 gathering line! Because of the changes made to correct those lines, I also had to re-do the back facing for sizes 8 through 16. Click HERE for the new 8-12 facing and HERE for the new 14-16 facing.

Ladies' 1958 Party Dress Pattern Corrections

 In January 2013 customer alerted me to an error in the Ladies' 1958 Party Dress pattern instructions: The illustration at step 1D (under Option 2) shows the lining being stitched all the way down the bodice back when it should actually be kept free and hand-stitched in place to finish the dress as shown in step 1A under "Finishing." I'm correcting the instructions now and will send the update to everyone who has already bought this pattern ASAP.

Doll's Wardrobe Pattern Corrections

  1. On the first 100 pattern booklets, page four of the 1914 Dress pattern instructions is missing. I've mailed a copy of the page to everyone who got a booklet with the page missing, but let me know if you didn't get one! However, the instructions on this page are identical to the instructions in the Regency Dress section, so you can always turn there. :-)

  2. If you ordered this pattern prior to November 19, 2004, there is an error on the yardage chart for the Romantic Dress. The long-sleeved dress requires 3/4 yards, and the short-sleeved dress requires 1/2 a yard. They are swapped on the chart!

  3. ePattern Versions Only: The bodice pieces for the Romantic Dress, 1914 Dress, and Pinafore were all scaled too large when they printed to PDF. I fixed this error in March 2011 and emailed correct pieces to everyone who had ordered these patterns. If you didn't get the email, drop a line through the Contact link above, and I'll send the new PDFs!

Revisions

  • The Regency Gown Pattern was revised in 2003 and 2005 in the armhole area. If you purchased a Regency Gown pattern prior to January 5, 2006, I will be happy to supply the revised bodice front and bodice side back pieces as PDF files (you print them on your end, using Adobe Acrobat Reader, then tape them together, since the pieces had to be cut to fit on standard 8.5" x 11" pages). Drop me a line to request the PDF files.

  • The Regency Gown Supplement was also revised in the same areas (except the sleeve, which needed no changes) in 2005. If you purchased the supplement prior to January 5, 2006, you can download the revised bodice pieces in PDF format at THIS LINK. Use the circles and rectangles to help you match the pieces back up after you print them and cut them out.

  • The Edwardian Apron Pattern was revised in January of 2008 to add size lines to the shoulders and back strap and to add the missing lengthen/shorten line to the back strap. The size lines at the shoulders were initially omitted on purpose back when I first published the pattern, but long-time customer Carol K. pointed out that they really are needed to keep the waistline and neckline from creeping up (or down), depending on the size of the wearer! If you have the old pattern and want a replacement, drop me a line with your original order number or email.

  • The 1911 Kimono Dress Pattern has been revised to enlarge the neckline. If you would like the PDF with the revised neckline (bodice and inset), please click THIS LINK to download the file. The revised pattern sheet will be scanned at the printer around March 13, 2006, so those folks who purchase the pattern after that time will get a corrected pattern and won't need the PDF. If you're in doubt, though, don't hesitate to download the file and compare it to your pattern sheet.

  • The 1940s "Swing" Dress Pattern has been revised to make steps two and three much easier! You can download a zip file containing the changes to the shoulder area of the bodice back piece in PDF format by clicking HERE. Click HERE to download the revised pattern instructions.

IMPORTANT: Some customers find that their printers do not scale the PDFs to 100% but shrink them or enlarge them. Be sure that your printer is set to 100% scale prior to printing, or the PDFs will come out the wrong size on the sheet! Customer Carol K. also sent this interesting fact after she had some pages print incorrectly: "When I brought up the PDF files, they came in at 100%, BUT when I enlarge the window to full screen, this is when the PDF goes to the 130% that I kept getting when I tried to print off the Romantic Blouse PDFs. So, I brought the window down, and it brought it back down to 100% and printed it at that scale. So for some reason, when I enlarge the window to full screen, it wants to print at 130%. If I keep the window, as is when it first pops up, it will print at 100%."Also note that the PDF files were created to print on standard American paper, which measures 8.5" by 11". Many customers in foreign countries have reported that their standard paper size is slightly narrower and longer, which means their printers are cutting off edges or corners of pattern pieces. If you are unable to get larger paper to print the files, try contacting a professional copy shop or printer to have them output your PDF file for you. I hope this helps!