30s / 40s trousers.

A pattern draft from my Nana's old sewing book. 

 

She was given it when she had to give up her tailoring training, by the mother of a friend, 'Mom Hume' (the family took Nana in when her mother died - she was 16).  It's not dated, and I've never been able to find any reference to it on the internet, or old book sites, so I'm guessing that it's from the late 30s (from the clothes and hairstyles).

 

My Nana gave it to me for my 16th birthday, because I loved it.  This was the book that I used as a guide when I made my first patterns as a young teenager.  In fact, my current winter coat is made from a draft in this book.

 

Anyway, I've photographed the trouser draft.  (Can't use the scanner - never learned how - should sometime!)

 

 

So here they are:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The measurements you need to draft the pattern are as follows:

• Side length, from waist to ankle (or required length).
• Waist.
• Seat depth (aka body rise).
• Hips.
• Leg width (meaning the width you want them to be at the lower hem).

 

Obviously, this is a block - it doesn't include the waistband (a rectangle the size of your waist), and it doesn't include turnings for fastenings - you have to add those yourself.  Assuming they're made side fastening, as per the standard of the time, that's dead easy.  To add a fly, pockets, etc, is relatively simple too.

 

And it can be adapted to all sorts of different styles - but made just as it is, they make up quite nicely.

 

I wouldn't make them without a toile if it's your first time after drafting the pattern, though.