This is a very hard-to-find dressmaking book The Magic Seamstress published by the American Fashion Institute in 1970. This charming little book includes several pattern drafts for dresses with many sleeve variations and a set of scale rulers for drafting them to full-sized patterns. Half of the book is devoted to detailed, cleverly-illustrated sewing lessons.
Condition: Strong and clean. There is light wear and scuffing to the page edges, and a bit of fading, minor foxing. The interior is top very bright and clean. The pop-out French curve tool is loose from the page, but included, and the rulers are included and have never been used.
Number of pages: 52
Please see the photos for the contents list.
Sizing: The ruler makes it possible to draft from a 30-inch bust to a 55-inch bust!
From the book:
"MAGIC SEAMSTRESS uses a dot system. In essence, this is how it works. With a selected pattern as your guide, you will be marking several dots on a large sheet of paper. You will be using a special enlarging ruler
(enclosed) for correct placement of the dots. After all dots have been marked, you will connect them using any straight edge ruler and a special French curve rule (enclosed). What you will have is an enlarged copy of the selected pattern.
MAGIC SEAMSTRESS uses just two measurements -- bust and hip. You must take these two measurements accurately because you will be using these figures in the dot marking. These two measurements assure that the enlarged pattern will be to your exact size, eliminating any waste of material and giving you a perfect fit.
When marking dots, note that for all dots above the waistline, you must use the bust measurement. For
dots below the waistline, you use the hip measurement.
You will start off with a basic pattern (page 9). It is the same one used in the fashion styling section of this book. With it are five variations . . . smart new fashions selected from leading style centers for you to wear now. Once you have mastered the technique of enlarging miniature patterns to your correct size pattern, you will be ready to make your own creations from our fashion supplements. They are published four times yearly and each offers you about fifty new styles. Further on in this
book you will learn more about them. "
Product code: Magic Seamstress top 1970 Sewing Book Dressmaking & Pattern Drafting Scale Ruler System