The Vintage Butterick Pattern Counter Catalog Book from January 1950 -

Today on Faedra, I have a rare vintage feature! This vintage Patterns by Butterick book from January 1950 is one of the catalogs that originally sat on the sewing store counter. It is the pattern index that sewists used to find the perfect dress or bathing suit pattern to buy and sew!

This hardcover book shows wear from all its use on the countertop. The sections of the book are divided by tabs with labels for women’s dresses, misses dresses, teen age dresses, evening and bridal, larger dresses, maternity wear, coats, suits, jackets, capes, ensembles, blouses, skirts, accessories, basic patterns, lingerie, robes, house coats, aprons, mother and daughter outfits, children, toys, boys, sun clothes, active sports, and costumes. It contains all the patterns that were available at the beginning of 1950! I’ve featured some images of some of my faves!

Vintage 1950s Butterick Sewing Pattern Index Book for the Craft Shop Counter — Sewing Shop Butterick Pattern Index from January 1950

Vintage 1950s Butterick Sewing Pattern Index Book for the Craft Shop Counter. The image shows turquoise and pink versions of the Butterick 5040 evening dress.

Vintage 1950s Butterick Sewing Pattern Index Book for the Craft Shop Counter. This picture shows the Butterick 5051 sewing pattern. The green and blue square dancing dresses have ruffles.

Vintage 1950s Butterick Sewing Pattern Index Book for the Craft Shop Counter. This picture shows the Butterick 5058 dress sewing pattern.

Vintage 1950s Butterick Sewing Pattern Index Book for the Craft Shop Counter. The image shows the Butterick 4696 fairy costume dress.

The elegance of this fashion era is undeniable. The evening, bridal, and everyday looks are all gorgeous! After years of searching for and collecting vintage clothes, I have a soft spot for ruffled mid-century square dancing outfits. One of my favorite patterns in the book is Butterick 5051 – the square dancing costume!

After all these decades, this book is still an incredible resource for finding the perfect Butterick sewing patterns! I will post this book for sale on eBay in the near future. If you have questions about the book, drop me a note using the contact form!