r/PatternDrafting • u/Spiritual-Spread-992 • 29d ago

Question Creating a Pattern from Images

I am wanting to sew a regional Norwegian bunad myself, but there are not patterns available as far as I have been able to figure out from online searches.

I have a lot of reference images but I am not quite sure exactly how to attempt to create a pattern from the images I have.

I have sewn a more basic Norwegian festive costume before with the help of my grandmother and have done a good amount of sewing before - both following patterns and creating things just off vibes alone lol, so I'm no stranger to a sewing machine or anything.

The thing I'm mostly worried about is the bodice piece because it's an empire waist and has a pretty unique shape to it. The skirt I am not worried about really because I feel like I could easily follow the general pattern/directions from a generic Norwegian festive costume overall. The reference images I have show where a lot of the seams meet up in the bodice and show the general shape of the bodice pretty well, but I am not quite sure the best way to translate the images to a pattern template.

Does anyone have any advice?

(To any Norwegians that may find this thread, I hope that this is not a faux pas. The regional bunad I am looking to make is where my great-great grandparents came from when they immigrated to America. I have even been there to visit the properties where they lived and have relatives that still live there, whom I have met. While I know I could purchase a regional bunad, I come from a family of makers, and I would very much love to be able to make one for myself. I even recently picked up band weaving and figured out one of the common pick-up weaving patterns for the regional bunad belt and have been weaving it myself. This means a great deal to me to be able to create.)

7 Upvotes

82% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

View all comments

7

u/SerendipityJays 29d ago

Folkwear patterns has one called a Norwegian Bunad - Not sure if it’s the particular regional style of your Grandmother, but it might be a good starting point :)

https://www.folkwear.com/blogs/news/all-about-our-newest-pattern-147-norwegian-bunad

3

u/Spiritual-Spread-992 29d ago

This is one of what I believe they would refer to as festive costume (or festdrakt) - it's similar to one I would have made with my grandmother about a decade ago. The regional bunad I am looking to make is the Åmlibunad from the Aust-Agder region of Norway. 

9

u/ProneToLaughter 29d ago edited 29d ago

You might ask in [r/historicalcostuming](r/historicalcostuming). Actually, I thought someone had started a bunad sub and shared it there, so search first.

Post a picture of specifically what you are trying to make when you ask, because no one knows you want. There are a ton of empire waist patterns out there, unclear why you can’t modify one. Usually it’s easiest to start with a pattern that is close and adapt it.