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The Haslam System of Dresscutting Sewing Patterns
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The Haslam System of Dresscutting
What is the Haslam System?
The Haslam System is a very simple to use sewing pattern drafting method that doesn't require any previous drafting experience (though strong reading comprehension and the ability to follow written instructions are a must). It is composed of a special chart tool, a basic foundation instruction book, and seasonal supplemental books which include new styles.
Keep scrolling down for a complete list of the Haslam Books in chronological order.
The Chart
The chart design is very clever and includes a perfect right angle at one end to act as a tailor's square, curved edges at the other end to take the place of french curve and waist curve tools, and small punched holes to help you quickly draft by bust size. It also includes several printed notations that act as landmarks to help you use the foundation instructions.The Chart and foundation are sold as a set here.
The Foundation
The foundation book includes all of the instructions and diagrams you need to draft a Foundation or sloper pattern. This is a basic pattern drafted to your measurements consisting of a dress front, dress back, and sleeve. Once the foundation has been drafted to your measurements, you test this pattern in tissue or muslin and adjust the fit as desired.This pattern then becomes your master foundation pattern which you copy and alter to make any number of different patterns.(Note that the foundation shapes changed a little bit over each decade so it's important to use the correct foundation instructions for the decade you are drafting for).
The Supplement Book
The supplemental books contain around 2 dozen different pattern designs and diagrams that show you how to alter your foundation pattern into the illustrated fashions. At the time of publication, these supplemental books featured all of the current fashions created by the best fashion houses in Paris and the U.K. Miss Haslam traveled extensively to both research current fashion trends, and to teach her system. Many of her supplemental fashion designs are near-exact copies of garments created by Vionnet, Lanvin, Chanel, Worth, Hartnel, and more.
All Haslam Dresscutting books from 1924 to 1964 and later
Help with Drafting.
If you need help using the system, want to know even more, or just want to chat about all things sewing and Haslam, join our Facebook group!
You can find all of our Haslam Books here.
RECOMMENDED HASLAM BOOKS FOR GETTING STARTED
The Complete Collection of Foundation Drafts and Chart
This printed book includes every single foundation pattern from the 1920s through 1960s, the complete Haslam Practical Guide to Dressmaking and Tailoring, and a full-sized printed Haslem chart, all in one.
The Haslam Dresscutting Practical Guide
This is an E-book version of the Haslam Practical Guide to Dressmaking & Tailoring; 81 pages of sewing lessons and helpful hints for using the Haslam System.
This book is meant to be a companion to the Haslam system and the dressmaking chart. That is not included with this booklet but can be found in our shop. The book will also work as a wonderful sewing manual to keep on hand, and is quite helpful independent of the Haslam system.
1920s Haslam Pattern Drafting Books
1924 CHART
1924 - No. 1 Book of Draftings
1925 - No. 2 Book of Draftings
Circa 1920s Dresscutting Practical Guide to Dressmaking & Tailoring
Circa 1926 - No. 3A Book of Draftings
1926 - No. 3 Book of Draftings
1927 - No. 4 Book of Draftings
1928 - No. 5 Book of Draftings
1929 - No. 6 Book of Draftings
1930s Haslam Pattern Drafting Books
1930 - No. 7 Book of Draftings
1931 - No. 8 Book of Draftings
1931 - No. 8A Book of Draftings, nearly identical to Book 8 with 4 different patterns.
1931 - No. 1 Spring Supplement Book of Draftings
1932 - No. 9 Book of Draftings
1932 - No. 2 Spring Supplement Book of Draftings
1933 - No. 10 Book of Draftings
1933 - No. 3 Spring Supplement Book of Draftings
1934 - No. 11 Book of Draftings
1934 - No. 4 Spring Supplement Book of Draftings
1935 - No. 12 Book of Draftings
1935- No. 5 Spring Supplement Book of Draftings
1936 - No. 13 Book of Draftings
1936 - No. 6 Spring Supplement Book of Draftings
1937 - No. (0)1 Illustrated Book of Draftings for Lingerie
1937 - No. 14 Book of Draftings
1937 - No. 7 Coronation Number- Spring/ Summer Supplement
Circa 1937 No. 1 Children's Wear Illustrated Book of Draftings
Circa 1937-1938 - No. 1 Book of Fuller Figure Draftings
1938 - No. 15 Book of Draftings
1938 - No. 8 Spring Supplement Book of Draftings
1939 - No. 2 Illustrated Book of Draftings for Lingerie
1939 - No. 16 Book of Draftings
1939 - No. 9 Spring Supplement Book of Draftings
Circa 1939 No. 2 Children's Wear Illustrated Book of Draftings
1940s Haslam Pattern Drafting Books
1940 CHART AND BOOK OF FOUNDATION DRAFTINGS
1940 - No. 17 Book of Draftings
1940 - No. 10 Spring Supplement Book of Draftings
1941 - No. 18 Book of Draftings
1941 - No. 11 Spring Supplement Book of Draftings
1941 - No. 3 Illustrated Book of Draftings for Lingerie
Circa 1941 No. 3 Children's Wear Illustrated Book of Draftings
1942 - No. 19 Book of Draftings
1942 - No. 12 Spring Supplement Book of Draftings
1943 - No. 4 Illustrated Book of Draftings for Lingerie
1943 - No. 20 Book of Draftings
1943 - No. 13 Spring Supplement Book of Draftings
1944 - No. 21 Book of Draftings
1944 - No. 14 Spring Summer Supplement Book of Draftings
Circa 1945 No. 4 Children's Wear Illustrated Book of Draftings
1945 - No. 5 Illustrated Book of Draftings for Lingerie
1945 - No. 22 Book of Draftings
1945 - No. 15 Spring Supplement Book of Draftings
Circa 1945 No. 5 Children's Wear Illustrated Book of Draftings
1946 - No. 23 Book of Draftings
1946 - No. 16 Spring/ Summer Book of Draftings
1947 - No. 6 Illustrated Book of Draftings for Lingerie
1947 - No. 24 Autumn/ Winter Book of Draftings
1947 - No. 17 Spring/ Summer Book of Draftings
Circa 1947 No. 6 Children's Wear Illustrated Book of Draftings
1948 - No. 18 Spring/ Summer Book of Draftings
1948 - No. 25 Autumn/ Winter Book of Draftings
1949 - No. 19 Spring/ Summer Book of Draftings
1949 - No. 26 Autumn/ Winter Book of Draftings
1949 - No. 7 Illustrated Book of Draftings for Lingerie
Circa 1949 No. 7 Children's Wear Illustrated Book of Draftings
1950s Haslam Pattern Drafting Books
1950 - No. 20 Spring/ Summer Book of Draftings
1950 - No. 27 Autumn/ Winter Book of Draftings
1951 - No. 21 Spring/ Summer Book of Draftings
1951 - No. 28 Autumn/ Winter Book of Draftings
1951 - Book of Fuller Figure Draftings
Circa 1951 No. 8 Children's Wear Illustrated Book of Draftings
1952 - No. 22 Spring/ Summer Book of Draftings
1952 - No. 29 Autumn/ Winter Book of Draftings
1952 - No. 8 Illustrated Book of Draftings for Lingerie
1953 - No. 23 Coronation -Spring/ Summer Book of Draftings
1953 - No. 30 Spring/ Summer/Autumn/ Winter Book of Draftings
Circa 1953 No. 9 Children's Wear Illustrated Book of Draftings
1954 - No. 31 Spring/ Summer/Autumn/ Winter Book of Draftings
1955 - No. 9 Illustrated Book of Draftings for Lingerie
1955 - No. 32 Spring/ Summer/Autumn/ Winter Book of Draftings
Circa 1955 Book of Draftings for Teen and Junior Miss
Circa 1955 No. 10 Children's Wear Illustrated Book of Draftings
1956 - No. 33 Spring/ Summer/Autumn/ Winter Book of Draftings
Circa 1956 - No. 3 Book of Fuller Figure Draftings
1957 - No. 34 Spring/ Summer/Autumn/ Winter Book of Draftings
Circa 1957 No. 11 Children's Wear Illustrated Book of Draftings
1958 - No. 35 Spring/ Summer/Autumn/ Winter Book of Draftings
1958 - No. 10 Illustrated Book of Draftings for Lingerie
1958 - No. 4 Book of Draftings for Fuller Figures
1959 - No. 36 Spring/ Summer/Autumn/ Winter Book of Draftings
1960s Haslam Pattern Drafting Books
1960 - No. 37 Spring/ Summer/Autumn/ Winter Book of Draftings
1961 - No. 38 Spring/ Summer/Autumn/ Winter Book of Draftings
1961 - No. 11 Illustrated Book of Draftings for Lingerie
1962 - No. 39 Spring/ Summer/Autumn/ Winter Book of Draftings
1963 - No. 40 Spring/ Summer/Autumn/ Winter Book of Draftings
1964 - No. 41 Spring/ Summer/Autumn/ Winter Book of Draftings
1960s No. 1 Book of Specialties
1960s No. 2 Book of Specialties
1960s Helpful Notes on the Haslam Dressmaking System Booklet