It is a common belief that ladies throughout the nineteenth century sewed all or most garments for themselves and their families; however, truth be told, most women of the middle and upper classes sewed far less prolifically - often making only undergarments and a few accessories. This was due, in part, to the lack of sewing patterns available.
Although many fashion magazines from as early as the 1850s regularly included patterns and diagrams, these were difficult to use without some in-depth training in dressmaking. By the 1860s, Butterick was offering patterns as we know them today, but these, though within the grasp of many home sewers, were produced for only a few select garments.
