Equipment Love: Matilda the Dress Form

Original ad for my Acme Dress Form, circa 1959 - 1961

I admit it, I'm a vintage sewing equipment geek. Three of my four sewing machines were manufactured prior to 1965, and I just recently replaced my very warped 1930's all-wood ironing board. By now it's a choice and a habit, but in the beginning the vintage equipment was simply what I had on hand. I inherited my grandmother's 1949 Singer sewing machine, got the old family ironing board for free from my parents' garage, and from then on I was hooked: Old was affordable, old was awesome, old ran better and was easy to fix. 

In a similar vein, my late 50's / early 60's Acme Adjustable Dress Form came to me free or cheap, and she's still a sewing superstar in my studio to this day.  Originally the "plus size" dress form in a friend's alteration shop, she was sold or given to my mom when that friend moved.  From there, she was shipped to me in a large coffin-sized box and now presides over my work area like the Grand Dame that she is.  

A few years ago, I was gifted an entire stack of vintage craft magazines and this original ad for my very dress form was inside one of the issues.  I'm not sure how much truth there is in this advertisement, though.  I'm sure when this dress form was new, the adjustable sliders inside moved a bit easier.  You can still adjust her, but she's pretty squeaky and a little rusty inside.  It's not a problem; she's just about my size, and for further accuracy I've applied a duct tape duplicate of my torso over her.  She's helped me re-draft many a pattern and pin many a dress, and at this point I don't know how I would sew clothes for myself without her.  So yes, there is truth to the "see in advance how finished dress will look"claim. I only wish that the "make beautiful clothes easily in half the usual time!" were really true.  Well, you can't have everything, especially vintage and for free!