The Sewing Place

STYLE sewing pattern company - whatever happened to them?

Sewcycle

Re: STYLE sewing pattern company - whatever happened to them?
« Reply #15 on: October 09, 2018, 10:25:15 AM »
Maybe I should have been clearer. I wasn't advocating re-issuing any Style pattern...just someone drawing off a copy of the 45 year-old pattern on tissue paper - for the use of someone else. My husband is an author and evidently I would be against anyone reissuing or re-using work not their own.
'Is there a life before breakfast'

Sewcycle

Re: STYLE sewing pattern company - whatever happened to them?
« Reply #16 on: October 09, 2018, 10:33:24 AM »
On a lighter note, looking through my own Style patterns I found ones dating from 1973, 1977 and 1988. The 1977 one says it is Style patterns Ltd ( Great Britain, Canada and South Africa). The 1977 one says Style Patterns Division, of Dominion Simplicity Patterns Ltd (same 3 countries) and the final one 1988 says Style Patterns Ltd - nothing about Simplicity and has offices in GB, South Africa, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and USA! What a mystery. It's also priced in Canadian dollars and US dollars as well.
'Is there a life before breakfast'

BrendaP

Re: STYLE sewing pattern company - whatever happened to them?
« Reply #17 on: October 09, 2018, 23:29:49 PM »
Maybe I should have been clearer. I wasn't advocating re-issuing any Style pattern...just someone drawing off a copy of the 45 year-old pattern on tissue paper - for the use of someone else. My husband is an author and evidently I would be against anyone reissuing or re-using work not their own.

Technically that's copying the pattern.  Copying can be manual as well as photographic or electronic.
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

toileandtrouble

Re: STYLE sewing pattern company - whatever happened to them?
« Reply #18 on: October 09, 2018, 23:44:27 PM »
Gov.uk in the copyright section on sewing and knitting patterns says we can make a 'working copy' to keep the master clean but it should be destroyed afterwards.  When the originator can't be found  the things become 'orphan works', which I think sounds rather sad.  Even if we try to find the owner and fail it sounds as though they are still entitled to come after us. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. We are all doomed.
Yarn down:  1000g
Fabric down:  29m

DementedFairy

Re: STYLE sewing pattern company - whatever happened to them?
« Reply #19 on: October 12, 2018, 18:05:28 PM »
Style used to be the first catalogue I went for, then Vogue, then Simplicity if I was desperate.  They were dull even in the seventies!  Style were way more up to date.  I ditched all my hoard of old patterns years ago as they were all teeny sizes and just mouldering away
C'est moi!

Esme866

Re: STYLE sewing pattern company - whatever happened to them?
« Reply #20 on: October 12, 2018, 19:50:08 PM »
Purchased my last Style pattern in 2001, though it may have been a 1998 pattern - need to find it as it was a nice jacket.

There's a bit of a gray area in all of this stuff - out of print and out of production and reproduced for no one to benefit commercially (no profit to be gained) and there's not much reason for prosecution- if all is for personal use.

I feel much guiltier for purchasing David Coffin's "Shirtmaking" book for $2 at a used bookdealer (David is alive and gained no income from this - and its completely legal) than I do for downloading Poulin's tailoring book online for free. Poulin has passed yet if he was American there's still 50 years left on the copyright.

So long as an extinct pattern company isn't being utilized for commercial gain - I wouldn't have a moral or ethical problem.

I once worked with a restaurant chain that used the grill of a 1950's American made auto in their logo. This was in the '90's. Auto was long extinct. Manufacturer's attorney's eventually showed up amd said, "Don't do that". Restaurant chain's only financial obligation was to change all of their signage. Intent plays a major role in these things.

Sewcycle

Re: STYLE sewing pattern company - whatever happened to them?
« Reply #21 on: October 12, 2018, 20:25:45 PM »
My only Style patterns now are one dress (unusual princess style neckline - I think this is why I still have it ) and one shirt when I was looking to make a fisherman's smock some years ago and this was the nearest I could get! (Still haven't made it :) ) I've also got a children's doll pattern for a Beefeater- a Palace Guard with busby and a Scots guardsman. These were so stylised they intrigued me....more 1960s than 1970s when it was printed. I do think that on eBay the Style patterns are so much more stylish than the other old ones. I can see why you went to them first, @DementedFairy. @Esme866 - your view would be my view on the morality of copying a defunct pattern for a friend.
'Is there a life before breakfast'

mammafairy

Re: STYLE sewing pattern company - whatever happened to them?
« Reply #22 on: November 25, 2018, 14:30:34 PM »
Style patterns worked better for me than other producers, they seemed to just fit. Simplicity were my second choice, this all in 1970s and 80s, into the 80s and I went Burda all the way, but now I adore Vogue. Tricky, but so satisfying. Or I do my own, if I feel I know what I am up to...

I have quite a lot of old Style patterns lurking, as I cannot throw away a pattern!

sewingj

Re: STYLE sewing pattern company - whatever happened to them?
« Reply #23 on: November 25, 2018, 15:16:19 PM »
I`m pretty sure my wedding dress was a Style pattern (1978).  I`m kicking myself now for throwing away all my old patterns when I had a long non-sewing spell.  Not that they would fit now but it would be interesting to see them (and probably very amusing!)

Tamnymore

Re: STYLE sewing pattern company - whatever happened to them?
« Reply #24 on: November 25, 2018, 19:45:43 PM »
Yes I think my wedding dress from around that time was Style @sewingj and I haven't deliberately thrown the pattern out but I cannot find it. Every so often I have a little search in charity shops specialising in vintage haberdashery. I'd recognise it if I saw it!
'One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.' Oscar Wilde

SandraS

Re: STYLE sewing pattern company - whatever happened to them?
« Reply #25 on: January 16, 2019, 00:19:47 AM »
I love Style patterns and was so disappointed when to company folded.  I purchased a jacket pattern Style#1946 that I just loved.  I have the pattern envelop but the pieces are missing.  Does anyone out there have this pattern in their stash?

Sewcycle

Re: STYLE sewing pattern company - whatever happened to them?
« Reply #26 on: January 26, 2019, 20:08:29 PM »
Hi SandraS. I just spotted this pattern on eBay. Nice coat. I think it was a buy-it-now if you’re interested
'Is there a life before breakfast'

SandraS

Re: STYLE sewing pattern company - whatever happened to them?
« Reply #27 on: January 27, 2019, 02:27:10 AM »
Thank you Sewcycle, I will check there again.  I did a search and came up empty about a month ago.