 my precious out of print Sandra Betzina jacket pattern turned into an unexpected adventure.){kind=link}
My mission to preserve a precious out-of-print Sandra Betzina jacket pattern
Sewing isn’t always about stitching straight seams and measuring hems. Sometimes it’s about detective work, logistics and a surprising amount of road kilometres. My recent mission to copy (and therefore protect) my precious Sandra Betzina jacket pattern turned into an unexpected adventure. To be honest, that makes it all the more satisfying.
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Falling in love with a Sandra Betzina pattern (and protecting it like treasure)
You may have read my recent post about Jenna’s jacket. It’s the one I fell in love with and vowed to make one of my own. Jenna made it using the Sandra Betzina “Today’s Fit” Vogue pattern V1494. She said it was an “advanced” pattern but I am up for the challenge.
The pattern is now out of print and hard to get which of course made me want it even more.
I managed to track the pattern down on eBay. The seller advertised it for around $17 NZD. However, add to that shipping, tariffs and exchange rates and … surprise! Suddenly it was $77.
Worth it? Absolutely! Cutting it? Oh gosh, no. Not when it’s that rare.
I even had ideas of becoming a collector of Sandra Betzina patterns but realised that would become rather expensive. Something to keep in mind if I win “the big one” in Lotto.
How am I going to use it if I cannot cut it?
Tracing was my first plan. I stuck the tissue paper pattern onto my glass sliding door with Blu-Tack and taped tracing cloth over the top. Very clever in theory. Very sweaty in practice. One tiny part of the pattern (the collar) took ages. My arms were aching from trying to trace on a vertical surface and there were four giant sheets to be traced.
Last time I traced anything using this method, I was a whole lot younger, with stronger arms and a whole lot more patience. How was I going to get through this?
It was time for Plan B.
Photocopying – the dream … and the detours
I’d previously had mixed results at my local copy place. For one pattern I took there, the wide format printer obviously was not wide enough and slivers of the pattern were missing off one edge. Frustrating!
I had more success at the same copy centre in Rolleston (about 150 km away) so, because it was a public holiday, I decided to take Dad for the drive.
The staff member who served me asked for my number, took the details of what I required and said they would get back to me. I was looking forward to picking up the copied pattern later that afternoon when Dad and I headed home.
In the meantime, Dad and I had arranged to meet my brother and sister-in-law for lunch. We met at a café at The Tannery (an upmarket shopping complex in Christchurch) where two of my favourite stores are located:
Sew n Co which specialises in quilting fabrics and stitching projects; and
The Fabric Store which has a huge range of beautiful dressmaking fabric.
Disappointment and more disappointment
I was keen to have a look in both while waiting for the call from the copy centre. I was disappointed to find both were closed for the holiday.
By late afternoon, I had not heard from the copy place so I phoned them to see how they were getting on with my pattern. I was even more disappointing to hear they had not done the job. Apparently, the staff member who operates the wide format printer was not working that day. I wished they’d told me that earlier. They said they would call me the next day.
Dad and I returned home empty-handed. What a disappointment.
Questions of copyright
When the copy shop called, they told me they would not copy my pattern due to it being under copyright.
I had already contacted Sandra Betzina and asked for her permission to copy it. I received a reply from her personally. She said was happy for me to make a copy. Because Vogue is currently in liquidation, I figured there wouldn’t be any issues from them.
I politely quoted the NZ Copyright Act to the copy centre staff member — yes, you can copy a pattern for your own use, especially when it’s out of print. (If you are in a different country, you will need to check your own copyright law).
Copyright protects sewing patterns. Look at sections 43 and 43A of the New Zealand Copyright Act 1994. I’m no lawyer but the Act allows fair dealing for private study or research. In practice, that covers making a single copy of a pattern for your own personal use. You just can’t sell, swap, or post that copy online. When you buy a pattern, you buy the right to use it to make garments, and that implicitly includes practical steps like tracing or photocopying the pieces so you don’t damage the original tissue. Also because the pattern is now out of print and so hard to get (let alone expensive if you can find one for sale) making a copy to use while keeping the original intact makes good sense.
The copy shop staff member listened to my explanation. Then came the real reason. “It’s too delicate and we’re worried we’ll damage it.”
Preserving delicate tissue patterns
Fair enough. Tissue paper is basically a sneeze away from disintegrating. I had already, sadly, torn the edges of the pattern in a couple of places while prising it off my sliding door after trying to trace it.
I strongly encourage you to remember this part of the law if you buy an out-of-print pattern and do not want to cut it, especially if you’ve paid as much for it as I did. You can resell patterns. Out of print ones are likely to become collectors’ items and go up in value. That is why it is well worth preserving them in their original condition (including the paper envelope) if you can.
The Christchurch breakthrough
After a bit of Googling, I eventually found CQ Print in Christchurch that had the correct equipment to copy the pattern. I gave them a call and was reassured they already have experience copying tissue paper sewing patterns. This time I took Mum with me for the drive to Christchurch. Finding the shop was an adventure on its own (isn’t it always?).
On arrival, the manager showed me the method that would be used to copy my precious pattern. It involves a big, flat card with a plastic layer placed over the top. The tissue slips safely in between the card and the plastic, the whole thing goes through the machine and nothing gets scrunched or torn. Being shown this process really set my mind at ease.
The copy shop printed two full copies so I could cut one and keep one pristine, meaning I wouldn’t have to copy from the original again. Then the cherry on top. They put the digital files on a USB stick for me to keep forever. Backup for the backup! It felt like sewing victory at its finest.
Ready for grading, ready for the toile, ready for the fun part
The last sewing class for 2025 rolled around and with the pattern pieces safe and sound, my sewing tutor helped me grade between sizes. We added a bit of length to the seam under the bust and at the sides and a little more width at the sides front and back.
The tutor pinned the pattern pieces together and I put them on to give a rough idea of fit.
Then I cut a toile using a beautiful copper fabric I’ve been saving. It is actually curtain fabric but perfectly wearable if the toile turns out okay.
I laid out the pattern ready to cut. It was a bit of a squeeze fitting it on the fabric. No room for pattern matching. I’m looking forward to seeing how it turns out before choosing a fabric to make the “real thing”.
Lessons learned
Sometimes sewing is straight-forward. Sometimes it’s a saga and sometimes it’s a saga with a road trip … or two.
I learned that research pays off if you want to find the best way to copy a pattern rather than relying on the everyday copy store which might not have the specialist equipment needed for the task.
In total, I paid $323 for that pattern – petrol at $90 (for both trips to Christchurch and back – thank goodness I have a hybrid car!), $140 for photocopying, a $16 USB stick and don’t forget the $77 I paid for the original pattern – but oh, the satisfaction when everything finally lines up.
Talk to me
Tell me about a time when you paid more for a pattern than you originally expected. Do you have a Sandra Betzina Vogue Today’s Fit pattern you treasure? What have you done to keep it in good condition so you can use it again and again?