The Educational Legacy of Simplicity Pattern Company

In the world of home sewing, few names resonate as strongly as Simplicity Pattern Company. Since its founding in 1927, Simplicity has been dedicated to making home sewing accessible, enjoyable, and educational for all.

A cornerstone of this mission was the company's innovative Education Department, launched in 1934 and reaching its zenith in the 1960’s under the visionary leadership of Caroline Hutchins Shapiro. She retired as a Vice President in 1968, a rare distinction for the 1960’s “mad men” era. Her home economics curriculum and sewing programs not only taught countless students in public schools but also introduced a revolutionary line of patterns known as Jiffy. Simple to assemble, easy to learn, and rewarding to wear creating DIY fashions for generations.

“There are endless possibilities with Simplicity sewing patterns, especially the Jiffy line, it's so straightforward and you can create something from 1 piece of fabric that is beautiful and functional.” Starts Laura Corbett Fashion Designer | IG Design Group Americas, Inc. as she elaborates: “When learning how to sew, Jiffy has sewing patterns that start with 1- 3 pieces total, so it'll be easier to break down the process and organize on your fabric. The visual directions are clear. Our goal is to design cool stuff so our customers can add their touch and create even cooler stuff!”

The Education Department was a groundbreaking initiative aimed at making sewing skills accessible to all, regardless of their background or experience. Caroline Hutchins Shapiro's vision was to empower individuals, particularly women, and home economics classes were implemented in public schools across the United States.

The initiative created and supported public school’s home economics curriculum with travelling representatives, fashion shows, educational literature, and training the wave of newly minted Home Economists graduating from college. Simplicity consistently supported its commitment to the educational community with teachers’ kits mailed twice a year to middle schools, high schools, community colleges, and vocational schools throughout the U.S. and Canada. The kits contain posters and a variety of educational materials, including cost subsidized sewing patterns, catalogs, books, and sewing kits for educators.

By the 1960s, Simplicity Pattern Company had cemented its reputation as a household name, synonymous with easy-to-sew patterns and comprehensive sewing education. The company's commitment to education was evident in the detailed instructions and diagrams included with each pattern, ensuring that even beginners could achieve professional-looking results.

One of Simplicity's most beloved pattern lines is Jiffy, introduced as part of their commitment to making sewing simple and quick. True to its name, the Jiffy line promised fast and easy projects, perfect for beginners and those with limited time. These patterns were designed to be completed in a "jiffy," without sacrificing style or quality.

The Jiffy line became a staple in home economics classes, offering students a straightforward introduction to sewing. The simplicity of these patterns helped build confidence in new sewists, providing them with the skills needed to tackle more complex projects in the future. There is even the vintage SUPER JIFFY line for an easy flow of making a creative statement. This dedication to simplicity and accessibility laid the foundation for the Jiffy line of patterns to be widely accepted by home sewists.

Among the most popular Simplicity sewing patterns are vintage aprons. Starting in the 1940s and continuing through to today, making an apron is often one of the first projects for new sewists. The humble apron is a practical and stylish garment, reflecting a bygone era's domestic ideals while being easy enough for beginners to sew successfully. It also doesn’t require a knowledge of sizing or how to grade a pattern so it is perfect for a beginner, while a skilled sewist can crank out the one size fits most aprons with relative ease.

Even today, vintage aprons remain a favored project for home sewists. Simplicity’s reissued vintage apron sewing patterns have simple designs that can be embellished and clear instructions for assembly. It teaches essential skills such as hemming, attaching ties, and working with different fabric types, laying a solid foundation for future sewing endeavors.

The virtues of the Jiffy patterns lie in their accessibility and practicality. They represent Simplicity's core mission: to make sewing enjoyable and achievable for all who want to learn. By focusing on easy-to-follow instructions and minimal pieces, Jiffy easy-to-sew patterns remove the intimidation factor often associated with sewing, inviting more people to discover the joy of crafting with fabric and thread.

Whether you're a complete beginner or a seasoned veteran Simplicity Patterns offer a seamless blend of customizable fashion, simplicity, and satisfaction. From stylish “easy-to-sew” vintage aprons to chic ensembles, Jiffy sewing patterns provide a gateway to the world of fashionista home sewing.