Original Vintage Apron Sewing Pattern with Transfer

For the past few years, aprons have seen a resurgence in popularity.  Once regarded as a kitchen essential, women started to move away from domesticity and the dressing thereof for quite some time.  Now, however, many women are embracing the apron once again for not only its' practicality, but also for the nostalgia.

Some sewing pattern companies have reproduced the vintage apron pattern for today's women.  But how often does one come across an original apron pattern from the early 1950's and with the original, unused rose transfer?

Neat, huh?  I have this pattern listed on Etsy.com.  Look for the link on the right sidebar.

Vintage Sewing Patterns

Remember a few posts ago when I mentioned that there was a large box full of vintage clothing sewing patterns waiting to be listed?  Instead of going through eBay or listing all of them on this website, I have re-opened my Etsy.com account and will be selling the large majority of the patterns through that avenue.

Here is the link if you're interested:

Dancing Bumblebee Cottage on Etsy

If you enjoy sewing with vintage patterns, keep watch because I have many, many, many more to list!

Here's a sneak peek:

Old McCall's Shipping Envelope and Special Offers Advertisement

More finds from in between my vintage fabric haul from a Kansas farm auction, this is an old McCall's shipping envelope.  From The McCall Company. . .Fashion Publishers. . . it probably contained fancy work patterns since the return address indicates it came from the Fancy Work Department.

Inside of the envelope was a nearly-perfect advertisement that with McCall's subscriptions, certain offers were attached in which a person could choose an umbrella, teaspoons, jewelry and more:

Unfortunately I couldn't find dates on anything.  The postal stamps on the envelope were smudged and the advertisements didn't yield anything, either.  With the looks of the items offered, I would guess this was between 1900-1910.

1932 Advertisement

As I was going through all of the fabric I purchased at the recent farm auction, I came across a plethora of newspaper clippings from the early 1930's.  The clippings were taken out of the Kansas City Star and featured various quilt patterns.  On the other side of one particular clipping, I saw this ad for the Gem Spangled Girl Show in St. Joseph, Missouri that advertises tanned legs!  My oh my would the audience of 1932 be aghast at what beach goers wear today!  Oh, and also notice "All talking pictures."  Cool, huh?  - - -

For those history nuts, like myself, I'll be scanning in lots of great stuff in the coming weeks.  :)  I will be posting most of it on my other blog:

Living in the Whirl of Oz

Big Sale on eBay!

Click the eBay link to your left and peruse our sales.  Many items have been reduced and have Buy-It-Now pricing!

I have been hitting the country auction circuit and have lots of GREAT new items ready to list, so I'd like to move out the past inventory to make room for the newly-acquired inventory!

Vintage Clothing Sewing Patterns

There comes great satisfaction when you finish up a piece of clothing you've sewn from a pattern.  It never gets old to me.  I love it!

It's lots of fun looking through vintage catalogs and viewing the latest in clothing fashions.  There are distinct changes in our clothing patterns throughout the decades.  The best part of fashion, though, is that everything old becomes new again.  Well, most everything.  Luckily the Victorian Age has stayed in its' place.  I cannot imagine wearing tight corsets and long dresses day after day.

Open any current sales flier for places like Kohl's and Macy's and you'll see hints of the 1940's through the 1980's.  However, if you sew and care to replicate the vintage look, current patterns in these styles are hard to come by.  That's when people turn to vintage sewing patterns.

I was very fortunate to come across 2 large boxes full of vintage patterns from the 1940's through the 1970's at a recent estate auction in mid-Missouri.  I will be listing them on eBay as well as this website over time, so if vintage clothing sewing patterns is your cup of tea, your cup will overflow shortly!  :)

Vintage Kitchen Textiles

Kitchen textiles can encompass a broad range of items such as tablecloths, tea towels, aprons and feed/sugar/flour sacks.  Using vintage textiles in the kitchen makes every day dull chores just a bit more fun.  Again, at our lake cottage, I have incorporated different kitchen textiles in the decor such as this little vignette:

The pig and duck towel holders were actually in a $1 box lot at an auction in Kansas quite awhile ago.  They were dusty and quite grimy, but cleaned up well in the dishwasher.  We hung them on the side of the sink base in the kitchen.  The pink textile tied around the duck's neck is actually a vintage luncheon cloth and the one draped over the pig is a wonderful blue-striped tea towel that someone sewed a wonderful dog on:

Adding whimsy to the kitchen really brings a smile to one's face when they enter.  While mentioning tea towels, I came across this tea towel at an antique mall:

I love that someone embroidered "Kitchen" on it with little pink flowers.  It's too cute to use, so it's hanging on a towel rack directly above the kitchen sink and a small collection of salt and pepper shakers are on the shelf.

Speaking of embroidery, it's easy to find hand-embroidered kitchen items at the flea markets and antique shops as well as eBay, of course.  Item such as this:

are plentiful and really add the homespun touch to any room.

Feedsacks can be used in decorating, as well.  Here I placed a small feedsack on the antique chair my great-grandfather used.  This is the bay window in our kitchen at the lake and I change around the design each season.:

Kitchen textiles are an inexpensive way to brighten up your kitchen.  Start a new collection today!

Vintage Pot Holders and Pot Holder Hangers

Let's take a tour of kitchen collectibles:

Vintage Pot Holders/Hot Pads

I suppose one wouldn't be surprised to know with my love of vintage fabric and feedsacks, I also love vintage handmade pot holders.  Growing up, my mother purchased the pot holders made on looms that organizations like the Girl Scouts would make and sell for a fundraiser.  So when I would visit my grandparents' house, the pretty pot holders placed on the table would attract my attention.

Most of her pot holders were made by the generation before her.  Lovely crocheted works of art would grace the table before the hot plates were set on top.  They certainly weren't the plainer pot holders my mother used and that's what made them special.  They were old and beautiful.

When it came time to decorate our little lake cottage, somehow all the years of my collecting spurred by my earlier admiration came to fruition when I had a bountiful amount of sweet pot holders to display.

To be fair, however, the pig pot holder was just purchased from eBay this past month

(I still need to collect, you know!  :)   )

Isn't that the truth?

Old and new mingle together with my great-grandmother's biscuit cutter.

I adore this sweet cat.  Oh, and the stains?  Well, to me they tell a story of sugar cookies, a festive Thanksgiving turkey and a blue-ribbon award at the State Fair for her homemade apple pie.

Just in case there was any question. . .     :)

Of course, when you have pot holders, you need a method of displaying!  There are many great options in the Land of Vintage!  For my collection, I like to sniff out items that belong in a 1930's getaway cottage like this small rolling pin with a hand-crocheted cover:

and this rolling pin with Sikeston, MO still faintly able to be read:

Notice the ornate hangers.  Aren't they pretty?

Since we are located at the Lake of the Ozarks, anything souvenir-related is searched for:

If you are looking for a fun, affordable new addiction, consider vintage pot holders and pot holder hangers!

Next up:

Vintage Kitchen Textiles!