Wednesday 6 August 2014

Vintage Pattern

I have chosen a stunning child's smocked dress pattern, a smocking publication and an embroidery stitches publication to showcase today.  They are all linked in that the pattern is smocked with embroidery on the collar.



 
The dress pattern is a little tatty and has been well used over the years, it was published in 1958, the year I was born and very similar to what I would have worn.  It is a very comprehensive pattern, showing the assembling sewing and finishing details.


 
Smocking is a beautiful old English art and has played a large part in national dress.  In Anglo-Saxon days the word smock signified the same undergarment as the runic word, shift, or the French, chemise.  The women of the Saxon tribes wore breeches and smocks of linen and a woollen dress over these.  As time went on it became the fashion to ornament the upper part of these smocks with fine stitching and to cut down the necks of the over -dresses so as to display the work.  These days smocking  is rarely seen but can on occasion still be used on children's clothes or ladies blouses.

 
This trio is a beautiful combination of a pastime gone, smocking and embroidery on clothes is rarely seen these days so they are a wonderful part of history.  I hope you have enjoyed looking at them as much as I have enjoyed sharing them.
 
See you soon.

14 comments:

  1. Hello M

    Thank you for sharing your pictures of a bygone era - ohhh the memories. I too can remember wearing frocks similar to these.

    luv
    irene
    xxxx

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  2. Great vintage patterns, and and a good insight into the history of smocking x

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  3. Lovely patterns. Vintage patterns are so lovely. I have some vintage crochet patterns that I love to look at from time to time xx

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  4. Bonjour Mama!
    Thank you for this sharing. Here, we can see this kind of children dress in the vieux Québec. I think they sell that for more than 200$. I will see it this afternoon.
    Aurevoir
    Lucie xxx

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  5. I did some practice smocking once when I was newly married. I adore old patterns and what was in style of days gone by!

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  6. Oh my days did that bring back a memory...a bit later on than the pattern though, I received a child's sewing machine one Christmas back when I was 7 yrs old and made my dolls smock dresses. I can remember winding the elastic on the little bobbin. So why I am so frightened of the sewing machine now??? need to sort that out.
    Lovely post, thank you

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  7. Oh how delightful! Thank you so much for sharing and have a beautiful afternoon. Hugs!

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  8. I love smocking, especially on baby clothes. I've never done it but it's beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. OH! I'll have to find the picture of me in a dress almost identical to this as a baby and email you a copy! This pattern is great... will you be sewing with it?

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  10. I've never done smocking, but it's so pretty. I do love to embroider, though, although haven't done any in a while. Maybe once the weather cools down.

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  11. I can remember wearing dresses like this when I was little and the child's pattern seems familiar to me. I think my mum may have it. I was born in 1963 so it's possible! X

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  12. I have also some vintage patterns for crochet and knitting from the 40's and 50's I've bought in some seconhand trades. I like also old wools... have a nice day !

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  13. It is amazing intricate work isn't it. When I was a young girl I remember admiring dresses with smocking on them, but I don't think that I ever had one. It must take a long time to produce so I guess that is why it has fallen out of fashion. Perhaps you will start a revival though! xx

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  14. I love those older publications, I love smocking and as a child I owned quite a few dresses. I tried doing it once but it really didn't work out .

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