Vintage Pattern Revival

The Christmas decor has all been packed away for another year.  Time needs to be spent sorting them all out now that we have downsized.  We decorated in such a rush this time as we were just back from our holiday so it is a job that has been deferred for awhile.  Cleaning is high on the agenda for today and putting everything back to its rightful place, this may take awhile.  Thank you notes still need to be done, so that is another job for today.  I had planned on making some thank you notelets but time seems to be running away from me.  We haven't got back into a routine since our return from holiday so a real effort is now needed.

I did take some small projects away with me but I was so busy that a not a lot got done.  I was away from the cottage for 6 weeks in the end and all I have to show is a doily.  It was made using a vintage pattern but coloured cotton to give it a contemporary feel.

The cotton was a little thicker than the pattern recommended so it has come up larger than the pattern states.  It now needs to be pinned out and sprayed to show off the beautiful lacy  pattern.  It may end up as a cushion cover, time will tell.

I have so many vintage patterns that have been a joy to collect, but this is the year that I intend to use some of them.  I am really enjoying the process of browsing through them all at the moment.  Another task that may take awhile, decisions...decisions.  It would be nice to attempt them all but I need to be realistic so the process of elimination continues.  This is the year of the vintage pattern.  What are your crafting plans?

See you soon.

Thrift Shop Finds

I have had a busy few hours finally sorting out the craft supplies that I bought whilst away.  We are still taking down the Christmas decorations and trying to get back to some normality.  All the Christmas linen and throws have been washed and are now hanging on an airer in the bathroom.  The china, cutlery and some ornaments are waiting to be boxed back up.  I find it so much easier to decorate than I do packing away but needs must so it will be completed today.  A good clean of the cottage is the order of the day for tomorrow.

From England I came back with all the wool that I needed for projects later on in the year, along with wadding for Hectors quilt and a wide selection of cotton threads.  The wool was one of the promotions in Aldi and seemed perfect for the projects I have in mind.

One of my biggest joys is having a mooch around Thrift stores whilst in America.  There are a couple in Mount Dora that never fail to delight.  I am always amazed at the bargain prices and bring back as much as I can.  I have several Christmas projects already organised, so these are a wonderful addition.

This was a Santa door panel for $2.

This a swinging Santa holder, enough to make 4 for $5.

Crochet cotton for 25 cents per ball.

A wonderful array of vintage crochet patterns 10 cents each.

Sewing patterns for 25 cents each.

Finally some felt ornaments to make, complete with all the necessary threads and such to make them, a real bargain at $1 each packet.  I thought they would make beautiful toppers for my gifts for this year.  I love it when I find a bargain and am delighted when I can add to my collection for such small amounts.  I spend many a happy hour browsing patterns and wondering who has used them and worked on them before me.  Imagining the finished products and how much pleasure they bring.  I have saved money and helped to recycle things that would otherwise have gone to landfill so I am pleased with myself.  Have you had any great finds recently?

See you soon.

Easter Vintage Pattern

April is here and came in with a bang, the winds have been terrible.  Spring is here and there are signs of that all around and yet it feels like a winters day with cold winds and intermittent rain.  The weather has definitely stopped work outside so the bench is still not finished and the garden is in need of some care and attention.

The postman arrived yesterday and certainly warmed my heart, I received a package from Eileen at frugalvintagehome.blogspot.co.uk/ she had sent me a vintage pattern.

 

How cute is that and perfect for this time of year.  I have had a quick browse through and am unfamiliar with the loop stitch but there does seem to be quite comprehensive instructions so I will give it a go when I can find some time.

 

 

Thank you so much Eileen you brightened my whole day.

 

It is a pattern from 1971 and also has a membership application to join the Lucky Lister Lamb Club, apparently there were 10 winning prizes to be won each month throughout 1971.  The only catch was you had to enclose 7 ball bands of Lister Lavenda double knitting wool and complete a slogan in no less than 8 words...I love Lucky Lister Lamb because.....

 

In keeping with the time of year I thought I would share another rabbit pattern which I love, it was bought off a wonderful lady at  Mount Dora for 50 cents, a real bargain.

 

 

A beautiful and comprehensive pattern that I intend to use, maybe next year....I keep adding things to my list to do and not getting a whole lot done.  Do you have a to do list that never gets any shorter?

 

See you soon.

 

Vintage Pattern

The pattern that I have chosen to feature today is a dolls outfit pattern, who remembers Cindy and Paul?  The pattern is from 1984 and shows 16 different patterns.

 

It is a lovely pattern with some of the outfits still been suitable for todays fashions and a couple that could be altered slightly to make them more up to date.

 

The wedding dress is a real delight, I would imagine that it is every little girls dream.

 

 

I also love the cable sweaters, what fun to dress the dolls up to play in the snow.

 

The pattern was a great find from a thrift shop in Mount Dora for the princely sum of 50c.  I wonder how many times it has been used and how many little knitted outfits are still around.

 

See you soon.

Vintage Pattern

The vintage pattern I am going to share this week is The Toy Book, a Harmony publication.  It was published by Lyric (pattern services) Ltd in 1976.

I love some of the simple shapes and the vintage fabrics that have been used, it really is an eye catching pattern, still perfect for today.  I have so many scraps and small pieces of vintage fabrics the pattern would be perfect to use some of it up.

They all have some appeal so I am not discounting any at this stage, but I thought I would have a go at the elephant and the owl they seem to be quite popular at the moment.

 

I intend to give my craft room a really good sort out once all the wedding things are out of there, but these are definitely on the top of my to do list.

 

Today I have a date with my husband, we have been married for 33 years so are celebrating.  We have a good strong marriage to which we have both worked hard to maintain despite our differences at times.  I feel truly blessed.

 

My advice for a good marriage would be, never go to bed on an argument.  What would yours be?

 

See you soon.

 

Vintage Pattern

 

 

This weeks vintage pattern is  chartered designs for cross stitch, for family heritage samplers.  It was my intention to make a sampler of my husband and I years together  to celebrate the wonderful events that have happened throughout our marriage, but other things have taken over and it never got done.  Maybe after the next major event, our daughters wedding I will have more time to focus on things for myself and the family heritage sampler can begin.

 

The pattern was printed in 1976 and was brought in a Thrift Store on a trip to Florida some time ago.

 

There are graphs for Marriage: we have been married for 32 years and celebrate 33 years in November.

 

Birth: we have celebrated many births 3 of our own daughters and then grandchildren.

 

Homes: of which we have had many due to moves whilst serving in the military.

 

Family and Pets:

 

Sports:

 

Occupations and Professions:

 

 

Hobbies:

 

Travel:

 

The perfect combination of events to make an amazing sampler that covers many years, I look forward to sitting down and planning it all out, I certainly have my purpose so that is where I will start.  The graph paper is ready...

 

This is the view out of my dining room window this morning, a little fox wandering across the field.

 

 

Hope you have a wonderful weekend, it is bank holiday here in the UK I have visitors and a craft fair.

 

See you soon.

 



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.