children's vintage sewing patterns

 The Vintage May series is going on this month, hosted by skirt as top & Craftiness in not Optional.

Another post here inspired by Vintage May, see my previous post about my vintage sewing machine collection & women's vintage sewing patterns. This time it's children's vintage sewing patterns. I apologize in the advance for the photography, some of these sewing patterns I own & took photos of at home, but some I took while vintage shopping. I think I am spoiled to have so many vintage shops within driving distance where I can find so many vintage sewing patterns. The ones here are from the early 1900's all the way to 1988 (remember 'vintage' is anything 20 years or older). Anyway, some vintage eye candy for you today ~ enjoy !

(Above photo)
McCall's 8226 (1950) ~ I was amazed to find this one is such excellent condition especially considering that it's 62 years old !!!

Pictorial Review 8634 (early 1900s) ~ one of the oldest patterns I've ever seen

 Simply Pattern no.225 (one of the oldest patterns I've ever seen), Advance 3443, Butterick ?

 Simplicity ?218, ?, Simplicity 1701, Simplicity 8428 (1969)

 McCall's 8743 (1951), Simplicity 3234

 Simplicity 5999, Simplicity 2599 (1948)

 Butterick ?, Simplicity 3696, McCall's 8863 (1967)

 Vogue 5229, Simplicity 5519 (1964)

 Butterick 2409, Simplicity 2740 (1959), Vogue 2753

 Butterick 3342, Butterick 3743, McCall's 7545 (1964)

 Simplicity 4332

 Simplicity 4829

 Simplicity 4568, McCall's 6132 (1961)

 Simplicity 5685 (1964)

 Simplicity 6111 (1965)

 McCall's 8551 (1966)

 McCall's 7885 (1965), McCall's 7854 (1965), McCall's 8593 (1966)

 Simplicity 2582 (1950s), Simplicity 7792 (1968)

 Simplicity 7938 (1968), Simplicity 7776

 Simplicity 7785 (1968)

 Simplicity 7966 (1968)

 Simplicity 8717 (1970)

 Simplicity 5483 (1972)

 McCall's 4449 (1975)

 Burda 01209, McCall's 7756 (1981)

 Simplicity 7866 (1986)

 McCall's 3830 (1988)

Do you sew for children using vintage sewing patterns? Whenever I'm sewing something for my daughter using a vintage patterns, I always think about who was the mom long ago that used this, who was she sewing it for? I bet she sewed it with lots of love.

Happy Vintage May !

Holly Hobbie guest post

 Kristin from skirt as top invited me to contribute to the Vintage May series that is going on right now... so be sure to head on over to her blog for my guest blog post about Holly Hobbie. Happy Vintage May !

women's vintage sewing patterns

 Vintage May is going on this month, hosted by skirt as top & Craftiness in not Optional.

Another post here inspired by Vintage May, see my previous post about my vintage sewing machine collection. This time it's women's vintage sewing patterns. A couple of years ago when my mother passed away, I inherited all of her sewing patterns, I think that there were about 80, & here are some of my favorites. Some vintage eye candy for you today ~ enjoy !

FYI, when dating vintage sewing patterns, I found these websites helpful:
Sewing Pattern History / How to Date a Vintage Sewing Pattern
Dating Vintage Simplicity Patterns

(Above photo)
Advance 5985, early 1950s

Simplicity 1058, 1955

Simplicity 1085, 1955

Simplicity 1158, 1955

Simplicity 1463, 1955

Simplicity 3340, 1960

 Simplicity 3449, 1960

Simplicity 3790, 1960

Simplicity 3868, 1960

Simplicity 5274, 1963

Simplicity 4619, 1964

Simplicity 4808, 1960s

McCall's 3218, 1955

McCall's 5699, 1960

McCall's 8190, 1966

McCall's 3608, 1973

Vogue 2067, 1969

McCall's 8926 (Brooke Shields designer & model, she was 19 in this photo), 1984

Simplicity 7948 (Uma Thurman model, she was 17 in this photo), 1987

Thanks mom !

Happy Mother's day today to all the moms out there !

vintage sewing machines

 Do you know about the Vintage May series that's going on this month? It's being hosted by skirt as top & Craftiness is not Optional.

skirt as top just had this wonderful post about modern patterns, vintage style.
And Craftiness in not Optional just posted some lovely eye candy of vintage notions.

Be sure to check them out & look out for my guest blog post on skirt as top coming up really soon :)

So with all of this vintage fabulousness going on, it has inspired me to blog about everything vintage sewing related. And so I start today with my vintage sewing machine collection...

A couple of years ago my mother passed away & I was the fortunate recipient of all of her sewing machines, let me introduce you to them, in chronological order:

Vintage Sewing Machine #1

Singer class Model # 127
Registration # G 3954211
Quantity made: 10,000
Made: March 9, 1915
Factory name: Elizabethport in Elizabeth, NJ
(Information found here)
With original sewing cabinet, the sewing machine tucks down into the cabinet for storage.

Wow, this one is really old ~ almost 100 years !!!  It was bought used (in the 70s/80s?) as a decoration that my mom kept at the end of the stairs, in the basement. I don't know if it works, I've never tried sewing with it. It currently serves as an end table in our living room.

 *****

Vintage Sewing Machine #2

Singer 301
Made: 1952
With original sewing cabinet (the sewing machine tucks down into the cabinet for storage) & stool, instructions manual (I love the graphics from back then) & parts ! 

This was was bought used (in the 90s?) that my mom used as a decoration in the basement. It looks like it's in really good shape. Again I don't know if it works, I've never tried sewing with it. It currently serves as an end table in our living room. I heard that back in 1956 a Singer 301 cost $383 !!!  That sounds like a lot of money for 1956, but I also understand that women in the 50s sewed the vast majority of the clothes for her family & that Singer 301 sewing machines lasted forever. So it wasn't a hobby, but an investment for the entire family.

 *****

Vintage Sewing Machine #3

Automatic Zig-Zag International 205 DeLuxe
Made: I'm guessing late 50s/early 60s ???
With original sewing cabinet, the sewing machine tucks down into the cabinet for storage.

I have very little information about this one. I don't even know the brand name, there is no instructions manual, & all of my online searches have ended with nothing. I don't know if my mom bought this one new or used. What I do remember is that my mom sewed with this one a lot. As you can see, it's seen better days, it's been loved a lot (used a lot). I remember using this sewing machine growing up & back then it was old.

 *****

Vintage Sewing Machine #4

Singer Touch and Sew Model 756
Deluxe Zig-Zag Sewing Machine
serial no. AS 618484
Made: 1970
(Information found here)
With original instructions manual & box !

I believe my mom got this sewing machine brand new (but didn't get the sewing cabinet) because it's still in the original box. I remember sewing with this one growing up, I even borrowed it from my mom in the late 90s/early 2000s to use from time to time until 2003 when I got my own & current brand new modern sewing machine.

Thanks mom !
And Happy Mother's Day !

Do you have any vintage sewing machines? Would love to hear....

Flutter Blouse

Kids Clothes Week Challenge Spring 2012 is going on this week & here's what I've sewn so far....  it's the Girl's Flutter Blouse found in Stitch magazine (spring 2012 issue).

This blouse was designed by Carla Macklin & Erin Wagner of Clever Charlotte. It features raglan sleeves, pintucks, & a keyhole closure.

I made it in size M(4-5), the fabric is Country Club Classics-Mini Floral Lawn bought at JoAnn's, with navy blue velvet ribbon & 4 shank buttons from my vintage button collection.

It appears I have a tradition that every Spring KCWC I sew something from a spring issue of Stitch magazine:
2010 it was a pink ruffled halter & 2011 it was a girl's floral party dress & a white eyelet ruffled halter

Be sure to check out all the kid's clothes people have been sewing this week in the elsie marley flickr group.

Wrap Dress

 {Project Run & Play season 4 Sew Along}

Another season of Project Run & Play is here & the second week's challenge is sportswear. As I was reading the sportswear definition I saw Diane von Furstenberg's name ~ immediately I thought of her signature look: the wrap style dress & decided that was going to be my inspiration.

This started out as a woman's white eyelet sundress. I transformed it into a sweet sleeveless, collarless wrap style dress for my 4 year old girl.

This wrap dress:
:: is from a self-drafted pattern
:: is fully lined (did some hand sewing to achieve this)
:: has 1 pleat in the front & 5 in the back
:: is non-fussy
:: is 100% cotton ~ easy to wash, easy to wear
:: has a strap that wraps around the outside of the back of the dress due to a large button hole style slit on the wearer's right side (see detail in the up close photos)
:: is ready for all the sunshine & warm temperatures expected this summer !

Be sure to check out the Project Run & Play flickr group to see all the sportswear creations.

The third week's challenge: upcycle

PS the first week's challenge was the circle skirt ~ unfortunately I didn't have time to whip something up, but I have already sewn circle skirts in the past... with a scallop edge & for the lullaby league girls in The Wizard of Oz musical performance... and I will for sure be using circle skirts in my future sewing...

PPS the Spring Kids Clothes Week Challenge is April 23-30, so I hope to pop in here a few times during that week with a few project reveals, see you then !