I have a thing for vintage related sewing and cooking items. I love old spools of thread, vintage patterns, vintage sewing kits, vintage notions, vintage cookbooks, vintage cookie cutters……..you name it, I love it! Now I haven’t gotten into collecting old sewing machines like a few of my friends, but I do think that those are a thing of beauty whenever I come across one in an antique store.
So, it was my birthday a couple weeks ago and my mother-in-law gave me this old vintage sewing book, How to Make Children’s Clothes – The Modern Singer Way, that I absolutely adore (it also had a birthday check inside which was a very pleasant surprise). She found it in an antique store in St. Louis, MO. It is in such great condition that I was very surprised to find out it was from the early 1930’s. Doesn’t it look great?
There is something so satisfying about looking through vintage books. There is a vintage cookbook that I own, that I take out from time to time and thumb through. It’s fun to read about old recipes and entertaining etiquette. Vintage findings make me feel connected to the past, to history, to a different time. Vintage makes time slow down and I try to imagine what it would have been like to live during a certain time period. What raising children would have looked like, how much did things cost, what people did on the weekends and what was important to families in the past. Vintage things make me think of my grandparents and their parents and how different today is from back then.
But yet, when I have something vintage (especially sewing or cooking related), I feel a connection to the women in past generations who were creating and sewing for their children, the same way I sew for my own. Now granted, they were probably sewing more out of necessity than we are today, but nevertheless, they were making and doing with their hands, the same sorts of things that I am making and doing today.
This How to Make Children’s Clothes book has been a wonderful read. I love seeing all the vintage illustrations and reading about the different garment construction techniques used in the 1930’s (which many are still used today) and I love reading about the different fabrics that were recommend for certain garments. I have quite a collection of vintage sewing patterns and somedays I just take them out and read through the instructions. It’s so special when there are handwritten notes on the patterns. I don’t often sew from those old patterns, but I just read them, look at them and touch them. Doing this makes me feel like I am learning from generations past and I like to think that I’m continuing some of that history and legacy and bringing it forwards to my children and to all of you through writing and sharing on this blog.
These were just some of my thoughts I had over the weekend and I thought some of you might share the same sentiment as I do when it comes to vintage findings. I’m pretty sure if you’re reading this blog, we probably have a lot in common. That’s it for now……
Until next time……
Happy Sewing!
Lindsay Wilkes is the owner and designer behind The Cottage Mama. She creates timeless, vintage inspired sewing patterns for children’s clothes. She is also a fabric designer for Riley Black Designers / Penny Rose Fabrics, author of the book ‘Sew Classic Clothes for Girls’ and can be seen teaching nationwide and online in her video series ‘Lessons with Lindsay’ sponsored by Baby Lock Sewing and Embroidery machines.
Hi Lindsey, I am past the vintage stage and moving into the antique stage of my life. I remember my grandfather chiding me for collecting primitive style antiques because he said if had had modern items to choose from, back then, he wouldn’t have used a hand pump to get water! I still love primitive style to farmhouse decor but cringe when I see retro 60’s style and onward.
The more I grow older the more I miss what I never experienced first-hand but not what I had. A little like my grandfather the farmer. Perspective is funny, eh?
Your love of the 40’s and 50’s warms my heart.
Kimberly
Hi Lindsay, what a relief to know that I am not the only person who enjoys just having those old patterns to thumb through. I just bought a bunch at our local Rotary Auction fundraiser. Cute toddler overalls and those frilly little dresses. Okay, so I wore those a million years ago because my mother made them for me. Brings back sweet memories. I love just looking at them.
Love your blog.
Margaret