Vintage Quilting Dress Detail Technique and Patterns 1940 ~ 1960

These techniques are from How to add Magic Style Touches to Your Sewing from white sewing machines booklet. The stitching and quilting techniques and some charm and unique detailing to your dresses, suits, or blouses

Here are a few vintage patterns that adapt well to the stitching and quilting techniques

Stitching or quilting detail perfect for the collar, cuffs and pocket flaps on this Advance 5390 at Penelope Rose $20

Simplicity 1935 at Penelope Rose $12

The stitching detail would look great trimmed down the front and along the peplum edge. Pattern at Penelope Rose $12.50

Quilting details work well with the front placket and side detail on the sleeves of this 1960s vintage 'sack dress' Simplicity 2341 Penelope Rose $8

Find a pattern that works for you and give this stitching or quilting detail a try, enjoy and happy sewing!

How to do Shirring for a Vintage Look

Get a great vintage look with this shirring method. This method adds beautiful detail just like the dresses from the 50s by using your home machine.

These techniques are from a 1950s sewing guide for White sewing machine attachments. The newer machines also come with attachments so it shouldn't be a problem adaping these techniques with your machine. Get creative and sew away!

These technique use your shirring and cording presser foot

Here are two vintage pattern that could be adapted to shirring

This pattern  looks like it has shirring on the shoulders, a very popular sewing technique in the 30s and 40s.  Simplicity 1832 from Penelope Rose

This Simplicity pattern would look great with the shirred collar technique shown above, pattern at Penelope Rose

Have fun trying these techniques for whatever garment you choose...

Next is fagoting using a binding attachment...

Instructions to Knit Beautiful Vintage 1948 Sweaters and Dress

Beautiful vintage hand knit sweaters and dress from 1948 Bernat Handicrafter magazine. Choose one or all and try your hand at knitting these gorgeous sweaters and dress.

The evening blouse on the left is a shirred sweater with Bernat Laurelspun and Beada Tinsel. The dress on the right is Bernat Boucle and Beada Tinsel. Instructions for both are included below as PDF file.

Download PDF in landscape view Shirred Sweater

Download PDF Hand Knitted Dress

I want to include these two beautiful sweater also. I love the details of the honeycomb and diagonal stripes. 

Download PDF Honey Comb Sweater

Download PDF Sophisticate Sweater

I hope you enjoy these lovely sweaters, whither you knit or just love vintage sweaters. Please feel free to download the PDF's. If you have trouble opening them just leave a comment or contact me with your email in the sign up form and I can send you a word document with the instructions. Happy Knitting!

Vintage Sweater and Dress Knit Patterns

Please feel free to copy these instructions. 

I have a few charming vintage knitting books that have some very awesome knitting patterns. This book is Bernat Handicrafter 1948. The first knitted patterns I am sharing is a cute color block short sleeve sweater.

The second pattern is called The Traveling Companion is a skirt and jacket. I love the buttons and lapels on this jacket. And, I actually have several vintage knit skirts and tops in my vintage stock of clothing that are very similar to some of the patterns shown in this book.

I hope you enjoy these lovelies even if you don't knit.

Earmuffs of 1943 from Life Magazine

I love the earmuffs they have in the stores today; frogs, logos, puppies, bunny ears, so many novelties and all very charming. The following earmuffs are from a fashion spread in Life magazine Dec. 6th 1943...

Model Selene Mahri from Sweden, she won the title of 'Miss New York' in the Miss America contest.

Ear muffs can now be worn to the opera if made of fur, like ermine, here is a coat to match, earmuffs, custom made $25

Here is the entire article on earmuff fashion, I found it to be a good and eye opener read, regarding fashion in the 40s...

Five  years ago (November 1938) LIFE reported that the utilitarian ear muff was stepping up in the world. From a $.10 item worn by postmen, policemen, and farmers, it jumped to a $1 novelty for skiers, college girls, models. This year the ear muff has reached the top rung of the fashion ladder. Made of ermine (see cover and above), ostrich feathers, beaded and embroidered fabrics, the ear muff is now a startling but accepted fashion for dress-up occasions. Made of wool, felt or fur, it takes the place of hats for street wear. 

Glorified ear muffs, in a way are a logical development of the hatless vogue. On balmy days a woman who chooses not to wear a hat runs only the risk of appearing not completely dresses. In zero weather she may have her ears frostbitten.

Although men's ears are as susceptible as women's to frostbite, no attempt has as yet been made to promote any kind off ear muffs as city fashion for men.

Top: Velvet ribbon earmuffs  Bottom: Ostrich feathers

Wool rosettes

Leopard to match coat. Small spotted leopard skins from Africa are now practically unobtainable but rabbit, stenciled like leopard, is a fair imitation.

So you wear earmuffs as a fashion statement? 

Beauty Products of 1943

Coty perfume was one of my favorites. It was called 'Snow in Summer' and had a slight carnation scent. Coty no longer makes this fragrance, although I still have the bottle. 

Here's a tribute to some very lovely perfumes from a Life magazine, December 6th, 1943. 

These fragances -  L'Aimant, L'Origan, Emeraude, and "Paris" range in price from $55 to $2.25

Coty was founded in Paris in 1904 by François Coty, a visionary in the perfume industry. The company is rooted in New York and has offices around the world with 12,000 employees.

Coty's unique portfolio of widely known brands in fragrance, color cosmetics (including nail), plus skin and body care supports net revenues of $4.6 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012.

These names are some of the well known brands Coty creates in beauty products. 

Adidas, Baby Phat, Beyoncé Knowles, Celine Dion, David & Victoria Beckham, ex'cla.mat'ion, Faith Hill & Tim McGraw. GUESS?, Halle Berry, Jōvan, Kate Moss, Lady Gaga, Nautica, Rimmel, Stetson, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Calvin Klein, Cerruti, Chloé, Chopard, Davidoff, Jennifer Lopez, Jil Sander, JOOP!, Lancaster, Marc Jacobs, Nikos, philosophy, Vera Wang, Vivienne Westwood, adidas, ASTOR, Celine Dion, Chupa Chups, David & Victoria Beckham, Elite Models, ESPRIT, Kate Moss, Kylie Minogue, Manhattan, Manhattan Clearface, Miss Sporty, Nautica, Nicole by O.P.I., O.P.I., Pierre Cardin, Playboy, Rimmel, Sally Hansen, TJoy, Tonino Lamborghini

Max Factor * Hollywood is another well know beauty product icon. Founded in1909 by Maksymilian Faktorowicz a Polish Jewish cosmetician from Poland. Max moved to

Los Angeles and worked in the movie industry, creating make up for the stars. Among his most notable clients were Ben Turpin, Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford, Pola Negri, Jean Harlow, Claudette Colbert, Bette Davis, Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, and Judy Garland. As a result virtually all of the major movie actresses were regular customers of the Max Factor beauty salon, located near Hollywood Boulevard.

He created many appearances for these actresses, such as Clara Bow's heart-shaped/pierrot lips.

By 2010, Procter & Gamble had discontinued Max Factor in the United States, instead focusing its marketing efforts on the more successful CoverGirl cosmetics line. Although, Max Factor continues to be marketed overseas.

These set range in price from $1.50 to $11.55

Here's a little add I thought was pretty funny, given this day and age...

A Barbasol shaving creme ad, lg $.25 Scantly clad women is who you will attract and yes having a million dollars will help too. The other women is a factory worker because Barbasol removes dirt and grease too. 

Hope you enjoyed this little diddly on perfumes. What is your favorite, leave a comment below, would love to know what women are wearing these days.

Vintage Coats, Suits, and Plaids, through the 40s, 50s and 60s

Another trip to the University library found me taking pictures of vintage coats. Except I also came across some wonderful suits and some very attractive plaids, enjoy! 

All the following photos are from the August issues of Mademoiselle starting with the 1940s...

Vel-Paca Exclusive 100% virgin wool. Soft as a Cloud...Rugged as a Rock
A "Head-in-the-clouds" answer to "your-feet-on-the-ground" quest for quality...on of these flawlessly tailored casual coats of Vel-Paca, a beautifully soft yet rugged blend of wool, alpaca, and mohair. Lined with Duchess acetate rayon Crepe for the miss and junior miss. Raccoon collar. About $50  (Center): Box coat, slot-seam front and back. About $25 (Right): Detachable natural wolf. About $50

A new generation goes overboard for the sailor suit! A new generation see the man in uniform as the man of the hour! Right off the back of the debonair gob comes the latest in campus fashion - an honest-to -goodness, "strictly regulation", middy blouse, made by "Man O' War" the fine old Baltimore house who made them for your mother, too. Steeped in Annapolis tradition your  Man O' War middy blouse and it's companion skirt have a precision of tailoring, an attention to nautical detail, a genuine distinction, that will make you love them and cherish them just like your mother did. The bright red is our pet, but you may have navy, too. Mix your skirt and blouse if you prefer. All wool flannel. Blouse, white tape trimmed, laced at side for neat and narrow waist $5.95

Opps, battery in camera died before I could get the description. Right -  $13, Left $11 

The first and finest of dyed lamb. The coats that casual or dressy as the occasion  demands....luxurious to touch, to look at.....weather worthy.....lightweight and warm. Four flared back.... deeply cuffed sleeves.....a design achievement in Laskin Mouton. 

Moving into fashionable dresses, suits and accessories from the 50s....

A dress that fits divinely. Pure virgin wool with cuff-caught sleeves and tilted pockets. In six marvelous colors : mink, purple, green, copper, royal, red size 9-17 $17.95 I love gathers at the bust line on this dress that off set the slanted pockets with buttons.

Milliken Dress Crepe...50% wool 50% worsted...100% popular when the engagement book says "Let's Dress Up."  This dress and jacket costume has been created in Millikan Crepe by Tailored Junior you take you smartly through many a winter engagement. 

Fall's first dress is rayon, of course...fluid, drapable, color-bright rayon in a myriad assortment of textures and weaves. Right now see your favorite store's fall showing exciting fashions born of fine rayon fibers...in many fall-important fabrics - rayon crepes, rayon velvet, rayon sheers, rayon suiting, rayon gabardines, rayon flannels...and so many, many  others that are beautiful...on you!   

Suits that speak your language! Miron worsted check around $60.

She has a very 30s look for a 50s dress, must be retro. "Junior of Distinction"...the unmistakable look of Fall 1950. A line plaid, Doris Dodson's exclusive featherlight wool in a slim,  one-piece dress with  overskirt effect. Egyptian sky with brown, red with navy.  Sizes 9-15 About $25.

Love this plaid set! Comes in clear red, smooth green, warm toast, black and white. Gift boxed set of gloves with bag -  $11.00; or gloves with scarf -  $6;  scarf alone - $3.

60s suits, ponchos and plaids...

Have I seen capes on the runway lately?

Kay McDowell says this Fall linings are to delicious to hide . Newsy coats are lined in furs,  fake furs, plushy piles...each of them giving you an excuse to let your coat fly. The splendid new storm coat above is wool covert cloth, lined - hood and all - in Ariclan* acrylic pile, cotton backed. (This is a soft fluffy fabric, nice to rub shoulders with.) Note: hoods are not only warm, but flattering. All that bulk has a way of making the face look small and fragile. Coat in loden green with gold pile lining or natural with loden green pile lining. Junior sizes 5 to 15, misses sizes 6-16 about $39.95.

Bright coat, black dress - a brilliant merger .  The large-collared coat  in strawberry pink wool tweed is gently fitted to the waist, tied in passing and arched from there. $100

Right off of Sherlock Homes back -  but in colors never dreamed of by Watson. Cape-sleeves (nice for sheltering books, et ecters) raincoats of Zelan-treated cotton poplin, all in a row, $17.95.

"Now this one could start a fad" Fad-starter, Nancy Nycum, '63, in a fire red fireman's shirt with a buttoned bib. Fancy legwork: culottes in black, red and white plaid, their pleats stitched down smoothly as far as the hips. Nylon and wool shirt. Orlon and wool culottes (Millikan fabrics) both by Tony Owen. Shirt, $15.95, Culottes $25.

I do like the detailing from the 40s and 50s, and the simplicity of the 60s. Do you have a favorite era or style in this bunch? Coming up detailed sweaters from the 40s and 50s.

Vintage Coats, suits, and Plaids, through the 40s, 50s and 60s