Vintage Children's Primers & Readers

As you already know, I am a vintage ephemera and graphics fiend. One of my favorite sources for my artwork and art journal pages is artwork from old primers & readers. The New England Primers date back to the 1600's and have a mostly protestant slant, mixing in religious hymns, prayers and morals among the consonants, vowels & reading lessons. Made by fixing thin paper to a wooden board, these primers lasted well into the late 19th century.

I love the well worn covers and pages included in the primers in my possession and enjoy the way they look and feel in my art journals and collage pieces.

Readers were a series of graded primers, used as textbooks in American schools from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century.  The few readers I have are mostly from 1920s and 30s and are filled with beautiful full color plates to go with each story. Some of these pages would make nice prints for a child's nursery or library.

All of these books are wonderful to page through and read the stories and whimsical lessons for the younger children, my favorite being this set of thought and discussion-starters for a classroom and the list of "Funny Things to Do".

While I look through these vintage treasures, I can't help but imagine what it would have been like to be a child in a small schoolhouse in the mid 19th century or even early 20th century, and using these for my lesson plans daily. What a delight!

Below is a scan from one of my readers to give your creativity a jumpstart on a winter project. If you do use these graphics, we'd appreciate it if you would post a link to a photo either in the comment section below or on our Facebook page.


—Nancie

Ellen's Vintage Fashion Inspiration for 2014

Just like Emily mentioned in her fashion inspiration post, every year around this time I get incredibly antsy for new projects, inspiration, and new fashion! Today I'm going to share with you some of my favorite pieces, looks, and styles that will certainly inspire me for the year to come.

This is a 1922 House of Lanvin French dress housed in the Met's Fashion Collection. And I am in love. The combination of contrasting fabrics and colors is the first thing that catches my eye. It looks soft and comfortable, but still airy enough (especially with the coral cut outs) to be the perfect dress for a warm summer day! I love how the coral lines the neck and arm and creates a fun, geometric pattern to define the rest of the dress.

The cut of this dress is great too - and in fairly typical 1920s tradition. It looks loose enough to be incredibly comfortable, but still with a little definition around the waist and bust. And I can't get over that full skirt, either! Unfortunately this is the only photograph available on the Met's website, but I would absolutely love to get a closer look at the front of this piece (and not to mention all the detail!).

Another dress I have been fawning over lately is this beautiful silk 1930s dress that is available for sale on Etsy. I think the cut of this dress has to be my favorite part - the fit and flare is incredibly flattering. The pleating above the bust is an excellent addition as well, it adds just the right amount of visual interest to the top of the dress. 

There isn't too much information available on this dress. It's made of a slubbed silk which makes it fairly light and comfortable - and brings out the brilliant red coloring! This dress would be incredibly easy to add into a modern wardrobe as well. It's a style that is copied quite often, but I think it is executed to a T here!

Here we have a pair of 1930s metallic gold dancing shoes (also available on Etsy!). If only my feet were a little smaller they would be mine! Unfortunately, I don't know exactly when in the 30s these were made and worn (I'm not as much of a modern history expert as Emily is!), but they sure are adorable.

They have just the right amount of heel and hold your foot in well enough to look amazingly comfortable. But I love the metallic details and the woven cage around the toes! It's a different approach to the usually closed toe t-strap heel that I feel works really well.

I could just imagine having a fantastic time dancing in these, they are definitely going to be my inspiration while I am looking to buy new heels this season!

Lastly is this robin's egg blue, fur trimmed coat from the 1960s (that is also for sale!). I don't even know where to start with this dress! It's a wool blend with genuine fur cuffs and collar and the most adorable purple buttons. I love the lining along the front and can only imagine it to be a very flattering (and warm!) coat when it is worn.

I think the color of this coat is what really gets me! I think the powder blue mixed with the light purple buttons and light grey fur that has some dark highlights is the perfect mix of pastel and darker natural fur colors.

Although coats are a hard thing to copy, this is definitely my go-to for inspiration. I try to look for jackets in eye-catching colors with nice details without forgetting the warmth factor! This coat hits all those marks and I am incredibly jealous of whomever snatches it up!

I hope you've enjoyed taking a look at some of my vintage fashion inspiration - and that it may have inspired you! Do we share any of the same tastes?

Ellen

Vintage Inspired Crafting: The Embroidered Pocket

As an amateur (and I mean really amateur!) student of sewing, I decided to focus on improving my needle skills in the new year. So, I decided one of my first projects of the year would be to create a brief tutorial on embroidery from one student to another!

I chose to do simple, 1920s Deco inspired pocket embroidery designs mostly because as a first time embroider-er I didn't want to take on too large of a task, get overwhelmed, and ignore it for the next two months (something that has definitely happened in the past!).

First thing's first - supplies! You will need: a sweater to embroider, a pen or thin marker, craft or embroidery thread, a needle with a large eye, a hardcover book, and a pattern! My thread is actually more fuschia than bright red in real life (no Christmas colors here!).

Step 2: choose your pattern! My pattern came from this 1920s Deco dress trim. I fell in love with it because a. it's simple (most important!) b. it's vintage, but still totally workable into modern fashion and c. it's so pretty!

Here's a before photo of my sweater. I love the mustard-y color and the scoop neck design! It's one of those pieces I used to wear almost every day but has sadly fallen out of my fashion routine. I'm hoping (now that I've sharpened my embroidery skills!) to add some more vintage inspired patterns along the neckline and buttons a little later!









Step 3: Draw a freehand mock up of your design onto the intended area.

This is the simplest way to transfer your pattern, if you're looking for a more detailed and "perfect" result, feel free to leave a comment and I'd be more than happy to tell you the extra transfer steps!

 Step 4: Stretch your sweater across a hardcover book. This is in place of an embroidery hoop (if you have one of those, use it!). It'll help keep the sweater taut as you work on your design and make your life a whole lot easier!

Step 5: Sew! To be perfectly honest, my first pocket took a very long time. It was challenging working so repetitively and keeping to the pattern, but I did it! The entire pattern was done using the simplest embroidery method that I know (looping the thread) which I hope is visible in the above photographs. It also turned out that keeping a similar method throughout the pattern made it look significantly more put together! Make sure you remember to knot your thread firmly in the back so your embroidery doesn't come undone in the wash.

And here is the final product! My first pocket definitely turned out a bit nicer than my second pocket, but such is DIY. I hope that my brief tutorial was helpful and (maybe!) inspired another amateur seamstress to try their hand at embroidery!

Ellen

Quote of the Day: Mary Brooks Picken

"Never try to sew with a sink full of dirty dishes or beds unmade.When there are urgent housekeeping chores, do these first so your mind is free to enjoy your sewing." 

Oh, Mary Brooks Picken! You're so domestic and painfully dug deep into the trenches of early 20th century gender roles!

Do quotes like these come off as being more dated or sexist? I'm always torn when I find books and pamphlets placing women in the kitchen and men in the workplace, but there is something about the writings of Mary Brooks Picken that occasionally makes me think she was on the right track.

Still, once you get past the blatant assignment of gender roles, I think this quote has a lot to offer. Too often in modern times we divide our attentions among activities. We clutter our brains and our lives with tasks and plans and rarely do we fully devote ourselves to the task at hand. So whether it's cleaning the dishes or changing the oil in your truck, I believe if you really want to excel at a craft you have to be willing to set aside those complications. Tidy up your to-do list, so you can approach a project with a clear mind. 

Anyway, back to the gender roles... Mary Brooks Picken started the Inspiration magazine, as well as the correspondence courses through the Woman's Institute for Domestic Arts and Sciences in the early 20th century and through these two highly influential publications were geared toward "womanly" activities, yes, but they always seemed to encourage women to use their domestic skills professionally. 

Sure, she talked as much as every other contemporary female columnist about women pleasing her "men-folk" (not sexually, folks – by maintaining a tidy house and a gentlewomanly manner) and reading some of the articles in her magazines is enough to make me physically ill with irritation at the brazen sexism, but there are also these strange little gems in her publications on women starting their own shops and businesses, improving and marketing their skills and even building successful careers as independent women. 

xoxo Emily

Vintage Patterns from Tanglewood: The 1930s Briony Blouse

Hello folks! Emily, here.

Slowly but surely, over the past couple of years, I have been working on developing a small vintage pattern line. I think I might just be ready to release my first set this spring (fingers crossed!) so stay tuned!

I've been self drafting patterns in one way or another since I learned to sew. In middle school and much of high school I drafted costumes for the local renaissance festival and made several outfits for myself and for friends. I'll never live down the time I left a dress pin in the hem of a skirt I made for my friend, Amy... I'm pretty sure she sat on it in the middle of class. Hahaha.

When I got to college I thought I was going to get a degree in Art Ed with my focus at the time being photography, but all it took was a single accidental wander past the textile design studio and I knew where I belonged. Experimenting in that studio (and having bought bolts upon bolts of plain cotton muslin to fiddle about with) allowed me to learn all sorts of things about fitting and drafting clothing. I never got as much into couture design as I would have liked, but it was the community of knowledgable people in that department that really got me hooked on fiber and sewing.

I have three blouses and a dress mocked up and finished, with very satisfactory results. I'm still working on two other dresses and a skirt, but they're the kind of unfinished project that I pick away at over months so who knows when they'll be finished. This has been an interesting learning experience for me thus far because I am a fairly busty lady and I am aiming to find and draft patterns that work for both busty and not-so-busty ladies.

I thought today I'd like to give you all a sneak-preview of what I got accomplished this weekend. This is the third self-drafted pattern that I have then digitized. It is based originally on an early 1930s top I found at a flea market last year but with some slight changes to cut and fit to accommodate fabrics other than the gorgeous silk crepe de chine ($$$) that it was originally made in.
This is by far my most complicated pattern and I am looking for 1-2 more pattern testers, sizes 2-10, to try it out. If you're interested, please comment below! If I get enough interest, I'll probably be willing to expand my pattern trials a little so let me know!

This dainty blouse is airy and light, with a slight hint at late 20s androgyny and a sharp nautical-styled collar that plunges deep while remaining close to the skin so it is almost to the point of showing off a bit of vintage cleavage but remains period and simply alludes to its presence rather than showing it off. ;)

I'd really like to take a moment here to apologize for the terrible instagram photos I have posted of this blouse. The weather here in Michigan has been fairly atrocious, and there is nothing but poor lighting this time of year (both inside and out) so, until we get some seriously gorgeous weather you'll all just have to accept these silly, cliche selfies as examples of the Briony blouse.

The blouse that I am wearing in the photos is a size six, but the next one that I construct for myself will likely be a size eight to fit me a little more historically correctly. The sleeves are cuffed dolman, and the front inset is self-lined. It's made here in a lightweight cotton chambray, and I trimmed it with some black antique cotton lace that I had in my stash from the 1910s (I am a serious sucker for vintage notions!) This shirt works great untucked so you can see the trimmed bottom cuff for a relaxed 1930s look, or you can tuck it into your high-waisted slacks or skirt for a more formal appearance. It's a very versatile top!

...Gosh I'm really hating these photos, now. I can't wait until we get a chance to do some actual photos for this!

Vintage Style: My Fashionable Family in Hats

I have so many family photos that I am just dying to share with you all. The people in my old family photos certainly seem fashionably keen, so much so that I don't know if it was just a reflection of the times or if it was really just that I have some seriously hip ancestry.

This first photo I want to share with you today appears to be from the mid 1910's. You see it has examples of some of the typical Edwardian formality and yet you don't yet see the practical changes that came about after the first world war (did I mention I'm a history geek?). Still, I'm inclined to say this is approaching (or even early) wartime because of the shorter skirts and lower, slightly more practical shoes, as well as the large pockets.

To be honest, a lot of my knowledge of clothing history is more British-based, and I'm still learning about the early 20th century American styles. My family was almost certainly already in North America by this time, though I don't really know who these women are. I'll have to ask my mother. :)

The thing I love about these old photos is that everybody appears to always wear hats, out of doors. The first photo is a great example of the silhouette of the Edwardian hat, while this next one shows the changes in silhouette to a more sleek cloche form. The hat material is also different, where a few of the earlier hats appear to be straw or lightweight fabric, the bottom shows a much heavier woolen-type hat.

Now this photo really makes me smile...

These ladies are posed next to a beautiful automobile (does anyone know the car make? There's a logo but I can't quite make it out...) with a 1930 license plate. In both photos, you can see that the elder women are dressed more conservatively while the younger women wear lighter colors and more modern cuts. In addition to the great cloche hats in this photo, make sure you take a peek at those shoes! I'm a sucker for 1920's cutout and t-strap shoes, and the pair on the right just makes me squirm with envy.

I've got plenty more where these come from, and I'm sure I'll be sharing them as we roll along here at Seven Magpies.

Do you have old family photos? What era are your favorites from?  

Emily's Vintage Fashion Inspiration for 2014

It's exciting to think of the new year as a clean slate for DIY projects, whether they involve new skills or old, whether they're challenging or simple. This is the season for planning and scheming and I'm so happy it's finally come! Of course, when we get to the winter doldrums in four weeks or so I'll be whining and crying about how I can't take the winter weather anymore, but I guess Michigan is like that...

So here is a sampling of the vintage fashion that I've been drooling over recently:

 To the right here is a dress that is listed as being from 1918, though I have to admit I'm kind of skeptical of the dating on it. It really seems to be later than that. Still, it's listed by a seemingly reputable vintage dealer in Chicago, so maybe they really do know their stuff.  

Anyway, I love the large, bold front plaiting, made more delicate by the embroidery and bead patterned trim. The small pleats along the bust are awesome too, especially with the texture of the silk. It's a dress that you know would cling to all of the right places, alluding to form and shape without revealing anything too daring.  

There is very little detail about this dress on the web site where I found it, but the delicate, relaxed-looking lines and starchy, intricate details are enough to make me want to draft a pattern inspired by it. Now I've just got to find a nice source for silk that isn't in terrible, gaudy colors!

This next one is a woolen day dress from 1924, designed by Chanel and I'm pretty sure it's from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection (Ya know, that seriously amazing fashion collection that they keep hiding in some dark secret place? That one.)

I'm having a hard time finding much information about this dress as well, but I almost wonder if it's a wool knit, based on the way that it drapes. I love the covered buttons and the chain detail. This is a great example of a mid twenties dress that might actually work for someone a bit bustier than the typical female silhouette of the era.

The piecing on this one is also very curious, and the diagonal lines seem like they would be flattering to a curvier lady. I can just picture this one with a pair of buffed brown oxfords, a set of pearls and a sage green cloche hat!

 This third photo is a period photo from 1942 of two members of the Women's Land Army, specifically the New South Wales division in Australia. The Women's Land Army, or WLA, was a division of the National Service and was a volunteer organization. The women of the WLA were responsible for much of the agriculture during the second World War. 

So anyway, this photo shows some great vintage overalls, or dungarees, and I am just dying to make myself a pair to throw on in the morning for farm chores. Theirs are most certainly army issued, so there wasn't much variation in them. I am currently drafting a pattern that allows for a thick cotton flannel lining and if they work well I may eventually do a pair lined in wool for the coldest of our Michigan months.  

I am constantly finding myself inspired by the women of the Land Army, as well as the thrifty utilitarian fashion of war-time. War brings about a sort of practicality in fashion that seriously stirs me.  

Finally I wanted to end with something a little less predictable. This dress is supposedly straight from the 1940's, though it's another one that I suspect is a bit later than the original poster has said. There is something so classically utopian/dystopian about this dress's design that reminds me of the aesthetic of older sci-fi movies like Blade Runner, and Dark City (and maybe even a bit of City of Ember). 

I love the seemingly pointless detail around the collar, and there is another tab with a strip of non-functional buttons down the back. It's so starkly contrasting against the utilitarian and somewhat stuffy, conservative cut of the dress. 

This just begs to be drafted and remade in a slubby neutral wool with some sort of wild button color (and maybe contrasting stitching or embroidery?) The possibilities are endless! 

Have you been seriously inspired by anything lately? Do you have any big projects planned for the new year? Thanks for checking in!

- Emily 

Public Domain? Yes, Please!: Meet The Boswell Sisters

The Boswell Sisters formed in 1925 as a three-sister singing group from New Orleans, and their jazzy complex harmonies were a local sensation for half a decade before they moved to New York City in 1930. After they moved to the Big Apple things really took off for them and they began recording for Brunswick Records.

 "These Brunswick records are widely regarded as milestone recordings of vocal jazz." – Boswell Sisters, Wikipedia

The three sisters were very actively traveling the USA for shows during the second World War but unfortunately not allowed to visit bases over seas for foreign troop rallying and whatnot due to an unfortunate childhood accident that left the middle sister, Connie, paralyzed and wheelchair bound.

This is a streaming version of "When I Feel Lonely" which is very snappy and was the first song the sisters recorded back in 1925! You can find loads more like this at Archive.org which offers public domain music streaming and downloads. It's a great website!

This is another of their popular songs, from later in their career. I love the way they bop as they sing!

If you have time, this is a nine minute short called "Close Farmony" which is a seriously amazing (albeit mildly bizarre) film about how jazz music saves the farm! The sisters and the farm hand spend the film serenading farm animals, trying to encourage them to produce more milk and eggs.  It's hilarious! The best part is the piano covered in hay.

A few years after the sisters began recording for Brunswick, they split to go their separate ways. Connie (who changed her name officially to Connee at that point) went off to enjoy a prosperous solo career.


So I leave you this Christmas Eve with a beautiful song from Connee Boswell. While I am certainly sad that there are no other voices to harmonize with her, this is still a beautiful version of a holiday classic.

Merry Christmas Eve!