Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Vintage Sewing Booklets


I'm sharing today two vintage sewing booklets. The first one is from 1934 and is really quite small, only 8 pages. If you knew nothing about quilts and rugs, it would give you a general understanding of how they are made but there are no patterns. It was published by the University of New Hampshire Extension Service under the Acts of Congress of May and June 30, 1914...interestingly the next booklet also sites this law. This is one of the things I love about collecting vintage thingies-you learn things you never would have known. The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 established the cooperative extension divisions of land-grant universities. The idea was to publish and disseminate information on agriculture and home economics...and that's why these booklets exist!


Check out the wonderful quilting on this Tennessee Snowball quilt.



There are only two photos in this little booklet-the cover picture and this one of a hooked rug. I think the oval-like medallion style of this rug is so typical for the 1930s. Check out your vintage tablecloths ladies and I bet you have some with an oval medallion center.






This next booklet too was made possible by the Smith Lever Act. This booklet is from 1951 and as you can see it is about making slip covers...guess I had it in mind for a while. I bought this a few years ago at a used book store.

Did you notice her wrist pin cushion? Check out her dress in the next picture...oh just what I wore when I made my slipcover :) I would love to have that jacket-classic 50s tailoring!









Hope you enjoyed my booklets! Join in the fun of Vintage Thursday Thingie and visit Suzanne at Coloradolady. She holds the key that opens the door to wonderful vintage treasures.







22 comments:

Ulla said...

The old leaflets and books can sometimes contain just the information you need. I agree with you about her jacket - but the clothes women wore at home back then didn't look too comfortable!

Coloradolady said...

That is what I noticed most about vintage ads like the slipcover picture, is they way they dressed for the most mundane things....always looked like they were dressed to impress....I have never made slipcovers...that is something I don't think I could master! Have a great VTT!

Nancy's Daily Dish said...

Wonderful, informative and interesting post! Thank you for sharing!

Beth said...

Really neat! Great photography too. Have a great week!
Beth

Anonymous said...

Hi Miri, i love the one about vintage quilts..not surprising really :)

thanks for visiting & for you lovely comments about my little quilt x

LV said...

A great vintage sewing booklet for today. I do not sew but enjoy seeing what others do.

Jocelyn said...

Wow what great books. Happy VTT!

Jocelyn
http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com/

Susan Freeman said...

Hi Miri! I enjoy finding vintage booklets too and I agree with you about that model's jacket. I wish we all would dress up a bit more than we do. When I see old magazines and movies I always notice how everyone is dressed.

Love,
Susan and Bentley
xxoo

Unknown said...

Love your VTT, Miri! Learning about these obscure laws is right up my history-lovin' alley!

Barbara Bamberger said...

Well, Miri, I always dress like that when I sew! Old knitting books also have the wildest outfits and makeup!

CC said...

I love,love,love the old leaflets and books. They are ever so much fun.
Oooooo,and I've been looking at the quilt layouts below..and I think your son made the best choice of all. I love the quilt..the colors..just everything about it.
Happy VTT Miri..have a lovely weekend.

Postcardy said...

I don't think I could do anything wearing that jacket. I never heard of the Smith Lever Act before.

Sherrie said...

I love your post today for what you posted and then what you reminded me of. I have a booklet that I got when I was 12 from some advertisement about how to decorate. I know I still have the booklet, but where did I put it? thanks for sharing.

Charlotte said...

Doesn't everyone wear a suit when they slipcover? I would have to keep adjusting my pearls! :) Great information in these little books.

iheartsunnydays said...

Thanks for your visit and your sweet comments Miri. I love looking at old patterns and sewing books! Thanks for sharing.

★Carol★ said...

I love old booklets and ads, because it's so much fun to look at the fashions and the decor! And slipcovering is something that I've always wanted to learn, but it just looks too complicated for me!
Happy VTT!
Carol

viridian said...

Yes indeed, I enjoyed your booklets! Happy VTT.

Unknown said...

Very neat...thank you for sharing! I wish books like these were more prevalent nowadays for us younger homemakers. We really need to focus more on the "womanly arts" of homemaking!

Have a great day!

Sarah

Deborah said...

Great post. I always buy vintage craft books whenever I see them. Lots of good information in them and the illustrations are always so quaint.

Sweet European Dreams said...

thanks for stopping by my page! One of my favorite things is perusing old magazines - the ads are always hysterical. Have a great weekend!

Stacey said...

What a lovely little piece of Blogland you have! This is my first visit to your site. Even though I don't quilt or sew, you have some very interesting tidbits of information to share ... Thanks for visiting my blog last week for Vintage Thingy Thursday. I am just now catching up with everyone! But hope to see you again this Thursday:)

{Bellamere Cottage} said...

I know they used to make lots of slipcovers in the "old days", but never even thought to look for a book. I've many MANY, but would love, love, love to find a vintage book on the subject. She doesn't use the method I use, but it does look interesting.

Yep, I know about ironing the freezer paper on method.......but this was a long piece of fabric and it was just easier to pin....that's a long story in itself....

Have a great weekend.

Warm blessings,
Spencer