The Catalogue

Find more photos of it here in my shop

I wonder how many little boy hours have been spent in boredom while mom looked through the pattern catalogue? My sweetheart certainly has vivid memories of doing so.

There was something so magic about that catalogue when I began to sew. It was the book of infinite possibilities. You could sew a dress to look exactly like the one in the book, or go off on your own and create something unique.

I had three of these catalogues that I got in a big batch of patterns I bought and they were very hard for me to put in my shop. One is gone and two are still left for someone lucky. This one is perhaps the hardest for me to sell as it is one that I remember looking at. I can point out dresses I made, dresses my mom made and dresses I remember others wearing.

Sometimes you may start with a piece of fabric and go looking for a pattern to make up. But for me, the most fun is to start with the pattern and then go find some wonderful fabric to make out of it. 

Even though we have the Internet today, I still see women poring over the catalogues in fabric stores. There's no better way to find a pattern. And it's best if the store is not busy so that you can have three or four books (Simplicity, McCall's, Butterick, Vogue) all open at the same time while you're looking for that perfect one.

What I Find in Vintage Patterns

I don't know any other vintage pattern sellers personally. I've talked with a few of them via email. But I can tell you one thing we all share: a vivid memory of things we have found in patterns. I just bought a huge stash and here are some of the fascinating things I've found so far. Click on the first photo for a closer look. The ornament was in the box. But the rest were hidden treasures I found as I started to count pieces. They are:

A lab receipt.


I hope Stan and Steve didn't break anything in Chemistry lab in 1965.

Part of a 1939 calendar. A 1964 postcard posted at sea. The writer says she had a rough crossing. At first I thought she said that she had eaten "on land for every meal." But on closer inspection I see she was "on hand for every meal." A baby gown pattern made from a 1950s newspaper. One side has the classical and opera radio offerings, the other some fabulous dinette suites. And my personal fave, the baby shirt pattern made from the clipping of the wreck of the Andrea Doria which as you all remember sank in 1956. Oh the humanity! I think I would have chosen another part of the newspaper to use for my pattern.

And there are always the pins. Long pins, short pins, colored pins, safety pins. And I throw them all away. My neighbor was surprised at the waste, but they are all going to be either rusty or dull and there's no sense ruining a new piece of fabric on an old pin. 

Sadly, I could not find the sleeve pattern made from a wonderful set of 1930s comics. But I know I saved. it. I'll post it when I find it.

The bottom line is that these old patterns are  great historical documents, but so are the things I find inside.

Rainbow Brite and Strawberry Shortcake

Rainbow Brite shines again!

The Seven Sprites

For those of you who think Sprite is just a drink, this post won't be that interesting. But one of the most unique fabric trends was the printed doll era. These are all from 1983 in the big middle of my girl child raising years. Which is the reason why I still have the Strawberry Shortcake theme song running through my head.

One of our daughters had a Strawberry Shortcake doll that breathed fake strawberry smell when you squeezed it. I remember that she always brought it with us to take us up in the mornings. A very evocative smell.

I only remember the youngest having Rainbow Brite anything. She had the doll which was very cute. 

I just purchased a huge stash of Strawberry Shortcake fabric. And in the same box were these dolls as well as several Cabbage Patch printed pillows. Sadly, the Smurf fabric seems to be damaged. I may try washing it again today.

 You can find the Strawberry Shortcake dolls from time to time but the two Rainbow Brite ones  are too rare and fun to list in my shop. I have no idea what they're worth. So we're letting eBay decide for us! (Rainbow Brite Sprite auction and Rainbow Brite auction). You can follow along. As with any eBay auction this could be exciting or really boring.

 In other news, I've just gotten a box of sixty patterns, mostly for men, which I love. Look for a post on mens' patterns soon. And I'm set up to make a deal on 545 more patterns tomorrow. Can't wait!

Adieu, adieu

I must sadly say goodbye to my lovely French rooster friend here. I picked up this piece of fabric at an estate sale. I didn't quite understand. It was the only piece of fabric at the sale even though I found thread and other stuff. The family must have taken the rest of the lady's stash. Because no seamstress has just one piece of fabric. Or maybe someone else had already bought fabric. But they left the best piece.

This is a 1975 linen upholstery fabric by Brunschwig & Fils. The pattern is called "Cocorico" which is what the rooster says in French. The company is still in business and still sells only to the design trade and not to consumers. A lovelier piece of fabric you never will see. It just oozes quality and the pattern was so interesting. I could just see it made up into pillows and other cool stuff. Here's the whole view:

I have two shops on Etsy now. One for patterns and I'll be transferring all the non-pattern stuff to my new shop called Coconut Cake. So my shops on Etsy are both poignant and fun. Fun because I get to send people all over the world things that I've picked out and that I like. Poignant because sometimes parting is such sweet sorrow.