Saturday, February 13

A treasure trove of vintage inspiration!

My daughter, Collette, loves to crochet and wanted to know if I had some old magazines that might have crochet patterns in them. Of course, I have old magazines. LOL! I gave her my stack of Workbasket magazines to start with but there are more ideas in the magazines in the photos that follow. When she finishes the Workbasket stack, I'll pass some of these on to her. In the meantime, I thought you might like to reminisce with some of these old magazine covers........

My mother, Mary, taught Collette to crochet. My mother did a lot of crochet work and I have two of the sweetest little one inch dolls that wear crocheted dresses and bonnets. I used to carry them to school in my dress pockets and I don't know how I managed to not lose them. My mother bought lots of magazines and Women's Household was one of them. These magazines didn't belong to her but were given to me from the estate of a lady here in Minnesota. They came to me via a connection through our Crazy Quilting Group at the historical society in Shakopee, MN. I was thrilled to get them as they reminded me so much of my mother but also reflect the years when I was in high school and then a young bride and young mother. I remember reading these and trying the quilting projects and crafts!
Don't you love the funky fashions on the covers?
Take a look at that patchwork outfit!
One of my favorite magazines "back then" was Stitch 'n Sew. Loved it! It's interesting to see the transitions from black and white to color covers.
Did you ever do one of those crewel flower basket pieces? I did and it still hangs in my kitchen!
And then there were yarn flower bouquets!!! You realize, of course, that all crafts cycle around and some of these will one day be popular again!
I only have one issue of Women's Circle and this was my mother's favorite magazine. I thought it was interesting that this one has a beagle on it that kind of looks like our beagle, Kaiser. :-)

I don't really remember this magazine but I liked the name of it - Aunt Jane's Sewing Circle. :-)The spring issue was in color but for some reason by winter it was a cheaper cover in the pink/black and white combo.

And one of my favorite magazines that is still published today was Quilt World. I have lots of copies of this one that I bought over the years. This one was given to me by our local librarian when they were discarding out-of-date materials. She knew I would want it. I'm sure I probably checked it out more than once!
So, there you have it, a little treasure trove of vintage inspiration and perhaps a walk down Memory Lane. What was your favorite magazine that inspired you when you began to sew or quilt?
Busy day ahead tomorrow. Our son and his girlfriend are coming for a visit and then dinner. I'll be busy cooking something good which will mean great left-overs for Sunday. :-)
Have a good weekend!
Sandi

10 comments:

baukje said...

In Holland there was 'ARIADNE'. I was so stupid to give most of them away, there were years I didnot had time to craft a lot.
Now you can find them sometimes on the flee market, the cardigan I am knitting at the moment is from an old Ariadne, special knitting number.
I hope to finish it this week.

antique quilter said...

great magazines! so fun to see the covers , thanks
oh my I love the last one, wow that would be a wonderful quilt to make ,is the pattern in the magazine too? I just love that yellow!
Kathie

Pat said...

How nice to have those older magazines with patterns Collette will appreciate. When we moved from NJ, we discarded a lot of things....including old pattern magazines AND even some old crewel-pieces I'd done. We just don't have the storage space here to keep very much. :( I cannot recall if there were any specific magazines that I used with crochet, cross-stitch, and sewing, though....think I used a lot but had no particular favorite....and I did have a lot of pattern books (more than magazines, actually).

Crispy said...

Those "stylin'" clothes really cracked me up. Loved the bell bottoms in the lower photo. I made a few of those crewel baskets, the one I made for my mother is not hanging in my hallway.

I never have been one to buy magazines. I've always tended to buy books or just the pattern.

Crispy

Needled Mom said...

It was interesting to walk down memory lane with those older magazines. I have my grandmother's old Workbasket magazines which I refer to all the time when looking for tatting patterns. I love the size of them.

Have a great visit and a wonderful weekend.

luv2quilt2 said...

My mother never actually bought sewing magazines, but the one that inspired me was actually from the 1920s and belonged to my Great Aunt Sophie. I still have it somewhere.

Owl Lady said...

My mother did not buy magazines, but she was a faithful reader of Capper's Weekly, published in Topeka, KS. We always read the articles and the many letters from readers,and I read the serial story at the back. Each week there were patterns for sale, clothing, embroidery, crochet, quilt, etc. I still have some of her Capper's patterns.
I tend to buy books of patterns or individual ones.
The vintage magazines remind of a vintage music magazine that my first piano teacher gave me, articles and sheet music.

Mary L. said...

I love the picture of your family! I am lucky enough to have a nearly complete collection of Workbaskets from the early 1940's through the late 80's. Double of many issues in fact as both my grandmother and I subscribed for awhile. I keep debating getting rid of them, but in the end I can't part with them.

Debbie said...

I have a lot of these old magazines, Sandi! Thanks for reminding me about them. Maybe when I have time in a few days, I'll take them down to reminisce.

Vivian said...

What fun to see all those magazine covers. The one that brought back the most memories was the gals wearing bell bottoms -- such fun to sew and wear when I was a beginning teacher in the early 1970s.

We didn't have any ladies' magazines at home when I was growing up--just farming and cattle and horse magazines.

"Peace can be found in the piecing of a quilt."
©SEA 2001-2018