A Vintage Sewing Box Story

This story shows what a big thoughtful softie my Hubby is and that men do listen and remember even if they do not appear to be doing so!

April 2014 Hubby and I went away for a few days to Burford  in Cotswold's.  We have been there before to stay over night when I used to travel up country to attend meetings to mark GCSE Textiles papers.

There are several antiques shops there and after years of looking for a Vintage sewing box I finally found one.

I had just been given an Outstanding by Ofsted and was looking for a "Well done me" treat but felt that this was too much so I walked away and never thought about it again.

Then  my birthday came along 8 months later and guess what?...............

On one of Hubby's many trips to Grimsby as part of his job he had made a detour to Burford and bought the above sewing box, hidden it in the house ( and there are not many places that I do not go due to cleaning etc).  Everyone knew about it apart from me and they all kept it a secret!

I already had a few items that I had been collecting over the years in the hope that I would find one but a few bits came with it.

The items above I already had except the scissors.  They are not all of the same period and even the date of the box is questionable but I do not care, I love it.

There is a little fold down pocket in the lid.

It came with its own key which still works.

The padded sections reveal compartments underneath.

These two items came with the box, a pair of scissors and I think an awl.

There is a tray which lifts out and there is space to store other sewing items.

This is a tape measure (which still works) that I have had for years.  Now some of these items do have bone parts which s people find unacceptable and I do as well, these are old and at their time of being made it was acceptable.  There are things we do now that the future will not like such as landfill. Sewing  is a part of History that I find interesting and the small size of some of these sewing tools must have made using them quite fiddly.  

I doubt these are of the same era but I have had these for years and they are now stored in the bottom compartment.

I love wooden cotton reels and the labels that are attached.  So much more attractive than the ones we have now.

I found this in February.  Any ideas as to what it is?

I thought it was a compact to start with.

A vintage mini sewing kit with pins and needle which opens up when the catch is undone and folds flat and shut when you shut it again.

Very clever.  I found this in Lostwithiel for any Cornish readers.

I hope to gradually add to this over time, it links to my interests and job plus the enjoyment that Sophie and I get out of talking about this box.

So many thanks plus hugs and kisses for a Hubby who really did go out of his way by hundred of miles to surprise me with a gift like this.

I was quite speechless on my birthday and this is probably the most thoughtful gift I have ever had.

So, some men do listen and remember.....................

xx

A last Look at Christmas

One of the items that I managed to make in December are these three little fabric trees.  It came as a kit with Homemaker magazine.  The fabric was pre-printed and the sticks were provided along with three tiddly little cotton reel type of things.  Would not hold up the stuffed trees so I rummaged around and found these three old wooden cotton reels.  Much bigger and will hold up the trees.  A definite idea for my textiles club next year.

 Twiggy and I decided to do a little mini swap together so we made cards to send each other.

This is the card that Twiggy sent.  Isn't it cute?  I have now got it as my book mark in my current bedtime read.  Love the grin.

In return I sent one of my hand printed cards that I created at my evening class.   I only had time to make 6 during our last session before we broke up.  I think it was this one but I cannot find the original picture but it was similar to this at least.  I did not end up  with two the same.  Really enjoyed this so I will make more printed cards and another design next year.

We intend on swapping again next Christmas so I have 12 months to think of another medium to use.

Then yesterday this card arrived from Tatyanna of Little Mouse House who lives in Australia.  Take a really close look at the picture. Father Christmas flying over Ayres Rock with Koalas.  Not sure what the parrot is doing though. looks like he fell of the sleigh.  Brilliant card though!  Thank you!

I am sure that I have missed other things but I have included gifts, kind thoughts and swap items kindly sent to me over the past two weeks.

I have also had an email from a blogger ,who influenced my interest in Crochet, after a long absence.  Been a good couple of weeks all round.

Back to work tomorrow and even though I do not have resolutions there are things I like to try and strive for  in a New Year and blogging about sewing etc more often is up there so I need to try and keep the day job under control and not allow it to creep into too much of my unpaid free time.  But we shall have to see.

Take care and have a good week.

xx

Pin Cushion - Revamp

I took a tired old cross stitched cover off this pincushion and the layer underneath was not much better either!

So I unscrewed the base and took this layer off too.

I then went off to find some lovely, cheerful and summery fabric and I found this.........

I decided  to stretch it over the sponge and wooden base rather than gluing it or using a staple gun which did not work as I did try that first!

What do you think?

My much loved and much used wooden based pin cushion,  now has a new lease of life.

Have a good week and thank you for the comments left.  I shall reply now that I have completed my end of year reports.

Take care

xx

My degree version of the "sewing exercise book"

You may remember a post I did back in May about an exercise book which was given to me by a friend containing her sewing samples from the 1950's.  See here 

Well I thought that you might like to see my version which I created as part of my degree.

I was sponsored by Wallis and I went from Southampton to London four days a week for 6 months and learnt how to make wool and cashmere coats, basically how to do a form of  tailoring

This was my technical book which I started up as my placement progressed to add notes and instructions which I could take away with me back to college and work on the garments over the weekend.  I lived and breathed these 6 coats!!  Half way through I was informed that I would have to also make all of the garments that would go underneath.  I nearly keeled over at that point.

So this is quite a picture heavy but I thought it would be a good comparison.

Wallis used what we call pattern blocks which is a basic shape which is used as a starting point form which new shapes and designs can be developed from.

Writing notes to go with the drawings helped me when I got back to college.

The book was really useful in that one side had graph paper and the other had lines.  So scaled drawings on one side with measurements and fabric samples.

We were trained to try out patterns and shapes in 1/10th scale hence the colour card versions that you can see above.

A page devoted to pocket shapes.

Then a sample in wool and cashmere to test the size and shape.  Even today I am proud of the top edge piping!

Technical notes from my pattern cutting theory book and a calico sample to make sure that I knew what I wanted and gfet the stitch size right.  The sample above was the one used in the end.

Cuffs styles.  Wallis did have their own idea and patterns for cuffs but I also needed to learn how to create a basic cuff so that I could adapt theirs successfully.  Understanding HOW something fits or works is half the battle and makes you a much better garment maker, at any level.

The above photograph shows a toile (mock up made in light weight calico) to test out my design using the Wallis base blocks adapted by me to match my design features.

This is the second of the 6 coats that I made.

This is a photo of a photo detail of the top stitching and special button that I found on a mini buying trip to London.  I am pretty sure it was from The Button Lady.  I did in fact keep this coat in the end but I sold the others as I would not have worn them and several were too long as well.  I am not that tall really.

The above picture shows an A3 sheet of photographs which I put together when I was applying for jobs years ago and I then teamed this with another sheet featureing student work and project ideas that i created during my teaching practice, ( I think it went al long way to me getting that all important interview) but you can see what the coats looked like, some of the other garments that I had to make plus bits of the Degree Show at Olympia .

This one is a little damaged but because these were taken before the digital age I  do not have a copy of this picture.  I really liked this design and if worn the coat was meant to have a flattering shape, a bit like a shorter version of the Channel 1950's style nipped in at the waist with the belt but could also be worn without it as well.

A picture taken at the Fashion show in London which my parents came to see and travelled down from Cambridge.  It was a very hot summers day so modelling a winter collection was ironic but it was worth seeing all that hard work walking along and it meant that a huge section of my life had come to an end and it was time to move on.

Over the six months I nearly filled this book and I was so pleased with it.  One of my friends said that I should submit it along with my final degree project.  So in the end I did and just over 20 years later it has had several house moves but I can not bear to throw it away.

It was a lot of hard work making those garments and carrying all 6 coats on the underground to Harpenden on my own and the sheer lack of sleep I had was only managed due ot the age I was at the time, the desire to do well and not really knowing how else to do it.  I should have found accommodation during those 6 months but I could not afford it so I had to commute form Southampton each day four days a week for the 6 months my final project took.  There was lot of other work such as a dissertation, German assignments, business studies and a presentation etc etc. looking back I wonder how I managed it but on the other hand I am still doing the same amount of work if not more today.

So there you have it, my own version of the 1950's sewing book ( even though it is about 20 years old!).

Maybe Sophie will put something together as well, only time will tell.

I hope you have enjoyed my trip down memory lane and that even the little test pieces and the ways we choose to learn and record that learning can be of interest in years to come.

xx

Chook Shed Party - I'm in.......

Chooky's Chook Shed Party
I thought, as my way of joining in with the sewing party would be too catch up on a couple of little projects as I am also in the middle of marking a big project just completed by Year 9.

So first up is a pair of lightweight trousers and the left over pair of jeans from making a bag.  These are hopefully going to be two shoes bags for when O go to Spain with a school trip and then our family holiday.  No need for plastic bags next time or that is the plan.

These jeans have some lovely detailing on them.

Next up as  bit of Textiles Club preparation for Monday as I need to check the dresses that we are making and cut enough bias binding.

I have printed the labels on to printable fabric and these need cutting up and stitching on to the pockets before being added to the dresses.
It is Saturday here in the UK so I think I have until Sunday evening for this even though the Chook Shed party will be over by then due to the time difference with Australia but if you look on Chooky's blog I think they are having too much fun to really notice a few hours here and there.
What are you all up to this weekend.
(Hubby is painting the outside of the house as it is the best half term in years for weather!)
xx

Sewing Lessons in the 1950's

Quite a while ago I used to go to a ceramics painting class in the evening with a local ceramist.  We would pay for some bisque ware and paint it using different techniques and glaze.  Between sessions the teacher would fire them for us.  I painted quite a bit over a year but sadly had to stop going due to work commitments.

Anyway......there were 5 of us in total and one of the other ladies came to one session with an old school exercise book that she thought I might be interested in looking at.  In fact we all spent a long time look at it, passing it round and swapping stories of sewing at school.

You can see the book above and written in pencil on the front is the title Dressmaking 1954.

There is a school name but I can not read it.  I remember buying exercise books like these in red with all of these rules of measurements on the front, should have it on all school books now, I think.

Every page is filled with an intricately hand stitched sample covering a massive range of skills.  My eyes could not believe what they were seeing.  The opposite page in this case had details on how to create the sample shown above which are the French seam and Run and Fell seam.

Each sample is made on a light grey cotton fabric with red thread, which I think is ordinary cotton sewing thread which did use to be much thicker than the thread we have now.  I have a few vintage cotton reels upstairs which my sewing machine does not like.

Different ways to neaten a hem including binding my hand.  Sooooooo neat you can barely see the stitches.

There are many other seams but I thought that we would move on to the more pretty skills such as these Rouleau loops which are quite small and, again, very neatly stitched by hand.

A lovely sample in cream fabric, which made it quite hard to get a good picture, is Shell Edging on silk.  I have not seen this edging before and it is really very pretty, but some patience might be required!

This sample has so much in it.  Three variations of Froggart stitch, it says in the book, plus feather stitch but some close up pictures shows just how much skill has gone into this sample.

Very neatly created.

I think this is a lovely way to attach  separate pieces of fabric together, very delicate and I am not sure that I could create stitching as tiny as this.

Initials stitched in satin stitch.  I am ashamed to say that I have forgotten her last name.

Pockets in mini scale such as this side pocket sample.

Or this square patch pocket.

 I think I have left the most stunning sample last.

As a left hander and being taught how to do smocking by a right hander, I did find this technique a little tricky to master.  This sample however is soooooo detailed I really can not believe what I am looking at and I wonder how long it took to make.  Such tiny tiny pleats.
On the opposite page in the book  is a set if hand written instruction, which unfortunately did not show up clearly on my photograph so I decided not to put it here.

Close up of the middle section.  Sorry about the blur but my normal camera has broken so I am using another which is not set up for macro.

Another smocking sample in red gingham with a golden yellow thread, so neatly stitched on each row.
Well there you have it.........I left out many many other pages with more pockets, hems, pleats and gathers.  I know for a fact that my students would not want to learn any of this and I think others would feel that I had lost the plot if I asked them to.  A real pity as I feel that some traditional sewing is being lost and the skills shown in the lovely exercise book may not need to be done on a day to day basis but if I was ever asked to make a christening gown or decorate a bridesmaid dress many of these stitches would not look out of place or old fashioned at all.
Perhaps I should dig out my City and Guilds smocking samples and see if I can pick it up again or at least show my Textiles Club as I think they might wonder how it was done.
Are there any traditional skills that you were taught at school that you still do now or feel still has its place today?
Been a lovely sunny day today.  Enjoy the Bank Holiday in the UK and a lovely weekend to to all.
xx