Old Favourites

A love of collecting vintage sewing

tools, books, patterns

has always included searching

for vintage sewing accessories

to make.

I have a collection of felt

needlecases which include

the ever-popular

bonnet lady needlecases

and wide-brimmed hat needlecases,

I found these two patterns in

a vintage Madame Weigel's

(Australian magazine) Journal

of Fashion - October 1, 1945.

Here they are for you to enjoy.

(click for larger image)

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Sewing Companion Dolls

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Among my vintage sewing

collections, I have many folders

lining the shelves in my

sewing room full of vintage

patterns.

Once upon a time, I used

to have a stall at a

trash 'n' treasure market.

I used to stock much of the stall

with bazaar items, many that I

had made using patterns that

I had purchased either from

new Women's magazines or

from vintage magazines that I found

myself at trash 'n' treasure markets.

I would look for any of thoses that

included patterns for dolls and toys, bazaar items,

items for fetes, babies, and above all,

Christmas gifts.

Not to say that once I had access to

a computer ..... well, the whole

world opened up to me!! 

Sewing Companion Dolls

Would it be fair to say that these

companion dolls have evolved from

the chatelaine?

They serve the same purpose - to hold

all the necessary sewing equipment needed

and close-by for the needlewoman.

The pictures below are taken from

vintage magazines and a commercial

pattern. The dolls are both novel

and charming.

This is Grizelda, and she has the added

bonus of being a workbag.

(1930's)

 

This is Sally Spool from

Star Gift Book No. 48

The American Thread Company

(1930's)

This is the "Sewing Doll" from

Simplicity Crafts 5227.

(2004)

This is called "Johnny-on-the-spot",

a crocheted cowboy from 

Crochet Money-Makers for your Bazaar

Book No. 278 

J & P Coats . Clark's ONT

(1951)

 

This is "Sammy Spool"

another crocheted doll from

Gifts Galore by

Coats & Clark's Book No. 183

(1968)

This sweetie is a design from the

well-known Jean Greenhowe of

the English Women's Weekly, a fabulous

designer of dolls, toys, and

gifts, knitted and sewn as well as wooden

toys. (1983)

I actually picked up a handmade doll

from a local bazaar about 25 years ago, paying

just $2. I still have this doll (pic below)

and discovered that it is the Jean Greenhowe

sewing doll just 20 years later when I

managed to come across the EWW

magazine issue with the pattern included.

It may be not quite as well made as the

original, but I still like her.

One day I will attempt to make one of

my own.

In the course of "vintage

sewing" collecting, I have also

found these two delightful versions

below.

There is a website called "Gail Wilson Designs"

which sell as a kit or a completed doll called -

"The Ladies Home Sewing Companion"

All of Gail Wilson Dolls are an absolute

delight and worth the visit ....

Click HERE for the New Items

and scroll down to see the "sewing"

dolls.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Jennifer Murphy

Ever since I saw Jennifer Murphy

on the "Martha" show,

I became a fan of her work.

Her originals are a little

beyond me in price but I

am happy to go with the

licensed items of

her designs.

Being a Pin Cushion Collector

(among a million other things!)

I couldn't resist her little

Pearl the Pig pincushion (below).

Jennifer's website can be found

here

and she has a blog

here 

The links to her spot on "Martha" are

here for the pom pom bunny and  
here  for her pumpkin people.

(The particular segments can be
found at the right-hand side of
the page - you will need to click
on the arrow for further videos
on the show which are in two parts.)

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

Christmas and Ahead

Oh my!.... how time has flown by.
It has been very busy this year and
I am pleased to say that things are
just starting to settle down.
There has been a lot going
on at home and with managing
two craft groups, and my time for
this blog had come to a stop.
I plan to remedy that beginning
with the New Year.
I will catch up with so many
things - crafts, friends, projects,
blogs, and my book!
So keep watching this space!

Merry Christmas
and Happy Sewing!

««O»»

Frédérique CRESTIN-BILLET

Frédérique Crestin-Billet, the lovely

and lucky owner of Mason Sajou,
has written many books
about her outstanding collection of
vintage haberdashery.
Here, I will show you one
of her books.
(I will post about another
two books next time).

Mercerie Au Rayon Des Fils
(Haberdashery: Thread Department)

(All of these images are shown with kind
permission from Frédérique Crestin-Billet)

You will find 238 pages of absolute
delight, written in both French and
English with so many gorgeous
pictures to look at.... so many
that I had a hard time choosing what
to include here.

Above - sold in the 1960's is this boxed set -
"Images de France", cotton thread on
tube spools decorated with French
regional figures.
Below is one of the pages from
wool section - this page showing
novel wool cards and some knitting
needle gauges!

Above - just love these wooden egg-shaped
darners, ... and
Below - a wonderful shop display board.

This is a fabulous book for the
vintage sewing collector!


◊◊◊◊◊◊◊

More from Sajou!

.... Continuing on with the

fantastique French haberdashery
supplier of Maison Sajou - there is
so much to see.

Below is just a very
small sample of the
glorious pages of items
available that are found in
the 152 page catalogue.
Really, every page is just
wonderful that I had a hard
time deciding which one
to include!

Frédérique Crestin-Billet has
given me her kind permission
to show you these pages
from her 2009 catalogue.

Below, these beautiful thread cards
are printed on both sides.

Below, threads and needles
including fantastic
needlebooks.

Below, ribbons and laces
and trims.

Below top, sewing boxes/kits.
Left, an excellent range of the most
magnificent scissors you will ever see.
Right, wonderful needlebooks.

Vintage Sajou Albums are becoming
extremely desirable and sought after.
The two below would be from the
late 1800's and are crochet
albums/pattern booklets.
Clever needleworkers could also
use these designs for cross-stitching!


Next time, I will be showing three of
Frédérique Crestin-Billet's wonderful
books -
1. La folie des CISEAUX
2. Ouvrages de Dames - Mercerie, Broderie
and 3. Mercerie Au Rayon Des Fils -
à coudre - à broder
à repriser - à tricoter


♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

A love of all things French!

Bonjour!

We have a lot to thank the
French for - especially for
so many beautiful, decorative
needlework designs and items.

SAJOU
From 1830 to 1880, Jacques-Simon Sajou
was selling supplies of all types of
needlearts - and reached fame in
France and all of Europe.
Today, Frédérique Crestin-Billet
continues as the owner of Sajou and
presents the vintage designs and
articles as they were over a
hundred years ago.
Here is the website for you to
enjoy......... SAJOU!

You can also view the television
report - spoken in french - but
still a fabulous look into the world of
Sajou.

Below is one of the thread-winder
sets from Sajou.

The contents....

Here are some more
great French sites to enjoy -

Rouge
Coups de Coeur
E Comme Ecriture
Les Paniers - baskets
Idees
Machines - sewing machines

Viva la France!


---[XOX]---