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Saturday, October 9, 2010

Vintage Sewing

I am the first to admit I am no seamstress, but I can embroider. When I was 6 my Mom and Grandma started to teach me. A red gingham and black dog that made a cute pillow when completed by plain straight stitches...small dresser scarf completed with a lazy daisy stitch. Pillow cases.....accenting a jacket with names of friends on it during grade school....wallhangings...By the time I was in High School embroidery was too time consuming and drawing, painting....that was much faster. Any way stores were now selling clothes with machine embroidered designs, sooo it was much easier to pick it up at the store. Embroidery was on the back burner. Now I have to admit vintage textiles were always my passion. That never changes. I was the girl in jeans with lace and calico. Jessica McClintock was my fashion designer...she did a lot of updated retro dresses taking cues from the 19th century. I was even  able to fit some of my Mom's 50's outfits. But, hankies, dresser scarves, table linens, dish towels, potholders were fondly collected....yes I was 10 when my hope chest began...LOL... it quickly became my parents hope basement by the time I was 16...as they joked.  Today embroidery is back in my life. I still do decorative painting in acrylics, but I find...maybe with age....'painting'  with thread relaxing. As I've said before vintage textiles are a pasion. They hold a fascination. When I find a box of scraps....a pillowcase....a love worn tablecloth....an apron. I imagine who may have owned it...used it.  Is this lace from a cotillion gown worn by a young lady soon to say goodbye to her fiance'.....Was this pillowcase stitched as a wedding present......how many parties has this cloth seen and oh if it could talk, what would that apron have to tell?  I love to Rework-Repurpose-Recreate those vintage peices of time.
This is why 3 years ago I began Brown Gingham Creations, where I create designs using vintage textiles, patterns, and embellishments. I have done Wedding pillows for our flower shop Bride's to match thier flowers................
You can click the pics to enlarge.
1950 machined hankie with new pillow and flowers
And totes to put fresh bouquets into rather than just tissue........................................

1940's hankie hand-embroidered and beaded on new canvas tote
 eventually my design ideas utilizing vintage embroidery and textiles started rolling.......................
Angelic Nightlights using vintage textiles. This Pretty in Pink 1960's spun plastic doll sports a dress made from a 50's hankie I hand-embroidered, a 40's hand-tatted doily, and her wings are a 40's heart shaped crocheted potholder.

This vintage inspired pillow, from my 'PillowTalk' collection, is a combo of a new pillow form accented with a 1940's hankie I again hand-embroidered, embellished with new sworovski crystals and a 1940's rhinestone ribbon pin, and finished with new matching trim.

My Anggelic Inspirations are vintage dolls recreated with vintage new dresses.
Like Autumn here. She looks good for being over 60. I find dolls that have been loved.....fix their booboos..and give them new fashions. Autumn sports a dress created from another 1950's hankie I hand-embroidered and them embellished with 1960's plastic flowers and new leaf sequins.  Her wings are dried leaves and she holds a bouquet of dried statice.

I've added a new line called Placesetters. I combine vintage embroidered fabrics with paper embellishments to create unique placemats for the table. The fabric medallion on ths one is a 1940's transfer patterns.
I'll be quite for a minute and you can look at some photos..................................

1960's dishtowel hand-embroidered with new rick-rack

Vintage textiles I hand-embroidered and embellished. Vintage textiles used range in age from 1930's-60's

This tablecloth and napkins were reworked and hand-embroidered. The co-ordinating apron is from flour sack material and hand-embroidered

This 1930-40 apron was created with a new Mom in mind

This 1960's peice was reworked and repurposed into a new pillow

Again the textiles in this pic range from 1930's-1960's
The Chair is one of my hand-painted peices.

This wonderful 1940's tablerunner was fun to complete. I hope the lady that began it is pleased with the finished result.

This clothesline is filled with vintage charm from textiles of the 40's and 50's

This 1940-50 Bridge Table cloth was fun to complete.
Some of these designs have been sold, others are waiting to be put on my sites, and still others are available at Brown Gingham Creations , Brown Gingham Creation , and Apronation.
I will be linking to Southern Lady Vintage Vintage Love Saturday and to Liz over at Brambleberry Cottage for TIme Travel Thursday.
 I can't wait to pop in and see all the vintage pretties.

18 comments:

Southern Lady's Vintage said...

Melody, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the story and seeing all of your wonderful creations. Vintage linens and pillowcases, etc. is one of my love to collect things too. Your handiwork is just beautiful. So much time goes into those hand embroidered pieces and I find them so charming. I have missed you and am glad that you were able to join in this week with Vintage Love Saturday!

georgiamarbles said...

Wow!! I love , love , LOVE your vintge sewing items!! I will be adding my blog entry here shortly!

georgiamarbles said...

Wow!! I love,love, LOVE your vintage sewing items!!

Vintage Tinsel said...

Love your items, especially the pillow made from the vintage hankie!

Antiques Galore Gal said...

Lots of uses for the vintage hankies. I love your creations. Also love the apron with the bunny. So cute!

ennadoolf said...

Great post - I enjoyed reading it!
Anne
http://www.etsy.com/shop/VintageAndSuch

ThreeOldKeys said...

I love it when people combine vintage textiles and their modern creativity!

Shirley said...

Hi Melody, I haven't been getting to visit as much as I would like, but I am taking a minute or longer away from my embroidery for a change of scenery.
We had a two beautiful days over the weekend. We took advantage of the weather and went for a drive both Sat and Sun. to see the fall color.
I will take my prescription tomorrow with Johns to see if I get my old Bp med back. The doctor gave me an alternative med which is still the same family. I have been dealing with a pull muscle at the moment from lifting a box the wrong way At least the rib is not broke which is a good consolation.
I have been working on my tea towels instead of blogging or visiting. I haven't really dropped out of site. You know how it is when you work full time with everything else you have to do.
We have had rain today off and on and suppose to get some more this evening.
I still don't have my year end finished because of still waiting on information . I keep getting told I will get it, but I haven't seen it yet. I think I will talk with our cpa and see if I can throw it into this year or see what she suggest that I do.
I finish one of my pig tea towel and it turned out cute. I haven't taken a picture of it yet, but I will.
I will talk to you later. Your Missouri Friend.

Niesz Vintage Home said...

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!
I just love the blue hanky pillow with crystals and your place setters are wonderful!

Kimberly :-)

Dena E's Blog said...

Melody,,thanks so much for the note and kind words yeaterday..
May the light of Our Savior shine through you with,,
blessings from above as you follow God with love~~~Hugs Dena

Maria@BubblegumandDuctTape said...

everything is so beautiful and it's wonderful that your grandmother and your mother taught you at such a young age.

Cindy Adkins said...

Wow, Melody--this is all amazing!!! Love everything!!!
XO

Donene said...

I love all of your vintage linens and creations! Thanks for your nice comments!

Betsy@My Salvaged Treasures said...

You sure have some wonderful pieces and I love what you've done with them. I can't believe all the time that was put into creating these old works of art. The detail is just amazing. Good for you to be preserving them and reworking for others to enjoy.
Thanks for your kind comment...love the unclocking part;-)

Maria@BubblegumandDuctTape said...

I'm having a giveaway and I don't want you to miss out on the opportunity.

By the way LOVE the music "This is Halloween" and the movie is one of my favorites, must have seen it a million times already and never get tired of it!

KitschKrafts said...

I too have a facination with vintage textiles and where they have been throughout the years. So, this post was right up my alley. Love that tote bag for the flowers and the bee pillow. Thanks for sharing!
-Erika

Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage said...

Such creative use of all those vintage finds! There lovely, Melody.

I love embroidery, even though I have never attempted it. My mother makes beautiful things-like pillowcases-that she then embroiders. Maybe one day, I'll give it a try.

Thanks for linking to my party. I look forward to seeing you link up each week.

Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage
http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com

Cinderella Moments said...

Oh all this stuff is GORGEOUS! I missed this post when you wrote it. I'm glad I found it. You do amazing embroidery. I don't know what it is, but when fall/winter comes around I have to do needlework. Your work is inspiring. Your roses are fantastic!

Xo,
Caroline