Transference

I found these iron-on transfers at an estate sale last week and bought them purely because they feature magazines that I love.  It's getting harder and harder to find good uncut copies of The Designer and The Delineator anymore.  In fact, I also bought a few loose fashion illustrations from this same sale--cut from the pages of The Delineator of 1915.

The dress below is kind of deceptive, as when you actually make the skirt, it is quite a bit wider than that.  I made a dress from a 1919 pattern, so I found this out.  Ankle-hobbling dresses were all the rage in about 1913, but women soon learned it was really hard to get around in them.  In fact, the woman I bought the lace from that I used to embellish said 1919 dress was in her '90's at the time, in the 1980's, and described a dress she had bought in 1913 which was the height of fashion.  She couldn't lift her foot high enough to get on the streetcar!  She was mightily embarrassed to have to hike her skirt to do it.

Here I am in the 1919 dress and vintage hat and a good case of sunburn.

You can see one of my prized 1929 McCall's patterns in the background and a Singer bird card.

Today is National Hat Day

What are YOU wearing?

New Endeavor

First of all, I apologize for not posting anything for a month.  Living got in the way of blogging.  I promise to be better this winter when there are fewer distractions.  That said, I have an announcement to make.

Over at my Etsy store I have just put up some items I have been working on for a few weeks--Feral Cat Hats.  While not everyone's cup of tea, they will appeal to the young at heart and lovers of cats everywhere.  A friend of mine runs a T-N-R called Carol's Ferals here in Grand Rapids, Michigan and that was my inspiration for the hats.  A portion of every sale goes to Carol's Ferals for neutering and caring for feral cats.

They come in S thru XL, 20" thru 24".  I'm not making children's sizes because of the added hassle of federal regulations.  Surely there is someone on your holiday list that would wear one of these proudly.  I am selling them at random because I make them as I'm inspired by the colors, so you never know what you will get.  Sort of like kittens.

A Glorious Potpourri of Crafting

I am in the process of putting some new old manuals in my Etsy store and I'm giving you a preview in case there is something that you just have to have.

First up is one I know you'll want.

This is the original--not the repro I've seen on Amazon.  You can tell by the original price in the corner.  Very good manual for making hats circa 1944.

Another one that features hats is this Woman's Day Annual from 1947.

Lots of inspiration here, plus doilies, mittens, gloves, sweaters, etc.

From the Domestic Sewing Machine Company for making over and mending.  No date, but this was encouraged during WWII.

A pamphlet from 1943.

All about Talon products new in 1968.

Knitting for children and babies.

Don't let your babies eat yarn.

Frightening clowns.  Why was that little guy playing with elephant poo?

Beautiful doilies.

Ubiquitous Poodles!!

How-To Books.

This one from 1966 features lots of RED!

And more weird hats and weirder purses--perfect for all those made with love especially for you, faery wear, steampunk, burning man Etsy crafters. (Not saying any of you are like that!  I've been reading a lot of Regretsy posts lately.  Warning!  Not for the easily offended!)

Give me some time to get them all up.  If there are any that strike your fancy, let me know before I put them up and I will Reserve them for you.  I haven't set any prices yet, so bear with me.

Keep Your Hat On!

I

This hat elastic references a patent from Dec of 1940 by John W W Holden of Providence, RI.  It was not the elastic he patented, but the metal gadget that attached to the hat.  If you have looked at pictures from this era you will see that ladies wore their hats at extreme angles on their heads and were probably glad to have a helpful item like this.  It replaced these,

which were not much good without masses of hair to anchor them in.  They were still used in a shortened form, however, along with bobby pins and combs.

Ladies were starting to wear their long hair in a roll from temple to temple around their heads, and Mr Holden was well aware of this.  He invented an imitation horsehair roll in 1937 in several diameters to roll the hair around.

In 1941 he was still inventing hair rolls.

Like most of the other inventors I have featured, Mr Holden was prolific.  In 1928 he was interested in bead necklaces and the problems of them coming unstrung.  In 1933 he was concerned with how far a fisherman could cast a line and know the length of his cast, and was pitching his idea to Ashaway Line and Twine Manufacturing Co of Ashaway, RI.  The 1930 census reveals he was 41 years old, born in Massachusetts of English parents, got married at age 25, and he and wife, Grace had no children.  He was a jewelry jobber, which explains his interest in necklaces.

I found this current listing:

John W.W. Holden Inc.
Private Company, Headquarters Location .. Providence, RI .. (401) 944-1515 .. Wholesale: Medical, Dental, and Optical Supplies

So it looks like Mr Holden was successful with his inventing.

Jaunty Hats From 1935