The T-Cozy

Sewing Patterns from the Past

I'm a fan of old sewing patterns. They are fun to display and provide a nostalgic reminder of a gentler time, when sewing your own clothes wasn't meant to provide instant gratification like buying something ready-made might. Making clothes was a slow and savored process that began with skimming through pattern books at the local fabric store, selecting the pattern, fabric and necessary notions, sewing and fitting the garment, and ultimately, proudly wearing your creation.

Here are some vintage sewing patterns I acquired. I like how these relics of sewing history offer insight into fashion styles of the past.

Three patterns from the 1940s feature tailored designs for vests, blouses, jackets and weskits (which is another name for a waistcoat). They are for sale in my Etsy shop here.

These three patterns are from the 1960s and 70s. Remember styles like A-line dresses, culottes, hot pants, granny gowns, jumpers, shifts, wrap skirts, and jumpsuits? You'll find some of them in this lot of eleven patterns that are for sale on Kitsch Encounter here.

Have you ever sewed your own clothes? As a kid, I was lucky to have a mother that was an expert seamstress who made me and my sister pretty dresses that fit like a glove. I remember a favorite lavender gingham maxi-dress that I wore to my junior high school graduation in 1973. And fortunately, my mom was able to help me with a final sewing project in my seventh grade home economics class. I made a bolero vest and a dirndl skirt. It was quite an outfit!

Susan

Studio Tweaks

I spent yesterday afternoon working on some minor tweaks to my studio's sewing corner.

The pressed oak chair that used to sit at my sewing table was literally on its last legs. I discovered this sturdy vintage one on Craigslist, so off I headed to a neighboring town to purchase it from the nicest lady. Thank you Dawn!

Above are more fun items in my sewing area: a pottery bowl is filled with trims, a vintage tulip corner shelf holds a trio of classic pin cushions, and jars of colorful buttons line the windowsill below a crocheted doll dress.

 

Don't you love this pillow? I found it at Pier 1 Imports. My new green chair has a smaller seat than my old one, so I had to rework the chair cushion. Last night, I took it apart, cut it down, and sewed it back together reusing the piping, stuffing and covered buttons. Now it's a perfect fit!

Adjacent to my sewing corner is the new spot for my handmade bark cloth tack board. Now it rests on this old wall shelf with a handy built-in storage drawer.

I have a few favorite snippets tacked to it, like some antique Martha's Vineyard postcards, the sweet origami love note John gave me, and the useful reminder to "Keep calm and carry on."

I spend a good part of my days contentedly working in my studio. To keep things fresh, I like to tweak a few areas every now and then. My studio continues to be my little oasis filled with all of my favorite things. Spending time here makes me happy each and every day. Do you have a spot like that in your house?

Susan

Quiet Theatrics

Remember that trunk I mentioned in my last post, where I found my vintage overalls? It happens to be chock full of relics like my old scrap books, letters, year books, photographs, art work, baby shoes, souvenirs, and lots more. While rooting around inside the trunk, I found another gem from my past. This photo . . .

I guess it's about time I come clean and admit something I haven't shared very often. When I was in my late teens in the mid 1970s, I was a mime. Are you surprised?

Back then in my hometown of Cleveland, a new theater group blew into town called the Great American Mime Experiment (G.A.M.E.). They set up shop in a cozy second floor theater where they performed wonderful pantomime plays and taught challenging classes. I volunteered to run the lights for their shows and in return, was allowed to take mime classes. I had spent much of my childhood at the Heights Youth Theater, so I was already bitten by the acting bug. I soon discovered that I was pretty good at mime, too. Before long, I was performing in student showcases and was given the opportunity to be in a special G.A.M.E. ensemble performance accompanied by none other than the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra. That was pretty exciting.

You may recall that mime was really hot in the 70s. But soon after, it fell out of favor. And once I went off to college, I felt it was best to leave my mime skills behind, which was probably a good thing. I'm sure my parents were relieved that I moved on to the more sensible art form of graphic design.

Fast forward thirty years. This morning I began to wonder what became of those G.A.M.E. folks. Google to the rescue! I learned that they still have a group called Gateway Performance Productions located in Atlanta. I'm so glad these talented actors are still doing what they were so passionate about when I knew them. (And I'm also glad I don't have to slather my face with white goop anymore.)

So I've finally spilled the beans. I was a teenage mime!

Susan

Andrea's Handiwork, circa 1978

Check out my vintage overalls! I found them in an old storage trunk.

I often wore these Lee dungarees as a college student in the late 70's. Now, they are a snug fit. And it's hard for me to believe that my 30-year college reunion is approaching. Although I don't think I'll be able to head out to Missouri this spring to attend, thanks to Facebook, I've been happily reconnecting with old friends through the school's reunion page. That's how I found Andrea, a pal from my art school days at Washington University in St. Louis. She's the one who embroidered the bib of my denim overalls for me.

I remember when Andrea offered to embellish my Lee's, I had no idea she would return them to me with such a gorgeous array of flowers on the bib. All these years later, I still find her handiwork beautiful. And I'm happy to report that Andrea still loves to embroider and makes natural linen bags filled with dried lavender with sprigs of various varieties embroidered on the front. Plus, she continues to be a fine artist who does welding, ceramics and printmaking and is in the midst of writing her master's thesis.

My favorite memory of Andrea is from when we were in a freshman 3-D design class together. We were given an assignment that had to be linear and I remember struggling with creating a small sculpture built out of colorful telephone wire. But Andrea's project was truly ingenious. In the middle of the night before the project was due, she "borrowed" the football team's athletic field marking machine and proceeded to take a walk with it all over the campus. The next morning, as students headed to their classes, they wondered why there was a white chalk line meandering across walkways, stairs and the grassy quad. We finally got the answer in our design class. By drawing a continuous white line which snaked through the campus, Andrea had turned the entire university into her linear design project! Although the Wash. U. powers-that-be weren't terribly pleased with her creation, I thought (and still think) it was brilliant.

I'm so glad I hung onto these old overalls with Andrea's colorful embroidery "doodle" on the front. I'm also pleased that we reconnected. Sometimes I'm overwhelmed by the myriad of online social networking options out there. I find it daunting to keep up with all that tweeting and greeting. I'm not always an avid Facebook devotee. However, I do like how it finds friends from days gone by.

So what do you think . . . Should these overalls head back into my old wooden storage trunk? Or should I transform them into something else, like a pillow or a bag. What do you think they could become? Any crafty ideas you have would be greatly appreciated.

Susan

Have Some Tea With Me

On Tuesday, a friend stopped by for tea. I baked wild blueberry scones and brewed some Susan's Blend in my favorite Hall teapot. What a nice time we had!

I take a break for tea every afternoon. It allows me to pause and reflect on my day, then return refreshed to whatever task is at hand. And it's all the more special when I'm joined by a friend. I wish you could stop by for a cup this afternoon. I'll be having my tea at three, so brew some, too, and think of me.

Susan

Listing Fatigue

This month, I've spent the first couple of weeks listing gobs of new items on Etsy. And now, I'm thoroughly tuckered out. So I'll be taking a much needed break from listing for the rest of January. (Instead, I'll concentrate on the unsavory tasks of bookkeeping and taxes.) Here's a peek at a few of the new things in my Etsy shop.

~ I N   T H E   K I T C H E N ~

 

~ T I N Y   T R E A S U R E S ~

 

~ P R E T T Y   P I C T U R E S ~

~ V I N T A G E   L I D S ~

You'll also find four "T-Party Tiny Button Jars" in my shop. And there are a couple more vintage valentines left. They've been selling like hot cakes! Once I'm over my listing fatigue, you can be sure I'll have more vintage goodies on Etsy in February.

Now it's back to my calculator, tax forms, and stack of receipts.

Susan

Cozy Cottage Stitchery

You may have noticed that I have a thing for cozy cottages. Luckily, I live in a town where I pass some lovely ones on my daily morning walk. And at home, I have an array of vintage cottage pictures that graces the wall above the desk in my studio.

Some are antique prints and a couple are old hand tinted photos. But my favorites are the three embroidered beauties below.

As I sit at my computer, I often gaze up at these vintage samplers and wonder about the talented ladies who stitched these charming cottages with such loving care.

Someday, I want a riotous cottage garden just like the one above, filled with larkspur, hollyhocks and more.

I'm partial to my Home Sweet Home sampler. It may look familiar because this darling piece makes an appearance in my blog's banner, Etsy header, and website's home page. If you wish, you can make one of your own with the pattern Janet created for me here.

You gotta love this playful crewelwork cottage! Isn't it whimsical and wonderful? 

Cottages are compact, intimate and snug. They keep family and friends in close proximity and radiate warmth and hospitality. Many people believe that bigger is better. However, I'd choose a cozy, unpretentious, comfortable cottage over a massive mansion any day. Wouldn't you?

Susan

A Tea Time Cross Stitch

This sweet cross stitch tea towel has been a part of my personal linen collection for ages. It even spent five years on display in my tea room. Back then, I had requests almost daily from customers who wanted to purchase it, but I could never part with it. Now, thanks to the skills of Janet McCaffrey of Primrose Design, you can embroider one of your own.

A couple of years ago, Janet was kind enough to digitally draw my Home Sweet Home embroidery pattern for me. Once again, I enlisted her expert help. I sent her a scan of my Tea Time towel and she produced two beautiful versions of the design; a black and white pattern and a counted cross stitch chart. Thank you Janet!

For those of you who like to embroider and want to try your hand at this charming piece, I am offering these Tea Time beginner-level patterns for purchase on Kitsch Encounter. For $6.00, which includes shipping to anywhere in the U.S., you'll get both patterns, a basic stitch guide, an instruction sheet on how to transfer patterns, and a color reproduction of my original tea towel to use as a guide.

Happy stitching!

Susan

Handcrafted Vintage-Inspired Perfection from Primrose Design

I am pleased to announce the newest winner of the T-Cozy's Kindred Spirit Award. Today, this (tag-free) award goes to Janet McCaffrey of Primrose Design. I've known Janet for a few of years and was fortunate to be able to sell some of her wares at my former tea room and antiques shop. I even had a chance to meet her when she and her husband stopped by for tea back in September 2007. You can read about her visit here.

Janet and I have a lot in common. We both have a love of cheerful vintage things, we’re both really tall, and we share graphic design as a career. (She still freelances and I have moved on.) Janet has turned her childhood love of embroidery and sewing into an inspiring business which allows her to showcase her many talents. Below is a sample of the treasures you'll find on her website.

Primrose Design, Janet's site, is chock full of wonderful handcrafted items (pillows, tea towels, lavender sachets, tissue cozies, zippered bags, and fabric-covered notebooks) along with vintage accessories, aprons, kitchenware, recipe cards, baby things, buttons, trims, fabrics, linens, and patterns. My favorites are Janet's pillows which have been described as fabric collages. She expertly combines patterned textiles, trims, embroidered panels and vintage buttons in perfectly designed compositions. Her sewing skills are meticulous and top notch.

Like the other winners of this award, I wish Janet lived closer so I could have her over for an impromptu cup of tea or a quick run to a neighborhood estate sale or flea market. Oh, well. I guess I'll have my afternoon cup of Susan's Blend while perusing Janet's website and her lovely blog instead. And be sure to stay tuned for a special little project that Janet is working on for me. Details to come!

Susan

Artful Shopping at the SCAD Store

On our recent trip to Savannah, we visited a unique shop that was pure inspiration. Run by the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), it showcases the artistic endeavorers of its talented students. You'll find clothing, accessories, home decor, paintings, sculpture, pottery, and stationery for sale, all brimming with fresh and creative exuberance. Have a look . . .

 

 

 

What a great shop! It really made me long for my art school days.

If you're ever in Savannah, the SCAD store is nestled in Poetter Hall, located on the bustling corner of Bull and Charlton streets, right across from Gryphon Tea Room. Or you can pay them a virtual visit at their shopSCAD website here.

Susan

My Blooming Note Cards

Ugh! Lots more snow here in Connecticut this morning. And with about three months of winter left, I'm longing for a break in the deep freeze. But I'm staying warm and toasty in my cozy studio, working on some new listings today. These note cards, just listed for sale on the T-Cozy's sister blog, Kitsch Encounter, are a welcome reminder of warmer days to come.

I designed my blooming note cards over 20 years ago while working as a graphic designer in Manhattan. I've enjoyed them ever since, and over the years have sent them as a quick greeting to brighten a friend's day. I have only fours sets remaining, so I thought it would be fun to share them with you. 

On the front of each card is a flower that has yet to bloom; open the card to reveal a row of beautiful blossoms along with a tiny butterfly sailing through the air.

Printed on linen textured cover stock with fibers, this set of six cards comes with cream envelopes. The pack is tied together with T-Party bakery twine.

 

Just like the special Grand Central Terminal poster I designed around the same time, these exclusive, limited edition note cards will always be one of my favorite designs. And now you can enjoy them, too.

Susan

Under the Weather No More

You may have noticed (or maybe not) that I have been keeping a low profile this past week. That's because I'm just coming off of the worst cold I've had in years. This nasty virus invaded our household more than a month ago when Jacob started to sneeze. That turned into a most wicked head cold, and I was determined to steer clear of it. I drank my Susan's Blend and disinfected everything in sight. John was the next to succumb and he came down with an even nastier version of the cold. Just about that time, Hannah arrived home for winter break. Poor thing; little did she know she was entering a den of germs. Sure enough, a week or so later, she had it, too. With Purell in hand, I was the sole survivor.

However, after we returned from Savannah, I, too, began to sneeze. Darn! I hadn't been sick in ages. And this cold was a whopper. With a tissue box by my side, I hunkered down, drank gallons of tea, and read a couple of fun, fluffy books. Christine, a favorite T-Party patron-turned-friend, lent me two novels by Jeanne Ray. The first, entitled Julie and Romeo, is a short and awfully sweet love story. The other, called Eat Cake, is about a family with problems where cake (with included recipes) is the solution. Both were very enjoyable light reading, perfect to keep my mind off my sniffles. Thank you Christine!

Now that I'm back to my healthy self, I'll be working on listing some vintage goodies in my Etsy shop. Plus, I have a long list of ideas for blog posts and lots of other fun stuff to share with you.

Yesterday, I created these tiny button jars. I'm always looking for interesting ways to sell and store craft supplies and these wee jars are the sweetest. Each has a button on the lid which shows the contents of the jar along with a darling little tag. Pretty cute, right?

Here's a quick peek at a few more things that will be making an appearance on Etsy and Kitsch Encounter in the near future . . .

For the rest of the week, I'll be doing my best to catch up from being under the weather. It sure feels good to feel good again!

Susan

Savannah's Gryphon Tea Room

I haven't set foot inside a tea room since my mine closed back in July of 2008. It's not that I didn't want to; the opportunity simply didn't present itself --- until last week in Savannah, when we happened upon this lovely place . . .

On a corner in Savannah's historic district is Gryphon Tea Room. Housed in an adapted turn-of-the-century pharmacy on Madison Square, this tea room is a block away from the bench where Tom Hanks waited for the bus in the movie Forrest Gump.

Restored, owned and run by the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), this tea room is staffed mostly by students from the college. Upon entering, I first noticed the high, fabric covered ceiling and the beautiful wood paneled walls along with fourteen original stained glass windows with a mortar and pestle motif, harkening back to the original purpose of the shop.

Sumptuous black and white photographs line the walls. I have a feeling these were probably shot by a talented SCAD student.

Cheerful bright orange chairs and marble topped tables set off the all-white dishes and teapots beautifully.

This curtained, elevated and cozy nook by the window would be a particularly enchanting spot to have tea, don't you think?

Along one wall is a bank of original apothecary drawers topped with a gryphon-flanked clock.

Gryphon Tea Room's  crowning jewel is the gorgeous stained glass panel in the center of the ceiling. So pretty!

 

We went to the Gryphon Tea Room for lunch, so I wasn't able to sample their afternoon tea fare. However, our delicious meal was served by a courteous wait staff in a setting of both grandeur and intimacy. That's a difficult combination to pull off, but SCAD's Gryphon Tea Room accomplishes it with grace and style.

Susan

Happy 2010!

 

As the new year begins, I feel abundantly grateful to have a loving family and awesome friends along with wonderful patrons who frequent my website and Etsy shop. T-Party Antiques continues to be a marvelous adventure for me. And the icing on the cake is being part of an incredible blogging community filled with amazingly creative and supportive people. Thank you for your sweet comments and emails over the past year. You truly warm my heart!

As we look forward to what the future will bring, my wish to you is from an old Irish toast . . . In the new year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, never in want.

Susan