:: vintage monday [ week five ] ::

Note: this is my final post here at Blogger. Please adjust your feeds and links to my new blog at http://elegantmusings.wordpress.com! My apologies for any inconvenience this may cause. See you at the new home!

Brrrrrr... It is downright cold this morning! Here’s a little inspiration to get your week started...


[ click for larger view. ]

This week I decided to showcase something a little different than the usual fare: young girl’s frocks from the 1920’s. I know as a little girl I loved to dress up in pretty dresses that had peter pan collars (and usually a matching pinafore...), and I have always adored the little details and innocence that older girl’s styles evoke. These dresses are so much fun, and have gobs of ideas that you could use in a present day, misses design! Different collar shapes, interesting pockets, tiered skirts, embroidery, sashes... My favorite snippets: the center top frock’s sleeves (those mini-ruffles would look lovely on many applications!), and the bottom right dress’s use of trim (simple, but not boring).

I’ll be back a little later with more creative-goodness. Hopefully by then my fingers will have thawed! lol.

Cheers & Creativity,
♥ Casey [ email me ]

:: vintage monday [ week four ] ::

Goodmorning! I had a hard time choosing this morning which image I wanted to showcase: another 1840’s print? Perhaps the 1870’s fashion illustration would be perfect? I ended up choosing this charming 1860’s print; its one of my favorites and I hope you’ll enjoy studying it too!

I find something very lovely about the late 1860’s fashions; a little less harsh than the era of the bell-shaped hoop; the elliptical skirt shape hinted at the bustle era to come. The styles of this time period also start to get a little more “fussy”, but aren’t overly so in my opinion. Some little details I love in this print (circa 1867): the long ribbon-tails hanging down the back on the far left gown. The pointed peplum on the yellow outfit (trimmed with jaunty tassels no less!). The diamond trim on the far right gown; presumably beaded...

Enjoy and I shall return with lots of goodies later!

Cheers & Creativity,
♥ Casey [ email me ]

p.s. Don't forget to adjust your links and blog feeds to my blog address! I'll be permanently switching at the end of this week.

:: vintage monday [ week three ] ::

Happy Monday, everyone! The sun is streaming through the windows as I’m typing this, but it is downright cold this morning! Brrr! Autumn has arrived! Here’s something to inspire you as you are about your Monday activities. Enjoy!!

Moving about sixty years forward from last week’s feature, this page of pattern sketches is from 1906. Having grown up watching such television as the “Anne” miniseries and the “Road to Avonlea” show, I have a deep love for this period in fashion history. The details, laces, filmy fabrics and elegant cuts are so inspiring! there are so many ways a modern seamstress (or anyone for that matter) could incorporate this look into their daily wardrobe as well. Doesn’t that pleated jacket in the lower right hand corner look strangely modern? Perhaps with a few changes? What is inspiring you today? Have a link to something visual that has got the ideas flowing? Please feel free to share it!

cheers & creativity,
    ♥ casey [ email me ]

:: vintage monday [ week two ] ::

Goodness... is it the second week of October already? My, time really does just zoom right by! But of course, this means that its time for the second installment of the Vintage Monday featurette, in which I share an image or needlework source from my collection of antique and vintage materials.

My pick for the week is probably a reflection of the early 19th century fashion binge I’m going through right now! lol. This lovely, colored plate is from November 1845, rescued from a decaying, bound compendium of a monthly periodical of the era (I scored it at a book sale for next to nothing... I think no one realized that there were gems inside!). What really caught my eye in this illustration is the beautiful skirt treatments on the white and blue gowns as well as the bonnets. The thing about 1840’s fashion is that they were quite restrictive, but the lavish trims and ornaments are just mind blowing! What catches your fancy?

cheers & creativity,
    ♥ casey [ email me ]

:: vintage monday [ week one ] ::

Happy first day of October!! I am so excited to be bringing this little weekly dose of vintage inspiration to you all! Each Monday I’ll be posting a image or needlecraft from antique or vintage source material in my collection. It’s my hope that you’ll be inspired by some detail or idea to incorporate into your own creative expression! Enjoy!!

[ week one ]


Ladies’s blouses from the early-to-mid 1920’s. I picked up a random assortment of loose catalog pages from the 1920’s several years ago, so I am not sure of the exact year. But regardless, don’t you just love the prettily stitched and trimmed blouses?! There are so many little details you could incorporate into your own, modern sewing projects... I especially adore the one on the lower left with the finely pleated frill around the collar edge. So fun!

cheers & creativity,
    ♥ casey [ email me ]