Seven rapid fire questions with blogger + sewer Aimee Cook from Inside Aimee's Victorian Armoire

This month I had the great pleasure of welcoming blogger, vintage loving lady, sewer, and all around wonderfully nice person, Aimee Cook and her incredibly charming blog Inside Aimee's Victorian Armoire, as one of Chronically Vintage's newest sponsors.

Aimee's blog - a truly lovely blend of old and modern, creativity and inspiration - was new to me, so I wanted to get to know both it and Aimee herself better, while also sharing more about both with all of you here as well.




{The thoroughly beautiful Aimee herself}

Hence today's fun post, in which I pose seven questions to Aimee that are designed specifically to quickly learn more about her and her beautiful blog.


This isn't a full length interview, just a quick, delightful way to get acquainted with one of my new favourite bloggers. I hope that you'll all enjoy learning more about Aimee, too!

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1. Your blog is a beautifully woven tapestry of many of your diverse interests, quite a few of which we both share in common. Can you please tell us more about the topics you cover and what they mean to you?


I focus on lifestyle topics: fashion, crafting, sewing, beauty, relationships, etc... just with a historical twist. An overview of an 1830's weekly cleaning schedule, how to plant a flower box from the 1920's, or learning the proper 1850's way to fold a gown for traveling, are just a sampling of the topics I focus on in my blog.

I have always loved reading books and articles written by women from the past and the way they viewed their life and interacted with the world around them. This connection, in its various forms, is what I love to share most with all my readers.








2. What are five things that you'd like first time visitors to know about you and/or your blog right off the bat?


That I'm passionate about life, both modern and historical, that I wish to share something beautiful each time I post, that womanhood is timeless and universal, that I have an odd sense of humor which may occasionally show up in my writing, and that I wish to inspire my readers to live creative and wonderful lives.

3. You're an avid sewer and historical fashion fan. How do you marry these two loves?

They truly go hand in hand. I have always loved historical clothing and in high school I decided that I wanted to make some of my own for fun. So I just started sewing and through a lot of time, effort, patience (which usually meant chucking the project across the room in frustration), and mistakes (again, I did a lot of throwing), I was able to develop a skill that allows me to create anything I find that may inspire me.

While I do not wear the clothing I make a lot, or attend events, I thoroughly enjoy the process and find such satisfaction in completing a gown in the same method that women would have done during that particular time period.






4. What would be your dream historical outfit from any era?

This is such a hard choice, as my tastes change all the time! Right now I am obsessed with anything 1920's or 1930's....including my recent project of an 1920's kimono. But my ultimate love would probably have to be the Regency era...I mean who doesn't love a little Jane Austen fashion!!








5. There is a deeply rooted sense of beauty and soul in your blog, which is definitely reflected in the fact that you enjoy sharing poetry there. Could you tell us more about why you involve poetry on a historical lifestyle blog?
I have always loved poetry ever since I was a little girl. The verbal imagery and emotion that poets can convey is a skill I have longed envied. Poetry used to be included in many women's magazines from the 18th and 19th century, which I just love, and therefore wish to share that same experience with my readers. Whether about the weather, love, relationships, or personal discovery, poetry is a beautiful way of expressing one's thoughts.




6. What are some of your favourite sources of inspiration when it comes to sewing and blogging alike?
For sewing it would have to be past gowns either through photographs, paintings, or descriptions in period books or magazines. I could spend hours just drooling over online exhibits or Pinterest boards getting ideas and drafting patterns. For blogging, anything and everything is inspiration. But the best place I have found to be inspired is in a public place, like a coffee shop, park, or my front porch. I find that by people watching and allowing the buzz of daily life to exist around me, I get a flood of ideas.

{Please click on the image to be taken to this lovely tutorial}

7. Can you share a bit about what you led to you start blogging, when you blog launched, and the direction you'd like to see it go in, in the future?

I am a completely self-taught sewer, so I started blogging three years ago to meet other sewers and historical fashion enthusiasts. It was simply an online diary of my sewing adventures. However, after a few years, I began to realize that parts of my life seemed empty and void. I began to explore my passions and allowed myself to go through a mini self-discovery/ mid-life crisis to see how it is I really wanted live my life. I began to voluntarily take myself out of the rat race I was running and began to climb a different direction. My blog then became my collection of topics and things that inspired me on this new journey. Sewing, crafting, and writing has taken me to a beautiful place in my life that brought with it a connection to the past: something that had always been there, but I kept close to my heart.




Now, I have discovered the gift of sharing. And my goal is to continue on this journey wherever it takes me....including a book that I hope to be completing before the end of year. But as for my blog specifically, I wish it to become a positive part of the internet where women can be inspired to live in a modern world with a touch of the past here and there.

{All images via Aimee and her blog, Inside Aimee's Victorian Armoire.}

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That is a fantastic approach to blogging and what one hopes to achieve, and I think Aimee is already off to a flying start there.

I'm delighted to have Aimee as a blog sponsor, and also to get to know her better. I'm a firm fan of her site and plan to follow it from her on out. I really admire her talents, her drive, and fantastic sewing skills - plus she's as super sweet person and pleasure to know, so how could one not eagerly look forward to her posts in their feed reader or inbox?

Thank you very much for everything, Aimee. I wish you and your delightful blog (and forthcoming book) nothing but the best and brightest and can't wait to see what you'll share there with us next!

Vintage Notions by Amy Barickman: Book Review and Giveaway

There is no denying that the words of a book - the information it transmits and how we walk away from our interaction with said book - matter immensely, but there is a great deal to be said in favour of visually appealing titles, too, especially when it comes to the realm of how-to books.

As a voracious reader, primarily of non-fiction books, I come in contact with many volumes each year that fall into one camp or the other, but far less that nail stellar content and sublimely beautiful pages between the same two covers. The most recent title that knocked it out of the ballpark for me on both fronts is the tremendously lovely Vintage Notions: An Inspirational Guide to Needlework, Cooking, Sewing, Fashion and Fun written by esteemed craft industry leader Amy Barickman (who you may know from her companies Indigo Junction and The Vintage Workshop, amongst many other places).





I was sent a copy of this book, which was released in 2010, from its publisher to review and can't begin to thank them enough for this lovely gift. I had three other books on the go when Vintage Notions arrived, but they all quickly went on the back burner because I honestly could not put this title down once I'd started reading it. Every free moment I got, I poured over another chapter and lapped up this book with immense gusto.

Author Amy Barickman created a whimsical, yet very partial, book that focuses on the wisdom, work and life of Mary Brooks Picken (pictured below), who was at the forefront of the early domestic arts and sciences front in the early twentieth century. Ms. Picken was a leading authority on many topics pertaining to homemaking, sewing, and fashion, and was the founder of the Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences in Scranton, Pennsylvania (as well as being one of the founding directors of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute).

{Photo of Mary Brooks Picken via Wikipedia}

The Woman's Institute offered very affordable at-home courses that readers from across America, Canada and further afield could avail of to better their own sewing skills, and by extension, their lives (be it sewing their own wardrobes, making clothing for their kids, working as a paid seamstress, etc). The Institute also published magazines and pamphlets on a wide variety of subjects pertaining to the domestic arts and it is amongst all of these sources that Amy gathered the information that makes up the bulk of her beautiful book.

In it, one finds instructions, patterns, and advice on topics pertaining to sewing, crochet, cooking, housekeeping, parties, the holidays, and timeless wisdom to help us navigate the waters of life that first appeared in this extensive Woman's Institute literature during the 1920s and early 1930s. Accompanying the text is a plethora of original vintage illustrations, as well as a gorgeous overall design to the book that includes things like page borders that are images of charming vintage fabrics.

No matter if one is a sewer or not, this book is worth its weight in gold for the history it contains and important page space that it devotes to an institution that was once at the forefront of domestic like in America. Divided into twelve chapters, one to correspond with each month of the year, Vintage Notions also includes a heartwarmingly lovely prefix at the beginning of each chapter from Amy that covers some of her own thoughts on that month and the subjects covered within it by the Institute.

{Take an exciting peak inside Vintage Notions in this engaging YouTube video from author Amy Barickman herself.}

The Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences operated from 1914 until 1938, and though a focus on domestic arts remained a key point for many ladies in the ensuing two decades, by the 1960s, as the sands of society were shifting on many, many fronts, the age old arts of homemaking, sewing, knitting and similar crafts were no longer at the forefront of many women's lives in the ways that they had once been. As a result, the wisdom that the Woman's Institution had gathered, created, and shared largely fell out of the public eye, yet even in the 21st century much of it reminds poignant and practical - and for those of us who sew and sport vintage fashions, extremely handy on that front as well.

Amy Barickman has done a hat doffingly commendable job of gleaning some of the most enjoyable and practical information (and patterns) that the Woman's Institute offered its students and brought it to life in today's world with the help of her own notes and a book that is so beautifully designed, you'll not only want to keep your copy out on display, but to give this book to all of the sewing, history, vintage fashion and cooking fans in your life.

In addition to sending a copy my way, the publisher also very generously offered to give away one copy of Vintage Notions to a lucky North American Chronically Vintage reader.

If you'd like to try your hand at winning a copy of this awesome book, please feel free to do as many of the following seven things as you'd like, ensuring that you please leave a separate comment for each method that you enter with.


1. Leave a comment on this post letting me know what your favourite type of domestic art is and at least one of the ways in which it has impacted your life.


2. Blog about this giveaway on your own site, linking back to this post.


3. Like Amy Barickman on Facebook and post about the giveaway on your own Facebook page.


4. Follow Amy on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway, including the hashtag #vintagenotions in your tweet.


5. Sign up to follow Amy's blog by email (you can do so at the top of the right hand sidebar).


6. Follow, or be an existing follower, of Chronically Vintage on Instagram.


7. Like, or be an existing fan, of Chronically Vintage on Facebook.


Giveaway details

This giveaway is for one copy of the book Vintage Notions by Amy Barickman. It is open to readers from Canada and America, at the request of the publisher (apologies to my wonderful international readers), and will run from today (January 27th) until February 3, 2015.

Once the giveaway has closed, I will select a winner using a random number generator and announce that person's name on Facebook and/or Twitter shortly thereafter. If doing so is possible, I will also try to contact the winner directly by email or Facebook private message to let them know that they won and to obtain their address, which I'll pass along to the publisher who will send your prize to you directly.

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I genuinely adore Vintage Notions and would have happily reviewed and penned every last word that I said in today's post regardless of if I received it as a review gift or not. It is en elegant, sweet, wholesome, timeless tome and homage to the domestic arts that deserves a place in homes and lives of those with a passion for any branch of this field and/or history in general - plus, those who sport 1920s and/or 30s fashions are bound to especially love that the patterns in it hail from those decades.

Thank you, Amy, for writing this book and introducing Mary Brooks Picken’s wisdom, advice, and knowledge to a new generation for whom - as I'm certain Mary herself would have known – it remains as pertinent today as it was more than eighty years ago when it was first presented to the world.

Seven unexpected places to source vintage wardrobe inspiration from

As admirers and wearers of vintage clothes, most of us constantly keep our eyes peeled for ideas and inspiration when it comes to our outfits. This isn't to say, of course, that we can't come up with ideas for fabulous ensembles on our own, of course we can, but rather that we appreciate the sartorial aesthetics of our beloved mid-century decades so much we can never get enough of seeing examples of clothing from days gone by.

Whether you're brand new to wearing or vintage or have been sporting it for decades, it never hurts to have new sources of inspiration to turn when putting together your outfits, and today we're going to take a peak at seven such sources which go beyond the more obvious examples, such as vintage movies, magazines, catalogs, ads, and books. Those five are incredible for sure, but sometimes it's fun to shake things up and expand your inspiration horizons.

Vintage cookbooks: When one thinks of vintage cookbooks, the first thing, naturally, that springs to mind is recipes! And, of course, that is generally their main purpose, but scores of old school cookbooks are teaming with vintage photographs and/or illustrations of women preparing, cooking, and/or serving food, oftentimes in daywear and an apron. Cookbook covers can be an especially good source of photographic inspiration, but don't forget to flip through the pages, too, as many cookbooks - especially those from the 1950s - are teaming with a delightful mid-century illustrations.

Museum exhibits: Many museums the world over hold exhibits featuring vintage and/or historical clothing and costumes, and/or have permanent displays of such items. If you're lucky enough to live in a town with one or more museums, be sure to keep an eye on this exhibit schedule to see any upcoming shows relate to vintage fashion. By the same token, anytime you're visiting a new city, if your schedule permits, you may want to visit the museum (or museums) there to check out the vintage clothing, accessories, shoes and other mid-century items of all kinds that they may have on display.

Vintage sewing patterns: We all know that vintage sewing patterns are an awesome way to recreate period perfect fashions, but - regardless of if you sew or not - have you ever stopped to just admire the beautiful illustrations and fantastic fashions that most vintage sewing pattern sleeves (the packaging that patterns are housed in) are adorned with? Time and time again I've been struck by how lovely these tiny works of art and have often thought how gorgeous they'd as framed art unto themselves. Sewing patterns captured the fashions of an era perfectly and are a truly invaluable source of vintage wardrobe inspiration to my mind (for oodles of vintage pattern inspiration, be sure to check out last week's post Forty fantastic sewing patterns under $40.).

Vintage calendar art: Then, as now, oodles of calendars were produced each year, many of which included excellent illustrations and photographs depicting the fashions of the day. Far beyond just pin-up girls, vintage calendars (and their covers) sometimes showed featured everything from people at the beach to Norman Rockwell illustrations, women in domestic scenes to families celebrating the holidays together, all of which can be fodder for vintage outfit ideas.

Vintage movie posters: I'd venture to guess that just about all of us pay close attention to the fashions that appear in the classic movies that we watch, but when was the last time you paused to study the clothing shown on vintage movie posters (and, in this day and age, DVD/Blue Ray covers)? Oftentimes vintage movie posters highlighted the stars of the film in the most iconic, beautiful or daring outfits that appeared in the movie itself, and can be a great way to inject some straight-from-Hollywood style into your outfit repertoire.

Old family photo albums: If you've been following this blog for any amount of time, you'll likely know that I am a die-hard fan of real world vintage photographs. As much as I love seeing old snaps of celebrities, there's nothing quite like the relate-able qualities that come from seeing images of folks just like myself as they went about their lives a few decades ago. There is perhaps no better record of exactly what people wore during a given era than the photographs taken during those years, and should you happen to have any old family photos available to you, I cannot encourage you strongly enough to turn to them for vintage outfit inspiration. If you don't (or on top of the photos you have), be sure to check out posts here such as Saturday Snapshots, as well as websites like Flickr that are positively teaming with vintage family photos.

Vintage product packaging: Akin to movie posters, cookbooks, and calendars, vintage product packaging can often be a great source of fashion - and hairstyle! - inspiration. For example, vintage hair accessory packaging (such as that used for bobby pins and hair nets) often depicted women's heads (and sometimes part or all of their bodies, too) sporting absolutely beautiful hairstyles and ways to use said products. You needn't stick to just fashion related packaging however, remember to also soak up the images you see on everything from food packaging to record albums to household products. Anywhere a clothed figure is depicted, you have a potential source of inspiration!


{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}

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It's easy - especially in this digital age where we're constantly bombarded with hundreds, if not thousands of different images each day, to see any number of the examples above, take them in for a split second, admire them, and then move on. Instead I encourage you to stop and truly study what you're looking at. Observe the woman (or women, or men, as the case may be) in the images before you and study her (or them) from top to bottom.

Look at her hat, her hair, her accessories, her garments, her hosiery, her shoes, and her make-up. Ask yourself what appeals (or, conversely, doesn't appeal) to you about her look. Do you have pieces in your closet already that you could use to recreate a similar outfit? Or, alternatively, if you're a sewer, would you be interested in creating such a look from scratch yourself? If you love an outfit (or hairstyle, make-up look, or single garment/accessory), would it be hard to track down something similar today either in the form of a original vintage, reproduction, or vintage appropriate piece?

Perhaps you like a look, but don't want to recreate it now, maybe you're tucking it away in your mind's inspiration file for future use and/or are studying it intently to help expand your general knowledge on a certain era. There is no wrong or right way to observe an image, but there is a way to help ensure it becomes engrained more deeply in your psyche and that it to truly spend 10, 20, 30 or more seconds studying that image and devoting it to memory.

This isn't to say, of course, that you must to treat every vintage image you come across like a book you need to memorize for a future test, goodness no, but rather a fun reminder of the marvelous power to help inspire and influence us that the vintage images around us have.

I hope that you enjoyed this list of seven wonderful sources of vintage wardrobe inspiration and that you'll share your favourites that haven't been mentioned here in the comment section. One can never, ever have too much inspiration on hand, so lets all pool our years of vintage experience and share those spots that fuel our vintage fires time and time again here.

Forty fantastic 1940s sewing patterns under $40

Unlike many in our circle, I am not much of a sewer. I know the basics and have - many years ago - made a few simple projects, but sewing is not a talent that the universe blessed me with in any capacity. Of course, like most skills, I'm sure I could improve with (scads more) experience, perhaps a good teacher, and plenty of trial and error, but given that I find sewing to be fairly challenging on me from a physical standpoint, this isn't something I've pursed in recent years. Perhaps one day - goodness knows I'd love to be able to knock out some fantastic garments made with vintage patterns - but for the time being, I content to admire the marvelous sewing projects of others.

Another thing that I greatly enjoy admiring - and even occasionally purchasing myself - is vintage sewing patterns. I love, love, love (!) yesteryear sewing patterns. The art that adorns the pattern sleeves and the sartorial inspiration the fashions pictured there provides has endeared vintage sewing patterns to my heart ever since I was a child.

About a month ago, the immensely lovely and completed talented Rochelle of the blog Lucky Lucille announced that she was holding a 1940s sewalong that was open to participants from anywhere in the world. To take part in this delightful sewalong, all one has to do is a create a garment (anytime between February 4th – March 31st, ideally submitting photos of your finished project to Rochelle by March 29th so that she can include them in a post about the completed projects) using any 1940s, 1940s reproduction, or 1940s appropriate sewing pattern that you'd like.





It's easy as pie to participate and sounds like oodles of fun! Believe me, if I was a sewer, I'd be on this delightful sewalong like thread on a bobbin. Again though, as sewing is not my strong suit, I thought that one way I could join in the general spirit of this project would be to share some seriously stylish 1940s sewing patterns with you that have caught my eye recently on etsy.

I started saving these links last month, so it's possible that some of these patterns may have sold already, but quite a few should still be available and those that had sold, may possibly be available elsewhere (online or off) as well. As the theme of Rochelle's wonderful sewalong is the 1940s, it struck me that forty assorted vintage patterns from the forties would be a great number to include in this post today.

Like nearly all vintage items, mid-century sewing patterns have, by and large, shot up (sometimes rather dramatically) in price over the past few years. However, as you all know, I love a bargain or at least a relatively well priced item, so to keep the theme of the number forty going even further, each one of the patterns featured here today comes complete with a price tag that will run you (before shipping) less than $40.00 US.




{So very, timelessly elegant and becoming for women of all ages. Simplicity 1324. $38.00 from Historically Patterns.}



{Two times the vintage apron cuteness! Hollywood Patterns 1834. $25.00 from Fancy Lucky Couturier.}



{Three charming peasant style inspired warm weather top ideas. Simplicity 2034. $5.00 from Gift To The World.}



{Jumping seasons from the last pattern, here's a fabulous, classic winter swing coat in three appealing lengths. Advance 4916. $35.00 from Independence Vintage.}




{Belted 1940s daywear dress loveliness in a bigger size for those gorgeous curvy ladies out there. 4593 Simplicity. $28.00 from Molly Pop Vintage.}



{These cute-as-a-button culotte and vest ensembles would be absolutely perfect for the start of spring. Simplicity 4370. $20.00 from Lisaanne 1960.}



{Whether you opt for short or long sleeves, this 1940s drop-waist dress is a perpetual classic. Du Barry 5463. $15.00 from Fripperie.}



{Breezy bowed necklines and short sleeves make these two forties frocks perfect for the sizzling summer months ahead. Simplicity 1016. $9.95 from Atomic Regeneration.}




{Puff sleeves and full skirts add lashings of feminine loveliness to these two subtly peasant inspired dress styles. New York Gold Seal Patterns 1397. $21.00 from Cottage Lane Treasures.}



{Summer's still a little ways off, so why not whip up one of these sophisticated, boxy 1940s coats to help keep those early springtime breezes at bay? Simplicity 1531. $8.00 from Dandelion Vintage.}




{Few vintage garments make my heart more giddy than darling 1940s pinafore dresses like these. Simplicity 3664. $25.00 from Miss Betty's Attic.}




{Perfect for the vintage loving office worker or anyone looking to add some classic mid-century blouses to their wardrobe. McCall 4800. $10.00 from Cherry Bubble's Vintage.}



{Actress Betty Rhodes gave this delightful three-piece blouse, bolero and skirt ensemble pattern her nod of approval. Hollywood 1211. $18.00 from Sew Patterns.}



{Curve hugging, a-line skirt loveliness that just begs to be worn all spring long. Vogue 8957. $20.00 from Old Fashioned Notions.}



{It's never too soon to start thinking about your next bathing suit, especially if it's as cute as these forties options are. New York 906. $34.00 from Dear Dress Maker.}



{The kind of classic vintage shirtwaist dress that you can dress up or down to your heart's content. Du Barry 5581. $10.00 from Sew Patterns.}


{Exude yesteryear glamour in a chic, cozy 1940s cape. Vogue 7891. $14.99 from Faithful Fabrics.}



{For the mama-to-be, two wonderful 1940s maternity dress options. Butterick 1985. $23.00 from One More Cup of Tea.}




{This lovely skirt suit pattern teeters on the end of the 40s/start of the 50s, and could be styled to work for either time frame. $7.50 from Karen Elmquist Vintage.}



{Two sweet-as-cherry-pie short sleeve dress styles featuring cute front pockets and rickrack trim. Simplicity 4102. $25.00 from Fancy Lucky Couturier.}



{Much as I adore all of the patterns in today's post, it was this lovely skirt pattern that I was most tempted to buy for myself because it seemed like the kind of thing that a total novice sewer like myself might be able to tackle. Simplicity 4824. $8.99 from The Craft Barrel.}



{Radiate old school Hollywood glamour in one of these beguiling 1940s evening/dressing/hostess gowns. Butterick 2354. $22.00 from Sock Fiends.}



{Be ready for a myriad of daytime events - from baby showers to PTA meetings - in one of these beautiful 1940s skirt suit styles. Hollywood 682. $14.00 from Midvale Cottage.}



{A collared v-neck and generous sized pockets add extra interest to these wonderful apron/pinafore jumpers. Advance 3427. $24.00 from Color Me Vintage.}



{Protect your clothes in lovely 1940s style with one of these classic, artist or crafter perfect vintage smocks. Simplicity 2436. $22.00 from Miss Betty's Attic.}



{If you share my love of vintage ruffles, than these 1940s housecoats style dresses are sure to tickle your fancy as well. Hollywood 1240. $12.00 from Daisy Epoch Vintage.}



{One can never have to many pretty blouses in their wardrobe, especially when they're as appealing as the four featured in this great 1940s pattern. Simplicity 4750. $22.00 from Miss Betty's Attic.}



{Whether you're in the mood for slacks or peddle pushers, this great pair of forties pants is sure provide just what you're after. Advance 3983. $16.00 from Midvale Cottage.}



{Well tailored lines and a waist defining belt help give extra elegance to this beautiful pair of 40s skirt suits. Simplicity 3923. $25.00 from Swing Kitten.}



{There are few figure types this pair of lovely flattering square neck, a-line skirt dresses would look terrific on. Simplicity 3423. $30.00 from Miss Betty's Attic.}



{Three lovely just-below-the-knee skirts to see you through spring, summer and fall with ease. Simplicity 1575. $14.00 from Quilt City Sue.}



{Stay cozy and stylish in these terrific 1940s pajamas and robes. Simplicity 2999. $10.39 from Mrs. Depew Vintage.}




{Whether you're hitting the links or grabbing a quick happy hour cocktail, these crisply tailored 1940s jackets are sure to land you a hole-in-one on the fashion front. McCall 4231. $12.50 from Studio G Patterns.}



{For those looking to tackle evening wear for their 1940s sewalong project, may I present this gorgeous pair of square-neck vintage gowns. Simplicity 4065. $35.00 from Miss Betty's Attic.}




{Perfect for everything from camping trips to leisurely Sunday walks, these classic straight legged trousers from 1947 will see you through scores of different events and weather conditions. McCall 6794. $10.00 from I love Vintage Stuff.}



{Princess lines and cute details like a lace collar or double breasted buttons add extra appeal to these marvelous 1940s frocks. Simplicity 3514. $14.00 from Selvedge Shop.}



{Have a (beach) ball in these seriously fun vintage summer playsuits. Simplicity 4321. $19.00 from Fancy Work.}



{Those - like myself - who enjoy longer hemlines on their vintage daywear dresses are sure to fancy both of these elegant dresses. Advance 5004. $9.50 from Studio G Patterns.}



{If you're a fan of whipping up your own hats and handbags, than this sophisticated pattern is sure to catch your eye. Vogue 9650 $27.50 from Atomic Regeneration.}



{I audibly gasped aloud when I saw this stellar 1940s dress and matching accessories sewing pattern. What took my breath away, you may ask - why, none other than the fact that you can tuck the tails of your headkerchief right through the collar on the dress on the left. Adore! Simplicity 3350. $30.00 from Miss Betty's Attic.}

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Whether you're a sewer or not, I really hope these marvelous 1940s sewing patterns help inspire you throughout this spring and well beyond. I know they'll certainly be fueling my wardrobe fires for a long, long time to come.

Do you have a favourite (or ten!) from amongst these mid-century pattern offerings? Every last one of them makes me go weak in the knees, so try as I may, I don't think I can narrow my selection down to just one.

If you haven't checked out Rochelle's 1940s sewalong yet, I highly encourage you to do so. There's a nearly a month left to complete a project, if you're interested, and even if you won't be sewing along yourself, it will still be a total joy to see the creations that others will be submitting.

Happy sewing and 1940s pattern admiring, my sweet dears!