April Sponsor Salute

Adele Bee Ann Sewing Patterns

Are you feeling the warmer temps by you yet?  It's still pretty cold here in Michigan, but with all things considered, I'll take 50 degree days over the temps we has just a few weeks ago with the Polar Vortex.  It feels like I have been cooped up inside forever, so I really can't wait to break out all those summer dresses.  In the mean time, I've been checking Adele Bee Ann Sewing Patterns to find the perfect pattern to use with this amazing poodle print I picked up at last weekend's show.

Trish Hunter Finds

Isn't Trish just a doll?  I was delighted when she signed on for April!  On Trish's blog you can find outfit posts, all things vintage, and one of my favorite of her features, the Retro Roadshow.  In this regular feature, Trish showcases vintage items from her own collection and that she spots in her travels, educating readers on their value and history.  Recently, she spotlighted the sunbeam mixmaster and French Twiggy mannequin heads, two of my personal favorites!  So stop on by her blog and tell her I sent ya!  ;)

Want to see your blog, website, or business featured here?  Find out more on sponsoring Livin' Vintage HERE.

Spring Wardrobe Planning with Adele Bee Ann Patterns

Michigan still hasn't gotten the memo that it's suppose to be spring (we still have SNOW in our forecast!), but that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about warmer temps.

This month, Susan from Adele Bee Ann Patterns joined the Livin' Vintage sponsors and what a perfect time too!  With many of us starting to look into our spring closets and with Lucky Lucille's Sew for Victory sew along, there are so many reasons to be shopping for vintage patterns right now. 

Here's three I am really loving:  

1950s Simplicity 3384

1940s Vogue 5708

I love a good apron dress and this 50s Simplicity pattern is just adorable!  I really like how full the skirt is compared to my Swirl dresses -- sometimes a girl just needs a big puffy skirt.

Can we just stop for a moment to take in the sleeves and neckline on this 1940s Vogue pattern?  I could see this dress being made up for either day or night wear.

1949 Simplicity 8238

This late 40s Simplicity patterns pretty much sums up what I love about vintage fashion: cute details, ladylike, and matching jackets.  Plus the semi circle skirt and slight peplum on the jacket is a really flatter combination.  And those buttons on the shoulders!!

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What are you all planning on sewing for spring?












*Adele Bee Ann Patterns is a sponsor of Livin' Vintage*

Free Pattern Friday: 1940s apron how to from a men's dress shirt

The 40s were all about making do with what you had and up cycling where you could.  This apron project is perfect for modern eco conscious gal.  And with spring cleaning right around the corner, I see all kinds of aprons coming in handy.

This is for your personal use only.  If you love this apron and want to share, feel free to pin on pinterest, link to this page, or send your friends here.  Please do not repost, redistribute, or reproduce pattern for sale.  Pattern may be used to make aprons for sale.

Busy Busy

This past week I have neglected writing in my blog, but I promise it has been for a very good reason!! There have been so many sales listed on Craigslist that looked promising and I am still trying to sort all my stuff out from the flea market my mom and I went to. I have always loved vintage and old stuff, but just recently got into the whole flea market thing. I was so excited when I began to discover them popping up all over the area!! Anyways...this past one on Saturday truly was the very best I have ever been to thus far. It was the size of at least 3 or 4 football fields and that was just the antiques. There was another area for a vintage car show and for old car parts. My mom and I had a great time! She found some vintage apron patterns, which I plan to sneak away from here to make a few when I get a chance!!! I haven't even taken pictures of all the stuff I got. Some vintage magazines, a swanky swig, and vintage buttons on the cards didn't make the post. Today I managed to get to two estate sales and a thrift store, along with a flea market that we passed by that we didn't know what there. The picture above is what I received in the mail today--my vintage pattern swap from coveredbuttons on Swap-Bot. I was sooooo thrilled with the package!!! I can't wait to make one of the dresses...they were just my thing!!!

Now on to all the goods!!!

I have been on a search for a wall pocket....in my price range. This fit the bill at $3.00. It's a little darker in person.

This is my favorite find in a long while. She isn't perfect that's why I picked her up for only $3.50!!!!!!!!!!!! There is some paint missing for her hair in the back, but who's going to see that??? She was found at the flea market.

This little Dapper Do set was a surprise find at the flea market. It was in a basket of all linens and has never been used. While I don't have any babies yet, this will be added to my hope chest for just a dollar.

I bought these lamps at the flea market originally for the booth, but realized when I got home how well they match all my decor in my room. Some for a dollar each......they will stay with me!!

This is the only purchase of the day at the flea market that will make its way to the booth, even though I love the jingle bells design.

I am not normally into the smock aprons, but after I tried this on, I had to keep it. It fit like a glove!! (Sorry the picture is facing the wrong way).

Here is the rest of the flea market finds still soaking since Saturday. There is a vintage full apron, tablecloth, and tea towel all waiting to get clean!!

On to the estate sales!!

These cards and window clings were found at sale one. They will all make their way to the booth, minus a few cards for my collection!!

I also found the book at sale one. The patterns were found with the plate at a Value World we passed by on our way home. I am soo thrilled with these plates. I got four for $5.15. They are Depression--Cameo and my books valued them between $12 and $20 each!!! I am for sure keeping these as they will look good with the few Jade pieces I have!!

This chips and dip set will also make its way to the booth. It is in the original box and has never been used!!!

I have always admired fellow bloggers who find boxes like this and talk about how they had a great time sorting them out. That's really the only reason, along with the vintage spools of thread, that I picked up this box at sale two today. There ended up being 14 spools that are now in a clear glass jar. I have such fun going through it all!!

Tomorrow, I am joining my mom and grandma on a visit to my grandma's sister's for a birthday visit. Hope you all enjoy your weekend!

Emily

Lots and Lots of Pictures!!

Today was a very busy - but- fun day!!! I had a lot on my agenda to get accomplished. This weekend is fast approaching and I still have much to do!! I guess I can blame that on my need to stop by the antique mall for their outside sidewalk sale. I am soo glad that I did; I found some GREAT deals. Here's a picture of everything I got today (some of it is from a garage sale).

This set was the first thing I spotted at the sale. It is marked Godinger. I did a little research online and found that the company has been around for 30 or so years.....so it's not as old as I thought, but I only paid $4.00 for both and they are sterling silver. I just love them and don't care if they are old or not. I have always wanted a set, so now I am on a search for a mirror that will coordinate well.



The milk glass vase I got for $1.25. I was super excited!! The candle stick holder I got at the garage sale that I stopped at. It was only 50 cents. I asked the lady running the sale if she had a matching one and said that she received only one from her husband's mother. This helped me to confirm that it is Depression glass. I believe the pattern to be Diana.



I have looked at this plate almost every time I visit the mall and never have wanted to spend the $15.00 dollars for it. Could you believe that the vendor had marked the plate down all the way to $1.00!!!!

This pattern I got at the garage sale. It was only 10 cents!! I just love the set in yellow! This might be one of my next sewing projects!!

My excitement continued at the sale when I spotted these glasses!! At 50 cents each they had to be mine. The print it is excellent condition and these are a trademark 1940's juice/milk glass. The pattern is morning star. My 40's 50's and 60's glass book has not come in the mail yet, so I couldn't look them up to be 100% sure how much of deal I got. However, my Depression glass book featured some that were made in the late 1930's that were very similar; they were valued at $15.00 each!!!

I got these earrings to try and use them for some craft projects. I figured if they didn't work out I only lost $2.00.

I also got about ten vintage magazines, however, I forgot to take pictures. I got them all for about 40 cents each!!! Many of them are full color and have amazing vintage ads and graphics!! I'll post pictures in a later post!! :)

In my last post I mentioned that I was making a few dresses, one for the wedding and I was going to try and make one for the vacation. Well, I am a procrastinator and I have a feeling that I will only get around to making the one for the wedding. I started on it last night by shrinking the fabric and cutting it out. Today I got to the bodice, and finished most of that. I just need to sew up the seams under the arms. The rest should go pretty smoothly, since I feel that the hardest part is over. The bodice had some VERY curvy panels to it that were difficult to match!!

Here is the front of the dress before I sewed in the lining. I got the material on double clearance for $2.00 a yard and it was 60 inches so I only needed two yards. With all my supplies, I will have spent about $10 to $12 to make the whole thing. Definitely much cheaper than buying one!!

Here's the pattern I used. I am making the version that the girl is wearing on the top with the flowers and the scoop neck.

I am planning on wearing black shoes and Adam is going to wear an off white shirt and a black tie. Let me know what you think!!!

Emily

Swaps and Sunday Flea Market

Yesterday was a productive day! I wanted to get my apron swap for Swap-Bot together and off in the mail before I left for my vacation. I also went, as always, to the Royal Oak flea market. Things must be slowing down there because summer is coming to an end because it was kinda empty this week. I was hoping to find an apron there, but all I ended up with was a clear candy dish that has the same pattern as some dessert plates I got from my grandma. I was bummed out when I got home because while washing it, I noticed a small chip. Oh Well..... I only paid $1.25. When I went inside I found a great deal on some vintage patterns and picked out one I liked along with the set of 10 vintage unused cards, and got them all for $5.00!! After the market, I went to my favorite antique mall to hunt down an apron. I ended up walking out with one for the swap and one for me, along with a vintage Fire King casserole dish in the prim-rose pattern. I picked that up for only $2.00!!

Here's what I sent for the Vintage Apron Swap. No peeking Mallory!! ;)

I loved the green dress at the bottom. Hopeful I will get to making it before Thanksgiving!

Here's the two dishes I picked up yesterday. I am going to look on eBay for a lid to fit the Fire King.

This is Lucy my "Walking Doll." She was my mom's and is from the '60s!! I thought I would try and model my new apron on her since I don't have a dressform yet.

Close up of the fabric. I am not really into half aprons, but I couldn't pass this one up. I just loved the design!! And you can't beat $3.00!!

I was so thrilled that they were unused!! I am going to scan in the images and use them as clip art!

Isn't the cowgirl and cowboy sooo cute??

Now I am off to shrink some material so I can get started on a few dresses. On Saturday, I skipped out on Detroit's Annual Dream Cruise (it's on Woodward Avenue and a whole bunch of classic cars cruise up and down and there are cook out and such!!) and went to Joann's to search for a pattern and material for my dress for the wedding. More about this in my post!!

Emily

Tuesday's Adventures

I had the first part of this week off....no online class and no work!! So on Tuesday my brother and I hopped into the car and were on our way about an hour north of where I live to an outlet mall we have. It's about five minutes from Frankenmuth, MI. I wanted to stop in the downtown area of Frankenmuth to see if there were any antique shops and on our way there I spotted a huge one on the corner of the road. It was the only building around, as the rest of the area has farms and such. I convinced my brother to go in with me and boy was I glad!! I found some awesome stuff!! I got some more silverware for my craft projects - only 50 cents each!!! But that wasn't the biggest deal of the day (since I can usually find them for that price or even lower). Here's my big deal of the day:

Vintage Patterns!!! We were walking around the store in a little mock kitchen there was this box shoved in the 1930's stove. I wondered what was in there, so I pulled it out and there were all these vintage patterns and the box read 50 cents each. I was so excited!!!! I went through it and picked out the ones that I liked. I was even more lucky that most of them were close to my size!! Here's what I picked (sorry the pictures are blurry):

I also found a huge selection of vintage magazines, which I collect. The guy was asking a really high amount and I started to walk away. Then I spotted a box that was marked "Magazines $1.00" I was sooo excited, only till the guy told me that was wrong but he would cut me a deal and give me both for only $8.00. I was in the mood to splurge so I went for it. I don't have any POSTs in my collection yet, so it was worth it.

This one is from 1941.

This one is from 1950.


I can't believe how fast time flies by!! I am going to be leaving for vacation in a little more than a week and I have so much to get ready for!! Adam and I have a wedding to go to the day before we leave and I am planning on making my own dress. I am hoping to start on that tomorrow!! More later!!

Emily

Goodies In the Mail!!

I finally recieved the rest of the vintage patterns I ordered off of eBay! I was so thrilled when they came in the mail and they were just what I hoped for. Some of the sizing is a little off, nothing too major. I can't wait to search for the fabric to start making some new clothes.

^^^

I like the center view in black, it almost looks like a halter!

^^^

I am planning on trying to make my own bathing suit for next summer. I like how the bottoms give more coverage than those in the stores do!

^^^

This is kind of like a faux wrap dress, which I love! I am hoping to get it finished so I can wear it on my trip Up North!!

Well that's all for now... I didn't have much luck with garage sales today. Adam keep me busy helping him trying to find his brothers' birthday presents (their birthdays are the day after each other!). They are thinking of having a bbq tomorrow. Maybe I'll get busy and make this sun dress that I have been putting off doing so I can have something new to wear tomorrow and not go and buy something. I am looking forward to Sunday and my annual trip to R.O. for the flea market. I got to talking with some of the vendors and hopefully this week I'll get some better deals!! More later with what I find within my five dollar budget!

Emily