I cannot count my day complete
'Til needle, thread and fabric meet.
~Author Unknown

Sharing a common thread with those who love the art of hand embroidery

Friday, September 19, 2008

Where vintage linen designs came from

Throughout the years, I have researched different aspects of hand embroidery. I have always wondered where the stitchers got their beautiful designs from. A while back, I was fortunate enough to come across a website named The Vintage Cat. http://www.vintagecat.com They have so many vintage items, especially concerning needlework. I ordered this catalog pictured above.Notice the date is 1914. It is filled with dresser scarves, bedroom linens and women's garments kits for stitchers back at that time to order and then proceed their handwork on what ever they ordered.
A handy stitch guide is in the first pages of the catalog to help the stitcher with the stitches she encounters with each item she orders.

There are so many beautiful pieces of undergarments one could have ordered from this catalog.


The pictures are not that good(sorry) but if you click on the photo, you can get a better view. Here one could pick out the garment with the design she wanted to embroider. I am so amazed at the costs.....40 cents, and so on.
Pillow cases and sheet kits were also available.

How I wish there was still a source to obtain such beautiful pieces to stitch. The catalog is full of different types of items for stitching. There is also a section where one can order embroidery floss as well. Even though these are only pictures of the designs, I still get inspiration from them when I want to make something look vintage. Do you remember Grandmother or Aunts who might have had a kit or even one of these catalogs? I had never heard of these until I found them on the Vintage Cat website. Go over and visit Charlotte. She has some wonderful items!





4 comments:

Linda said...

This is a wonderful book...full of lovely designs, and filled with intersing information.
I'm going to take a peek at the Vintage Cat.
Kathleen, please stop by, I've tagged you....I hope you will play along...have a nice weekend. Hugs, Lidna

Farmhouse Blessings said...

What a treasure! Thanks for sharing the Vintage Cat.

Blessings,
Lea

Katie said...

I so enjoyed this post and my visit to Vintage Cat. So many memories. I've got to get out my grandmother's scarves and pillow cases again.

Paula said...

What a wonderful book... I see things like that and wonder who held that book before me? Was she a homemaker? A young girl? I love to think about things like that. *sigh*
I think sometimes I was born in the wrong time... I'm way to corny for the time we live in now!