Make A Pattern For A Rag Baby - Ruth Wyeth Spears, 1937

"A toy booth in a bazaar for a big metropolitan church -just fabric toys and every one of them had been made by a manufacturer! Home-made toys have long been a bobby with me, so the chairman of the toy committee was immediately searched out. "There would be more money in it," she said, "if the guild ladies made the toys." The difficulty seemed to be the stuffing. They just didn't look like anything compared to these sleek manufactured toys. The stuffing is the most difficult part, I know-but it is the most fun, too. It is as much fun, really, as clay modeling. Home-stuffed toys will never look an just alike, as factory ones do, but if a little care is used in modeling them they are as individual as people.

The rag baby shown here is not round and roly-poly, like most rag dolls, but rather flat. She is stuffed very tightly, yet she is quite floppy and sits down gracefully, because of sewing across the body at knees and hips. She is a little more than 12 inches high.

To make your own pattern, cut paper 8 inches wide and 14 inches deep. Rule this paper into 1-inch squares and number these as shown here. Now outline the shape of the doll so that the lines cross the squares exactly as they do here in the diagram. The dotted line is the cutting line and the solid one the stitch line. The same pattern will serve for both the front and back. Mark the stitch line on the fabric in pencil and the eyes, nose and mouth through perforations made in the pattern.

Stitch the front and back together, leaving an opening in one side for turning and stuffing. Stuff the feet and the legs up to the knees, first using tiny bits of cotton pushed in firmly with the blunt end of a pencil. Sew across the knee line. Stuff the upper part of the legs, then the head and arms, working the cotton in in little bits and shaping it from the outside with your fingers. Stuff so tightly that the doll has a chin and chest and is stiff and firm. Sew across the hipline as indicated in the diagram and sew the opening together."
From Sewing by Ruth Wyeth Spears, 1937

Needlecraft Magazine - The latest fashions from 1927

For women, girls and little ones...what everybody was wearing in 1927.

Morning or Sports-Dress

Simple, slenderizing model with youthful neckline, finished with vestee and attached jabot. The dress, No. 750, is designed for 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 and 46 inches bust-measure.


House-Dress

Attractive one-piece dress, for mornings with surplice-closing and large patch-pockets. The dress, No. 498, is designed for 36, 38, 40, 42 and 44 inches bust-measure

Company Apron

A entirely new idea in an apron design is, seen in style No. 688. It is just as practical as it is attractive. The apron No. 688, is designed for sizes small, medium and large.

For the Smart Junior

Any little miss would be glad to be the proud owner of a dress such as this. The dress, No. 3109, is designed for 6, 8, 10 and 12 years.


Typically French

Straight from Paris, featuring the new round neckline, scalloped hem line ind yoke-effect made by the soft shirring at either side of front. The dress, No. 3118, is designed for 2, 4, 8 and 10 years.


Comfortable Sleep-Ins

A little sleeping-garment is most healthful because it is most comfortable. The garment, No. 2244, is designed for 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 years.

Give Your Coat A Gala Lining - From Woman's Home Companion 1950

Renee Duke in her new-old coat. She hemmed the lining, made it an inch shorter than the coat, tacked it to the coat at the seams. Then she gave the coat new buttons, made a blouse to match the lining.

This year the newest coats flaunt gay and brilliant linings. As we saw more and more of them we wondered if this mightn't be a good way to make an old coat look new. Associate Editor Renee Duke brought in a gray flannel coat that she had worn so long she didn't think she could get another season out of it-would we like to use it as a guinea pig? We would and did. We asked our dressmaker to work out the simplest possible method of putting in a new lining-the step-by-step process you see here. And Renee likes her coat so much that she plans to wear it all winter.

1. When you rip, You may find that an inner lining has been stitched to the lining or the coat. Either way it's simplest to stitch it to the coat, if you want to retain it.

2. To make a pattern for the new lining. pin the pieces of the old to heavy paper, draw around them. Be sure to mark the grain lines before you cut the new fabric.

3. If you use plaid or stripe, match it. Then sew scams of lining together, also seams of sleeves. Do not attach sleeves until body lining has been sewed to coat.

4. Slipstitch lining to coat, leaving lower edge free. Slipstitch sleeve linings to lining now sewed to coat at shoulders, turn under at wrists and hem to sleeves.

A Scarf, Cuff and Belt Set - 1934

Just get out some silk and whip this set up!

Here is a gift that makes a really substantial showing and the entire cost of it will be three-quarters of a yard of silk, a matching belt buckle and a little thread. For this small investment you can make a scarf, cuff and belt set that fits perfectly into the new mode for simple frocks and smart accessories.

Either flat crepe or taffeta is good material to use, and be sure to choose a color that has some interest-a red that is a little rusty or that leans a little toward magenta, a blue that is a little green or quite violet, a green that is deep and strong or soft and silvery or an amber color with life in it.

The silk will probably be 39 or 40 inches wide. The diagram at the upper left gives you the dimensions for dividing the three-quarter yard to make this set. The section shown at D is the scarf. B and C are the scarf ties. D and E are the cuffs. F is the belt.

Fringe The edges of the scarf square one-half inch deep, then stitch along the top of the fringe to keep the material from raveling more. Fold corner wise wrong side just a little off center, as shown here in diagram E. Mark a 4-inch slash at the center of the fold edge, stitch around the marking and then slash between the rows of stitching, as indicated in this diagram. Turn right side out, press the turned edge turn back the slashed corners, make the ties double and sew them on as at G.

Happy Shiny People

I think it's the outfits!

Make your own pattern for this fabric hat - 1937

I just got a group of booklets called Sewing by Ruth Wyeth Spears. This is one was published by Syndicate Book Press in 1937. I was able to find that she authored tons of books about sewing and decorating, but I couldn't find much about the woman herself. I'm thinking she was the Martha Stewart of her day. If you know more please share.
There are tons of cool projects like this, do let me know if you make this hat...we want a picture!

Here is a smart stitched hat that you may make of any silk or wool fabric. It is interlined with either crinoline or heavy muslin. You will need three-quarters of a yard of the hat material, and the same amount of interlining. You will also need a hat lining and one yard of three-quarter inch wide grosgrain ribbon for the trimming.

For the brim pattern cut a piece of paper 8 inches wide and 14 inches deep. Rule this paper into one-inch squares, as shown at the upper left, and then outline the brim pattern so that the lines cross the ruled squares just as they do here in the diagram. The edge of the pattern marked A is placed on a fold of the goods in cutting the fabric. Use the pattern to cut the top and 'bottom of the brim and also the interlining.

To make the crown pattern, cut a piece of paper 10 inches wide and 14 inches deep and rule it in one-inch squares, as at the upper right. Outline the pattern over the squares, as in the diagram. The edge of the pattern marked B is placed on a fold of the goods in cutting both the crown and the interlining.

Baste the seams of the crown and try it on to adjust the size, then stitch the seams, clip the edges and press them open, as shown here at C. Turn to the right side and make the two decorative rows of stitching along the seam lines. Make the crown interlining of the stiff material.

Baste, try on and then stitch the center back joinings in the two brim pieces and the brim interlining. Place the two layers of the hat material with right sides together and then place the interlining on top. Baste and stitch around the outside edge, then turn right side out, baste along the turned edge and then finish it with three rows of stitching, as shown.

Modes Royale Fashion Refreshment - 1951

Another page from the Modes Royale catalog from 1951.
Pattern 1027 is a one-piece dress, draped over-skirt, dolman sleeve.
Pattern 1028 is a one-piece dress. Cowl drape at neckline continues into back waist and is again released in a floating panel.

Don't you think this gal defines the word "haughty"?

Rubber Reducers, Bust-Confiners, Bloomers, Slumber Snuggies! Lane Bryant Catalog 1937 ( Part 5 )

"...resists the greater strain stout women place on their underclothes."






And don't miss the Diaphragm Reducer...to be worn over corset" Gads, how did these poor women get dressed? Well, we'll leave them to their misery, this is the end of this catalog. But we can all be glad times have changed!

This is a Glamour Girl Dress and No Mistake - McCalls Magazine 1939

"Nice bouncy full skirt"

Adaptolettes, Corsets, Supporters, Brassieres and Bandeaux - Lane Bryant Catalog - 1937 (Part 4)

"Bust Confining Adaptolette with Adjustable Reducing Inner Belt" Ah, the good old days!



"...hold you IN and UP as nature intended."

Was there any good Fashion in 1971?

Can't prove it by these examples.









Be a super peasant? Really? Maybe it's because I was there, but there isn't much to inspire fond memories here. Some of the prints were cool (note the green dress with the graphic lines), but the flip side was a LOT of bad knits and "man-made" fabrics. Also it looks like the expectations of a sewers skills had lowered. Those gals who could rock a shirtwaist dress a few years back now were making some pretty basic stuff. These kids clothes are especially plain and boring. Or maybe I'm becoming a grouch.

Full Fashioned Hose and Stout Arch Shoes! Lane Bryant Catalog - 1937 (Part 3)

"Calling all thrifty Stout women!"

"Debts" by Helen Welshimer - 1933

He's home. Indulge me.

Newest "At Home" Fashions - Lane Bryant Catalog 1937 (Part 2)

"look attractive while you're active!"





"Unusually well-tailored, with all the roominess that the stout woman requires."

The Muff in Women's Costume - Cosmopolitian Magazine 1898

And some men too!