A sweet friend in Austrailia has given us one possibility for the yellow satin top:
"I don’t think you (could) call it cheongsam since the word literally translated means ‘long dress’. Could be some kind of sam foo meaning ‘trouser clothing’ although with a front bodice of cheongsam style buttons etc. What a lucky treasure – wish I owned one."
Thank you, Hilda!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
A Lovely Oriental Mystery!
When you love vintage clothing, you sometimes are lucky enough to get to help solve a mystery! Well, partially solve it anyway!
A week or so ago a friend who is also into collectibles brought a bright yellow top with beautiful embroidery to show me; he wanted to know if I could tell him anything about it. It had been in a collection of things from a relative's estate, simply tossed in quite carelessly with a lot of other things. The gentleman had served in World War II and had been in the Orient.
We established that was probably pretty old, was some kind of satin that I felt from the feel of it had rayon in it and that it was both handmade and Oriental. My best bet, I told him, was for me to take some pictures of it and ask some very knowledgeable friends (who are much more capable than I am)!
There were a few condition issues which you would expect from something that is evidently old and had not been well cared for...a couple of scuffs on the satin and a bit of fading in two or three places that seem to be from the peach and green embroidery threads. There was a very faint ring that looks like a place where dampness or water had come in contact with it...not badly, but enough to cause the leaves and a few of the poppies in the embroidery to leave their mark on the satin.
The front is definitely a work of art. The buttons are delightful, 2 colors of "braid" woven in and about to make stunning accents. The embroidery is incredibly lovely, hand done in beautiful colors. The curved front opening is edged in tiny lace...one more delicate touch.
I pressed it just a little and took pictures on a mannequin and sent them on their way. One friend came back quickly with the opinion that it was probably Chinese, possibly a man's shirt/top?
The second friend, after ooh-ing and aah-ing, was much more definitive. In her opinion, the buttons, the collar, the round collar opening and facing, and the embroidered poppies (reminiscent of the opium trade) would certainly peg it as Chinese. She asked us to do a burn test to see if it was silk or rayon; it was a little hard to tell but we decided it was more likely rayon.
She agreed that it probably was indeed rayon...that silk had been in short supply during the war and long afterward. She went on to say that the defined waistline and the cheong-sam type closure would be indicative of a woman's top. The tiny lace around the edge and the ruffles on the sleeves also were indicators. She wanted to know if it might have come from Shanghai or Formosa, but we have no way of knowing for sure of course.
To weave a bit of "supposing" into our story, we decided that it was probably brought back as a treasured gift since there was a lot of beautiful embroidered work available for the GI's to take home with them (especially in the R&R ports, such as Shanghai). Whatever its delightful surprise factor was (perhaps it didn't fit?), it had been quite forgotten with time and its fate was to be tossed aside and hidden away...until my friend found it!
At least this pretty little top has a new home and is being admired once again for its beauty. I suspect my friend will eventually sell it, so we will hope that it finds someone who will appreciate it...even wear it (yes, it's in quite good enough shape to wear...and wouldn't it be a stunning conversation piece???)
Special thanks to Elaine for sharing your wealth of knowledge on vintage clothing on this. We have so many more answers as a result of your expertise, my friend!
What we still don't know, and are hoping that another knowledgeable person will provide us with the answer is...is there a specific Chinese name for this type of garment? Something this charming deserves to have its identity established...and be provided with a new lease of life! We've made the first steps...can one of our readers help us solve the rest of our charming mystery?
A week or so ago a friend who is also into collectibles brought a bright yellow top with beautiful embroidery to show me; he wanted to know if I could tell him anything about it. It had been in a collection of things from a relative's estate, simply tossed in quite carelessly with a lot of other things. The gentleman had served in World War II and had been in the Orient.
We established that was probably pretty old, was some kind of satin that I felt from the feel of it had rayon in it and that it was both handmade and Oriental. My best bet, I told him, was for me to take some pictures of it and ask some very knowledgeable friends (who are much more capable than I am)!
There were a few condition issues which you would expect from something that is evidently old and had not been well cared for...a couple of scuffs on the satin and a bit of fading in two or three places that seem to be from the peach and green embroidery threads. There was a very faint ring that looks like a place where dampness or water had come in contact with it...not badly, but enough to cause the leaves and a few of the poppies in the embroidery to leave their mark on the satin.
The front is definitely a work of art. The buttons are delightful, 2 colors of "braid" woven in and about to make stunning accents. The embroidery is incredibly lovely, hand done in beautiful colors. The curved front opening is edged in tiny lace...one more delicate touch.
I pressed it just a little and took pictures on a mannequin and sent them on their way. One friend came back quickly with the opinion that it was probably Chinese, possibly a man's shirt/top?
The second friend, after ooh-ing and aah-ing, was much more definitive. In her opinion, the buttons, the collar, the round collar opening and facing, and the embroidered poppies (reminiscent of the opium trade) would certainly peg it as Chinese. She asked us to do a burn test to see if it was silk or rayon; it was a little hard to tell but we decided it was more likely rayon.
She agreed that it probably was indeed rayon...that silk had been in short supply during the war and long afterward. She went on to say that the defined waistline and the cheong-sam type closure would be indicative of a woman's top. The tiny lace around the edge and the ruffles on the sleeves also were indicators. She wanted to know if it might have come from Shanghai or Formosa, but we have no way of knowing for sure of course.
To weave a bit of "supposing" into our story, we decided that it was probably brought back as a treasured gift since there was a lot of beautiful embroidered work available for the GI's to take home with them (especially in the R&R ports, such as Shanghai). Whatever its delightful surprise factor was (perhaps it didn't fit?), it had been quite forgotten with time and its fate was to be tossed aside and hidden away...until my friend found it!
At least this pretty little top has a new home and is being admired once again for its beauty. I suspect my friend will eventually sell it, so we will hope that it finds someone who will appreciate it...even wear it (yes, it's in quite good enough shape to wear...and wouldn't it be a stunning conversation piece???)
Special thanks to Elaine for sharing your wealth of knowledge on vintage clothing on this. We have so many more answers as a result of your expertise, my friend!
What we still don't know, and are hoping that another knowledgeable person will provide us with the answer is...is there a specific Chinese name for this type of garment? Something this charming deserves to have its identity established...and be provided with a new lease of life! We've made the first steps...can one of our readers help us solve the rest of our charming mystery?
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Easter Surprises!
When the mail lady honked this afternoon I wondered what on earth she had...I knew I wasn't expecting anything...and that's when you get the nicest surprises! She handed me a large box that was decorated with flowers. I still wasn't tracking until I opened it and looked at the card inside!
A customer of mine had sent me an Easter basket....all the way from Pennsylvania! I won't tell you how many years it's been since I've had an Easter basket, but it's been a lot!!! I had to laugh...and I've laughed all the rest of the afternoon. What a delightful unexpected surprise! (And yes, I've already opened it without making any excuses!)
Right on the heels of that I received an Easter greeting from another customer/friend with an audio recording of "How Great Thou Art"...a song that is very dear to me and particularly so since it was a piano recording (I play the piano too). I had already received one of the beautiful e-cards that a lovely friend in France sends for every holiday, so I have been totally blessed today!
For all the years I had my flower shop and even now since I still prepare the special music for the church I play for, I tend to get so wrapped up in "getting things done" for a holiday, I don't often take the time to enjoy the holiday itself. That's entirely too much of the wrong focus!!
Thank heaven I have people in my life who take the time to care...and share...and think of others. I must have some of the very nicest and most thoughtful friends and customers in the world! Some I have met, so many others are friends across a lot of miles whom I may never get to meet in person. That is the beauty of this...thoughtfulness transcends the miles and makes the world a happier place!
May each of you have a blessed Easter...I cherish you all!
A customer of mine had sent me an Easter basket....all the way from Pennsylvania! I won't tell you how many years it's been since I've had an Easter basket, but it's been a lot!!! I had to laugh...and I've laughed all the rest of the afternoon. What a delightful unexpected surprise! (And yes, I've already opened it without making any excuses!)
Right on the heels of that I received an Easter greeting from another customer/friend with an audio recording of "How Great Thou Art"...a song that is very dear to me and particularly so since it was a piano recording (I play the piano too). I had already received one of the beautiful e-cards that a lovely friend in France sends for every holiday, so I have been totally blessed today!
For all the years I had my flower shop and even now since I still prepare the special music for the church I play for, I tend to get so wrapped up in "getting things done" for a holiday, I don't often take the time to enjoy the holiday itself. That's entirely too much of the wrong focus!!
Thank heaven I have people in my life who take the time to care...and share...and think of others. I must have some of the very nicest and most thoughtful friends and customers in the world! Some I have met, so many others are friends across a lot of miles whom I may never get to meet in person. That is the beauty of this...thoughtfulness transcends the miles and makes the world a happier place!
May each of you have a blessed Easter...I cherish you all!
Pictures from the Past as Well!
I was looking for pictures of Granite, Oklahoma where my grandparents lived and my father grew up. There is some interesting history from this tiny town...but naturally I can't find those pictures at the moment.
I found these though of my grandmother Roberts. The first ones were taken I think while she still lived in South Carolina. I would be pretty sure she made the dress; look at the lace bib/bodice and the buttons all the way down the front. And the hat! Love the hat!!
The third picture I'm guessing was their wedding picture. The dress is slightly different, more of a shawl collar to the waist and different hat. There's even a possibility that she just changed the top! The writing on the back is almost obliterated but starts off "Marr....",
Wouldn't it be a delight to have those dresses, and especially the hats, today to cherish! At least we have the pictures!
I found these though of my grandmother Roberts. The first ones were taken I think while she still lived in South Carolina. I would be pretty sure she made the dress; look at the lace bib/bodice and the buttons all the way down the front. And the hat! Love the hat!!
The third picture I'm guessing was their wedding picture. The dress is slightly different, more of a shawl collar to the waist and different hat. There's even a possibility that she just changed the top! The writing on the back is almost obliterated but starts off "Marr....",
Wouldn't it be a delight to have those dresses, and especially the hats, today to cherish! At least we have the pictures!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Pieces of the Past from My Own Past
As we've discussed previously, our relatives in the past were very good at finding ways to be thrifty and re-use things My daddy's mother left a legacy of some charming pieces and I was so fortunate to become their caretaker. When the family was sorting through all the things that come with closing a home, I was asked what I would like to have. It was simple...flowers from her yard and pieces of her handwork. This was, and is, how I remember her.
She was the consummate gardener who could make anything grow...her garden was a collection of all the old-fashioned beauties: roses, irises, lilacs, hollyhocks, poppies. phlox...from spring through frost, in the driest part of southwestern Oklahoma, her entire yard was a kaleidescope of colors and fragrance, each bed edged in the tidy borders she remembered from her South Carolina roots.
Each evening, weather permitting, she would sit on the porch after dinner so we could visit...always with a piece of handwork, the current bit of her endless creations. No one else was interested in these treasures...I got everything there...and still cherish them. One of the surprises in all this came along some years ago.
She had crocheted an edging around a set of damask napkins, so I chose to use these for our family holiday dinners. Washing and ironing were standard afterwards; I was surprised one day when I shook one of them out. When I held it up to the light I saw some very faint lettering here and there on the napkin. It was in block letters and printed outside the woven damask pattern (the only place I could see..it was almost like trying to read shadows!)
The damask fabric must have started its life as flour or sugar sacks? The pattern was done on the sack in squares so it could be used that way? I'm still not sure, but what little research I've done indicated there were finer fabrics which were used for handkerchiefs or baby clothes...so why not! I tried hard to photograph some of the lettering to share, but it is so faint now that the camera wouldn't capture it.
I'm a life-long lover of gloves. To me they are (were) the finishing touch to a special outfit. These are a special treasure of my grandmother's.
Life can hand people lots of hardships; unfortunately my grandmother was left on her own to raise two small boys, my father and uncle, during the Depression. She worked at anything she could find, mostly cleaning and washing for people, in a time when it was hard to keep a roof overhead and food on the table. There was nothing left for the niceities.
She kept her small family in church...and no lady ever went to church without hat and gloves. I suspect that these were something she created during a time when she had little else...and probably were a blessing to cover hands that had washed and scrubbed all week. I am so very proud to have these...they make me feel that I have come from a strong line of women!
This table runner/scarf is definitely a piece that can be dated...not an easy task sometimes! Since it says "Christmas 1916", this must have been something she made not long after she married. Several Oxyclean soaks haven't been able to take out all the spots and stains, so she must have used it over and over again. Perhaps she put it out during those Depression years to be a background and "dress up" whatever she was able to provide for her young boys; perhaps she kept it to remind herself of happier times.
She was a tall, large-boned woman (yep, I come from sturdy stock!) who was forever tucking a stray wisp of hair back over an ear. She always wore a starched sunbonnet when she was outside and made it a point to teach me the wonders of a flower garden from my youngest years. Sometimes I was even allowed to wear one of those sunbonnets! It's a good thing...my Scottish/Irish heritage also includes the very fair skin that either burns or freckles! Her everyday life was hard but what I remember most was her gentleness in teaching me to make hollyhock dolls, in showing me how to root cuttings from her roses or lilacs...or patiently teaching me the fine points of handwork.
One of her great disappointments in life was not being able to teach me to crochet...she just couldn't find a system that would work between a right-handed teacher and a left-handed granddaughter. Her rough hands though could work magic with needle and thread; she worked deftly and quickly, so practiced that she could drop neither a word of conversation nor a stitch. That vine-covered porch was always a peaceful place, even in the hot, dry summer.
She saved bits and pieces of our family history for me too...my great-grandfather's Civil War hatband, his papers, my grandfather's barber tools, and shared the stories with me that made them precious. But those will be stories for a later time....
She was the consummate gardener who could make anything grow...her garden was a collection of all the old-fashioned beauties: roses, irises, lilacs, hollyhocks, poppies. phlox...from spring through frost, in the driest part of southwestern Oklahoma, her entire yard was a kaleidescope of colors and fragrance, each bed edged in the tidy borders she remembered from her South Carolina roots.
Each evening, weather permitting, she would sit on the porch after dinner so we could visit...always with a piece of handwork, the current bit of her endless creations. No one else was interested in these treasures...I got everything there...and still cherish them. One of the surprises in all this came along some years ago.
She had crocheted an edging around a set of damask napkins, so I chose to use these for our family holiday dinners. Washing and ironing were standard afterwards; I was surprised one day when I shook one of them out. When I held it up to the light I saw some very faint lettering here and there on the napkin. It was in block letters and printed outside the woven damask pattern (the only place I could see..it was almost like trying to read shadows!)
Maybe one day we'll find out!
I'm a life-long lover of gloves. To me they are (were) the finishing touch to a special outfit. These are a special treasure of my grandmother's.
Life can hand people lots of hardships; unfortunately my grandmother was left on her own to raise two small boys, my father and uncle, during the Depression. She worked at anything she could find, mostly cleaning and washing for people, in a time when it was hard to keep a roof overhead and food on the table. There was nothing left for the niceities.
She kept her small family in church...and no lady ever went to church without hat and gloves. I suspect that these were something she created during a time when she had little else...and probably were a blessing to cover hands that had washed and scrubbed all week. I am so very proud to have these...they make me feel that I have come from a strong line of women!
This table runner/scarf is definitely a piece that can be dated...not an easy task sometimes! Since it says "Christmas 1916", this must have been something she made not long after she married. Several Oxyclean soaks haven't been able to take out all the spots and stains, so she must have used it over and over again. Perhaps she put it out during those Depression years to be a background and "dress up" whatever she was able to provide for her young boys; perhaps she kept it to remind herself of happier times.
She was a tall, large-boned woman (yep, I come from sturdy stock!) who was forever tucking a stray wisp of hair back over an ear. She always wore a starched sunbonnet when she was outside and made it a point to teach me the wonders of a flower garden from my youngest years. Sometimes I was even allowed to wear one of those sunbonnets! It's a good thing...my Scottish/Irish heritage also includes the very fair skin that either burns or freckles! Her everyday life was hard but what I remember most was her gentleness in teaching me to make hollyhock dolls, in showing me how to root cuttings from her roses or lilacs...or patiently teaching me the fine points of handwork.
One of her great disappointments in life was not being able to teach me to crochet...she just couldn't find a system that would work between a right-handed teacher and a left-handed granddaughter. Her rough hands though could work magic with needle and thread; she worked deftly and quickly, so practiced that she could drop neither a word of conversation nor a stitch. That vine-covered porch was always a peaceful place, even in the hot, dry summer.
She saved bits and pieces of our family history for me too...my great-grandfather's Civil War hatband, his papers, my grandfather's barber tools, and shared the stories with me that made them precious. But those will be stories for a later time....
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Thanks to Those Long-Ago Ladies for Today's Treasures!
After getting the 1890's jackets out for pictures on the last post, it was an easy jump to another box of "treasures" I hadn't had time to delve into very far. I found these items at the very bottom of the box of vintage children's clothing that I've started listing in Childhood Memories (hidden surprises indeed!)
Among some favorites there is a fragment of black Chantilly style lace, a smidgen over 12" long whose design is simply covered in glass bugle beads with accents of seed beads.
The thread used to sew the beads with has turned that odd rusty black that comes with age...the lace and the beads are still dramatically black!
It would be stunning reinforced and used as an embellished collar or an accent somewhere on an outfit. Certainly a tiny treasure!
There is a dickey style collar made of ivory French netting plus lace designed with pointed edges. The neck band that it is attached to is made of tiny horizontal tucks in the netting and a tiny lace top edge...interestingly enough there are "squiggly" metal pieces on either side (presumably to keep the collar standing elegantly) and hooks and eyes for closure in the back.
I have a very good friend who is an incredible seamstress and is knowledgeable as well on textiles and handwork like this. I shared these treasures with her...and this next piece made her say "Ooh-h!!" That had been my reaction too!
It a strip of rather crepey black chiffon about 40" long and 5" wide, beaded linerally (is that a word?) with "streaks" of frosty silver bugle and seed beads. There is a motif just about halfway down the length that is simply wonderful...I'm going to try to add pictures taken outside that might do this justice!
The motif is a mix of more beads plus crystal rhinestones...a most interesting part is how the rhinestones are attached on the back. The coloring is subtle but the effect is wonderful. It's hard to imagine what this might have been a part of, especially since the motif is not balanced...it must have had a matching piece?
Whatever it was at the beginning of its "life", it certainly deserves to have another opportunity to show its "Wow!" factor! With a bit of support, it could become an incredible work of art on a garment. I'm hoping someone with an artistic flair will see this and know exactly what it should become!
There are about a dozen of these pieces...dickeys, collars, an entire skirt bottom that was beaded in swirls all round, some heavily encrusted lace motifs...even a black satin jacket "insert" with incredible buttons that is said to be "turn of the century." I'll be getting these listed in the Finishing Touches store in the next day or two; these are great examples of the needle arts of yesteryear.
They are also perfect examples of the thrifty mindset of times past...it took time and patience (and skill) to create these small treasures. They certainly would want to save each beautiful bit...I know I would have!!!
I'm very grateful someone did...it will give a whole new generation something beautiful to cherish!!
Here were pieces of beaded laces, dickeys, and other handworked pieces that had been saved from garments past. If you've ever done handwork it's easy to see why these bits were saved to be used again!
Some of them have been given a time line; others are simply guesswork, but they all have one thing in common...they were valued because of the beautiful craftsmanship and time it took to create them.
Some of them have been given a time line; others are simply guesswork, but they all have one thing in common...they were valued because of the beautiful craftsmanship and time it took to create them.
Among some favorites there is a fragment of black Chantilly style lace, a smidgen over 12" long whose design is simply covered in glass bugle beads with accents of seed beads.
It would be stunning reinforced and used as an embellished collar or an accent somewhere on an outfit. Certainly a tiny treasure!
There is a dickey style collar made of ivory French netting plus lace designed with pointed edges. The neck band that it is attached to is made of tiny horizontal tucks in the netting and a tiny lace top edge...interestingly enough there are "squiggly" metal pieces on either side (presumably to keep the collar standing elegantly) and hooks and eyes for closure in the back.
The drop is about 11" from the bottom edge of the collar, enough to fill in the front of that long-ago jacket. With a tiny mend in a place or two, it could be used today...what a conversation piece! Can't you see it with a dainty bar pin or small brooch?
A totally versatile item, totally practical, totally charming!
I have a very good friend who is an incredible seamstress and is knowledgeable as well on textiles and handwork like this. I shared these treasures with her...and this next piece made her say "Ooh-h!!" That had been my reaction too!
It a strip of rather crepey black chiffon about 40" long and 5" wide, beaded linerally (is that a word?) with "streaks" of frosty silver bugle and seed beads. There is a motif just about halfway down the length that is simply wonderful...I'm going to try to add pictures taken outside that might do this justice!
The motif is a mix of more beads plus crystal rhinestones...a most interesting part is how the rhinestones are attached on the back. The coloring is subtle but the effect is wonderful. It's hard to imagine what this might have been a part of, especially since the motif is not balanced...it must have had a matching piece?
Whatever it was at the beginning of its "life", it certainly deserves to have another opportunity to show its "Wow!" factor! With a bit of support, it could become an incredible work of art on a garment. I'm hoping someone with an artistic flair will see this and know exactly what it should become!
There are about a dozen of these pieces...dickeys, collars, an entire skirt bottom that was beaded in swirls all round, some heavily encrusted lace motifs...even a black satin jacket "insert" with incredible buttons that is said to be "turn of the century." I'll be getting these listed in the Finishing Touches store in the next day or two; these are great examples of the needle arts of yesteryear.
They are also perfect examples of the thrifty mindset of times past...it took time and patience (and skill) to create these small treasures. They certainly would want to save each beautiful bit...I know I would have!!!
I'm very grateful someone did...it will give a whole new generation something beautiful to cherish!!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Made In America? Well...Think Vintage!
A couple of weeks ago ABC Evening News did a weeklong series on finding Made in America products. (Go to http://abcnews.go.com/wn and look for "More on Made in America") As was pretty much expected, the average home...and a lot of what we wear...is made just about everywhere else!
The underlying current of the project was to show how much we buy and use is made in other countries, showing in a very real way what has happened to a lot of American jobs. In addition to this we've become quite a throwaway society! We know this...it's become a habit without our thinking about it. From tossing fast food wrappers to casually discarding last season's styles, we think very little of cherishing today's clothing, or books, or jewelry. Good grief! In another generation there might not be anything old at all!
Since we love and promote vintage items, it was easy for us to look on the up side...think vintage, of course!
If you've ever watched the Keno brothers on Antiques Roadshow go absolutely euphoric over a lovely old piece of furniture made in long ago Philadelphia or Boston, if you've ever heard the appraisers sing the praises of an antique quilt, or listen to the respect they show for handcrafted items for our American past, you realize that we have so much that we should cherish!
A few generations ago it was much harder for people to replace what they used. Clothing and linens that wore out were re-purposed into quilts, rag rugs, and such to make use of what fabric was still viable. Leftover food, if any, was made into casseroles or a huge pot of soup. Shoes were re-soled; clothing and shoes alike were passed down to a younger child (woe be to the youngest one!)
Anything that was made was done with more care...it had to be made to last. With that in mind, we can certainly thank our craftsmen/women from the past for making things that way; otherwise we wouldn't have the beautiful pieces we cherish today! When handwork was done on clothing, that part of the garment was quite often carefully removed and saved to be adapted onto something new. Whether it was beading or embroidery, it was done with pride...and made to last.
There is a definite charm about a tiny baby item, lovingly stitched by a mother or grandmother. Have you ever wondered how so many of them have survived with all the things that a baby can do to get them dirty? Those mothers didn't have pre-soaks and automatic washers either!
I've been fortunate enough to acquire some ladies' clothing from the late 1800's, fragile at best, but it's an education to look at on the construction!
It's the first time I've been able to observe how they did all the boning, how a bustle was made, how complicated it all was! I'm not sure I would have had the patience...but they did!
Vintage jewelry has to be one of the most beautiful elements that has survived. America was so fortunate in that the artists who fled Europe during the wars there came to America to start again. Their very souls and skills were put into their incredible designs and workmanship; it was just the way they did things. Because of that we still have their pieces today. Once you have seen and held them, you realize you have a small work of art...and you'll be hooked!
When you have vintage pieces...whatever they are..don't put them away in a drawer or on a shelf. Make them a part of your life; use them. Work them into your surroundings; enjoy them each and every day! Am I advocating giving up our modern way of life? Not a chance!!!! I'll be the first to admit I'm spoiled on things we take for granted...long list there!
Instead, develop your eye for combining these treasures with something new: find a new use for great-grandmother's platter, fasten that gorgeous vintage brooch onto jacket or purse, make a charming tableau with a well-loved doll. You'll encourage others to enjoy these pieces of the past as well, and think of the stories you can share with your children!
Lots of things have been made in America for a very long time...let's re-use, re-create, and love again all those treasures from yesterday. Let's enjoy yesterday's Made in America too!
The underlying current of the project was to show how much we buy and use is made in other countries, showing in a very real way what has happened to a lot of American jobs. In addition to this we've become quite a throwaway society! We know this...it's become a habit without our thinking about it. From tossing fast food wrappers to casually discarding last season's styles, we think very little of cherishing today's clothing, or books, or jewelry. Good grief! In another generation there might not be anything old at all!
Since we love and promote vintage items, it was easy for us to look on the up side...think vintage, of course!
A few generations ago it was much harder for people to replace what they used. Clothing and linens that wore out were re-purposed into quilts, rag rugs, and such to make use of what fabric was still viable. Leftover food, if any, was made into casseroles or a huge pot of soup. Shoes were re-soled; clothing and shoes alike were passed down to a younger child (woe be to the youngest one!)
Anything that was made was done with more care...it had to be made to last. With that in mind, we can certainly thank our craftsmen/women from the past for making things that way; otherwise we wouldn't have the beautiful pieces we cherish today! When handwork was done on clothing, that part of the garment was quite often carefully removed and saved to be adapted onto something new. Whether it was beading or embroidery, it was done with pride...and made to last.
There is a definite charm about a tiny baby item, lovingly stitched by a mother or grandmother. Have you ever wondered how so many of them have survived with all the things that a baby can do to get them dirty? Those mothers didn't have pre-soaks and automatic washers either!
It's the first time I've been able to observe how they did all the boning, how a bustle was made, how complicated it all was! I'm not sure I would have had the patience...but they did!
Vintage jewelry has to be one of the most beautiful elements that has survived. America was so fortunate in that the artists who fled Europe during the wars there came to America to start again. Their very souls and skills were put into their incredible designs and workmanship; it was just the way they did things. Because of that we still have their pieces today. Once you have seen and held them, you realize you have a small work of art...and you'll be hooked!
When you have vintage pieces...whatever they are..don't put them away in a drawer or on a shelf. Make them a part of your life; use them. Work them into your surroundings; enjoy them each and every day! Am I advocating giving up our modern way of life? Not a chance!!!! I'll be the first to admit I'm spoiled on things we take for granted...long list there!
Instead, develop your eye for combining these treasures with something new: find a new use for great-grandmother's platter, fasten that gorgeous vintage brooch onto jacket or purse, make a charming tableau with a well-loved doll. You'll encourage others to enjoy these pieces of the past as well, and think of the stories you can share with your children!
Lots of things have been made in America for a very long time...let's re-use, re-create, and love again all those treasures from yesterday. Let's enjoy yesterday's Made in America too!
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