What attracts me the most to vintage is the evidence of previous owners. With patterns that usually means cut and altered tissue, someone's name carefully penned onto an envelope, or a discarded sleeve tucked away with its pattern piece. And a plethora of old rusted pins. Sharp ones. I love these little connections to past seamstresses, hoard vials of said pins and fabric scraps, and scan each little bit of writing before I can let them go. These are all fairly regular finds, but sometimes a pattern has particularly wonderful secrets tucked inside.
I was planning on letting this Simplicity blouse pattern from 1951 go off into the shop as part of my destash plan. When I pulled out the envelope's contents, I was surprised to find a card backing with it. I flipped it over, expecting a mail-in request for a pattern catalogue, and instead found this:
It's hard not to wonder about the woman this pattern and photo belonged to. Are any of these faces hers? Maybe a sister or cousin? Why did she never make up the blouse? Did she miss the photo, or perhaps had another copy framed on her wall?
I'll never get to know the answers, but I'm glad for the chance to wonder.
1 comment:
I love that sort of thing too. It's so much fun deciphering little notes that the previous owner has written on a pattern. That's a great photo. They all look so happy.
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