THE SEWING DIRECTORY FOR ALL YOUR SEWING NEEDS...

Do you want to make some of your own clothes, revamp your home or want to learn how to sew with workshops, how to guides, and projects ?

The Sewing Directory site has all your sewing suppliers (local or online) sewing courses and sewing groups.

For example 'monthly mending soc-ials' in Central Bath. Details on how to revamp your home. You name it you can find it on this amazing web site. I've totally fallen in love with it and would love to go on a sewing course when things have quietened down at home.

You will be 'inspired', there is no question of that.

Go to 'The Sewing Directory', for more details.

GUCCI CELEBRATING ITS 90TH ANNIVERSARY...

In 1881 Guccio Gucci was born in Florence. He found some work at the Savoy Hotel, London in 1897 but returned to Florence to join the leather manufacturer Franzi in 1902.
Between 1905 to 1912 Gucci and his wife Aida have three sons, Aldo, Vasco and Rodolfo. He doesn't open his first store in Florence until 1921 when he was 40, and had his first successful suitcases made in 1936. In 1938, the Rome store opened on Via Condotti in 1938.
After World War 11 Gucci introduced the pigskin, which became a signature house material and the first bamboo-handled bag, inspired by the shape of a saddle was produced.
Rodolfo (one of his sons) opened the first Milan store in 1951 when the green-red-green web became a hallmark of the company. By 1953 Gucci became a pioneer of Italian design in the US where Aldo (another son) opened the first American store in the Savoy Plaza Hotel on East 59th Street in New York.
Guccio Gucci died at age 72, only 15 days after the New York store opens. Since then his sons have opened stores all over the world and the rest is history.

FASHION OF THE 60'S IN CARNABY STREET, LONDON...

Many fashion traditions were broken during the 1960s, especially those in the United Kingdom. But the most famous street of all in London which housed independent fashion boutiques and designers was 'Carnaby Street'.

According to wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnaby_Street by the 1960's, Carnaby Street proved for followers of both the Mod and hippie styles. Many independent fashion boutiques, and designers such as Mary Quant, Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin,[6] Lord John, Merc, Take Six, and Irvine Sellars were located in Carnaby Street as well as various underground music bars such as the Roaring Twenties in the surrounding streets. With bands such as Small Faces, The Who, and Rolling Stones appearing in the area to work (with the legendary Marquee Club located round the corner in Wardour Street), shop, and socialize, it became one of the coolest destinations associated with the Swinging London of the 1960's.Harry Fox and Henry Moss opened the first ladies boutique in Carnaby Street called "Lady Jane" in 1966.

The Carnaby Street contingent of Swinging London stormed into North American and international awareness with the April 15, 1966 publication of Time magazine's cover[7] and article that extolled this street's role:

It now has its own website http://www.carnaby.co.uk/
which has
Womenswear
Menswear
Children's Fashion
Hair, Health & Beauty
Home & Lifestyle
Accessories
Cafes
Bars
Restaurants
Nightlife
Fitness
Hotels
Newburgh Quarter
Kingly Court

DO YOU REMEMBER THE SPIROGRAPH...

Did you have a Spirograph?

It was developed by Denys Fisher a British engineer in 1965.

They called it a 'toy that kept children entertained hours on end', and was simply comprised of plastic circles and rings as well as different shapes with ridged edges that resembled gears. I bet you'd never see children today playing with this like we did.

You could make some amazing unique designs by using coloured pens and tracing the inside of the plastic ridged shapes.

Apparently it became so popular that it won the Educational Toy of the Year award for three years running from 1965 to 1967. Due to its popularity Spirograph designs started appearing in the world of fashion as well as in Op Art.

SIMPLE SEWN GIFTS, BY HELEN PHILIPPS...

SIMPLE SEWN GIFTS BOOK REVIEW...

'Simple Sewn Gifts', by Helen Philipps has 25 projects to make and give. From bunting and aprons to pin cushions and stockings.
Every one of these gorgeous sewing projects is so simple to make up, Yo-yos, applique, embroidery and other stitching techniques add that essential touch of personalisation, and each project comes with a lovely cross stitch motif.
With an easy-to-follow sewing techniques section, and a comprehensive guide to the stitches used in the book, so that you can try your hand at new decorative sewing tricks on a small and easy scale.
It has 184 coloured illustrations of decorative bunting and wall hangings to laundry bags, aprons and eggs cosies, vintage sewing sets, embroidered tote bags and stuffed toys for children. You will be spoilt for choice to decide what to make for Christmas, with a whole chapter full of fantastic needlework designs for Christmas. Available from all good book shops and www.amazon.co.uk

SEWING VINTAGE MODERN by Nora Abousteit and Jamie Lau...

SEWING VINTAGE MODERN...

BurdaStyle Sewing Vintage Modern by Nora Abousteit and Jamie Lau [Hardcover]is due out on the 11th December 2012, so an ideal Christmas gift and available from www.amazon.co.uk

The editors show key fashion looks of the past and deconstructs them so sewers can learn to use these iconic elements to make their own sylish clothes.

Using five basic patterns for a dress, blouse, trousers, trench and skirt, the book gives step-by-step instruction on how to apply versatile techniques from the 1920s through to the 1980s to create an inspiring collection of fresh, new looks.

Fashion designers have always looked back to move forward and budding designers and fashion savvy sweres will use this indispensible resource as a springboard to an amazing range of sewing possibilities.

VINTAGE FABRICS AND TRIMS...

Donna Flower is one of the biggest online store specialising in beautiful antique, vintage and retro fabrics. From 19th Century French textiles to fabrics from the 1980's.

Whether you are looking for small pieces of fabric for quilting or yardage for curtains, or dressmaking, they have a huge stock range to choose from. You can even email them if you do not see what you want on the website as their online selection is not their full range.

They also have some great Christmas gift ideas, from gold floral terrecotta vases, Inspiritus Christmas Candle Floral pots, or a Vintage Button Bag for your Vintage lover friend.

Head to the website for loads of ideas http://www.donnaflower.com/

SHOES THROUGH THE CENTURIES...

Shoes are by no means a 20th Century invention, in fact Japanese geisha'ss wore 'wooden geta', which were thonged sandals mounted on two blocks of wood, which gave them height and made them walk with what they called a provocativee gait'.

In the 15th - 17th centuries shoes were given extra height by a platform sole called a chopine.

During the time of Louis X1V and Marie Antoinette, in the 17th Century, Paris, the heel really became a fashion trend but by 1789, Josephine Bonaparte wore flat shoes and then the most fashionable women wore them as well.

By the mid 19th Century, heels were back in vogue again and in the 20th Century, heels fluctuated as often as the skirt lengths.

In the 1940's, they were high and wedge-shaped and in the 1950's high and pointy (my mums favourite). In 1960 there were low kitten heels as well as high stilettos. The 1970's saw a revival of the 1940's wedge, and the rise of the platform. The 1980's was linked to the stiletto and in fact the working girls of the 1980's wore high heels to the boardroom as well as the bedroom.

The stiletto heel came into vogue in the 1950's when a pair of stiletto court shoes was as essential a part of a woman's wardrobe as her gloves, hat and handbag, and preferably all matching.

The word stiletto means sharp dagger.

Roger Vivier is the fashion designer credited for making the stiletto heel so fashionable due to his designs for Christian Dior.

Many osteopaths agree that the shape of your spine have been irrevocably altered into high heel mode.

VINTAGE SEWING PATTERNS...

With Vintage Fashion being the 'one to wear' at the moment, it is no surprise that Vintage Sewing Patterns are also making a comeback.

One website http://www.sovintagepatterns.com/vintagepatterns.html has over 4,000 hand selected true vintage not copies dress making sewing patterns to choose from!

One example is a 1940s beautiful strapless evening gown dress, flowing cascade overskirt, which was a Vogue Couturier Pattern.

And it's not just patterns for vintage style dresses that this website has but also lingerie slips patterns, which they say is 'totally Audrey Hepburn'.

Other's on offer are 1970s Dress Patterns for Betsey Johnson patterns, 1960 Dress Patterns , Movie Star Patterns, Evening Gown Patterns, 1900-1930s Dress Patterns, 1950s Dress Patterns for new additions, Vogue Couturier Patterns.

Their choice in vintage patterns is wide with the big band swing era 1940s and the glamorous 1950s being their speciality!

And for the home-maker or collector they offer a vast selection of vintage apron patterns from 1920s to the 60s, as well as children's patterns, such cute clothing styles from 1910s to the funky 70s!

They also have fabulous Hats purses and gloves and a wide selection of slips, robes lounging pyjamas and nightgown patterns.

So, get that sewing machine out of the attic and give it a good dusting down as you have no excuse now to not have a vintage style dress in your wardrobe. Of course, the patterns would also make a great Christmas present for someone you know who adores vintage wear.

You can also get some patterns on ebay but personally after browsing the internet this website has by far the biggest and best choice of vintage patterns

WHAT DOES THE WORD 'VINTAGE' MEAN...

The word 'Vintage' primarily, according to the Dictionary's means 'old wine'. Wine that is from a particular harvest or crop. An exceptionally fine wine. A quality wine or port. A wine that is particularly old or of a particularly high quality.

Nowadays we hear the word vintage relating to fashion and lifestyles of years gone by. However it does basically still mean the same thing. 'Vintage' should be at least 20 years old and the 'Vintage' item that we may be talking or reading about must be very special or of a particularly high standard for us to want to talk about this item in the first place.

Nowadays Charity shops have become the place to buy your Vintage clothes. People can hire 'Vintage' crockery for their party or special event. There are numerous 'Vintage' magazines online and some you can buy from your local newsagents.

There a lots of 'Vintage' style shops on the internet which sell anything from a gift for your home to a 1940's knitting pattern. There is even an online community and network set up for avid 'Vintage' fans.

Vintage themed events and exhibitions are popping up all over the place, even interior design is now influenced by Vintage patterns. It seems the world wants to take a few steps back to how life was in the bygone eras..

My daughter got me really interested in Vintage as she started to buy clothes that were Vintage and then accessories and now has a collection of other items including cups and saucers. It is very easy to find what you want with the help of the internet which has probably helped to raise how unique and beautiful things were like back in the early 1900's.

Although, like everyone else nowadays, I did have to get rid of an awful lot of my old (now vintage) bits and pieces, however, I did keep some special ones back. Of course some things may be called 'Vintage' but really they are just Vintage inspired or copied. Fashion seems to go round in circles but I think there are a lot more things that we use and see in our every day life that does the full circle and while ever it is en vogue to like 'Vintage' , I will definitely be one of its greatest fans.

 

Whether you like the good old fashioned typewriter or the old type of washing powder, its all about buying what you like best.

 

 

You can get some great vintage posters with some antiquarian ones fetching quite a lot of money at antique and vintage fairs.

 Or, take a look through the abundance of vintage gift sites including these gifts from www.gorgeousgifts.co.uk