Friday's Vintage Find: Puerto Rico

It's time for Friday's find!

Aren't souvenirs wonderful?

These teeny tiny souvenir napkins are cross stitched.

See how small the stitching is for these roosters?

That's my thimble behind them.

The stitched tree design on the blue napkin is

my favorite.

These napkins are now in my Etsy Shop,

Wings Of The Morning

Have an exciting weekend!

Amy

By the way, I learned an important crafting lesson today:

do not blow on extra fine glitter to remove the extra.

My face is glowing aqua!

My Library Book

Each Friday, I love to share

a recent find.

Earlier this month, I picked up

a book out of a "freebie" garage sale box.

The 1954 book was a biography

about Clara Barton with wonderful illustrations.

Although the book was in really bad shape,

I thought I could salvage the detailed illustrations

for art tags and such.

I loved finding the school library card and pocket still in the back cover.

Of course, I have my own lovely memories of signing my name

to a school library's book card.  After I signed my name, the school librarian

would stamp a date on the card and the back of the card's pocket.

Although I wouldn't want to go back

 to this type of system at my local library,

I do miss those little cards in the back of the books.

They tell the book's story -- "Look where I've been."

Tucked inside the book were the card catalog records

for my Clara Barton biography.

They'll be great for some collage or tag art.

What have you found recently?

I'm still eagerly waiting for the day I come across a

 wood library card catalog cabinet.

I doubt it will be in the "Freebie" box.

Amy





Betsy Ross Needlework, NY

 

The following embroidered linens

are both from the

Betsy Ross Needlework Company

from New York, NY.

I would love to say I just know this from

decades of study and research,

but actually the stitcher preferred a straight edged

runner instead of the printed

 curved end on the edge.

This left me with the pattern instructions

and the company name on both pieces!

The blue print was so faint on this dresser scarf

that the blue print would not show in the photograph.

Betsy Ross Needlework, Inc. was also known as the

 Crescent Art Linen Company.

  In 1967, the family owned company was involved

in a dispute regarding labor policies.

  Like many companies during the fifties and sixties,

 the needlework company was facing unionization.

The court records give us a unique glimpse into a needlework/linen factory.

Eugene and Bernard Yokell were co-partners of the company.

They acquired the decorative linen plant after their father's passing.

 

  Since the records state that the company had not had

union representation for at least twenty-five years,

  we can date its beginnings at least to the 40's.

 

The records state that Eugene Yokell 

asked to meet with all of the employees on the eighth floor.

 

Eighth floor? I wonder how many floors the company leased!

 

The record doesn't state if the needlework company was leasing all of the building.

Not all of the employees could attend Mr. Yokell's meeting. 

Thirty-six were present.

The court notes also contain an interesting

discussion of the needlework company's busy season. 

If you'd like to read the court documents,

click here.

Of course, this is only one piece of a company's long history.

It was a piece of history that many companies shared.

I give the story here because of the glimpse it shares

 of factory-life inside a needlework factory.

Family-Owned.

About 40 employees in the 60's

Located at a Multiple-Storied Leased Plant.

Linens Machine Manufactured.

Employees' Jobs Seasonally Influenced.

I hope you enjoyed this vintage find!

Amy

Eleven Minutes!

Each Friday I love to share a vintage find.

Today I have more than one.

I was recently with some friends out of town.

Along the journey, we passed the local Goodwill.

Well, I really couldn't pass that up!

I often have better luck at thrift stores

 than I do at Goodwill,

but I was miles away from my home turf.

Who knows what treasures awaited me!

Knowing that my friend was

 not a thrifting enthusiast,

 I asked for twenty minutes

to go check it out . . .

Here is what I found.

One New Needlepoint Pillow

One Large Embroidered Table Runner

in Excellent Condition

One Finished Candlewick Embroidered

Pillow Front in Excellent Condition

My purchase came to less than $3.50,

and I was back in the car in

eleven minutes!

My friend who loves needlework responded,

"I could have been in there all day. 

 I never would have found that stuff."

Is there an art to thrifting?

Let me know what you think.

Amy

http://romantichome.blogspot.com

Friday's Find

This Friday's Find is a little different.

Most of the time I own my Friday's Find.

Today, I'm sharing a find.

Last weekend, I attended the

West Virginia's Writers' Conference

at

Cedar Lakes Conference Center

 

While I was eating in the dining facility,

I noticed a large rug displayed on the wall.

 

It looked somewhat odd as a display piece

in a rather informal cafeteria.

After eating,

 I went over to read the plaques displayed beside the rug.

Imagine my surprise to see Pearl K. McGown's name!

If you didn't catch my post about Pearl K. McGown and her

great influence on the rug hooking craft,

click here.

The Conference Center features unique handcraft workshops like basket making, pottery design, stained glass how-to's.  The fact that rug-hooking at one point made its way to the Center as a workshop made sense after I thought about it.  I wonder if Jane McGown Flynn was involved with that workshop.  Jane is Pearl K. McGown's daughter.

One side of the dining facility is in honor of both Pearl and Jane.

This photograph gives a better perspective of the handhooked rug's size.

From what I could discover,

 the Southern Teacher's Workshop

was still meeting in the area as recent as 2010.

Really interesting.

I've finished some more teacup

pincushions.

The cashmere aqua rose is in a small

1965 souvenier World's Fair teacup.

What projects have you finished recently?

Amy

Lord Nelson Chintz

Every Friday I love to share

a vintage treasure.

The vintage item might be something I've
 found on the shelf at a thrift store,

or in the basement of an estate sale.

Sometimes, a lovely friend knowing
 just what I enjoy

brings me a treasure they've found along
one of their own journeys.

At other times, I may share a vintage treasure that was

passed on to me by family.

Such is the case for today's vintage find.

This is a Lord Nelson Salt and Pepper set

 in the Chintz Briar Rose pattern.

How darling!

While I love the Briar Rose pattern, Black Beauty
is Lord Nelson Ware's most coveted
pattern.

Delightful!

Except for the Royal Winton line, most Chintz makers

stopped production in the 60's.

The Briar Rose bowl pictured above

 would be a wonderful addition

to my tea service collection. . .

Sadly for this thrifty shopper,

 chintz patterns aren't the most affordable beauties to collect.

Their value makes this little set all the more precious.

It belonged to my husband's grandmother.

As far as we know,

 it was the only chintz piece she owned.

Every time I see it or touch it, I think of her.

Isn't that the real find?

Amy

 

 

Vintage Butterick for Friday

It's time for Friday's Find!

Can you ever have enough patterns?

I like these vintage Butterick patterns

because they're for a small child, size 2.

This sweet puppy makes the jumper

 pattern illustrations complete.

The second pattern is also for a small child, size 2. 

 It's a slip pattern.

Look at the price.  What a bargain!

I'm having difficulty dating these patterns.

Butterick didn't print on the tissue paper pattern until the late 40's.

Both have printed patterns.

They have no copyright or date marked.

Do the outfits and hairstyles strike you as 50's or 60's?

Amy

Link to a Free Vintage E-Book

Each Friday, I love to share a recent vintage find.

If possible, I really love to share part of the item's story.

This week's vintage find is a

reproduction-style

 pattern for a doll's dress, hat, and petticoat.

The pattern is adapted from a child size dress
 shown in an 1884 Delineator magazine

.

Although I have seen some antique fashion magazines,

 I wasn't familiar with the Delineator. 

Butterick published the magazine from 1873 until 1937.

Look at the gorgeous covers.

If you'd like to read an early copy of the Delineator,

 you can download a free E-book to your computer or device.

The magazine's clip art and advertising graphics are stunning!

Free Google Books Delineator

The doll pattern includes a hat called a "Beefeater"

 modeled after a June 1890 Delineator.

The doll pattern fits 14" and 16" dolls

 and is now listed in my Etsy Shop.

Enjoy your weekend.

Amy

Finding a Pearl of Great Price

Here's Friday's Vintage Find.

I didn't think twice when I saw these

 vintage burlap rug hooking backings. 

Their previous owner just barely got them started. 

 Her pulled wool color choices are beautiful.

What do you think?

Both rug patterns had Pearl K.McGown named as the designer.

When I looked her up, I found quite a story.

I'm ALWAYS ready for a story.

(Can you imagine this rug finished?)

Pearl McGown, born in 1891,

 learned rug-hooking from her mother. 

As early as the 1920's she began designing rug patterns. 

When commercially made rugs

came on the market,

 Pearl feared the hand-made art would vanish. 

Her "hobby" eventually became her business.

(This rug backing is from the Old Sturbridge Village Period 1973)

Pearl would go on to publish a book on rug hooking during the 30's,

and teach rug-hooking to about 140 wounded veterans

of World War II during their long hospital stays.

She would even have women send her their very scarce burlap

so that she could apply her rug designs to them during war time.

(rug hooking wool)

In the early 50's, Pearl McGown and family began the

McGown Teachers Workshop

where rug-hooking fans

could learn the craft and become teachers themselves.

(This rug backing is from the McGown Teachers Workshop Period 1956)

By the 70's, Pearl McGown was in her late 80's. 

She and her family were still involved with the rug-hooking,

but needed to sell the business on to Old Sturbridge Village.

I love Pearl McGown's deep love and devotion for this craft. 

To think of all of her designs (over 1,000),

 and her business, and her books,

that she managed with her family

without internet, cellphones, copiers, etc.

My large rug backing is from the

Old Sturbridge Village days (1973).

The geometric rug backing is from the

McGown Teacher's Workshop Days (1956).

Pearl left an interesting legacy that still exists today with the

National Guild of Pearl K. McGown Rug Hookcrafters, Inc.

whose membership has grown to about 1,500.

If you'd like to learn more about Pearl's fascinating story

 or find a Pearl K. McGown instructor near you,

 visit the Guild's website by clicking here .

As soon as I can bear it, I will eventually be placing the rug backings in my Etsy shop along with the rug hooking wool.  (Alas, I cannot afford to take on another craft project despite my desires.  Although I'm sure if I had met Pearl, she could have convinced me.)

Best wishes for your weekend!

Amy