March 4, 2012

Of addictions, old and new

Hello, my name is Lauriana and I'm a sewing addict...
Yeah, you all know that. What else is new?

In relation to that, I'm also addicted to buying fabric. Especially if it's of good quality and cheap.
So, I couldn't resist when the sale on wool fabrics was still on the next time I went to the market.

From left to right: the grey is ponti di roma jersey and it was neither cheap nor bought at the market. I bought it at a proper store for the fourth pair of trousers for my mum. Because of her current hip size, I knew I couldn't cut out the trousers legs next to each other, so what you see in the picture is what I have left over. Next to it is a piece (1.2 meters) of fairly thin dark green wool with a crepe-like texture which could make a very stylish dress. Then there's 2 meters of thicker wool in a great blue/purple colour. I'm thinking little 60's style skirt suit. The next one is 1 meter of white and green houndstooth check wool. At first I thought it would be a skirt but the fabric is quite thick so I'm starting to think more towards unusually shaped little jacket. Next to that there's a lightweight wool/modal blend in a herringbone weave, about 1.5 meters of it. I'm thinking staight legged trousers. The wonderfull sunshine yellow is also a wool fabric, a very thin one. I love this colour, but I can't wear it near my face. I bought 3 meters so I can go crazy and make some kind of skirt with draped details. Or maybe two. All these wool fabrics were bought at the same place I went before, and all for 2 euros a meter. The fabric on the right was on one of those crazy sales, and cost only 1 euro a meter. It's a nice knit (I think cotton/viscose) and again, I love the colour. When I've finished this post, I'll go and make my first top from
the 3 meters I bought.

All of this, though maybe a bit excessive, isn't really anything new.
This, however, is:

Of course, I bought those Marions before but now,collecting vintage patterns and their magazines seems to be developing into an obsession in its own right. I've collected pattern magazines with patterns, without patterns and even some pattern sheets without magazines. I've mostly bought this stuff in groups and each is worth its own show-and-tell post. The oldest one I've got is the Dutch magazine 'Aglaja' on the left which is form 1918. I found two issues, one of which still has it pattern supplement. Then, the mixed batch of French, Dutch and German magazines and pattern sheets next to it (bought by me as one lot) dates from the 1930's and 40's and then there are my Marions from the 50's, 60's and 70's and those little coloured books which are part of a 'simple drafting' series from the mid-1960's.

Surprisingly, considering the amount of attention for vintage patterns on the internet, these things don't appear to be in high demand here in the Netherlands. Or maybe that's just these magazines with a few patterns on densely printed sheets...

Anyway, I'll pick some out to show to you in detail later.
Have a great weekend!

6 comments:

  1. Well, I am also a fabricholic and I don't want or need a cure for mu illness. I am perfectly happy with my fabric addiction. Next, I love the colors of the wool fabrics. Wool is a beautiful fabric, unfortunately, I have a severe allergy to wool. Also, I love vintage sewing magazines. Here in the US they are in great demand.

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  2. Hey, where's that market with wool on sale? They've all switched to spring fabrics over here, but I still need some wool!

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  3. Where do you find your old pattern magazines? I'm going to the NL this summer to visit my in-laws.

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  4. I am comforted not to be alone in my addictions... although I think you definitely score better vintage patterns/magazines than I :)

    Those fabrics look scrumptious...

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  5. What great finds! Looking forward to seeing what you do with all that fabric.

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  6. You'd be crazy not to buy those wool fabrics at that price! I started a green wool dress today so couldn't help noticing you had one in the pipeline too - it will be interesting to see what you come up with!

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