And the Winner Is ....

First of all I want to thank everyone for their comments about my aprons and to everyone who entered my giveaway. These were a really fun spur of the moment project. All the materials came from my stash so they cost nothing to make. The aprons only took a few hours to make and I was able to enjoy some old Hollywood movies while I worked. What could be better? There were so many great giveaways, tutorials, and sharing of resources and sewing projects as part of Sew Grateful Week, I hope you all had a chance to check them out.

So, without further ado, the winner of my apron giveaway is ....

Jessica of Chronically Vintage! Congratulations Jessica!

Picnic with My Valentine Apron - Sew Grateful Project Day

Today is Project Day of Debi's Sew Grateful Week. Here's a look at my most recent project. Two rather cute, if I do say so, red and white check aprons! Complete with a large heart shaped pocket and little heart appliques. I think this fabric must have started life as a table cloth but I really like the textured "picnic" style fabric. I started these a week before Valentines Day, hence the silly name. :) What do you think? Valentines Day has come and gone but these could really be used any time of year.

Picnic with My Valentine Aprons

To make the aprons I first divided my fabric into two pieces, one for each apron. Next I cut from each piece two trips of fabric approximately 2 1/2" wide by the total width of the fabric. I used these to make the apron ties/waistband. The bottom of each apron was turned up a 1/4" and hemmed. I ran a length of gathering stitches across the top to fit onto the waist section of each tie. The ties were sewn right sides together - leaving open the section that would attach to the apron - flipped and pressed. With right sides together the waistband area and apron were stitched together, the inside of the band being slip-stitched into place.

Heart pocket on apron. This photo also shows the texture of the fabric.

More heart and button details

The hearts are made from scraps of white cotton muslin. The heart pockets started as 6" squares which I cut free hand into the heart shape. Two hearts were sewn right side together and then turned before being pressed and slip-stitched onto the aprons. The smaller hearts were made in the same manner. I don't remember what size squares I started with because I was trying to use up leftover bits of fabric, somewhere between 3" and 5" I think. 

Apron shown with my Red and White Swing Dress

Apron shown with a 50s vintage dress from my collection

I dug through the button stash to see what I could find for red and white buttons. I had way more then I thought. :) So many to choose from! Most are plastic but some of the white buttons are made from shell and a few are glass. I even found a little clover shaped button.

Here are the finished apron with the hearts and buttons! The finished measurements are about 26 inches in length and roughly 42" wide. I'm giving away one of these aprons as part of Sew Grateful Giveaway Day. Details on how to enter my giveaway are here. It ends on Saturday so don't miss out!

"Ensembles in the Major" - Shoe Magazines!

Hello everyone! Today as part of the Sew Grateful Resource Day I would like to share some of my 1930s Boot and Shoe Recorder. The Great National Shoe Weekly magazines. I have a stack of these that I picked up last summer at an antique store in New York. I only paid a few dollars a piece for them, no idea what their real value is but that doesn't matter. These are such a great resource for someone who loves vintage shoes as much as I do! :)

"Boot and Shoe Recorder. The Great National Shoe Weekly" February 11, 1939 Vol. CXIV No. 24

How beautiful is that cover? I've searched a little bit online for information about these magazines but haven't found much. It looks like the weekly magazine began publication in the 1880s. I did find a few digital copies online - here is one from October 1887 and here is one from 1922. The copies I have mostly contain articles about how shoes are made, where the materials come from, etc. and all the latest news on manufactures, new styles and such. I get the sense that these magazines were marketed towards shoe retailers, kind of like car magazines are today. Oh, and the art work and photographs are just grand! Some day I will get around to scanning all of them.

I'm sharing these two issues -  February 11, 1939 and March 18, 1939 - today because of the awesome color and style guides they contain. Ever wonder just what color shoes, stockings, and other accessories to wear with that vintage dress? Well, here you go! I love that these are divided into musical "keys."

"Boot and Shoe Recorder. The Great National Shoe Weekly" February 11, 1939 Vol. CXIV No. 24

"Boot and Shoe Recorder. The Great National Shoe Weekly" February 11, 1939 Vol. CXIV No. 24

Shoes sale? Yes please!

"Boot and Shoe Recorder. The Great National Shoe Weekly" March 18, 1939 Vol. CXV No. 3

"Boot and Shoe Recorder. The Great National Shoe Weekly" March 18, 1939 Vol. CXV No. 3

"Boot and Shoe Recorder. The Great National Shoe Weekly" March 18, 1939 Vol. CXV No. 3

And here are some bonus pages because they are too pretty not to share. :) Which pair of shoes do you want most?

"Boot and Shoe Recorder. The Great National Shoe Weekly" March 18, 1939 Vol. CXV No. 3

"Boot and Shoe Recorder. The Great National Shoe Weekly" March 18, 1939 Vol. CXV No. 3

Sew Grateful Reflections Day

I have been blogging for two years now but I still consider myself new to the blogging world and I'm enjoying it immensely. I follow a number of blogs and Facebook pages and every time I look I see something new and pretty. I look forward to coming home at the end of the day and working on a particular project. Or brainstorming for the next which sometimes is more fun! I'm very grateful for my new friends in the online sewing/vintage community. It truly is a wonderful way to connect with new people and share ideas, inspiration, sewing tips, and much more! I love seeing what other people are working on. I never realized just how popular vintage lifestyles were outside the U.S. In particular places like Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. There are a number of lovely ladies out there that find every opportunity to get dressed up! Lots of great inspirational pictures for those of us who want to wear more vintage.

I have had an interest in history and fashion for as long as I can remember. My sisters and I always had a dress up box when we were little. We would go to yard sales and church rummage sales and pick up all kinds of "old lady clothes". I guess I've never grown out of the playing dress up phase. My mom is an avid quilter and taught me how to sew. She made a lot of Halloween costumes and prom dresses for us.

My obsession with collecting, wearing, and sewing vintage clothing is more recent then my historical sewing endeavors. Even as a little kid I loved watching old Hollywood movies for the costumes. But now, seeing an outfit in a movie or vintage magazine and having the skills to recreate it - or something very similar - is a real thrill. With historical clothing you are often left with some questions about construction. I get a real kick out of using a vintage pattern and being able to say “yes, this is exactly how it was made!”

Simplicity 1469

Part of why I enjoy wearing vintage is because items are made better and fit better then most modern clothing. Normally I’m a little self conscious about my appearance but I feel good about myself in a pair of high waist pants or a well-made pencil skirt. I can walk around all day in a pair of 3 inch heels from the 1940s and be fine at the end of the day. Try that with most modern heels and my feet are killing me before the day is half over. Do I want to dress in vintage everyday? No, but I do want to work more of it into my lifestyle. Part of my reason for starting a blog was because I needed some change in my life. Reaching out to the online sewing/vintage community has helped me in a big way.

Engagement Photos!

"Picnic with My Valentine" Apron Giveaway!

Giveaway is now closed.

Next Monday the 24th kicks off Sew Grateful Week organized by Debi of My Happy Sewing Place. And guess what? The first day is Giveaway Day! So, I know I'm a week early but these aprons have been so well received on my Facebook page that I decided to start my giveaway today. Now you will have two full weeks to enter instead of one. Sound good? I thought so. ;)

One lucky reader will receive one of my "Picnic with My Valentine" Aprons! I made two of these aprons last week using fabric and vintage buttons from my stash. You will hear more about these aprons later but I know what you care about now are the giveaway details! So here we go!

The aprons are about 26 inches in length and roughly 42" wide and made from red and white check cotton. The cotton has a slight texture to it. Each apron has one large heart shaped pocket and two smaller hearts near the hem. They are basically the same with the exception of the buttons (Apron # 2 has slightly larger buttons on the pocket) I will pick which apron to send the winner but if you have a preference just let me know. :)

"Picnic with My Valentine" Apron # 1

"Picnic with My Valentine" Apron # 1

The red and white striped dress pictured below is one that I have made using one my vintage patterns. It is listed for sale in my Etsy shop if anyone is interested! The polka-dot dress is a vintage piece from my collection and is not for sale at this time.

"Picnic with My Valentine" Apron # 2. It looks a little pink here but I promise you it's red!

To enter giveaway:
In order to win one of these aprons leave a comment here on my blog. Tell me one of the following - what you enjoy most about my blog, what your favorite sewing materials are, or how you plan to use the apron. Giveaway is open to everyone and ends March 1st. The winner will be announced on Monday the 3rd.

"Picnic with My Valentine" Apron # 1

"Picnic with My Valentine" Apron # 2

To receive extra entries:
-Share this post on Facebook, Pinterest, etc. and leave a comment here each time with a link to your post letting me know you have done so.
-Become a fan of Emily's Vintage Visions on Facebook (Don't forget to leave a comment here as well!)

And the winner is ....

Thank you to everyone who participated in Sew Grateful Week. I really enjoyed reading everyone posts and even discovered some great new blogs! Hooray! Also thank you for all the great giveaways. I entered a bunch, keeping my fingers crossed. :)

Thank you to all who entered my giveaway. I really enjoyed reading your comments. There were a few last minute entries but I made sure they were included. I counted up the comments and put all the names in a hat. And the winner of my Sew Grateful Giveaway is ...

Sandi! Congratulations! Send me an email with your mailing address and I will ship the fabric and pattern ASAP! Sandi picked the See & Sew skirt wrap around skirt pattern. I love her idea for the pink fabric. 

" ... Like Maryall I would follow your suggestion and use the fabric with the See and Sew pattern. I think I have some white flannel-backed satin that would do well as a winter slip underneath, maybe with a lace edging left over from my mother's kitchen curtains and a few tiny pink or red ribbon bows to peek out at the bottom in keeping with the Valentine's Day idea."  

Whatever you choose to make I hope you will share a picture or two!

That's all for today!

Sew Grateful Finished Project

Hello all.  I've been a bit behind on posting for Sew Grateful week. I forgot all about it until Monday when I was catching up on my blog reading. I managed to pull together a giveaway, share a free pattern, and write a sew grateful post all this week! Phew! That's a lot of blogging for me.

My current sewing project, Rosie the Riveter overalls, is far from finished. And sadly I don't have any pictures to share. Hopefully I'll have it finish for the Sew For Victory! A 40s Sewalong. I had to do some thinking about what finished project I wanted to share today and decided to go with a dress I finished last summer.

Anyone remember this project?

This pretty little shirtwaist dress was made using a pattern I purchased from Barbara of FloradoraPresents. The pattern was DuBarry 2413B, a tailored shirtwaist dress from the early 1940s. I really adore this pattern. It has two sleeve options, long or short, and the option of a pleated style or flared skirt cut on the bias. It also has cute little triangular shaped pockets on bodice! I think heart shaped pockets would be cute too. :)

FloradoraPresents on Etsy

I wore the dress for the scenic train ride Cori and I took last summer. You can read more about it in my post here.

The dress is made from a blue linen blend that came from the stash. I didn't use the vintage buttons shown in the first picture. I ended up buying some modern plastic buttons so I won't have to take the vintage ones off their original paper card.

It was a great day for photos! Nice and sunny if I remember right and not too hot either!

This one is a bit blurry but I still like it. Here I am "reading the paper" at the train station. Next time Cori and I do something like this I'm going to bring some vintage magazines.

All aboard!!

This is one of my favorite photos from day that.

Sew Grateful Sewing Resources - Free Pattern

Greetings everyone! As part of the Sew Grateful Week, hosted by Debi at My Happy Sewing Place, I would like to provide you with a free sewing pattern that I found online.

Today's pattern is for drafting your own pair of 1920s knickers. Proper clothing for any historical time period beings with the proper undergarments. I found this pattern here through Shay of Little Grey Bungalow. If you make a pair of knickers using this pattern please let me know! I would love to see what you create. Be sure to look through her whole Flick album for some great treasures!

Pattern Source

Check back at My Happy Sewing Place for additional free patterns, tutorials, and more! Debi will be posting highlights and wrap-up posts from the Sew Grateful Week.

I have also updated my How Tos and More page. Be sure to take a look!

My Sew Grateful Post

As one of my first posts last year I took part in Debi's Sew Grateful Week. How quickly last year went by! So much has happened. I'm gaining new followers and I've been slowly working to expand my blog. I created a Facebook page back in October and finally broke down and created a page on Pinterest as well. My goal is to eventually open a shop on Etsy were I can offer some of my creations as well vintage and antique items. I don't want to start selling until I can figure out a few things. Mainly, how to deal with shipping costs and taxes. You see, if I open a shop it would be more of a hobby rather than a full time business. I can't quit my day job just yet! ;) Do any of you have Etsy shops or other online stores? If you can offer any advice I would be greatly appreciate it.

I still consider myself to be be very new to the blogging world but I'm enjoying it immensely. I follow a number of blogs and Facebook pages and everyday see something new and pretty. I look forward to coming home at the end of the day and working on a particular project. Or brainstorming for the next! I'm very grateful for my new friends in the online sewing/vintage community. It truly is a wonderful way to connect with new people and share ideas, inspiration, sewing tips, and much more! I love seeing what other people are working on. I never realized just how popular vintage lifestyles were outside the U.S. In particular places like Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. There are a number of lovely ladies out there that find every opportunity to get dressed up! Lots of great inspirational pictures for those of us who want to wear more vintage.

This year begins a new page in my life in a couple ways. This spring I will be turning 30, which feels like a milestone for me. I've come to terms with the fact that I will no longer be in my 20s. (Thinking about it still brings on a slight panic attack.) As many of you know I got engaged in January and with that will come many more changes. And I'm looking forward to them. :) I've been thinking more as of late just what kind of lifestyle I want to have. Do I wish I could time travel to a particular decade? Well, yes of course. But not to live there, I just want to visit and maybe do some shopping. ;) Do I want to dress in vintage everyday? No, but I do want to work more of it into my lifestyle. Part of my reason for starting a blog was because I needed some change in my life. Reaching out to the online sewing/vintage community has helped me in a big way.

Celebrating my birthday last year with two of my favorite girls, Monica and Jill.

I'm grateful to my friends and family for supporting my many interests, even if they are mostly history and sewing related. I'm grateful that my friends from college and I have remained so close. We try and get together at least once every year. I'm grateful for fun little things like birthday cards, cups of tea, a warm wood stove and bright color socks.

College roommates at Lauren's wedding last spring.

At our annual college roommate reunion last fall. Monica organized a game night. Go blue team!

At our annual college roommate reunion. Our dorm was called Union. Photo by Dan Gardner.

And last but not least, I'm grateful I have Cori to share this all with. He not only tolerates my sewing and vintage collecting habits, he encourages them too! Cori has a growing collection of vintage clothing as well, mainly military uniforms. When we finally buy a house together we're going to need a lot of closet space!