Look at Antique Needlework Mags

Posted on June 4, 2011 | 4 Comments

Do you know of  a 12-step program that can help me?  My name is Janice and I am a Woman of Excess—I eat too much, drive too fast, buy too much fabric and collect with the zeal and regularity of a garbage man.

 My recently recurring nightmare about being invited to appear on the tv show “Hoarders” has motivated me to begin thinning out my extensive collections, starting with these antique needlework magazines.

The first batch is detailed in the following post.   More will be listed as I find the time to itemize them and the willpower to part with them.  They are antique by virtue of my personal definition–older than me.
Each magazine provides immeasurable information, inspiration and entertainment.  The articles and projects  are often classic, thus timely, and sometimes not.

For example, I doubt this would be a popular bazaar item.  As seen in a 1936 article entitled Lazy Days and Busy Days this cleaning set is highly recommended. How would you like this for Mother’s Day?   If looking at this picture is supposed to make me want to roll up my sleeves and get down and dirty with a rag and a bucket of soapy water, it missed its mark.

 

The magazine covers are so charming.  I had big plans tophoto transfer some of these to fabric and embellish them with embroidery and/or quilting.   Wisteria Lesson, as seen in the post by that name,   http://www.janicefergusonsews.com/blog/?p=2655 is the only one I actually did.   But still I hope that some day….
This is one of my favorites.
I love reading the ads for nutrition boosters, newfangled “fireless cookstoves”  and cleaning products.  Here’s an interesting one:

 
I have it on good authority that none of  the University of Florida Gator Boys  use this product–not in fraternity houses, not in dorms, not in off-campus housing.
The historical perspective that can be gleaned from the articles with regard to  the progression of needlework is enlightening to serious students of needlework. Many lovely handwork projects can be recreated so easily by machine.  Designs can be digitized for machine embroidery or simply photo copied for reproduction by hand.
Peeks into the lives of the women of  each era are priceless.  In a  1922 issue  it was said that:
“Everybody plays bridge nowadays–nearly everybody, that is; and every little coterie of friends and acquaintances boasts at least one bridge-club. if  not two or  three, the members of which play hostess in turn.  When the game is over comes the time for light refreshments, when the card-table cover is whipped off, and the luncheon-set substitute: and well pleased is the woman who is able to display something new and particularly interesting along this line.”
Personally, I’m too busy sewing for my grandchildren for bridge.  I do  know a few ladies who play bridge, but no one in my acquaintance belongs to two or three clubs.
These magazines have value for reasons other than those mentioned above.
  • Place one on your coffee table and it can be the source of conversation for an evening–it can be the ultimate  coffee table book.
  • Place an issue for the current month, many years ago, and it can carry conversation for the evening.
  • Leave one in your guest room.
  • Gift your grandmother, mother or aunt with an issue near her birth date or wedding date.
  • Show a copy to your children or grandchildren.  They will be shocked!

If you find these publications as fascinating as I do and would like to purchase one or more  at $10 each, send me an e-mail at NCcabin@aol.com with your order.  See the following  post for  photos of thecurrently  available magazines and brief descriptions of some of the articles.

These are real treasures.

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4 responses to “Look at Antique Needlework Mags”

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