13 May 2009

vintage transfer patterns


The Flea Market Acquisitions, Part I

On the first and second days of the Giant flea market at the WV fairgrounds, I did a little hunting for myself.

Transfer Prints

My first purchase was from Jan, one of my favorite regular flea market vendors.


She pulled out a cardboard box filled with embroidery transfer prints. It has a great mix of the standard floral and kitchy novelty kitchen designs -- those animated pots and pans, animals doing chores, and the like.

Not all the transfer prints are embroidery-related. There's one for cut-work designs.

Two transfer patterns are from J.P. Coats: a little doll pattern transfer with instructions for her wardrobe--my favorite pattern in the bunch-- and an applique of a dog and cat.

Some of the best things in the box are the pattern envelopes. Note the very simple address format -- just name, city and state -- and illustrations printed on the envelopes. I wonder when did away with the Needlecraft and Pattern departments at the Charleston Gazette.

I love finding a full collection of something like this, where you can see bits and pieces of the original owner's history and personality peeking through.

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