I [Heart] vintage

Just listed a new vintage pattern in my etsy shop. I'm not feeling particularly articulate, right now. But I love this lot of patterns, they're all Marian Martin patterns, mostly from the 1960's. I do love these very simple, classy styles, and how well they've lasted over time. But,I was originally drawn to these patterns by the great art.

This image is the front of the instruction page

And all of them have these great black and white line drawings on brilliant backgrounds. Others are jadeite green, and red-orange, and fuchsia and they're all wonderfully visually appealing. I have a couple of them set aside to display in my craft room.


These patterns are mail-order patterns. The illustrations are on the instruction page not the outer envelope as you see today, because the envelope is a sturdy manila mailing envelope.

The envelope is great, there's such a sense of history. This pattern was ordered from the Saskatoon Star Phoenix by Mrs. M. C. Hanson, and mailed from Toronto in December of 1961. The envelop has an original (2cent!) post mark and a mailing label cut from blue-lined looseleaf notebook paper, hand addressed and pasted on.

Mrs. Hanson ordered most of the patterns in this box, and it's amazing how much I know about her, 40+ years later. Her clothing preferences, her address, what her handwriting looks like...


It's reasons like that, that keep me coming back to vintage. Even when I don't know what the story is, it's fun imagine.