Buying vintage patterns online - Midvale Cottage is a favorite!

Midvale Cottage a favorite? It's not my own opinion! :D

Imagine my surprise and delight when I was contacted the other day by Vanessa of VanessaLovesVintage on Etsy, who wrote a blog post on buying vintage patterns online - the good and the bad. :) Thank you, Vanessa!

Happily, she listed my Etsy shop, Midvale Cottage, in her list of favourite sellers. I am so thrilled to receive such a public endorsement. Coming from a buyer of many vintage patterns, this is really an honor.

I do try very hard to ship patterns in as best a condition that is possible. I am methodical and meticulous in my processes, to the extent that any person can be. I do all the things she mentions - the careful counting, noting the condition of the pieces, repairing with archival mending tissue. I ship with care too - always in an archival plastic sleeve and stiff cardboard for protection. If a pattern is especially fragile, I will add bubble wrap. If the destination is especially soggy (there are some in Australia!), I can ship in a plastic envelope rather than paper.

And on those rare occasions when I do goof up (not too many in my 4 years on Etsy, thank heavens), I bend over backwards to correct my mistake so the customer does not suffer. :)

If you ever have any suggestions on how I can improve my customer service, please feel free to pass them on to me. And be sure to visit Vanessa's Etsy shop and her Twinkle Sparkle Shine blog for vintage sewing and crafts inspiration!

Sharing Vintage Fashion the Thrifty Way: Valentine Apron Give-Away

It's my first give-away! This give-away is all about thrift, and sharing vintage fashion the hand-made way. 

I often come across a hand-reproduced pattern, often labeled "mom's apron" or "June's skirt pattern" and such, sometimes on newsprint, sometimes on brown butcher paper. Because the 1930s depression years and the shortages of the 1940s war years meant making do with less, women shared favorite and admired patterns by hand-tracing them and giving them to family and friends.

In keeping with the spirit in which these patterns were made, this will be the first of many regular contests to share these patterns free with you, my wonderful customers, followers, and readers of my blog.

My first give-away contest is a Valentine apron. I estimate it to be from the 40s or 50s. The pieces of this hand-reproduced pattern consist of three pieces: heart-shaped bib, heart-shaped skirt, and heart-shaped pocket. Construction details are hand-written on the pieces. I photographed the pieces against a yardstick (36 inches US) to give you an idea of size.

The pocket is trimmed with bias binding.

Skirt is trimmed with ruffles, width is marked on the skirt.

Notches are drawn to indicate where bib is attached to skirt.

Pocket placement is clearly marked.

Tie string placement is also marked on skirt. No tie string pattern piece is included, the assumption being the seamstress can make to desired length and width.

All you need to do to enter the giveaway is to leave a comment!
It could be about why you find vintage fashion inspiring, why you love aprons, or what you'd like to see more of on this blog. There are no limitations in terms of where you live - this will be mailed from the US to anywhere. 

I will use the random number method and will announce the winner on February 1st! And here are some apron styles that are not identical, but similar, to inspire you. :)