Kitchy Kitchen Prints

I'm a sucker, or rather a collector, of novelty fabrics.  It started with typewriter prints, then eyeglasses, then sewing prints, and my latest favorite is kitchen prints--perfect for making aprons, something else I love.  Thought I'd share a few of my favorites with you.  Apparently, Michael Miller Fabrics shares my obsession with nostalgic kitchen images, because all three of the prints you're about to see are from MM Fabrics.  And they're all fabulous! 

First up is this happy print, Fifties Kitchen, seen here sewn up in (what else?) my favorite flapper apron: 

It was that happy little stove that drew me in; it reminds me of the stove in my Grandma Sayers' kitchen, the stove upon which she cooked all sorts of delicious meals.  She was a wonderful cook and also a wonderful seamstress!  I still have the Barbie clothes she made me when I was little.  Of course I still have them--who gets rid of their Barbie stuff?!  Anyway, this print is so cheerful and happy and that's how I feel when I look at it.  Which is the whole point, right? 

Coming in a close second, is Kitchenette--with a different, but equally wonderful vintage vibe: 

Did I have a conversation with myself about "how many kitchen fabrics does one really need"?  Well, yes, but it was a short conversation.  As you can see, these prints are so different that they really can't be compared.  So obviously I needed both of them.  (This apron is available in my etsy shop in case you are interested.) 

Last, but not least, is "Home Ec."  Which is how I still refer to what is now called "Family and Consumer Science" at our local high school.  It was, it is and it always will be home ec to me.  Check this out: 

I haven't quite decided what to make from this yet.  I'm considering kitchen curtains or a table runner.  In the meantime, I enjoy looking at it.  It's good to let ideas stew for a while.  

Thanks for looking, hope you've enjoyed.  For your own shopping information, I have purchased my yardage of these prints from various etsy sellers that I can't quite remember--but a quick etsy search should get you what you want if you need some of these prints for your own collection.  

Vintage Pattern Love

Clearly, I love vintage patterns.  This isn't a new thing; I've been collecting them for a few years now.  It all started with this:

The image on these three collages came from a pattern I picked up at Market Day way back in 2009....long before I knew how to sew.  There was just something about this image.  The look on her face, that full skirt, the tiny waist...I'm not quite sure exactly what it was, but I  had to have it, and so I bought it.  Just because. (And it was only a dollar.) I had it about a year before I did anything with it, and it then led to a whole bunch of collages that I just had so much fun making.  I sold all the others, but the first one I did was always my favorite.  Here's a closer look:

If you've followed along with me here, you may recall that I even had this image printed on fabric a couple of years ago.  One of those mini-quilts was featured in Art Quilting Studio magazine last year, which was exciting for me.  This collage is available as an art print or a blank greeting card in my etsy shop, too, in case you might like one.  I've also used old pattern envelopes as journal covers too.  There's just something about those illustrations of the vintage fashions.  I find them irresistible!  I'll be making another batch of pattern journals for opening day at the Downtown Des Moines Farmers' Market on May 7, because they make perfect Mother's Day gifts.

Yesterday I took a little time to tidy up my sewing room and hang these three collages up together.  The colors in these pieces seemed to go well with the apron I was working on.  I love the combination of aquas and reds together.  Here's the apron:

The fabrics used are from JoAnn's; the pattern is a vintage McCall's from 1966.  It's a "sample" pattern; I've never come across one of those before.  I bought it simply for the envelope illustration, which is retro and yet looks very contemporary to me:

Eventually I want to frame some patterns and hang on the wall and this will likely be one of them.

What's just as much fun as vintage patterns?  Vintage pattern print FABRIC, of course!

This fabric is by Michael Miller.  Love it.  I'm tempted just to re-cover a message board with it rather than sew it, so I can enjoy looking at it all the time.