60s Chinese silk brocade

Chinese silk brocade
made in Hong Kong, 1960s

This is a selection of Chinese silk brocade – brocade is a fabric woven with a raised pattern, typically with gold or silver thread. There are four pieces, and they all feature traditional Chinese motifs – albeit traditional as seen through the lens of the 1960s;

– red : 750mm wide x 2.75m long; with a flower motif
– gold: 780mm wide x 2.75m long; with a flower motif
– cyan: 750mm wide x 3.25m long; with a bamboo motif
– dark blue: 750mm wide x 2.75m long; with a crane and landscape motif.

I bought the fabric from a vintage fabric seller with the intention of making brocade kimonos/smoking jackets but must now concede I don’t have the time or inclination any more. The pieces are all in excellent condition [often vintage fabric can be faded at the fold lines or in creases] and are all long enough to make a full length kimono/dressing gown. Or a cheongsam – the traditional Chinese dress form that uses silk brocade.

The four pieces of fabric are for sale: $AU125

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Fuzzy Felt!

Fuzzy Felt Ballet & Play Farm
made in England 1964

One of my earliest memories is seeing Fuzzy Felt Bible Stories at Scripture class. I would have been 3 or 4. Even then I wanted to mix all the stories up and see what would happen if Jesus and Lazarus meet on Noah’s Ark. And what if the disciples and all the animals suddenly found themselves in King Solomon’s temple? Alas, it never happened as any attempts I made were neatly thwarted by the teacher.

And so- how I coveted Fuzzy Felt Bible Stories! I repeatedly asked Santa to bring it to me for Christmas [but apparently it was too expensive for Santa- the cheapskate!] Then for my 8^th birthday- I was given Fuzzy Felt Ballet, and my younger sister got Fuzzy Felt Play Farm. I was very disappointed…it was too girly for me, although the black fuzzy felt board was kind of sophisticated. The Play Farm at least had heavy machinery, albeit picked out in two-dimensional felt.

So imagine my delight when I came across these two Fuzzy Felt sets! Oh the nostalgia! The memories of putting ballerinas on tractors and putting tutus on pigs! It all came flooding back. As did the blurb on the box:

“Gaily coloured felt shapes to make pictures! They cling like magic on the fuzzy board!”

Totally magical. The two sets are complete, with only a little minor wear to the black fuzzy felt board. For sale: $AU60

Have a fuzzy felt christmas!

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Christmas decorations #hipsterstyle [sold]

Hipster Christmas decorations
made in Sydney, Australia 2013

How cool are these Christmas baubles? Hand-knitted – in pure Australian wool-  these decorations will lend your Christmas tree some real hipster cred.

Made by a lovely Nanna using a 1970 knitting pattern, this set of 20 baubles is both environmentally sustainable and – quite hilarious. Environmentally sustainable because she used her left over wool pieces, and hilarious because she used her left over wool pieces [~not so much the red and green or tinselly colours.]

You’ve seen the urban art of knitted wraps around trees and poles – now see the knitted Christmas decorations! Christmas just got 1970 crafty!

The set of 20 [all different] Christmas baubles is for sale: $AUD40.

Golliwogs #70sstyle

Basic Soft Toys
by Sister Mary Bertrand, published by Reed, 1974, Wellington NZ

So – Sister Bertrand – shows you how to make golliwogs in 1974. I love this book! The goofiness, the un-PC quality, the terrible shot of St. Bertrand on the cover.

And I confess, I got her name mixed up with the flying nun – who was Sister Betrille.

Nineteen soft toy patterns : “every pattern is actual size”! Wow and hurray! if only I had the time/emotional energy to make every pattern in this book. I would. If only to realise the 1974 kitschiness / Sister Betrand factor.

I am asking you, dear reader, and dear soft toy maker, to do this on my behalf. Go on – I know you want to.

Plus – soft toy makers in NZ – I have thrown down the gauntlet. The soft toy gauntlet.

This wonderful tome is for sale: $AU15

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Donald Clark placemats

‘Fish’ placemats by Donald Clark,
made in Australia 1960s

The Australian artist – cum graphic designer- Donald Clark is having a resurgence right now. The pattern on these linen placemats is [unsurprisingly] ‘Fish’ and the limes and greys and very funky 60s-ness reminded me of this 60s ashtray. There are four placemats in the set, all with Donald’s signature.

Yes- that’s an ironic 60s ashtray that features cigarettes on a painters easel. Surrounded by abstract art forms, in a funky 60s shape, that’s an astray that I can enjoy. [Plus it’s never been used and would make a great pin dish.]

As an ode to the funky 60s, this set is for sale: $60

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Vintage Australian linens

Upcycled cushions
made from vintage Australian linen

My partner recently found a batch of vintage Australian tea towels, all linen and all unused. I love the graphic qualities of the images- and the strong colours – and decided to make square cushion covers from them.

The backs of the cushions are either upcycled linen or new linen, in plain colours to suit the images. I salvaged the upcycled linen from 50s and 60s tablecloths- and finished the openings with vintage bindings. It was nice to be able to use some of my vintage sewing stash…so it can be considered less a collection and more a necessity!

The cushions are sized to take a 400 x 400mm insert [15.7 x 15.7 inches.] They are fully washable and would make a great gift- especially if the calendar date 1976 or 1985 has a particular association for someone. I have thirty cushions made- and they can be grouped in 2s or 4s- email me if you’d like to peruse the ‘collection’.

The cushion covers are for sale: $AUD35/pair

Yarn Winder

Yarn Winder
made in Australia, 1960s

This yarn winder- new in box- was manufactured by Silver, and made in the 60s. It comes with a table-fixing clamp, and yarn guide and the original operating instructions. The winder has a pink metal base [powder pink] and the internal winding mechanism and winder are all metal. For all your yarn winding needs!

Okay, so few of us wind yarn now-a-days; but there are lots of sewing/knitting paraphernalia collectors who would love this winder. It’s never been used and it’s rare to find one in its original box. The box has some wear [see image] but the winder itself is as new.

The winder is for sale: $AU45

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Fuzzy Felt!

Fuzzy Felt Ballet & Play Farm
made in England 1964

One of my earliest memories is seeing Fuzzy Felt Bible Stories at Scripture class. I would have been 3 or 4. Even then I wanted to mix all the stories up and see what would happen if Jesus and Lazarus meet on Noah’s Ark. And what if the disciples and all the animals suddenly found themselves in King Solomon’s temple? Alas, it never happened as any attempts I made were neatly thwarted by the teacher.

And so- how I coveted Fuzzy Felt Bible Stories! I repeatedly asked Santa to bring it to me for Christmas [but apparently it was too expensive for Santa- the cheapskate!] Then for my 8^th birthday- I was given Fuzzy Felt Ballet, and my younger sister got Fuzzy Felt Play Farm. I was very disappointed…it was too girly for me, although the black fuzzy felt board was kind of sophisticated. The Play Farm at least had heavy machinery, albeit picked out in two-dimensional felt.

So imagine my delight when I came across these two Fuzzy Felt sets! Oh the nostalgia! The memories of putting ballerinas on tractors and putting tutus on pigs! It all came flooding back. As did the blurb on the box:

“Gaily coloured felt shapes to make pictures! They cling like magic on the fuzzy board!”

Totally magical. The two sets are complete, with only a little minor wear to the black fuzzy felt board. For sale: $AU60

Donald Clark #upcycled cushions [sold]

Donald Clark upcycled cushion covers
made in Australia 1960s

I recently celebrated two Donald Clark wall hangings – ‘Lotus’ and ‘Paddington Terraces’. I had only just posted the images when both hangings were snapped up.

These are a pair of cushion covers I upcycled from another Donald Clark hanging. Clark’s signature is on the bottom right of the right hand cushion. You can see the left cushion once sat above the top of the right cushion- forming a 60s flower posy.

Donald Clark was really two brothers, Robert and Bruce Clark who started producing screen-printed linen items in 1952 in Sydney. The company is still in production, now managed by Liz Clark [Robert’s daughter] and mostly involved with re-issuing original designs.

Clark’s work- usually on linen, and always featuring bold, abstract images in great 50s and 60s colours- is now very collectable. A lot of the works were on linen teatowels, which makes me think that people were influenced by great art in the household context – and now grew nostalgic for the art they remember when drying up!

I love the graphic quality of the images – really very bold for Australia in the 50s and 60s. I used vintage linen for the backs of the covers – in a green that complements the brilliant colours of the design.

These upcycled cushion covers: $AU50/pair

Vintage linen [sold]

1975 calendar tea towel
made in France, 1975

This is an unused- as new- tea towel from 1975. That’s right- it’s fourty-one years old! Older than most of my readers. And it’s French, made in Paris.

Two sage horses look over at a mare and her foal. How very 1975! I note that on Instagram, people post tea towels on ‘Tea Towel Tuesday’ – that’s a thing apparently. I don’t think this tea towel would look out of place.

Ideas for vintage linens – like this tea towel: frame and hang between two dowels. Make a cushion cover [see my own attempts, blogs below] or – give as a gift to a friend who is French, loves horses and happens to be born in 1975. Or give as a gift to someone who is not French and born at some other time- who appreciates irony.

The tea towel is for sale: $AUD25