Vintage dressmaking

 Saw this image of a dressmaking pattern for a vintage maternity jacket on etsy (very Doris Day, thank you to The Playful Needle)

and it set me thinking  ... all those wonderful 1940s - 1970s patterns that I've got tucked away should be enjoyed.

Let's see the iconic Joan Crawford in the original 'Mildred Pierce'.

 

 A few years on -  the '60s ...

Anne Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman in the classic film "The Graduate".

Faye Dunaway and Steve McQueen in "The Thomas Crown Affair" sooooo stylish ...

Wonderfully evocative and psychedelic theme also sung by Noel Harrison  'The Windmills of Your Mind'

More style and very sinister ...

            Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland in 'Don't Look Now'. 

(Just as well I haven't got a dressmaking pattern for a red duffle coat!) 

 

Patchwork

 This is "Patches", Clarence Carter, but I can't help thinking of Carole King's classic album "Tapestry"...

                                        
                                                 
                                                

This is a patchwork quilt my sister and I worked on since the early 1980s! It has all sorts of printed cottons, including some original Laura Ashley offcuts - when they sold them specifically for patchwork ( a bag of scraps would set you back 70p, in 1978). The Laura Ashley designers used to go to the Textile Galleries at the Victoria and Albert Museum, in South Kensington, London, for inspiration. I included some more modern checks and other found pieces.
It's fab to look back on as each piece has a memory. (Feelin' like Olivia Walton now.)

This quilt was all machined and included some polyester fabrics.
Recognise "Holly Hobbie"?

G'night y'all!

Little Things Mean a Lot

I've always loved these gorgeous things - the charming naive illustration style of Polish graphics is an absolute joy. My grandmother (Babcia) used to send us these fab cards. These are from the 60s.

- my bedroom door nameplate has survived all these years, a gift from my Auntie Daisy (she had to have it specially done - oh yes!).

Krakow

I took these photos on a recent trip to Krakow, Poland. This is the very famous St Mary's Church in the old market place (Stare Miasto), in the centre of the city. The story goes that two brothers competed to build the taller tower ...

A trumpeter sounds every hour to warn of a Tartar invasion.

Also found these -

The Jubilat building is not ugly - it's post-war-fab!

ooh yes, and this - a shop window stuffed full of vacuum cleaner bags!

Old Cinemas in York

"On the avenue, I'm taking you to ... 42nd Street", with Ruby Keeler, 1933
The facade of the former Odeon in York is listed, understandably ...

... it's a fine example of classic Art Deco architecture. See here .
Also, here is the former St. George's Cinema,1921,  in the classic style. It's next to Fairfax House.

The Electric Cinema, now a furniture shop, is in Fossgate.

Thank you for the images: CYC Imagine York

Filey

Suggested listening first - it's The Kooks, "The Seaside"

Lovely day spent in Filey, East Yorkshire.

Dedicated Follower of Fashion

Bought this little book for a fiver from Janette Ray's Arts bookshop on Bootham, York.

Some gorgeous books - was very tempted by a book on Erno Goldfinger at £110!

The Kinks, 1965