Note, this contest has ended. Congratulations to Martha R. who won the book! Martha, check your email for a message from us. Thanks to everyone who entered!
Six years ago I published Vintage Notions: An Inspirational Guide to Needlework, Cooking, Sewing, Fashion and Fun. This was my attempt to rescue Mary Brooks Picken from obscurity and to reintroduce the clever sewing patterns, cooking basics, beautiful illustrations, and inspirational essays from the Women’s Institute’s newsletters with a fresh and modern voice.
Vintage Notions was a labor of love for me – I scoured flea markets, antique shows, and the Internet for the vintage materials from Mary and the Institute, and researched the history of the school, even traveling to Mary’s homes in New York. When all was said and done, I had amassed the largest collection of Woman’s Institute materials in the country. Then came the hard part – sorting through the wonderful materials to decide what should go in the book!
Vintage Notions is the union of all of the things that are important to me as an artist, entrepreneur, and homemaker. I married the very best vintage material from the Institute’s newsletters to my own extensive collection of vintage textiles, needlework, illustrations and memorabilia.
Each chapter of Vintage Notions represents a month of the year and features seasonal recipes, crafts, decorating and beauty tips plus some of my own thoughts about the material. There are twelve easy-to-make, chic sewing projects. Each season has its own storage pocket, a clever place to stash away clippings, fabric swatches, and any little notion that inspires you in your creative pursuits. Take a tour of the book via the video below.
This February marks the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Woman’s Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences. I am so excited to celebrate all year long! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see special pieces of my collection. If you want even more special access to Institute materials, join my Facebook Group, Amy Barickman’s Vintage Made Modern.
Would you like a copy of Vintage Notions of your own? Comment below telling me how you learned how to sew and you will be entered to win! My mother and grandmother were both incredible seamstresses and passed it down to me. Is that how you learned to sew? Or maybe it was a favorite Home EC teach? I can’t wait to hear! Note: This contest has ended
