Last week I was rummaging my mother's attic and found some small and larger scraps of fabric to play with and use for quilts. In one big box were clothes my mother had sewn for us, and I brought home all my old dresses. These are from the time in 1960's when I was expected to grow some more, so there was a wide fold at the hemline. Or maybe it was in the hope that the fashionable length would be more merciful for my poor knees! The shoulders of all my home made dresses are so narrow that nobody else could wear them. (And I did grow, so I can't wear them either.) I'm probably the most pear-shaped person in the country. Anyway, the fabric is itchy wool. The colour made me feel pale and I thought it made all my spots look so much brighter. Not a very favourite dress (or age). I still wouldn't dream of confessing this to my mother.
This other dress is the next Christmas dress, more in my muddy colours, as itchy as the first one. The lace collar and cuffs are antique, from my grandmother or Great Auntie Saima from the early years of the 20th century.
Close-up of the collar. I'm going to take it off and wash it before it goes to a box of other lacy treasures.
On the back my mother has made some little pleats to make the collar fit my dress. Maybe someday I will make another dress for this collar. Or maybe my daughter will. These things are for keeping, but they can be used and worn as well.
And look what I found for my JAJ casseroles: JAJ lids in the right size! Melanie told me they should have lids too, and I decided to keep my eyes open for them. I hadn't even measured the casseroles, but when I bumped into orphan lids at a charity flea market, I risked my 1.80 € and took them home. Voilá!
And look what I found for my JAJ casseroles: JAJ lids in the right size! Melanie told me they should have lids too, and I decided to keep my eyes open for them. I hadn't even measured the casseroles, but when I bumped into orphan lids at a charity flea market, I risked my 1.80 € and took them home. Voilá!
aaahh those dresses are priceless!..i'm amazed your mother kept them all these years!..btw i love the antique lace collar :) thanks for visiting my blog & have a happy VTT :)
ReplyDeleteUlla,
ReplyDeleteYes, the lace collar and cuffs are worth saving and possibly using on another piece of clothing. The collar is precious & my fave.
Thanks for sharing!
Living it up at Lakewood,
Cindy
How fun to have found your dresses. And what luck to find those lids. I love the lace collar, that is so pretty.
ReplyDeleteHave a great VTT and a wonderful weekend.
I'm such a sucker for old kitchen things, but I LOVE the dresses!!
ReplyDeleteWhat memories those dresses must have brought back!! The collar and cuffs on the 2nd dress are beautiful...definitely will find a home on another item I'm sure. I remember that scratchy wool...not a favorite!
ReplyDeleteYour dresses of the 60s and mine are completely different. I remember big plaids. I'm not fond of my dresses from that era either. All store bought. Lovely lace. Great find with the lids.
ReplyDeleteThe lace on the dress is amazing - glad you put a close up for appreciation of your audience! Happy VTT!
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful lace on the dress. Very worth keeping.
ReplyDeleteJocelyn
http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com/
Those are beautiful dresses. They look like they would make stylish tunics now if they were the right size.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing your old dresses, especially that turquoise one! Such a pretty color. I wish I had some of my old dresses, but my mother would give my grandma all of our outgrown clothes, and then she would cut them up and make quilts. I have two of her quilts, and I can recognize some of the fabric in them as being from my clothes!
ReplyDeleteYou're so lucky to find lids for your casseroles! I have two Pyrex dishes that need lids. I'm still looking!
Happy VTT!
Your vintage finds are lovely....wish I had an attic to explore and find lovely thing in!!Take care!
ReplyDeletePaulette
Wonderful dresses, love the lace!
ReplyDeleteWow - that brought back memories. My mother used to crochet outfits for me and my sister. Always made out of "Phentex" and boy was that stuff itchy!
ReplyDeleteYou may not can wear these now, but what great memories they bring back. It is great they are still in such good condition. Very nice vintage treasures.
ReplyDeleteGreat dresses, Ulla, but I can see on the closeup how itchy they would have been! The lace is so beautiful - isn't it amazing that it can be so "timeless"! How great that you found lids for your casseroles as well!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
I adore the lace and I would love to have it neatly folded and placed in my drawer.
ReplyDeleteThose dresses are fabulous! Such a neat find!
ReplyDeleteAmazing lace on the dresses! WOW! And I love kitchen stuff :) I used to have something in that pattern but I donated it recently because you can have just so much...or so my family tells me!
ReplyDeleteFun to find these sort of things from our childhood. Glad to know we don't have to let our mothers dress us anymore. Thanks for a fun post and visiting my blog.
ReplyDeleteSå vacker spetskrage!
ReplyDeleteHow well I remember adding the lace collars and cuffs to otherwise plain dresses. I STILL like how they dress them up!
ReplyDeleteOh, the itchy wool.........I remember it well. Nice that you have the dress with the lace collar and it's in such nice condition. Fun stories to tell your daughter.
ReplyDeleteLovely lace collar. We had horrid wool dresses for Church because the building was so cold, and tweed pinafore dresses with home knitted sweaters for school. Also itchy! Your casserole dishes made me laugh as my daughter recently broke one of mine which matched and was the next size up from yours, but I still have the lid!
ReplyDeleteOh I love that green number! Awesome.
ReplyDeleteLove the old lace collar, what a classic....
ReplyDeleteYeah go Ulla! I knew you would find some lids sooner or later. Wonderful! I'm so pleased for you.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the itchy fabric would make strong bags? The lace is so pretty. I always hated itchy fabric too and anything which was tight and stopped me climbing od running as a kid/teen.