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Jun 21, 2014

"Patterns and Fabric and Dish Towels, Oh My" or Saturday at the Flea Market



My beloved Chelsea flea market is undergoing major changes but I am glad to say there will still be a market.

The inside (garage) space is expected to close at the end of the month (the site was purchased by Marriott) but the adjacent outdoor lot has been fully repaved and expanded, and it seems many of the vendors who have been inside will be moving outside -- not all, of course, but hopefully enough to keep the market vibrant.

You can see in the photo below that they've already marked the spots for tables.  Nobody I  spoke to sounds excited about it but it's better than nothing.



There will probably be less of this kind of thing: huge tables covered with every kind of junk imaginable, but always a few treasures if you're willing to dig.











One seller had dozens of beautiful Japanese kimonos for sale.





I scored some fabric and a handful of $1-apiece sewing patterns (my favorite price after "free").

I believe this is rayon crepe -- a beautiful 40's-style print that may become a Cathy dress before month's end.  It's very hard to find rayon prints that have a true vintage feel.





The piece has a few imperfections, but nothing I can't cut around.





I also picked up this polka dot print -- I believe it's poly, but it's very classic.



Here are the patterns -- two from the Eighties and four from the Forties, all unused:





I love these simple Forties styles so much and the pattern art is just the best.  Which is your favorite?

















I also picked up this pearl necklace -- just the thing to decorate a simple neckline.



Also this charming vintage linen tea towel.  I assume the artist is not the famed theater organist of the same name.





All that and I still had four dollars of "mad money" left over for coffee!

Now that I have that floral rayon and a couple of weeks before I have to start my next Mood project, I think I may start a Cathy outfit.  The poor girl hasn't been seen much lately and she's actually looking better than ever, particularly from a distance.

And that's it -- lots to think about.

Have a great day, everybody, and don't forget to tune in to tomorrow's vlog!

Any Wurlitzer fans out there?

28 comments:

  1. Hooray! I miss Cathy.

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  2. My favorite pattern is the vogue dress. Lovely lines. The one pocket is a nice touch. And that pearl necklace? Awesome!

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  3. I think that rayon print in the vogue dress pattern....boom, done!!!

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    Replies
    1. Or even the print in the tunic version with a crisp sailor pant with side strips or a pencil skirt.

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    2. Or those blue grey pants you just made....don't know if the blues match in any way. I'll shut up now.

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  4. The polka dot fabric is my favorite. Does Cathy like dots?
    Maybe she'd like one of those blouses.

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  5. At least in its yellow-striped incarnation, the Vogue dress is very summery-debutante en styleJinx Falkenberg or Cobina Wright, Jr. I'm not quite sure I can see Cathy in that vein, but I suppose stranger things have happened.

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  6. Love the skirt pattern because my mom had purple shoes like those in the picture (rounded toe, high platform) and I'm sure she made and/or wore skirts EXACTLY LIKE the pattern.

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  7. I believe that George Wright was a noted industrial designer....

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    Replies
    1. Are you sure you don't mean Russel Wright? (Or George Nelson?)

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  8. Love your 40s patterns, especially 2640. What a find! I scored a bag of 15 patterns for a dollar at a church sale recently, all in my size, but no really vintage ones. I still love getting such a deal though, and giving the patterns another chance at life ;)

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  9. Don't know whether I am fortunate or unfortunate that I don't live near the Chelsea Flea Market, but I would love to dig through that stuff.

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  10. I would have purchased every one of those kimonos.

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  11. I do voluntary work in a charity shop and we find that if the stock is too neatly ordered, sales go down. It's great to see customers having that 'aha!' moment after a good rummage. There really is no such thing as refuse; chipped plates are bought to go under houseplants, teapots with no lids end up with bulbs planted in them, soft toys (with no eyes) are a dog's delight. Hoarders are our biggest market, and biggest donors when they get around to clearing out their closets.

    It's a fascinating job, pity I'm not paid for it!

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    1. Really? That's interesting about sales going down if stock is too neatly ordered. I'm the opposite--I like it all neatly arranged so I can see what's what. Otherwise I get overwhelmed and don't know where to look. For years, I thought I didn't like going to flea markets or estate sales for that reason. Then the vintage bug bit me! But I guess I'm odd one out on the display thing. It probably is the thrill of the hunt that they like. Or maybe they think prices will be better if it's all mixed together.

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  12. Pattern 5728 looks like a great one for Cathy.

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  13. The dress pattern looks like something Lauren Bacall would have worn.

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  14. That Vogue 40s pattern that wraps with two buttons in the front is a take-off of the Claire McCardell 40s "Popover" dress, designed for women to wear while they did housework. McCardell's original is very modernist, and was once modeled by a Long Island socialite who had to start cleaning her house during WWII because her "help" decamped for the defense plants. (McCardell's version is in the Met Museum's online collection, and it comes with an angular pot holder.)

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    1. Claire is widely considered the 'godmother of sportswear', her timeless modern cuts and innovative use of fabrics, paved the way for such greats as Halston, Donna Karan, Calvin Klein and others.....she was totally about an original, thoroughly American style!

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  15. Sizing has certainly changed since the 1940's, or is it just that people are larger-framed now? Maybe a bit of both?

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  16. Maybe you could use the wrap dress pattern for Cathy's new red rayon gown. I love that red.

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  17. I love the Vogue yellow dress. Looks like a wrap. I guess it's a few years ahead of DVF.

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  18. Love love love Wurlitzer theater organs! When I was in high school our church had one. It was crazy beautiful.

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