Saturday, August 14, 2010

The Most Amazing Vintage Find Ever!



Yesterday I was at a garage sale. I saw a quite large cardboard box under a table. There were a few scattered patterns laying heaped on top. I bent down to look - the box was stuffed, packed, bursting full of patterns. Vintage patterns. *gulp* I began to pull out my favorites - mostly 50s. Even crazier - they were almost all my size! I was afraid to ask how much they were. Usually vintage patterns online are too expensive for me.Then my Mom walked by and asked the lady who was running the garage sale how much she would take for the entire box. The lady casually said - "Oh, five dollars." *mouth drops open* Seriously? Oh yeah.


This morning I've gotten them all organized into decades (approximately) and counted. 
Here are the stats:

Ladies patterns;
40s - 6 patterns
50s - 35 patterns
60s - 50 patterns
70s - 83 patterns
80s - 56 patterns
Larger designer patterns - 12
Mens patterns - 14
Childrens - 17

Total = 273 patterns. Is that amazing or what?


I'm going to keep alot of them (can't wait to start sewing!!!) - however there are some duplicates, and some near duplicates that I will be selling in my shop soon. So - if you like to sew vintage I will keep you posted.

I hate to gloat - but I do want to share some individual pics.
Here are some of my favorite keepers:









Also, there was 3 darling magazines with crochet patterns for hats and bags mostly.


And  now. Prepare yourself. Possibly the ugliest hat and hair I have EVER seen. You?
(zoom in to get the whole awful effect)


If there is a particular vintage pattern you have been searching for - do let me know. I might just have it, and even if it was one of my 'keepers', patterns can be traced. :^)

Well - what do you think? Best garage sale ever?

17 comments:

Sereina said...

Wow! What an amazing deal! I love the McCall's pattern is the first photo. So pretty!

a Matula ikrek said...

OMG You're the luckiest girl of the world!!! :o)

Anna Olivia said...

That IS entirely amazing. =) Wow, what a lucky find. Have fun with them, they're all beautiful patterns.

American Duchess said...

OH MY GOSH! I thought I'd done well to get a handful of my grandmother's patterns, but your find is incredible! and $5!?!?!?!?! SO jealous!

Leah said...

How wonderful! Those patterns are beautiful!

I got a new simplicity pattern that's supposed to look 50's for more than 5 dollars for one pattern!

Those are even vintage..! :-)

What a great bargain!

Blessings,

Leah

Michaela said...

WOW! Very neat-o.I can't wait to see what you create from your treasure-trove. B-)

Is 80's really considered Vintage though? I have a hard time even imagining the 70's as vintage! ;)

Kristin said...

That is so awesome for you! :) I was given a small box of patterns from an older lady down the street, but they were mostly 70's/80's and not very pretty. I do have about four 50's vintage patterns that I've picked up at thrift stores, but I paid about 60 cents each for them! Plus most of mine are torn up and falling apart...most of yours look like they're in really good shape! :)
~Kristin

Agata Larsen said...

Very nice!!

God bless you.

Lauren said...

Oh dear, I'm salivating with envy! WONDERFUL finds! Definitely the "find" of the year... Enjoy your sewing!

~Lauren

Atlanta said...

Thanks everyone! I'm still up to my ears trying to sort through them and figure out which ones to keep and which ones to sell. (More about that later.)

Michaela - yes I know what you mean! But at least according to Ety's selling standards, anything 20 years old is 'vintage'. So....I guess they are considered vintage.

Kerry said...

Oh wow! How will you decide which one to make first? :)
I like the center view of Butterick 8110, the one with three-quarter sleeves and a high neckline. I have a dress pattern that would probably do well enough for the bodice, but how is the skirt constructed? Is it made out of rectangles? Thanks! And congratulations! :)

Atlanta said...

Kerry, Yes. The skirt pattern is just two rectangles. Almost squares, really. If you want me to email you the pattern shapes diagrams, just let me know.

Michaela said...

hehe, then that means *I'm* almost vintage. ;) ;)

Brooke O'Shea said...

Oh my goodness! That is amazing!!! I want to go yard saling now!! And, yes. that was quite hideous!
Happy sewing!
Through Christ,
LH

Anonymous said...

Seriously the best find ever! I love it.

Hana - Marmota said...

Oh my! That is every seamstress's dream!
Mine, at least. Fantastic.

Virginia said...

That is fantastic! What is even better is that you are talented enough to take these pieces of paper and turn them into something gorgeous. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with them!

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