Sew French: 6 November 1949

I'm back from vacation with epic jet lag and a head cold, but I've hit the ground running anyways. With my first post back from vacation I'd like to start with a new segment I'll be doing here on A Few Threads Loose called "Sew French".

I have an amazing collection of vintage French sewing magazines and patterns and since I get so much enjoyment from them, I thought I would share bits of pieces of them with you.

Today I would like to share some lovely images and sewing patterns from "Le Petit Echo de la Mode." This edition was printed November 6, 1949.

It has lovely fall fashions and focuses mostly on really beautiful coats (and dresses) like these:

Sewing patterns for all of these fashions were available to order by mail. They are harder to find but I just love French patterns from this era; the styles are so timeless.

My favorite image from this edition is below, showing the latest style of accessories in suede.

Translation: "Suede in your adornment."

And of course, I have for you the two patterns included in the issue which I have given a "digital bath" as I like to call it.

 The first below is "Paniers et Corbeilles" or "Baskets and Trays." The measurements given for these are in centimeters.  If you don't read French and need the instructions, you can use Google Translate to make some sense of it.

This second pattern translates as "The baby area" and includes a "sleeping sack," "bags for hot water bottle and bottle" "a mat" and most interesting of all, a "walking belt" to keep the wee one from wandering too far on your daily promenade. Essentially it's a toddler leash.

Are these as fascinating to you as they are to me? Would you make any of these things? I would love to know! I have so much fun digging these things up.

I hope you have a lovely weekend.
~Anna~

Modes et Travaux ~ December, 1949

Today for your eye candy super happy fun time I have pictures of the very best that  Modes et Travaux had to offer in fashion, sewing, and hand work in December of 1949.

I was elated to win this edition on ebay because the cover is a beautiful sketch of a creation by none other then Christian Dior.

A white evening gown by Dior with the illustration by Artist Pierre Mourgue.

Does it get any better? Does it? Nope. Ah this dress, the stuff of dreams. I immediately set out to find photographs of it, and I'm still not sure I have the same dress but here is a photo of a Dior gown from 1949:

Lillian Bassman, Fantasy on the dance floor, Barbara Mullen, dress by Christian Dior, Paris, 1949. photo courtesy Phillips de Pury & Company

There isn't anything in the actual magazine about the design on the cover (what?!) so moving on we can see the lovely full-page advertisements that the magazine starts out with.

Thursday Treats

I just thought I'd share a bit of the newest jewel in my collection, from the December 1950 Modes et Travaux Magazine.

I've been busy working on a custom dress for a client (Yay, I have clients now!) so most of my creative juices have gone towards making that project perfect. That, and before the fabric arrived to work on the aforementioned, I was putting the finishing touches on my overalls from Anne Adams 4536. More to come on that later when I can wrangle my photographer (husband) to lend his assistance.

Most of this magazine is about chistmas gifts, perfume, and sewing and knitting projects. In French. Heaven.