New listings at Hanrietta’s Buttons

A selection of the hundreds of items i have for sale at ebid, grab them now before they all go!

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/vintage-womans-weekly-sewing-pattern-b567-ladies-bride-bridesmaid-dress-size-16-77466124.htm#

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/vintage-blackmore-pattern-7793-babies-nightdress-sleeping-bag-77465643.htm

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/1970-s-practical-pattern-6397-ladies-dungerees-shorts-size-16-used-77465834.htm

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/mixed-lot-of-deco-plastic-buttons-casein-various-shades-and-sizes-77402546.htm

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/set-of-5-goltone-metal-flower-shaped-buttons-5-8-77436374.htm

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/mixed-lot-of-deco-plastic-buttons-casein-various-shades-77402564.htm

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/lot-of-old-vintage-mother-of-pearl-buttons-various-sizes-etc-77436078.htm

Woman magazine pullout knitting patterns

Eight super 1960′s ladies sweaters and cardigans to knit, the orange design is my favourite.  The magazine pullout has 8 different designs.

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/s-woman-magazine-pullout-knitting-patterns-71237907.htm#

1940′s Butterick fashion designs

Below a selection of sewing patterns from the 1940 Summer edition of the Butterick Fashion magazine.

Marshall Cavendish knitting patterns

Are you like me and think that the 1980′s sweaters and cardigans were more comfortable to wear? Of course if you are of a certain age the answer will almost certainly be yes.

Here are a few from the Marshall Cavendish range which you can purchase from Henrietta’s at

Marshall Cavendish at ebid – 1980′s knitwear – only at  Henrietta’s aka purplestevie

My 1940′s Knitting Patterns are going fast

New in and selling fast a selection of 1940′s knitting patterns

 All these  items  have been  SOLD

Fair Isle Beret & Bag - bestway-knitting-pattern-ladies-fair-isle-beret-and-bag 

Willow Pattern Jumper - bestway-knitting-pattern-ladies-willow-pattern-jumper-

Fair Isle Cardigan (not jumper) - bestway-knitting-pattern-ladies-fair-isle-cardigan

Fair Isle Jumper - weldons-knitting-pattern-ladies fair-isle-jumper

Fair Isle Cap & Gloves - -weldons-knitting-pattern-ladies-cap-and-gloves-in-gay-fair-isle

Pearls for June Birthdays June Brides or Just Because You Love Pearls in Any Form

If you were born in June you have a truly beautiful birthstone ~ the pearl. They are the oldest gem known to man, and the only gem made by an animal. Pearls are symbols of purity, perfection, elegance and affluence.

Once a rare and highly prized gem, a symbol of power and most expensive since first documented in 2300 BC, they are now relatively inexpensive and available to anyone. We can find them not only in jewelry but accessories and even accents to clothing.

Fortunately for pearl lovers, there are not only natural pearls from oyster beds, but saltwater or freshwater pearls, cultured pearls “invented” in 1907, and those grown in pearl farms. And of course faux pearls made of glass or beads.

Our Best In Vintage members have some fabulous pearl, cultured pearl and even faux pearl offerings for you from jewelry to clothing and of course accessories. We hope you love pearls as much as we do, even if they aren’t your birthstone!

Vintage choker necklace faux pearls & clasp set @henrietta’s buttons

Sequin and Faux Pearl Clutch Bag c.1960 @CatwalkCreative

ca. Early 1920′s Cotton Voile Blouse with faux pearl buttons @NobleSavage vintage

Faux pearl woven statement necklace or collar @vintageoutlet

Frame bag with plastic pearls, Auroras & Gold Bugle Beads @WickedLady Collectables

Vintage Art Deco Bird Brooch faux pearl rhinestone @vintageoutlet

Vintage Pink bead cluster faux Pearl Clip Earrings @VintageOutlet

Vintage 1940s Creamy Tan Faux Pearl Collar smoky bugle beads
@VintagePretties

Vtg 80s Ivory satin wedding dressfaux pearls med @Pinehaven2

80′s “Slouchy” Angora Sweater faux pearl accent @The Only Hula Hut

50s RED Silver Beaded Sweater Beads @BombshellFrocks

50s Black Velvet Skirt Pearl Accent Pockets @BettesBargains

Vintage crochet patterns with a touch of celebrity

Just listed is this fabulous vintage crochet pattern for a long line waistcoat I’m sure this would turn a few heads this Summer!

vintage-robin-crochet-pattern-ladies-long-waistcoat

And the model on the crochet pattern below is Shakira Caine the wife of actor Michael Caine.

vintage-twilleys-crochet-pattern-ladies-outfit

Visit my auctions (all buy it now) for knitting & sewing patterns, buttons & buckles and much more
purplestevie

Buy more and save with purplestevie

lot-of-vintage-dyed-mother-of-pearl-buttons-blues-greens-pinks-etc

All my auctions at ebid are buy-it-now or snap-it-up so there is no need to worry about losing that item to the highest bidder.


At the end of April Royal Mail bring into effect new postal prices for example small packets from 0g – 750g will be £2.70 first class and £2.20 second class (UK). This is bad news for small packet sellers! 
So i have decided to allow all my buyers to accumulate items up to 2 months which  can then  be paid for in one transaction. Saving You the buyer postage & packing costs and me paypal fees and packaging costs.


I sell vintage buttons, buckles, knitting patterns, sewing patterns and other related items. I also sell inherited items from various family members. So please bear in my that  most of my items are vintage or second-hand.

bestway-knitting-pattern-ladies-gloves

So visit my store today and MULTI-BUY, new stock regularly added.

http://uk.ebid.net/items/purplestevie

Vintage silk handkerchiefs

Vintage-1940s-silky-handkerchief-purple-pink-white-black-design-9-dia

vintage-s-chiffon-handkerchief-green-with-pink-white-design

Vintage-1940s-silk-handkerchief-green-orange-yellow-white-paisley-design

vintage-s-silk-tie-dye-handkerchief-pink-white-approx-dia

/vintage-s-silk-handkerchief-with-floral-detail

Why not visit  http://www.ftmlondon.org/

The Printed Square – Vintage Handkerchiefs

 

22 March – 16 June

 

Vintage handkerchiefs have become a source of inspiration for contemporary fashion brands. With beautiful examples from the 1920s to 1950s, The Printed Square celebrates early twentieth-century handkerchief design in a magnificent display of colour and pattern. A new book by Nicky Albrechtsen accompanies the display.

above 4 images by: © The Printed Square by Nicky Albrechtsen, 2012

Dr Scholl the footcare man

Vintage-wood-Dr-Scholls-foot-measure-and-shoe-size-indicator

Willian M Scholl the son of German imigrants was born in Indiana.  At 18 he moved to Chicago where he was employed by Rupperts a shoe retailer. Scholl attended  night classes at the Illinois Medical School, graduating in 1904 as podiatrist. 

In 1904 he gained a patent for a mechanical foot support called the Foot Eazer and in 1906 he started his own company. Over several years he produced a  series of similarly patented footcare products, including: the Zino Pad, rubberless stockings, anticorn pads, cushion insoles, exercise sandals, orthopedic shoes, Foot Wings and Ball-O-Foot Cushions.

Established in 1912, William founded the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, located at Rosalind Franklin University in North Chicago, Illinois.

 Scholl sold his products all over America and eventually overseas, By the early 1960s, there were about 100 Dr. Scholl’s Foot Comfort Shops in the United States, and over 400 overseas.

William M. Scholl died in 1968 at the age of 86, with over 1000 patented footcare products to his name.

Lovely summer fabric

Summer is fast approaching and i will be listing lots of fabric yardage.

View and buy my fabric just press this link

Unique Vintage Prom Dresses and Patterns to Make It Your Own

Stand out from the Prom crowd this year in a style uniquely your own ~ no off the rack mall dresses for you! Think special, think vintage, and be assured no one will have your dress on! Our members have every style, length and color formal dresses available from any era ~ just pick the one right for you, or select a perfect fabric and make it yours!

Long or short ~ 50s to 80s ~ we have a variety ~

Patterns to Custom Make the Perfect Dress~

Don’t see “the dress” here? Please check our member’s individual shops for other gowns we have available ~

Best In Vintage on Facebook

Best in Vintage on Twitter

Where have all the button tins gone

I remember as a child I loved to play with the contents of my Grandma’s button tin, I loved the shapes and textures. My favourites were the mother of pearl buttons that would glisten in the sunlight. The glass ones were invariable chipped or shattered and I often wondered why she kept the broken cracked ones.

I still have my Grandma’s mother of pearl buttons, but my mother’s button tin is full of bland modern plastic types and my daughter isn’t remotely interested in my mother’s buttons. She is a product of the throw away society we have become today unlike yester-year when all the buttons were routinely cut off old clothes and put in the rusty old family button tin, clothes are neatly folded and placed in one of the many charity bags that are put through our letterboxes seeming every other week!

Now if your Grandma had a very large button tin like mine did there would be other treasures and many odd things to be found in there. You would get the usual things such as pins, needles, thimbles, old sewing machine parts and the lovely colourful Bakelite buckles. Grandma’s silver sixpence still with silver foil attached was in there, a momento of Xmas past, but my favourite item in the tin was a silver marcasite ring which after her death was given to me, and which I have treasured ever since.

I have collected vintage sewing items for many years and mother of pearl buttons in particular are my favourite item possibly a throwback to my youth! You find some very strange items in button tins and I often wonder why people would put such items in their button tins.

Items such as badges, cuff links, beads, screw drivers, pen nibs, dog tags, keys, wax, bone & metal curtain rings, marbles, meccano, and loose matches all probably put there because it was convenient to do so. The oddest and potentionally dangerous thing I have found in a tin were loose pain-killers!, which believe it or not are quite a common thing to find in an old button tins, the mind boggles!

Start you button collection today – visit my store Henrietta’s buttons store   I cater for the collector, design student, vintage clothes restorer, and crafts people so come along and browse through my buttons section you never know what you might find.

What buyers do with my buttons

Button sellers have you ever wondered what your buyers do with the buttons they purchase from you?

Well i recently sold the lovely buttons below.  The buyer has incorporated them in a lovely 1940′s/1950′s jumper which she created by using a vintage pattern.

This lovely jumper is for sale on Ebay  Ladies-40s-50s-Hand-Knitted-Jumper

At my store you will find buttons, buckles, patterns and much more visit today and create your own vintage item like the talented lady above.

Henriettas-Buttons-and-Patterns

Fabric edging using an ancient pattern

The Greek key design is a simple and ancient pattern used of course by the Greeks, Romans and many other countries around the world.  The design is called the Greek key because it looks like the end of a key.


The Greek key design can be incorporated into mazes, jewellery, fabric, pottery, body art, floor coverings, furniture etc in fact its uses are endless and timeless.
Below are 2 lenghs of edging fabric using the Greek Key design.

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/several-yards-of-yellow-green-edging-greek-key-design-unused-62521861.htm

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/several-yards-of-yellow-mustard-edging-greek-key-design-detail-unused-62521999.htm

Valentine’s Day Gifts for Him – Vintage and Unique

Can’t find just the right gift for the man in your life for Valentine’s Day? Think out of the box this year with vintage ~ unique and fun. From robes to cufflinks, hats to shirts we have a great variety to choose from and even more wonderful vintage items your man will treasure in our individual members shops!

ca. 1950s Mens Brent Virgin Wool Robe @Noble Savage Vintage

VTG ~Harris Tweed~ MOD 100% Wool Brown MOD blazer sport coat 42 R

Cut Metal Triangular Cufflinks c.1970s @Catwalk Creative

Ralph Lauren Chaps Velour Paisley men's Shirt L @ VintageOutlet

60s Men's 60s Hat Olive Green @BettesBargains

vintage cuff links with turquoise and white design @Henrietta's Buttons

80s First leather "Fonz" motorcycle jacket mens medium @Pinehaven2

Paisley Robe in antique pink with green and blue @WickedLady Collectables

Best In Vintage on Facebook

Best in Vintage on Twitter

A Tribute to Ivy, My Mother in Law and a Fancy Dress Shop Owner

1935 – 2012

Sadly my mother-in-law Ivy died on the 18th  of January after a short stay in hospital.

Ivy was a wonderful person  a very generous and kind person who would go out of her way to help her family and friends.

In the 1970′s/80′s she owned a fancy dress business and was also a very talented seamstress who made many of the outfits for her business. Below is a victorian ladies hat that she made

My daughter Sarah is her only grandchild and of course was spoilt rotten! Ivy taught my daughter to swim, horse ride and ice skate non of which i can do myself.

When my daughter needed an outfit for a fancy dress party Ivy always came to the rescue, below is my daughter wearing one of Ivy’s creations. My daughter won a £5 book token at a school fancy dress party with the outfit below.

Ivy made many of her own clothes such as the lined velvet waistcoat below i just love the way she has covered the buttons incorporating the swirl design.

Ivy’s dress sense was very bohemian and by her own admission she was quite eccentric and  the Helena Bonham-Carter of her day.

Ivy’s other passion was animals and over the years she rescued many cats and dogs more often than not on the verge of being put to sleep. She leaves behind a menagerie of dogs, cats, rabbits, hens and an Amazon Green Parrot.

Ivy will be greatly missed by all that knew her.

Tidy Pin or Dress Elevator

The tidy pin with its sprial shank was often mistaken for the dress elevator a device which adorned the dresses of Victorian ladies. The dress elevator was made from precious stones, paste etc wheras the tidy pin was made from cheap plastic (see image below)

I have seen these in among tins of buttons but until i read the article below i thought they were dress elevators. http://www.buttoncountry.com/Dress Elevator Article.htm

Below are 2 examples of pins which were used to fix chairback covers, both are available to buy at  henriettas-buttons-and-patterns

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/lot-of-vintage-tidy-pins-with-clear-plastic-tops-spiral-shanks-60879429.htm

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/vintage-card-of-goodmans-loose-cover-pins-made-in-england-60879254.htm

New Year Bargins Buttons

Come and pick up your New Year bargins at henriettas-buttons-and-patterns

New today only at Ebid 4 lots of vintage plastic buttons in shades of grey, blue, green and black ideal for crafts and jewellery making. Purchase all for lots and get a surprise free gift!

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/lot-of-vintage-plastic-buttons-grey-shades-various-sizes-60186735.htm

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/lot-of-vintage-plastic-buttons-black-shades-various-sizes-60186719.htm

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/lot-of-vintage-plastic-buttons-blue-shades-various-sizes-60186695.htm

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/lot-of-vintage-plastic-buttons-green-shades-various-sizes-60186792.htm

Happy New Year!

The members of Best in Vintage would like to wish all our blog followers, facebook friends and twitter followers a Very Happy, Healthy and wonderful New Year filled with love and joy.

Carolyn ~ The Hula Hut

Yvonne ~ Vintage Outlet

Heather ~ Noble Savage Vintage

Tori ~ Bombshell Frocks Vintage

Suzanne ~ Bettes Bargains

Louise ~ Catwalk Creative Vintage

Pat & Wayne ~ Vintage Affaire d’Amour

Margaret ~ Henriettas Buttons and Patterns

Theresa ~ Lady Days Vintage

Joe ~ Foggy16

Collette ~ Serendipity Vintage

Caryn ~ SpecialNeedzVintage

Margret ~ Pinehaven2

Tracy ~ WickedLadyCollectables

Yvonne ~ Vintage Pretties

Billy ~ The Metro Retro

Carolyn ~ Scorpio Vintage