Sewing Patterns + Frames = Art
Just as you will start noticing playing cards all over a city once you have your eye out for them, frames pile up on curbs more often than you’d expect. And because new frames can tend to be on the pricey side, I simply cannot pass up a free one. In fact, someone close to me informed me they think I have a “frame problem” since I have stacks collecting dust on the tops of my bookshelves. But my feeling is that you can put anything in a frame — leftover holiday wrapping, scraps of wallpaper, fabric — and you have instant art. Suddenly, when it comes to wall hangings, you have credibility. You tell the world, “I do not use double-sided tape to hang my pictures anymore!” and you mean it.
So when I found these old sewing patterns for a dollar each in a three-story junk shop in rural Pennsylvania, I knew they had to be snatched up. And when my favorite $1 store in the neighborhood commenced their going out of business sale, I knew I could get four matching frames for a bargain basement price. The planets were aligning! But why, my shopping partner wanted to know, could I not use one of the many frames corralling dust bunnies above my collection of cookbooks? Because I might need those for something else, duh.
I bought these four ugly yellow and green frames for $6, spray painted them a glossy black, and popped in these terrifically glamorous, wasp-waisted ladies. Don’t they inspire you to cinch your waist with a belt, toss out some bon mots and wink at an old man? Me too.
EB: Super cute!! I have a habit of framing random things too– most notable cocktail napkins with sassy designs on them. We’re quickly running out of wall space…. hmmmmmm
Erin4 years ago
Ruth Simons: what a great idea!! where do you have these hanging?4 years ago
Sarah: I totally have a thing for cocktail napkins, Erin, and framing them is a great idea.
Hey Ruth! They’re just on a little strip of wall between my bedroom and the bathroom.4 years ago
Samantha: I buy vintage patterns with the same intentions! I never thought to buy cheap, ugly frames and just paint ‘em, though – such a simple idea, DUH. (BTW, loved the “duh” link, hahaha)4 years ago
Sarah: Samantha, You totally made my day by mentioning the “duh” link. My sister and I laugh like crazy every time we drive by Ernest F. Duh’s office, so I’m so glad you got a kick out of it too!4 years ago
Kat: oh, thank you for such a great idea! My home now has a little color (I have been busy painting) but we have nothing on the walls. Everything seems to cost to much. However I do have about 100 patterns from the 60′s … I’ll be fraiming them up soon!
4 years ago
Thank you! Great idea.
Kalicia R. Beasley: Hey! This is a great idea! I teach at a local high school and I used these to decorate my sewing room at school! The girls love the “vogue” patterns and the differents types of fashion!4 years ago
Karla/Grace: What an adorable idea! I just recently received my grandma’s sewing box, complete with quite a few old ladies dress patterns.4 years ago
Steph: What an awesome idea!4 years ago
Marisa: I love this idea. I recently received a number of my mother’s patterns from the 60′s. This is a perfect use for them, especially since she was a size 6 and I’m well…not so I won’t be cutting them!4 years ago
Sarah: I’m glad everyone thinks this is such a great idea! Part of what makes it so appealing is how darn simple it is, I think, and then in the end you have this really pretty product. So there’s no reason to not hang some in your own home!4 years ago
Sarah S: That link to Duh made me laught out loud. And what a beauftiful post and fantastic idea! I’m totally going to do that, now that I have a sewing machine!4 years ago
Cassi: *Great* idea! I have a whole box of old patterns that I haven’t known exactly what to do with. I’m going to go through and pull my favorites and a-framin’ I will go! Thanks!4 years ago
rebekka: amazing.4 years ago
Diana: these are so cute! i’m always amazed at how people find vintage sewing patterns – I never find stuff that cool when i thrift. lucky!
Diana4 years ago
Rebecca: This blog is totally a guilty pleasure for me (I try to “sneak” to it at work sometimes, lol). I’ve been displaying pretty/funny/cute greeting cards and postcards for years – like these patterns, they’re cheap and lovely! Glad I’m not the only person framing random stuff.
4 years ago
Sarah: Diana, I was thinking about your comment, and I think the trick might be to go to a straight up antiquey type place (not a salvation army). that’s usually where i find cheap tea towels, sewing patterns, and little gloves. they’re not really old enough for real antique hounds to value them (like, say, I don’t know, some colonial desk), so you can often get great deals. happy hunting!4 years ago
Lori: love this!4 years ago
Kim: That is the most perfect and wonderfully chic idea I’ve ever heard.4 years ago
Liberty Post Editor: I love this idea. I often sift through the old patterns at Goodwill and wonder what the heck I could do with them. Thanks!4 years ago
Jen R: Neat idea!
Jen R4 years ago
Deborah: Absaloutly loverly!
I adore using the pattern paper for decupoge material on storage boxes for my craft magazines as well.4 years ago
maryeats: Such a good idea! I have stacks of vintage patterns, I love the art, but have never found the right way to display them!4 years ago
Tea: This is adorable (as are you!)4 years ago
s: I am so glad that I found this. We are doing my daughter’s room with a “fashion” theme. I had been looking for couture sketches of gowns, but I think this will be perfect and a lot easier to collect. Thanks for the super idea.4 years ago