Resources for Sewing With Vintage Fabrics

Vintage fabrics are often spectacular to look at, but what is one to do with such treasures? Here are a few books that will get the creative juices flowing within your world of sewing.

1. Sew Vintage: New Creations from Found Fabrics (Paperback) by Jennie Atwood - Textile lovers will delight in this inspiring book that shows how to turn vintage fabrics into beautiful garments and lovely accessories. It includes tips on working with fragile, stained and tired textiles, and overflows with creative ways to mix the old with the new.




2. Crafting with flea market fabrics (Hardcover) by Deborah Harding - Flea market bargain hunting is one of the fastest growing leisure time activities. But the real challenge is what to do with your bounty after you bring it home. CRAFTING WITH FLEA MARKET FABRICS is a fun and practical guide to sewing, cutting, and gluing your bargain acquisitions into decorative accessories, toys, ornaments, and gifts. 195 color photos and illustrations.




3. Sewing Vintage Style (Paperback) by Mary Jo Hiney - Step into a bygone era with the nostalgic projects in this one-of-a-kind sewing book. A keepsake in its own right, this beautifully designed and illustrated volume shows how to recycle precious textile fragments of the past and transform them into tasteful treasures for today. Master a range of needlework techniques, including crazy quilt, trapunto, pin tucking, monogrammed embroidery, redwork, and cutwork. Create a lasting legacy in your own home with stylish vintage projects from an embroidered sundress to an organza pin-tucked pillow, a fabric covered box to a cross-stitch sampler. Whether newly created or refashioned with antique embellishments, all of the pieces contain an echo of the elegance of an earlier time.




4. Sewing with Fabulous Vintage Fabrics [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover) - Luxurious linens, lovely old lace, charming chenille and cross-stitch, and timeless textiles: collectors who love beautiful antique fabrics and seamstresses who have classic clothing they’d like to repurpose will find inspiration in these 30 superb designs. There’s something for everyone, including an exquisite christening gown adorned with lace, a denim jacket with a vintage fur collar, and a jaunty set of 1950s patterned café curtains. A blouse made from an elegant sheer curtain panel even has three variations; one is elegant and sophisticated, another features a cute strawberry print, and a third style showcases latticework from an old nightdress. Layout sketches for every article show clearly how each vintage textile, whether a doily or mid-century tablecloth, has undergone its transformation.




5. Sewing With Vintage Linens (Paperback) by Samantha McNesby - Creating home decoration items with vintage textiles is the latest sewing trend, fuelled by the resurgence of interest in simpler times and lifestyles. A source of inspiration, ideas, and projects, this exciting new book shows how to locate, purchase, prepare and assemble vintage textiles to create home decoration projects that reflects these comforting times in a fresh, new way. More than 25 projects range in complexity from simple to advanced, including handkerchief pillows, memory quilts, slipcovers and an upholstered ottoman. Includes all patterns, as well as a fantastic photo gallery of inspirational projects.



6. Cath Kidston's In Print: Brilliant Ideas for Using Vintage Fabrics in Your Home (Hardcover) by Cath Kidston - Cath Kidston's cheerful approach to interior design has earned her international acclaim. Mixing the whimsical, the classic, and the nostalgic, she’s created a completely fresh, signature style using vintage fabrics and prints. In this lavishly illustrated book, she shows just how easy and invigorating it is to use colorful patterns throughout the home. Grouped by fabric type, each chapter showcases Cath's own choice of vintage and modern fabrics -- from painterly florals and faded chintzes to cool abstracts and cozy patchworks. To help the reader achieve the look, she’s included sixty simple do-it-yourself projects such as curtains, cushion covers, pillowcases, laundry bags, and more. Throughout, Cath shares practical tips on how to incorporate vibrant patterns into existing interiors along with brilliant ways to bring vintage prints up-to-date. Separate sections outline where to find vintage fabrics, how to spot quality, and how to master basic sewing techniques. With page after colorful page of inspiration, Cath Kidston's In Print brims with bright ideas to create an inviting home positively blooming with color.