The Right Way to Carve by James Beard

The Right Way To Carve

There are a few chefs that I can name whose philosophy of eating changed the way we perceive dining. James Beard is one of those giants. My copy of American Cookery is well loved and well used. His simple tomato soup recipe has been a winner at every dinner party I have served it. I even served it as the first course for Thanksgiving dinner several years ago and it set the tone for the rest of the entrees to come. 

As Thanksgiving approaches once again and you are presented with the task of carving the turkey or roast or whatever you are serving your guests, fear not. In this 1950s article from Woman's Day magazine, James Beard walks you through the steps for a perfect presentation without the anxiety. Download the article HERE and from the pattern sellers on Goodsmiths, we wish you a very 

 Happy Thanksgiving!

Free Tutorial for Setting a Festive Table - Vintage Napkin Folds

From the Practical Encyclopedia of Good Decorating and Home Improvement Vol 16 1971©

I recall a story about Andy Warhol who, as a very young but celebrated artist, was invited to dine at the home of a well-to-do museum patron. The table was large and the guest list legendary. Each place setting had every imaginable utensil in it's proper place. Andy Warhol came from rather humble beginnings and had no idea how to proceed. As the courses were placed in front of him and removed untouched, the guest to his right remarked... but Mr Warhol, you have eaten nothing. His relpy ... I only eat candy. Now THAT is classic Warhol.

Whether you set your table for fine dining of for family dinners, one thing that transforms a simple place setting into an elegant presentation is a folded napkin strategically placed on the plate. For this year's Thanksgiving or Holiday table settings, whether your gathering is buffet style or sit down dinner, try these festive folds and impress your guests. This is something that can be done ahead of time leaving you time for more important things like enjoying your own party.

Courtesy of Cynical Girl on Goodsmiths

Stained Glass Trivets and Coasters - Easy to Make Holiday Gift Ideas - Free Pattern

Easy Glass and Poured Plaster Trivets or Coasters

Protect your tabletops from heat and spills with these festive stained glass trivets. Made of poured plaster of paris and pieces of colored glass, these easy to make trivets can be scaled down for coasters too. You choose the colors and shapes of the glass pieces as well as the design. Pour into the bottom of a half gallon carton for a square trivet. Keep the plaster white or paint with poster paint afterward or why not try adding food color to the plaster to color it before pouring. Stack half a dozen small coasters and tie with a pretty ribbon as a gift for the hostess this Thanksgiving or Christmas. The possibilities are endless. In a very large mold with poured concrete you can make decorative stepping stones for a pathway for your favorite gardener. Published in 1963 by the John Oster Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, maker of the original Osterizer. Download instructions HERE.

Free Pattern Friday - 1950's Santa Face Apron Pattern For the Ho Ho Hostess - Great for Gifts Too!

1950's Santa Face Apron Pattern

In the 1950's the "Face" apron was popular in many themes. This Santa face apron is easy to make with a bit of applique and embroidery to finish the details. How fun to wear this retro holiday apron while you play hostess to your friends and loved ones this Christmas. Or make a few to give as gifts. They surely will be cherished. Download HERE. Prints on 8.5" x 11" sheets of paper. Complete instructions included. 

Courtesy of CynicalGirl on Goodsmiths.

Folded Paper Choir of Angels - Free Vintage Holiday Decor Pattern

Sing, Choir of Angels. Sing in Exultation.

Call it vintage. Call it retro. Whatever you call it, the 1960's "Look" is back and in full force. White, silver and pink Christmas trees with revolving spot lights, bottle brush trees and painted figurine candles ... it's all new again. These simple figurines of folded paper and ornament heads can be scaled up or down to create giant or miniature displays. So gather up the kids, the spray paint and pipe cleaners and get started on your new "Look" for the Holidays. Download pattern here.  Published in 1963 by the John Oster Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, maker of the original Osterizer.

Vintage Toothpick Angel Sculpture - Free Pattern - Deck the Halls

Toothpick Angel

In Gladbrook Iowa there is a little museum called Matchstick Marvels housing enormous sculptures of incredibly detailed castles, mansions, ships, planes and yes, even the White House and Hogwarts. These sculptures are the work of one man, Patrick Acton, and are entirely made from matchsticks and date from the 1970's to the present. Definitely worth a visit.

The 1960's and 1970's crafting world brought forth ideas for creating objects for holiday and every day decor that used all manner of household objects. Remember spray painted macaroni ornaments and wreaths? I don't recall matchsticks being used but I do remember toothpicks. This Toothpick angel would make a lovely centerpiece for the table or the mantle, or an awesome retro tree topper. Either way, it's easy to make with no special skills or tools. Published in 1963 by the John Oster Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, maker of the original beehive blender. Download directions HERE.

Free Pattern - Partridge in a Pear Tree Christmas Fiber Art Collage Pattern

Partridge in a Pear Tree Fiber Art Collage

The Partridge in a Pear Tree is the first gift from the classic folk song The Twelve Days of Christmas. Historians note that the Partridge may have been a common hen as "Banty Hens" are smaller and know to roost in low branching trees, such as juniper. Second in rank only to Five Gold Rings as an easily remembered verse, the Partridge in a Pear Tree ranks first in visual appeal. Imagine how an ornate old picture frame would get a new lease on life with this attractive fiber art picture made of felt or left over scraps of fabric depicting this well known Holiday theme. Scaled down in miniature, these would make lovely hand made Christmas greeting cards. Published by John Oster Manufacturing Co. 1963. Easy to make. Download directions HERE.

Buttons - Finding the Right Size for Your Project - Or What is a Ligne?

You have seen button cards with the sizes indicated in inches and millimeters. No doubt you have seen the letter L followed by a number or the word Ligne. What in the world is a ligne?

In French or German, Ligne means line. It is a unit of measurement applied to the diameter of buttons that predates metric, which was installed in the 18th century as the universal standard of measurement in Europe. In the 9th century, German button makers used ligne to represent a measurement of 1/40th of an inch, more or less. Today, Ligne, a term probably brought over to the US from German immigrants, is the standard measurement for buttons. Strict and precise, a ligne equals exactly 1/40th of an inch of the diameter of a button or a snap.

This snappy button sizing chart from Britex Fabrics in San Francisco is available as a download HERE. But do visit their website if you are looking for high quality fabrics, notions and trims. They have great sales too!! Follow their BLOG to keep up to date.

Free Pattern Friday - Deck the Halls with Glass Wax - Free Pattern Download

1950's Christmas Stencils from Glass Wax

If you were a late Boomer you remember Glass Wax. I don't recall using the stencils but I have vivid memories of my mother recreating the illusion of frost in the corners of the windows with Glass Wax and a sponge. Glass Wax is still available as a glass and mirror cleaner. It is even sold as a polish for cars! 

You can recreate the 1950's window decoration with these downloadable stencil pages to cut out. Prints on 8.5" x 11"  sheets of paper. Print on heavier stock for multiple uses. Use scissors or x-acto knife to cut stencils.

Don't pass up these easy and economical DIY Holiday decor stencils. Deck the halls!! 

Courtesy of Cynical Girl on Goodsmiths

Free Pattern - Varsity Beanie Leave it to Beaver Style

Crochet Varsity Beanie

His name was Theodore but we all knew him as Beaver Cleaver. Doesn't this beanie remind you of the Beave? I can hear him now... "Gee Wally, but where are the propellers?" Download this sweet little 1950's beanie pattern to crochet for your little Wally and Beaver.

Free Crochet Pattern - Christmas Stockings

Crochet Christmas Stockings

Saint Nicholas, the inspiration for the Santa Claus figure we associate with Christmas, was known as the Good Saint. He was the originator of the book of naughty or nice. On the eve of December 6th would deliver tokens and sweets to children by placing them in the shoes or the stockings left to dry by the fire. December 6th is known as Saint Nicholas Day. Not everyone celebrates the tradition of Saint Nicholas Eve but when I was a child it was almost more anticipated than Christmas day. These sweet stockings would be a pretty holiday decor element that can be filled with sweet treats for your not naughty but nice little ones this Saint Nicholas Eve. Download Pattern Here.

Free Vintage Pattern - Crochet Necktie - Gifts For Him

Crochet Berry Stitch Necktie

Handmade gifts for the guys are always a bit of a challenge. I mean, how many robes does one guy need? But if your favorite guy wears a tie to work this berry stitch crochet tie is easy to make. With the amazing selection of wools and cottons in bold, subtle or heather tones, this is bound to be a favorite. Download the easy to follow instructions HERE.

Free Patterns Everyday - Rag Slippers to Crochet for The Whole Family

Easy to Crochet Rag Slippers

Almost everything can be looked at in one or two ways. A thing, or person is either an asset or a liability. The usefulness of a thing defines its value. With no perceived purpose a thing may be dismissed as a liability. But what if we reassess the qualities of a thing and apply them to a different context? Do we still see them in the same way? Quilters are genius at finding purpose for bits and scraps from leftover sewing projects or clothes worn beyond repair. One's perspective is the key to thinking outside of the box. And these rag slippers could be the antidote to the overflowing scrap heap of all those odd leftovers from sewing projects you cannot bring yourself to discard. Made from pieced bias strips and crocheted with a size K hook, they are easy house slippers to keep those little piggies warm all year round. Make some for your loved ones and clean out that remnant basket until your next sewing project. Download Instructions HERE.

Free Pattern Friday - Braided Twosome - Hat and Bag

Braided Twosome by January & Wood 1954

However good our intentions may be to knit or crochet all of our gifts this Christmas season, if you have not yet taken the time to learn this skill, you may be in for some frustration. Though I find both skills relaxing and fairly easy, it was not always this way. My first attempts were nothing short of disastrous. This handbag and matching hat is a quick and easy no skill pattern. Instructions are for braiding but imagine the hat and bag made from spool knitting (as described in this earlier post) or even a simple crocheted chain with chunky yarn. The possibilities are endless.

A Few Styling Options

Courtesy of KinseySue Vintage Patterns on Goodsmiths. 

Download Pattern HERE.

Free Pattern - Breast Cancer Awareness Month - Chemo Hat Pattern

Poul Friis Nybo Portrait of a Young Woman Knitting

Janet Szabo, is a knitter and editor of several knitting books available from her publishing company Big Sky Knitting. Szabo, a breast cancer survivor, designed this knitted chemo-toque pattern (©1998) to share. It is reprinted here for you to knit and share as well. Your donation to your local Breast Cancer Awareness chapter would be appreciated. Find more of Janet's knitting patterns on Ravelry.

Download pattern HERE.

Free Pattern Everyday - Learning to Knit with a Loom

Spool Knitting Tutorial

When I was a little girl I was presented with a square wooden block with a hole in the center and four nails driven in around the opening. It was not a thread spool but a blue wooden component of a child's stacking game. This object was my first introduction to knitting. There were no "needles" with yarn cast on. Instead it was a mini knitting-in-the-round machine for creating lengths of round knit cord. Today you can buy looms similar to this 19th century prototype. But if you want the real deal, download this tutorial with instructions to make the cord and tassels for drapery tie backs, or any application you can contrive. And don't despair if you have no wooden thread spool. Any plastic or compressed styrofoam spool can be adapted by drilling four small holes into the top of the spool,  and heating the pointed end of a small nail under a flame and insert into the drilled holes. Voila! A 21st Century version of a 19th Century spool knitter. Download HERE.

Free Pattern Every Day - Vintage Greeting Card Caddy

1968 Coats & Clark Card Caddy

As the Holiday cards begin to pour in from friends, family and well wishers, you will need a quick and easy organizing solution. This 1960's Coats & Clark card caddy is a quick-to-make card holder. It's simply a tube wrapped with festive colored string to hold cards with purchased or crocheted trim. Spin the tube to read the cards in full view. Download this retro holiday card holder pattern HERE.

Free Pattern Everyday - Knitted Bobtail Hat and Bag Pattern

1950's Easy Knitted Bobtail Hat and Matching Bag from Patons & Baldwin Toronto

Tassel and fringe trim this duo of quick and easy knit hat with contrast crown and matching bag with contrast fringe and handle. The choice of yarn for this classic style knit hat and bag will be the element that sets this set apart. Pima cotton with multi-colored slub or handspun Merino will yield very different but equally interesting results. Play. Download this knitting pattern HERE. Prints on 8.5" x 11" paper.

Thanks to Janie of RedCurlzs Vintage Patterns

Free Pattern Friday - Crocheted Circle Cap and Bag

1950's Crocheted Cap and Bag by January & Wood, Inc., Maysville, Kentucky

The Holidays are fast approaching and that quick to make gift from the heart is as close as a click. Using a large hook (size 5 or 6) this duo works up fast. Whether using novelty yarns with lurex for shimmer or boucle for texture, the variations for this smart set are endless. Make one for all the girls on your list. Download this pattern  HERE. Prints on 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper.

Courtesy of RedCurlzs Vintage Patterns

Free Pattern Everyday - Loop Trimmed Crocheted Bag and Hat

1950's Loop Trimmed Hat and Bag from January & Wood, Inc., Maysville, Kentucky

Crocheted accessories will always be winners not only for their speed and ease but because of their versatility. This looped bag and matching hat are a fabulous example of adding dimensional interest easily for a great effect. The looping on the hat makes a wonderful frame for the face while the looping on the bag accentuate the base. Great gifts but I think this one is a keeper too. So make two. One to give and one for you. Download this fab retro pattern HERE. Prints on 8.5" x 11" paper.

Thanks to Janie of RedCurlzs Vintage Patterns