Thursday, February 5, 2009

Vintage Thursday Thingie: Aunt Martha's quilt patterns

This is my collection of vintage Aunt Martha's patterns (not very big, is it?) It consists of 2 iron-on transfer patterns and one quilting pattern booklet. The small packet is the oldest-the address on the back uses a city postal code so it has to have been printed no earlier than 1943. Aunt Martha's was producing patterns long before that and was already popular in the 1930s.

This pattern set was for days of the week tea towels-I have no idea what the little figure is supposed to be (an elf?, a fairy?, a Martian?) but she sure is cute.


Here she's sewing-my favorite! I have used some of these in an embroidered quilt I made (I'll show pictures on the week-end) and I actually once saw a vintage quilt that used them too!



Aunt Martha also produced larger pattern sets intended for quilts-this is the Old Testament set. I love the 1930's graphics-get a load of David in his very chic Cave Man outfit!


BTW, if you're interested, this pattern and the New Testament pattern set are still available today from Colonial Patterns. You can also get the State Birds and State Flowers-probably the most popular patterns in the 1930-1940s that Aunt Martha produced.

Aren't the Egyptian princess and her maid lovely!

The quilting booklet is the latest Aunt Martha pattern booklet that I own-printed after 1963 by the zip code in the address and the fact that the patterns include seam allowance (most older pattern books did not include seam allowance). On the back of the booklet is a collection of other Aunt Martha pattern booklets - these are also available today here.





For more VTT treasures and to join in the fun, click on the button.






19 comments:

Marjorie (Molly) Smith said...

Thanks for sharing, I love the Aunt Martha iron on transfers. I am working on a set right now of hers called the SunBonnet days of the week and also doing a set of dish towels with the Rooster and Hen days of the week. If you get a chance check it out on my blog.

CC said...

I love older quilt books and patterns..and I also love vintage transfers. You have some great things.. Happy VTT and have a wonderful day.

Susan said...

I love days of the week towels and am always going to make a set. I am definitely checking out those links. Funny you ask about what the little figure could be--in the Harry Potter books house-elfs do all the chores. I look at them as house-elfs :-) I love the look and feel of old patterns even if I never get around to using them. Using them in a quilt is a good thing, looking forward to seeing those pictures.

Cricket said...

How cool are those?!? I love the days of the week!

Bea said...

I love Aunt Martha transfers too. May have to get busy with some towels of my own. Thanks for sharing them.

Unknown said...

Well, I think David looks kind of like Betty Rubble, myself! And that little Martian sure is cute, maybe she's supposed to be a cat?

Protector of Vintage said...

The vintage tranfers are so charming! I'm attempting to teach myself to embroider, but I'm never happy with my results!! Take care~

gin said...

Oh very vintage. Nice collection you have.

Amy said...

those are lovely especially since they are from 1963 :-)

Rechelle ~Walnuthaven Cottage~ said...

Oh wow! I believe my grandmother had handtowels with those little fairies/martians/elf "person" on them. They look so very familiar to me!

The Raggedy Girl said...

As a fellow quilter I found your post really interesting, thank you.
Happy Vintage Thingies Thursday
from Roberta Anne

Betty said...

I love those vintage transfers. I think that creature might be a cat or a martian. LOL

JEWELGIRL said...

I see these for sale a lot at vintage
stores and house sales. I remember
the days of the week pattern on dish
towels. Great vintage memories!

Julia said...

Oh very vintage.... I have a couple of Aunt Martha's iron on transfers.
They also look great done in redwork..

Eileen said...

Oh what fun! I collect these things too! Someday I will have to show mine.Thanks for sharing.. I love it!

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness. I love the days of the week patterns. I keep telling myself I have to make a set as I do so remember my mothers.
I always used to insist (sometimes to the point of getting in trouble) that my mother strictly adhere to the dishtowels days of the week chores.

Anonymous said...

I love aunt martha's vintage patterns..i'm lucky enough to own a few myself :)

Anonymous said...

What nice transfers. Every once in awhile I run across transfers at a yard sale. Yours are super!!

Patty said...

Thanks for letting me know, you were showing these, Miri. (I'm so behind with my blog reading as usual.) I've never seen the Old Testament patterns before. I'm not usually big on religious figures but those are cool. Are you on Flickr? There's a group there called Hoop Love where people share their vintage embroidery patterns (only ones no longer under copyright so no Aunt Martha's). It's a great resource for patterns.