Days Gone By... Vintage Seersucker Fabrics That Will Make You Swoon!

Vintage printed seersucker fabrics always make me swoon. There is just something incredibly romantic about them. They evoke the warm breezes of summer, conjuring the image of sipping sweet tea on a creaky old porch swing. When I wear a dress made from them, I somehow feel lighter. 

Maybe it's the weightlessness of the fabric and how a soft breeze seems to pass right through it. Maybe it's the bubbly texture that is somehow flattering on any figure. Maybe it's just my propensity for romanticizing "the days gone by."
In any case, I can't think of anything negative about a good vintage seersucker, except that they often require wearing specific undergarments, as the tend to be a bit sheer.

On this cold winter day, with a few inches of fresh snow on the ground, I am definitely yearning for the long warm days of summer. Here are a few beautiful vintage seersuckers that I've been ogling as of late: 

I'll take this whole stack please!!!!!!! Find these and other beautiful vintage fabrics at NieszVintageFabric.com

Especially this one!

Not quite romantic, but fabulous all the same. There are always some beautiful finds at Revival Fabrics.

Finally one from my own collection In With the Old Vintage on Flick'r.

Suck a sweet nautical print found in one of my favorite shops Thoroughbred Threads.

Until we meet again,

Courtney

A Girl On A Mission (To Buy Some Vintage Barkcloth)

One thing you need to know about me is that once I make up my mind to do something, watch out, because it will happen! So, that in mind, don't be surprised by my recent craziness.

There's a little secret I've been keeping under my hat and I can finally share it with all of you. A few weeks ago, the most fabulous little bird whispered in my ear about a truly amazing collection of vintage barkcloth, owned by two of the most amazing women, of course. They were contemplating selling their gorgeous collection and I decided I had to have it, fortunately they complied. This past Friday afternoon we finally worked out the terms and it is officially mine. (Insert picture of me wearing a HUGE smile right here!)

Now I know your saying, "what's so crazy about that?" Well, here begins the crazy part...I've never actually seen the fabric. To top it all off, the deal was struck on Friday afternoon at about 2PM.  By 7PM, I had rented a trailer, packed a bag, prepped the truck and organized the childcare. At 3AM I jumped out of bed, finished the work I needed to do in my Etsy store and started the 600 mile trek south. I arrived at my destination by 3:30 and immediately began sorting through the first 12 tubs of fabric. Let me tell you, I haven't had so much fun in years. I oohed and ahhed, danced and giggled, and smiled and be-bopped my little head the whole time. Yes, you are right, it does sound crazy to get so excited over fabric, but let me tell you, I love my insanity!

My insanity just lead me to a collection  of some of the most rare and beautiful barkcloth fabrics I've ever seen. The first lot of boxes included abstracts, mid-century, tropicals, calder-esque, Dali and for those of you that love your romantics... pristine Glen Court. As if this wasn't enough, I had the opportunity to spend time with some of my favorite women in the vintage textile business, who of course were almost as excited as me!
They treated me to a lovely sushi dinner and then we headed to location number two where nine more boxes were waiting for my eager hands. This lot included hundreds of small scraps and sample pieces that were left over from their sewing business. I found juveniles, novelty prints, grandma moses and amazingly eight more Glen Court panels.

After all the excitement, at about midnight I was finally able to fall asleep. Much to my surprise, at 7AM I was raring to go. I visited with the girls, had an extra large cup of coffee and headed upstairs to sort through some beautiful, but not so vintage, home dec fabrics. Yes, they even threw in a hand picked bonus box. Max is about to have the cutest cowboy room ever! By noon the trailer was loaded and I was migrating north. The long trip home was filled with more anticipation than the ride down, believe it or not. At 10PM, I pulled in the drive and stumbled up the stairs, into the house. I immediately crashed and woke up this morning ready to attack another day. After driving 1200 miles in 40 hours, my body did not agree with me of course, so we had a bit of a sluggish day of taking the kids to school, unloading and returning the trailer and a quick nap this afternoon. And I'm sure you know by now, I had a dream about buying more fabric.

Pictures will be arriving in the next few days, so keep checking back. Hope you had a great Monday!
Courtney

Vintage Fabric of the Day

OK, it already sold.... and my heart did sink a bit when I found out, but I had to include this fabulous fabric in today's post. This vintage fabric of the day is from a new Etsy shop called Lisa Jane Supplies and Vintage. It is a truly fabulous example of vintage design that you only find on the other side of the pond. Why oh why couldn't we have fabrics like this in America. I dream of overseas buying trips, that would produce such lovelies as this!

Be sure to stop by Lisa's new store and give her some Etsy love!

Until tomorrow my vintage loving friends,
Courtney

Vintage Fabric of the Day

I am absolutely loving this vintage 1970's poly cotton blend fabric. Not only does it have an amazing oscillating pattern and it's in my favorite collor palette, but the slightly ribbed texture adds another level of visual impact. This little gem is offered by a newer seller on Etsy called Gollidrops and is sold by the 1/2 yard. Scoop it up quick, because I'm sure it won't last!

Vintage op art fabric by Gollidrops



There wer too many great fabrics to choose from, so here are a few other pieces offered by Gollidrops:



Until tomorrow,

Courtney

Treasury Tuesday: It's In The Bag a 100% VMTEAM Collection

The craziness has insued again in the McCabe household, but I promised to get back to posting a bit more often. So, I created a little treasury that might help spice up your wardrobe. The best part is... it's all vintage and very reasonably priced! I guess that would be parts, hmmm.  Anyway, happy shopping to all!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NTY3NjI4MXwyMjE1MTE2NzY2/its-in-the-bag

Vintage Fabric of the Day

Ok, so usually I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to vintage fabric, forgive me please! I always prefer to buy and showcase pieces that are over 1 yard in length, larger if possible. However, a good friend of mine has been urging me to consider the importance, and market for, smaller cuts. Maybe, just maybe, she's right and I should stop overlooking these tiny treasures. Therefore, my vintage fabric of the day post is actually a bundle of some of the cutest vintage fabrics I could find.

Let me introduce you to..... this adorable bundle of floral and geometric print fat quarters.

I love the bold floral prints in varying shades of green, purple and aqua, combined with an adorable lime gingham and delicate purple calico. Put together by Swell Goods, of Etsy, this bundle includes 10 fat quarters. That's two 18" x 21" pieces of each of the five fabrics. Better yet, this entire collection which equals 2 1/2 yards of fab vintage fabric, is only $14.00.

'Til next time, keep enjoying the vintage splendor,
Courtney

Starting Over

Ctrl Alt Del pillow set by Diffraction Fiber Etsy

Anyone who knows me well, knows that change has been a huge part of my life in the past year. My oldest child started preschool, my baby turned two and my business, unfortunately, fell by the wayside due to "sticky life situations." Personal life aside, I have been regrouping and refocusing my business, hoping to hit the ground running in 2012. So, what does this mean for In With the Old Vintage? Hopefully a new and exciting adventure. I'll be ramping up my Etsy store, (adding lots of new goodies), spending every other weekend in NYC at the Garage Antiques Market and loading up my show schedule. It will not only include Brimfield, a.k.a. "The Greatest Show on Earth" in my opinion, but also some great quilting, sewing and knitting shows. To top it all off, once I'm sleep deprived to the point of no return, I'll hopefully have time to pursue my creative side, you know, the one that's dying to escape the confines of my overcrowded brain. New products a plenty are in the works as we speak.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention.... relaunching this blog. I've always enjoyed writing down my thoughts. Sometimes I do tend to babble on, probably making my readers feel like they're on an overgrown wooded path, lost, wandering for hours, desperately hoping that a sun filled clearing will appear. You know, like I did just there. This time around, I'll try to be a bit more concise, promise! I'm smiling, just in case you didn't figure that out yet. Anyway, I look forward to sharing with you all of my adventures this year, and hope to hear a little bit more about yours too.

Here's to starting over!

Courtney

Vintage Fabric of the Day: Presidential and Patriotic

Since today is a day for celebrating the patriotism of our former Commanders in chief, I decided my vintage swatch of the day should have a patriotic feel. This lovely vintage flannel fabric popped right out at me. You can find this vintage gem at Dreamingofsewings shop on Etsy. This lovely shop is filled with vintage fabrics and sewing supplies, including this amazing red, white and blue flannel.

Life is Crazy, but Vintage is Still King!

Where does the time go?

While I love posting new little bits about my life, I once again have let the business of life take control. The holidays, the multiple birthdays, the kids and the flus put quite a dent in my time these last few months. So much has happened, I don't know where to begin. The holidays were fabulous and the little ones are amazing, as always. Sometimes I just can't believe my baby boy is running already and my princess has progressed to chapter books. Wow, they are growing up way to fast! I wish I had more time to just sit back and enjoy them, but business has boomed lately and all the juggling can be a bit tricky.

Step one to finding more time to devote to all my lovely readers, hire some help. I've been searching for months for a talented and efficient photographer. While I enjoy taking my shop photos, I just don't have the equipment or time to do it well anymore. So with that said, I am meeting with a lovely gentleman who may be starting the enormous task of photographing the thousands of items I have squirreled away. Get ready for a boom in inventory listed in my Etsy shop very soon.

I have to admit I am very excited at the possibility of listing items after the tots are in bed at night. That will free up some of my daylight hours, when my thinking is clearest, to post a blurb or two here. I've tried to write a post at the end of the day, but unfortunately by 8:30pm when the house is quiet, my brain is complete mush. Good only for the spattering of emails I need to answer and addressing packages, you know those things they train monkeys to do.

All in all, it has been a wonderful few months! My little ones are back home with me, five days a week, where they belong. The days of my three year old begging to stay home, and not go to day care, are slowly  subsiding. My fabulous inlaws are spending two days a week with my little monkeys, so that dropping off packages at the post office is now quick and easy. I do have to admit, the post office clerks have repeatedly asked when the circus is coming back to town. They especially miss the antics of my 1 year old.

So welcome back to my little world, where life is crazy and vintage is king!

My Very First Artfire Feature: Flowers, Flowers, Flowers

I just opened an Artfire shop this afternoon and much to my surprise, I was featured in a fabulous collection this evening. What a lovely end to a lovely day. A big thank you to Hookedonyarnct for making me immediately feel welcome in this new venture! Be sure to check out her wonderful shop full of crocheted goodies from hats to coasters. Here is her beautiful collection:

Flowers, Flowers, Flowers

Curated By: Hookedonyarnct

ArtFire.com

Indie Design

Home for the Holidays!

Vintage Market Team is hosting a fabulous holiday sale, now through the new year. Below you'll find a fun promotional video that showcaswes some of the goodies you can find by searching  the tag vmteamhoho on Etsy. Search often as this is a three part holiday sale that will run through the new year, with lots of fantastic vintage items you can give as gifts, or use to entertain and decorate. Happy HoHo hunting!!!!!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Vintage Fabric of the Day: Ships Ahoy Novelty Print

This adorable fabric is the perfect addition to any nautical decor. I love the seersucker texture, the patriotic color palette and the adorable sailboats. You can find this vintage darling in my Etsy store right now.

Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

Vintage Fabric of the Day. Juvenile Giraffe Adorable Novelty Print

Now that I have children, I am a sucker for novelty print fabrics, both new and old. This little treasure jumped out at me this morning as I was browsing through some new listings on Etsy. Fabulous pink giraffes are decorated with pretty white daisies and look incredibly happy that they are. This vintage flannel is avail. at Plant Dreaming , a lovely Etsy store filled with vintage goodies, including dolls and fabric.

Vintage Fabric of the Day: MidCentury Abstract Cats

This adorable novelty print fabric is right up my alley. If you love them as much as I do, these little cats are waiting for you at the Selvedge Shop. They offer a truly amazing selection of vintage notions, fabrics and patterns. Be sure to stop by their shop often, as new goodies are added frequently.

Vintage Fabric of the Day: Verner Panton Mod Beauty

Who doesn't love the sweeping curves and colorway of this fabric's design. If only I had the perfect place for it. Maybe you do! It's available at Sweetshorn, a truly wonderful, Seattle based shop on Etsy.

Vintage Fabric of the Day: MidCentury Abstract Print

This vintage fabric, created by Vlisco Van Vlissingen of Holland, is true abstract perfection. I couldn't believe my eyes, the first time I held this fabric in my hands. It is one of my own fabrics, currently for sale in my shop. I just couldn't resist sharing this autumnal midcentury beauty. I've found very little information about the manufacturer, besides his famous lines of tribal inspired fabrics. If anyone knows where to find the comprehensive history of the Vlissigen company I'd love to know more.

This fabric is crurrentlye for sale at In With The Old Vintage. 

Have a favorite vintage fabric you would like to share, leave a link in the comments. I would love to see and maybe feature it as a Fabric of the Day.

Happy Hunting!

Vintage Fabric of the Day: 50's Mod Mess

I'm a huge fan of mid-century design and  think I would love to trade in my bungalow, which I do love, for something that screams modern. If I could just figure out how to incorporate them into my turn of the century home, life would be perfect. OK, maybe not perfect but pretty darn close. So for the next few days, get ready to see some great swatches of mid century beauties I'd like to bring home.

This fab 1950's cotton print can be found at Sharon's Antiques, one of my favorite websites, dedicated solely to vintage textiles.

Vintage Fabric of the Day: Vintage Geometry

This week is all about plaid, one of my favorite fabric designs. I'm a clean lines sort of girl, and something about plaid patterns really speaks to me. Today's plaid is not quite the sleek lines I am usually drawn to, but I just couldn't resist this geometric beauty, offered by Retro Age Vintage Fabrics. Their shop is a truly stunning collection of vintage fabrics, with an amazing inventory of  retro, mod and op art pieces to choose from.

Retro mod yellow & black 1970s cotton

Happy Thursday!

Vintage Fabric of the Day: Mad for Vintage Plaid

 

vintage wamsutta mills fabric yard plus (zig zaggy halloween houndstooth)

 I'm in love with this vibrant vintage fabric by sosovintage! What a lovely store filled with vintage goodies, from fabric to housewares.

Vintage Fabric of the Day: Mad for Plaid

I've been particularly drawn to plaid and striped fabrics recently. So don't be surprised if, for the next few days, you're seeing a plethora of vintage plaids. This first example is a double whammie for me. Not only does this fantastic plaid boast those ever enticing, crisscrossing stripes, but textured stripes too! Yes, you guessed it, a plaid plisse. So, here it is, my vintage swatch of the day, courtesy of Thryftypyg!