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Monday, February 23, 2009

Vintage Craft Magazines

Workbasket and Home Arts Magazine, Circa 1969

Over the past week I've been in Connecticut visiting with my Grandmother. My grandmother is an avid crafter. I would say her two favorite crafts are crochet and plastic canvas. So over the years she has collected quite the craft stash. In her supplies were about 50 vintage craft magazines which she offered to me. They are filled with knitting, crocheting, and embroidery patterns.

I'm thinking of sharing some of the magazine crafts on a weekly basis. Would you be interested in me posting this? Love to hear your thoughts in the comments.


Beautiful Holiday Handmades, 1978

Workbasket and Home Arts Magazine, August 1969


Okay, this isn't a vintage craft magazine but I just had to share. Anyone remember these, paint by water? The watercolor pigment is already on the paper and appears when you paint over it with water. I completely forgot about these until I stumbled upon one in the basement.

35 comments:

greetingarts said...

Love the Paint with Water (but love the Barbie jogging headband even more...!). Do they still make those? My kids would get a big kick out of them. Maybe that's too low-tech for most kids these days?

zakkalife said...

you can find the "paint by water" on Amazon

Amanda @ www.kiddio.org said...

Those are outstanding! We picked up a set of some sort of 'family craft encyclopedia' at a garage sale and it's FULL of pre-internet treasures. Interested in getting together for some macrame?

Anonymous said...

To answer your original question: I would love to see the crafts from those magazines! What a treat it must have been to have found those! Can't wait to read your future posts on this subject...

Anonymous said...

I would love to see how to make that flowered triangle (tree?) with the yellow pom-pom on top from the Woman's Day mag! Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I used to love those paint-by-water things!

Unknown said...

Would love to see what treasures you find in the craft magazines, especially crochet patterns.

alittlebitofscrap said...

I'd love seeing some vintage crafting goodness :)

zakkalife said...

I should point out, I'm not sure if I'll be able to publish the actual patterns due to copyright laws. I need to do some research.

Anonymous said...

OMG I did these paint by water things ALL THE TIME when I was little. I loved them.

Ronda C. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ronda C. said...

Love all the vintage finds. I believe if the publisher is out of business that you can post their books. I think that Craftster has a page on copyright that you might want to check out, at least I think it was them I just realized that I read way to many blogs to keep track of. Thanks for sharing.

jordan said...

I have a massive vintage craft book and magazine collection, and from all the research I've done, I've found that most of those types of things are still protected under copyright. You can search copyright records here: http://www.copyright.gov/records/
but even if something isn't on there, it doesn't mean that it's public domain. I once had grand dreams of making some huge online free vintage pattern resource, but too much of the stuff I own is either still protected or has had it's copyright renewed.

jordan said...

Opps, I posted before I meant to. I wanted to add: Don't let my experience discourage you though. I only got through about 1/4 of my collection before I just gave up. I don't know if I ever got around to checking out work basket or woman's day. Good luck! I'd love to see some crafts from your vintage magazines.

zakkalife said...

Jordan and So-Sew-me,

Thank you for the information/resources for copyright. I'll check out the sites.

Unknown said...

Sooo coveted the white Go Go boots, and always want to dress mod, thank goodness it's a little in style of late. Showing my age.. but that is why those patterns still kind of give me a laugh. I didn't know I was Vintage! Although my teens would say different.

Anonymous said...

Love anything like this. AND? The Barbie paint w/ water? Oh, yes, I think I had this one. And perhaps a few dozen more. I was hooked. :)

Unknown said...

Yes, please share the vintage craft ideas!

wayfarer said...

oh man i love that barbie one!

i found a few tonka truck ones at a thrift store and my son loved them. He just did the last picture from it today.

looks like you got some fun mags!

Kristi said...

Very cool magazines. I would love to see some craft projects from them. That would be awesome!

And the paint by water book! Oh man do I miss those. I remember playing with those as a kid!

Alison said...

I remember the paint by water books, too. :) Memories...

I would totally be interested in you posting bits from the vintage craft magazines, especially the embroidery patterns. What an awesome gift from your Grandma!!!

Kristin - The Goat said...

My sister had that paint with water book - that exact one! Love it.

The answer to your question, Yes Please. I love those old craft books. I'm so allergic to musty things, that I can usually only look through a few pages, in person, before I start sneezing. Online would be so much more allergy friendly!

Unknown said...

How wonderful..I think its almost impossible to get them here.

LindaJ said...

Would love you to share what ever you choose to share with us! How exiting and it's back into MY timezone. This would be fun. Thank you!

nihal said...

I enjoy your blog and I would love to see the vintage crafts.. Do post them!

Cil Bear said...

I'm 99% sure that I owned that Paint with water Barbie book....the wonders of 80s technology, eh?

Anonymous said...

Wow I to would love to see the projects you are so kind to offer for us.. thank you for your generousity!
Linda

Rachel@oneprettything.com said...

I totally had that Barbie paint by numbers book! Those things made me really angry as a child though. So restrictive. I usually colored in them.

Mary Kay said...

I would absolutely appreciate it if you would share some of the crafting ideas in the magazines. I just loved those water color books!

Diana said...

I used to have that exact same Barbie paint with water book!!!

I would love it if you would share weekly crafts with us, I love vintage patterns.

Meg@MegaCrafty said...

It would be great to see the vintage crafts. I always loved looking at the old magazines that belonged to my Grandmother.

Anonymous said...

Always good to see crafts from earlier times. Sometimes revisiting old techniques is as interesting as the things made.

Sandi a::k::a KnitMyRhino said...

I have a Paint with Water "ALF" book. I have been fighting myself trying to decide if I should let my 4 yr old touch it. Its like the worst tug-of-war

American Homemaker said...

I have several of those craft magazines. I haven't looked at them in forever.

Sarah C said...

Oh. my. God! I totally had that Barbie paint with water!

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