Vintage Notions Volume 1 Issue 9 MONTHLY A Guide Devoted to the LOVE of Needlework, Cooking, Sewing, Fashion & Fun cunw~UlUU\,I ~ •' v// / ' / / ' / / / '@ , , The photo you see above is the image from the cover of the September 1920 Inspiration newsletter that was published by the Woman’s Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences which inspired my book Vintage Notions. For a more modern look I chose to update this edition with the cover artwork from the August, 1923 issue of the Woman’s Institute Fashion Service magazine. Vintage Notions Monthly ©2016 Amy Barickman, LLC 1-:================= Edited by Gus TAVE L . .WE 1 N s s ==================:i OW comes the time of the JTIS along these lines that the N year when activities in Institute has been advancing nearly all lines of endeavor are Preparations. since its inception. Ever since resumed with new vigor. The we began to teach we have had school bells have sounded, call­ for Service the thought of service to our ing teachers and scholars back students uppermost in mind. to their studies; vacations are BY THE EDITOR Was there a change to be made, practically over, permitting the it was considered from the angle problems of home life and business to be taken up of whether or not it would mean better service for again with unbroken sequence; the very air seems our students. Was a new policy to be inaugurated, to. have become charged with an impelling influ­ it was put forth with the idea of rendering bettel" ence, inspiring one and all to renew efforts that service. Preparation for service has been, is, and were more or less hampered in the summer months. will continue to be our policy. We learn from It is undoubtedly good for all of us to pass experience, and as we learn we aim to give our through a period that calls for a certain amount of friends the benefit of the knowledge we acquire. relaxation. Changes of this kind are conducive to mental balance. They permit us to look into our DURING the past few weeks we have been pre- future and to plan and prepare for the service that paring for distribution to our dressmaking we must give if we would achieve success. students a book that will be of extreme value to them. This book we call the "Woman's Institute ERVICE. What a magnetic word this is now­ Fashion Service." It contains authentic styles in S adays! At one time one who served was looked dresses, suits, coats, and wraps for the fall and upon as a slave, as a menial. To offer service winter season of 1920-1921. There is also text mat­ placed one in a lower stratum of society. Now ter explaining each one of the illustrations and its business firms are vying with- one another to see variations, which should enable Institute students which can render the best service to their cus­ to make for themselves clothes that will carry with tomers; schools and colleges are exerting extra­ them the consummation of ideas of expert design­ ordinary efforts to provide for their students that ers here and abroad. service which will enable them to cope with life in Our hope, with this Fashion Service, which will all its phases; individuals are coming to the realiza­ be published in the spring and fall of each year, is tion that "he fares best who serves best." Every­ simply to enhance the value of the service we where we look we see the banner of service leading already extend and thus enable our students to be the procession of the earnest and the prosperous. of greater service to themselves and others. JFYOU read between the lines of present-day so,in harmony with the spirit of progressive announcements of progressive institutions, you firms and individuals, it is of paramount im­ will quickly perceive that they are engaged in portance for all those who are the least inclined to undertakings that bespeak much for the future indecision to prepare for the service they must ren ­ good of themselves and those they wish to serve. der if they would reap the reward of industry. They realize that the war years of arrested de­ It requires courage and ambition to plan and pre­ velopment have set them back and that they must pare for the rendering of real service. Some are speed up to meet present demands, as well as antici­ too much inclined to remain at a standstill, thiiaking pate the needs of years ahead. But right prepara­ that what they now do is sufficient and trying to tion will enable them not only to give immediate make themselves believe that it is all right to let service, but to increase their service as time goes on. good enough alone. But that is where they err. And what better thought can we as individuals The call of today is for progress . No one, great have for ourselves? In preparing our minds and or small, unless he is content to trail behind, dare our hands to render service for the good of others, ignore this call. The ambitious will keep on pro­ we put ourselves in a condition to serve immediately gressing, knowing that the preparations they make and to improve our service as we strive. for service today will aid them on the morrow. Vintage Notions Monthly ©2016 Amy Barickman, LLC Happy Thinking HAPPINESS By MARY BROOKS PICKEN books. If I stopped a moment to rest my is such a Director of Instruction arms from sweeping, I had a word with big, gener­ Browning. While I stirred my cake, Keats ous, under­ known a grea t grief! As I thought about was within communing distance. I found standable it, I marvel ed at her power of adjustment, time to look away for a moment fr om the word that I her poise, her command of herse lf. She, a most homely task. Matthew Arnold, T en­ re a 11 y de- cultured woman, capab le of the finest feel­ nyson, and a distinguished group of poets and essayists were always r eady to respond ill!JJ/:.i/r.}i;~[:~°"JJlight in us- ings, had endured so much ! But she was r ing it. I sat my host ess, and she felt it her duty to make to my call for inspiration and help me to the other me happy, and in doing it she was bene­ live above the routine of the day's work. day, feeling fited, for she veri ly radiated happiness and "I am called a good hou sekeepe r, an ex­ much de­ good cheer. cellent cook. I consider it high credit·; and pressed, and un­ I trust and believe that it is credit to whic h consciously my A LETT ER of severa l pages came to my I am entitled. I can not say that I have pencil w r o t e desk the other day, and as it was such learned to regard housework with consum­ H-a-p, and then it seemed th e other letters a happy letter I read it three times. Lik e ing affection; but I dare say that I have needed to spell happiness just natur ally cool water, it actually r efres hed me. For come to get great and peculia r satisfactio n connected themselves to th ese first thr ee instance, this paragraph : from the consciousness that I can do letters. When I glanced at the paper and "Whenever I hear people talking about housework year in and year out, do it well, saw the word complete, I was interested. I homekeeping being so 'drab,' I wonder why and at the same time keep in vital and was not conscious of having written it. all women, even those wit h lar ge families, intimate contact with the finest expres­ Just seeing the word made me smile and do not find some little side issue that to sions of human inspiration and wisdom . I the smile brought cheerf ul reflections, and them spells 'play ,' and then play a littl e know the joy that comes at night from soon I was surrounded by happy thoughts. all along the way. I've always been blessed honest and efficient discharge of the day's with a keen ima ginati on, so that I could work. The degree of the work has ceased THE word and its effect reminded me of see gardens and cast les even if I liv ed in a to trouble me. All useful and necessary a simi lar circumstance that a friend desert, couldn't you? " work fits into the great scheme of th.i11gs. told me about. This friend had gone to And then this : Emerson did his work; I do min e. We are bed thoroughly discoura ged and burdened ''I must not close until I tell you some­ comrades. The spirit of usefulness joins with self-pi ty. As she was lying there, thing of the delightful time I am havin g us in the great freemasonry of servic e." magnifying every conceivable discom­ this season. At first I worked on th e fiture, she heard a member of the hou se­ sewing samplers after I had done a day' s THIS woman evidences that she is not by hold arguing with a man who had a big work (and somet imes more) of sewing for any means one· of the kind who literally cartload of sand to deliver, the man insist­ other people. Now I start out the other pinch th emselves to feel the hurt.