By Jennie Chancey
Inspired by a gallon jar of vintage buttons, this Interchangeable Era Button Necklace is a perfect accent for your period costumes. It's both quick and easy to make, using only the three most basic crochet stitches and taking an hour or less to stitch. A great starter project for those interested in dabbling with thread!
By Jennie Chancey
Here is my 1940s “Swing” Dress Pattern, inspired by an original Hollywood design, circa 1942. The design comes from the WWII days of fabric rationing, which meant narrower skirts and more tailored lines.
By Jennie Chancey
This exclusive crochet ePattern, created by Joys in Stitches exclusively for Sense & Sensibility Patterns, is available for instant download!
By Jennie Chancey
You may not be able to buy a paisley or silk stole, but with a luscious sport-weight alpaca yarn and this PDF pattern, you can make yourself a good substitute! The “Fleur-de-Lis Stole” is luxury itself, with a generous length for the classical Regency drape, and the combination of fleur-de-lis (a popular motif of the time) and a striking edging of fans and tassels.
By Jennie Chancey
This Dollar Download includes two fun features. The first, entitled, “When Buying New Frocks,” is jam-packed with advice for the Edwardian woman seeking to build an appropriate wardrobe on a reasonable budget. Another short feature, “Fashions for Women of Varied Tastes” (ca. 1909) has also been included.
By Jennie Chancey
I have long loved the beautiful, pastoral portraits of the late Georgian Era. Family groupings set in fields and beneath trees painted by artists like Thomas Gainsborough marked a departure from the stiffer, more formal portraits of a generation before. Children in these paintings gradually made an amazing transition from miniature adults to playful, happy youngsters in relaxed poses. Some of my favorite paintings are by George Romney and Élisabeth-Louise Vigée-Le Brun. Inspired by these lovely, classic portraits, I decided to create this pattern for my own girls, who adore the full skirts and wide sashes of the time.
By Jennie Chancey
This lovely fashion feature from the April 1900 issue of The Designer includes several fashion plates, plus an article on knitting (with instructions for some neat projects), and a couple of ads for fun.
By Jennie Chancey
Prefer to shop offline? We still have a few hundred copies of the 2005 catalog in stock–good while supplies last!
By Jennie Chancey
This download includes three articles from the early 1900s (my original copies are, alas, undated, but hairstyles and dress styles provide good clues). First is a feature about fashionable hats. Next is a beautifully illustrated piece about negligees–lovely, long gowns and wrappers to match. Finally there’s an article with photographs of intricate embroidery by “peasants!” Enjoy!
By Jennie Chancey
This cute article explains how to take last year’s clothes and make them over for a new season. Includes advice for everything from saque coats to skirts to hats.