The 1947 General Electric "Stratoliner"

Did you notice the stove in the background of my pictures last week?

  A 1947 GE Stratoliner!! Isn't it a beauty!

"It's your Range dreams all wrapped up in one - the newest "Speed Cooking" beauty by General Electric!" Quote from ad. 

I bought it at an estate sale a couple of years ago, for $6.50. That is right $6.50! Who could pass up a bargain like that?!?

 "Streamlined? Just look at it! Sparkling - clean too - and so simple to keep that way!"

"Only General Electric has this big, easy-to-clean Tripl-Oven!" Really? This is big?!?

 "Most versatile range of any type ever built... The new GE Stratoliner boils, broils, bakes, simmers, fries, cans, pressure-cooks, roasts, steams, braises."

Mom found the manul in a local antique store, which was very exciting! I thought it would be fun to have some old ads for it too. The stove originaly cost $334.75. And had all the modern features; timer, broiler, even a built in pressurer cooker! 

I don't think the previous owner did much cooking, the stove is in great shape! I was vetoed by the family from using it until it is re-wired, which has not been done yet. So for now it makes a great filing cabinet! The other problem is it weights half a ton. Seriously, they don't build things like they use to. I don't know what we are going to do when is needs to be moved.

Fire King Swirl Dishes

 Saturday the Sis and I hit a few estate sales. We found some good things. Most of it was for our booth we rent at our local antique store. I thought I did quite good as the only thing I kept was these dishes. It is so hard! We find such great stuff, I want to keep it all!

Made by the Anchor Hocking Co. in the 1950s, under their brand name "Fire King". It was a type of glassware that was oven proof. Made from the early 1940s throught the 60s, "Fire King" came in quite a few colors and patterns, including the ever popular "Fire King" green. These dishes are the "Swirl" pattern, sometimes called "Shell".

  I had fallen in love with this pattern before and picked up one dinner plate. I now have five dinner plates, two soup bowls....

...A serving bowl and three fruit bowls!

A Few Aprons

Here are two aprons that I forgot I hadn't post yet.

I would say this is 40s or 50s. I think it was a waitress apron, before it was embroiderd and dyed with tea. I couldn't resist it! Febuary is my birth month.

 To me this one shouts 1930s! It has a little different yoke design.

Margy Apron

If you remember I posted about "State Fair" and the apron Margy wore. It has been on my to-do list to make for awhile. Finally, here it is!

Margy in her apron singing "It Might as Well be Spring".

And me in my apron! But no song.....

 I am very pleased with the way it turned out. Just wish I had the blouse to go with it! :) Don't you love the pocket ruffles?

 I couldn't quite decide from the picture whether the white is binding or rick-rack. I went with rick-rack because it is very 40s! If I make it again, I think the ruffles could be a wee bit wider.

Close up of the ruffles.

My New Aprons!

Yey! I finally have pictures to share! I am so excited with the way these aprons turned out.

This is made with a flour sack towel. A fun idea! Besides we are always drying our hands on our aprons. Of course I had to find a cute cherry print to bind it with! The cut off point makes a perfect pocket.

Close up of the cherry applique. I think it is vintage, I picked it up at a fiber show.

Back/side view over how it wrap around you. I am hoping to put together a picture tutorial on how to make one soon.

This one I took the pattern from this apron. I am so happy with the way it came out! It is super cute! Sorry for the crease down the middle, I was so excited to take the picture that I forgot to iron it!

This was one of the fabrics I bought a few weekends ago when we went to the quilt shop. So very 30s. I am still debating on if and where a pocket should go. But pockets are so cute on aprons! I think I will end up putting one on. Aprons need pockets.

Autumn Leaves

Thought this was a very fitting song for today. Enjoy!

Nat King Cole is another of my favorite singers. Especially Christmas songs!

Newest Additions to the Collection

Well Friends, I did not make a walk away dress last weekend. Couldn't find the right fabric. It was probably too many choices! We went to a quilt shop in the next town over that we don't get to very often. I bought some wonderful apron fabric! But nothing that said walk away dress. I didn't have a clear picture in mind what I wanted it to look like, but that problem has been solved! Now I need to go back out and look again!

I did receive two wonderful apron patterns in the mail that I will share with you.

One of my favorites! I was so excited to find it at a good price. And yes, it was too good to be true. It is missing a few pieces. Another project for me to tackle!

Pom-pom fringe?!? (version 3) That is a new one! A cute basic apron.

Lest you think all I last weekend was shop, I will be posting pictures of the two aprons I made. They are too cute! Check back tomorrow!

The Butterick Walk Away Dress

In poking around the internet today, I came across the story of the "Walk Away Dress".

"During the 1950s, Butterick experienced a phenomenon it had not known since the 'Garibaldi Suit' of the late 1860s. It was pattern 6015, and it was dubbed the 'walk-away' dress, because it was so easy you could "Start it after breakfast... walk-away in it for luncheon!". It's simple yet flattering wrap design and easy construction were what made it so popular. Sales of the pattern were so great, that at one point manufacturing of all other patterns ceased, and only the 'walk-away' dress was produced until all back-orders for this dress could be filled."  Excerpt from http://butterick.mccall.com/butterick-history-pages-1007.php which is fascinating!

Isn't is fun! The really funny thing I have the new pattern of this! I am so excited, it might be this weekend's project!

Shopping on Etsy

I came across this Etsy Shop the other day. She has such fun, vintage style aprons!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/momomadeit