Designing is the Best part

Designing is the Best Part

I’ve always been designing and making things. When I finished high school,

I was too scared to go to New York to study fashion design, and instead

became a Home Economics teacher. Of course now I’d go in a heartbeat.

Lately I’ve been making matching outfits for my Granddaughters and their

dolls.

The other day I was looking through my huge collection of knitting and

crochet books and found a book from the 70’s. The patterns for vests

reminded me of when we all had Aunt Ruth make us groovy crochet

vests to go with out bellbottom jeans. My grandmother tried so hard to

teach me to crochet, but I loved knitting. I found an instruction book on

crocheting, and this is the first set of vests that I have made for the girls

and their dolls, with two more to go. Coming up with the designs is the

fun part, so they will all be different.

Some of the old books on needlework are wonderful. I often think of

how excited women must have been to receive the latest magazine

with designs and a whole book must have been a luxury. I know I

love to browse through them for inspiration. I hope that one of my

grand children will treasure my collection as much as I have.

This book, Fancy Work Recreations Knitting Crochet Home Adornment

is by Eva M. Niles and published n 1884. Needlework has always

been an important way for women to express themselves, and was

one of the first ways that women had to support themselves. I haven’t

parted with any of my needlework books, but if I have a duplicate,

it sells very quickly.

Eva Marie Niles was from East Gloucester, MA. She was the author

of several books on needlework in the 1880s, and contributed

many needlework and quilt designs and related information to

various magazines during the same period. Some think that

she was the first to publish designs for the, “sunbonnet babies”.

I wish that I could find out more about her. She must have

been unusual and accomplished women for the 1800’s.