Amy Barickman's Vintage Notions: An Inspirational Guide to Needlework, Cooking, Sewing, Fashion, and Fun

by Mary Brooks Picken, Amy Barickman

Amy Barickman's Vintage Notions is an inspirational guide and creative collection that features needlework, cooking, sewing, fashion, and fun. This book was inspired by the wisdom of Mary Brooks Picken, a pioneer in the domestic arts and international authority on dressmaking and fashion. Mary s sole purpose, which resonated so deeply with Amy, was to educate women, encourage their entrepreneurial spirit, and elevate the value of their work. Mary's name may not be familiar to you now, but in these pages you will be charmed by her vision and inspired by her blueprint for living a simple, fulfilling life. In Vintage Notions, Amy Barickman joins creative forces with a previous era to preserve Mary s work and showcase it alongside her own extensive collection of vintage textiles, needlework, illustrations, and memorabilia, for a new generation of sewing and crafting sisters. The book features: *Inspirational essays and projects for each month of the year *Seasonal recipes and decorating ideas *Four storage pockets one for each season *Twelve Magic Patterns easy-to-make, chic sewing projects *Vintage timeless advice on health, character, beauty, style, fashion, parenting, communication, friendship, spirituality, community

Genres: Sewing, Crafts, Nonfiction, Cookbooks, Fashion, History, Art

241 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2010

Reviews

[Lynne Tull · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just found this wonderful book at the library. I have read through it and determined it is a must have for my library. It is an excellent reference book on everything vintage from the 1920's. It has patterns, crafts and recipes from that time period. It is arranged by seasons and the chapters are months in chronological order. Ms. Barickman is renowned in her field. She is paying tribute to Mary Brooks Picken who died in 1981 at the age of 95. Ms. Picken was also a trailblazer and renowned for her support of the education of women. If nothing else the illustrations in this book are beautiful. I just loved looking at the vintage pictures. One particular article reprinted in this book caught my eye: "Walking Like a Princess" on page 182. To quote, "Every woman can take on a new beauty, a new charm,if she will practice lightness on her feet, will wear her clothes rightly and will carry her accessories as well as her arms and head in a graceful and smart manner. As for me, I am practicing, and one of these days I am going to hear someone say, to my back, of course, 'Isn't she charming? She has the carriage of royalty, the poise of a princess.'" Read the book to see what she recommends you do to accomplish this feat!

[Kaylee]

Great look into the ways women of the 20s and 30s made their lives beautiful. Given my penchant for all things vintage, I thought it was fabulous.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two good patterns and a whole bunch of boring.

[The Film Director's Wife · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book!

I love all things vintage and truly liked learning more about Mary Brooks Picken through this book.
There are several recipes in it that I am excited to try and I also enjoyed seeing all the early 1920's fashion of the day presented in it.

I liked how it was divided into the months/seasons of the year -
that felt like a really nice touch.

Overall -
I enjoyed and would read this book again.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really 3.5 stars.

Had the opportunity to speak with the author via zoom. And I liked how the book was separated by month, and the pockets were a cool touch.

The fact that the Advice and articles were written almost 90 years ago is very interesting.

My favorite article was about the meatless meals how very forward thinking of her. I also enjoyed what kind of Neighbor are you. And a lot about November and December.

[Christina Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another one of my top 10 favorite books. It’s an ode to women and the art creating and warm and loving home. Resourcefulness, creativity, and intentionality can make a beautiful life for you and your loved ones, even when resources are limited. A collection of vintage articles, housekeeping tricks, and pearls of wisdom, this book is a treasure that will inspire you and connect you to the women of decades past. It’ll make you want to call your grandmother! :D

[Alexandria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expected this to be a "modern twist on vintage recipes and styles" type of books. It's actually a combination of newspaper and book clippings from vintage sources, many of which are either recipes, crafts, or little knowledge tidbits. It's a unique approach and one I found intriguing enough that, after ordering it from the library, I went and ordered my own copy!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a delightful collection of vintage jewels! Worth the read and 12 free magic pAtterns recipes and more.

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of this was interesting, and I liked the vintage illustrations. I wish it had concentrated more on the practical things like sewing and cooking and less on "inspirational" messages

[Jeslyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never read a book like this before, and enjoyed it very much. Full of patterns for everything from aprons to children's Halloween costumes to furniture slipcovers, fun vintage recipes, wonderful essays, and a terrific biography on Mary Brooks Picken and her efforts to be self-sufficient and teach self-sufficiency to other women. It is arranged seasonally, with pockets at the beginning of each quarter to stow fabric samples, recipes, any ideas the reader might want to pursue.

Ms. Picken was a very modern working woman, and in establishing her school and correspondence course in domestic arts she was able to help scores of women across the country become independent or contribute significantly to their family income - ironically by developing skills in areas that much of today's society considers outdated, subjugating, etc. Far from being a "stay at home and mind the kitchen" sort of woman, Ms. Picken founded the Women's Institute for Domestic Arts and Sciences (Scranton, PA), taught at Columbia University and was the first female trustee of the Fashion Institute of Technology, among her many other accomplishments. Reading the testimonials of her "ordinary female" students was one of the highlights of the book for me. In searching online for a good biography of Ms. Picken, I came across a blog post that gives a far better sketch of her accomplishments than I can, read on if interested: http://www.madalynne.com/kindle-me-ma...

Amy Barickman accessed Institute newsletters and Picken's other writings to republish numerous essays that are as timely now as they were then, and well worth reading in the 21st century.

Bravo to Amy Barickman for compiling such a wonderful book, and for bringing an extraordinary woman to the attention of modern readers - a feminist in the true sense of the word.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amy Barickman's thimble runneth over in this book! With slick pages with color on every page, one would think this book would cost a fortune. At $29.99 this book is a steal. Broken into the months/seasons of the year, Vintage Notions is an inspiration to all, not just Barickman. Mary Brooks Picken, a Kansas native, started the Woman's Institute in Scranton, Pennsylvania in 1914. In 1920, she introduced a monthly newsletter titled "Inspiration." And that is what Barickman has given us: inspiration to bring back some of the old traditions and learn that they are not so old after all. For instance, "Hats for the Season," shows 1920s hats, yet the advice given can also be used today. The same goes for "Soup-Making Secrets." With the economy the way it is, many are looking for the simpler life and are willing to make changes in their cooking method, turning to the slow cook method for good wholesome food.

What else would a homemaker what to know for their castle? Decorating, sewing, cooking, needlework, flowers, meal planning, quilting, children, tips on how to all these things and more. All these things, plus pockets built onto pages for your notes, magazine clippings, etc.

For every homemaker - female or male - young or old, Amy Barickman's Vintage Notions will make a perfect gift. And as Christmas is right around the corner, why not put Vintage Notions on your list.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am sure this book rates a scholarly review. On my to-read shelf is Barbara Ehrlichman's book about women's advice over the years, and I imagine this would be a good companion piece. The source of Ms. Barickman's material is Mary Brooks Picken's Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences, which in its early years enrolled more students that all the women's colleges in the country. Ms. Picken was a successful entrepreneur when few women were. I confess to skimming most of the "advice" because it was pious and gentile to a degree I could not like. I was very interested in the needlework, homemaking, cooking and related pieces. What astounds me is how little has changed. I could pick up any sewing, homemaking or "women's" magazines from the library shelf and find the same topics - from Thanksgiving menu to how to plan a picnic, from making aprons (they're back) to making filmy scarves, from spring cleaning to preserving fruits. It would be fun to compare the child-rearing advice to that of today.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vintage Notions is a delightful month-by-month look back into the past that was women's fashion, needlework, and cooking of the 1920s. This book contains projects, recipes, artwork, and musings from the pages of Mary Brooks Picken's Inspiration magazine. The projects are very doable, and hands-on vintage for those interested in the world of the Twenties. Modern project and cooking notes are included for those who want to use them, for techniques and cooking standards which have changed over the years. Highly recommended for anyone who sews, cooks, and is interested in the culture of the time.

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Martha Stewart of her day, Mary Brooks Picken galvanized women in the domestic arts from 1911 - 1949, coaching them with personal grooming, fashion savvy, domestic industry, cooking and entertaining tips, sewing patterns and skills, and inspirational stories and verses. Share in the fun with this feel-good celebration of a time long gone. Includes recipes, patterns, and stories from her original publications.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Completely charming! This is another "month-by-month" book and I'm a real sucker for those. If you don't care for reading about life and homekeeping in the early 20th century, this one will not be for you, but I love this sort of thing.

I won't necessarily do the projects listed in here - maybe some, but not all - but I plan to have this one (the one I've read is a library book)on my shelf to refer to, and be inspired by, again and again.

[Alessandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sort of miscellany of reprints of 1920s articles by Mary Brooks Picken, who really should have received credit somewhere on the cover or title page. It's very pretty, but a little disingenuous. Not for beginners at all, since it is a reprint from a time when they expected readers to have extensive sewing knowledge. Super nostalgic, but not very practical.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a fascinating book that takes a look into the lives of women in the 1920s. You can learn asking about how much women haven't changed over the years. There are great tips and amazing advice that is still relevant to our lives today.

[Catdav56 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book not quite like any book I have every held in my hand. It is eye candy from cover to cover. I love the way Ms. Brickman divides the book into months of the year with vintage knowledge coursing through every page. It is a book not read at one sitting, but enjoyed over the entire year.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay. Nice illustrations and ephemera to get the inspiration going. Most of the writing was quaintly amusing. I skipped all of the author's "modern" writing; not what I was reading it for.

[Mellissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be cute.

[Jodee · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved the patterns

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy the tone and feel of the book..but I adore old "how to", craft and cook books. Loads of ideas that can be used today. Love the patterns for the aprons and clothes in general.

[Lhvolmar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of great ideas. A great peek into the past about a trendsetting lady that was ahead of her time.

[Amy Jacobs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting, but it did have some useful tips and hints from the past in sewing and homemaking.

[Sadie · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone who loves to sew, cook and believe that a good domestic life is an art form.