In Vintage Notions Amy Barickman presents a beautiful collection of craft projects, recipes and advice dating back to the early 1900s that are still relevant today.  The references that appear in Vintage Notions are snippets from the newsletters “Inspiration” and “Fashion Service.” The woman spearheading these early American craft publications was Mary Brooks Picken. In today’s day and age she would be a crafty superstar. Not only did she write more than 100 craft related books, she also was the first woman to be named a trustee of the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Barickman says of Picken, “Her work shows that dignity, joy, and meaning can be derived from the home arts, whether it is cooking a meal for ones family, mending a child’s romper, making a cute apron as a gift, indulging oneself with a fashionable kimono, or just trying to be a better friend, neighbor, wife, daughter, sister, or mother.”

Read on for a chance to win a copy of Vintage Notions and take in an exclusive interview with Barickman to learn about her process of collecting the “Inspiration” newsletters and why the DIY movement is a reoccurring theme throughout the history of craft.

Q: Finding all the original material to include in Vintage Notions sounds like it was a fun treasure hunt at thrift & vintage stores, estate sales and through online mediums. Can you explain more about the process of finding all the material? How long did it take you? Did you find most of it online or in person?
Amy Barickman: “With me, sadly, there’s no formal process, nor is there a more hobby-like approach. You see, over the past twenty years, vintage collecting has become more of an obsession for me. But in a good way! It started innocently enough, I would find vintage decoratives here and there that I liked. However, over time, I began to expand into textiles, notions and ephemera.

As to the Vintage Notions material, I first discovered the ‘Inspiration’ newsletters from Mary Brooks Picken and The Woman’s Institute about seven or eight years ago. It took about six years to gather all of the newsletters, correspondence from the school and conduct research on Mary herself. Frankly, this book would not have been possible without the Web. From general research to corresponding with Mary’s family in New York to ‘visiting’ private collections and purchasing items through eBay, the Internet was an essential tool.”

Q: There must have been a lot of material to go through when doing the research for Vintage Notions. How did you choose what made it in the book or not? Do you have any plans to share the unused material in the future?
AB: “It was really quite difficult to edit all of the ideas and material down. There was so much I wanted to share and so many examples that could have been in the book. I began by developing themes and then editing the content to those themes. During that editing process, I also focused on material that I felt still had a modern application or relevance. As interesting as the material was to me, some of it was simply out-of-date and didn’t make the cut.

As to sharing unused content…during the editing of the book, and even still today, I continued to add to my collection. So, yes, I will be sharing both unused and new material in a number of ways in the upcoming year. I’ll still be touring around the country to various shows and shops. Make sure you check out my Web site or Facebook Page to see my schedule. I’ll also continue posting on my blog at AmyBarickman.com. I’ve also just started planning some short, video “chats” I thought might make for and post on my blog from time to time (keep your eyes out…I should have the first one up soon). Finally, we have a number of new books in the works that we hope everyone will love as much as they have Vintage Notions.”

Q: What would you say is the modern equivalent to the newsletters “Inspiration” and “Fashion Service” published by The Woman’s Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences?
AB: “Without question, blogs have taken over the role of the “Inspiration” newsletters, but not just in a publishing sense. Just like the newsletters, craft, sewing and fabric blogs are filled with inspirational projects, How To instructions, and beautiful graphics. As well, the “Inspiration” newsletters encouraged women throughout the United States to connect, share, learn and profit with one another. They would even actively introduce readers to each another. By actively soliciting reader participation, blogs have brought us closer together and helped to bridge the geographical gap that has historically kept us apart.”

Q: In Vintage Notions I noticed there are trends from today’s day and time The Woman’s Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences addressed back in the 1920s. For example, how to cook without meat and articles stressing the value of re-purposing materials like how to deconstruct men’s shirts to create aprons. Through all your extensive research, would you say there are many trends that continue to reappear in the craft world over time?
AB: “There are a number of trends that come up over and over again if you study fashion. One example is the “DIY” movement. It originally began as a movement of necessity–the scarcity of materials made it a learn-or-die skill. As it came around again in the late 1920s and 30s, the depression and the need to focus on thrift drove its resurgence. Today, it’s become popular again due to a number of factors, from the growth of recycling and sustainability to the media adoption of the concept (Project Runway, The D.I.Y. Network) to a sluggish economy and accessibility to instruction and materials via the Internet.

Also, there’s more ‘tech’ than just the Web. Simple manufacturing advances can influence trends as well. At Indygo Junction, we carry tools by Clover that make the making of Yo Yos significantly easier. Prior to the invention of those tools, we sold very few patterns. After we started carrying them, we’ve seen a huge spike in the sales of Yo Yo patterns.”

Q: The correspondence section in the newsletters, which would connect woman from all over the country with each other, is really fascinating. You compared the correspondence section to the modern wonder that is Facebook. Are there other ways you recommend that facilitate the process of today’s crafters meeting each other and sharing ideas?
AB: “As I mentioned earlier, blogs are an amazing resource. They are our instruction manuals, our sewing circles and our online correspondence schools. However, it’s really important to remember that nothing beats getting together, in person, with other creative, motivated, interesting people. Join a local group or guild. Here in Kansas City, we have a fantastic Modern Quilt Guild that attracts a tremendous group of talented young women. If you can, travel to creative conferences like The Creative Connection event in Minneapolis or The Country Living Fairs in Columbus and Atlanta. Go take a class at a local sewing shop or craft studio. The point is…get out of the house, away from your computer screen and open yourself up to this amazing community.”

Q: Mary Brooks Picken is an amazing inspiration for today’s crafters and independent business owners. What is the main thing you hope readers will learn from her in Vintage Notions?
AB: “The single thing I would hope that readers take away from me, Vintage Notions and Mary herself is that you hold the power to make a difference in your own two hands. Everyone has this power. By discovering your own creativity, you will come to realize that you are stronger than you thought, more creative than you imagined, more capable than you were led to believe. Leading a contented and gracious life, a phrase from Institute writings, is within your grasp if you open up to the possibility. This is the power of creativity and self-reliance and I wish it for everyone…even if you never read this book (although I hope you do!).”

WIN A COPY OF VINTAGE NOTIONS

Hello Craft has one copy of Vintage Notions to giveaway to our awesome readers! All you have to do is comment on this post and tell us why you’d like a copy of Vintage Notions by next Monday, 01/17. Also here’s a 20% discount for readers who wish to order a copy for themselves or a friend. Just click on this link and enter the code SLB.

For more on Barickman please visit Indygo Junction and The Vintage Workshop.