Singer Sewing Library

In the '60s Singer put out a line of sewing reference books. They were 25 cents or 29 cents and were available at the local Singer Sewing Centers. The first was dated 1960 and the last one was dated 1962. They were available with a staple binding or comb bound:

I have been collecting them from yard sales and thrift stores and online. I just need one more to make my collection complete.

The series is pretty fun. I love to look through them. Part of the delight is the snapshot of the past that they give you about life then. Another part is that there are actually some pretty fun projects, techniques, and ideas in some of them.

Here is a full list of the series and their numbers:

101 - How to Make Curtains
102 - How to Make Draperies
103 - How to Make Valences
104 - How to Make Bedspreads
105 - How to Lay Out a Pattern and Cut
106 - How to Measure, Alter and Fit
107 - How to Make Seams and Finishes
108 - How to Make Sleeves
109 - How to Make Buttonholes and Pockets
110 - How to Make Collars, Finish Necklines
111 - How to Make Zipper Closures
112 - How to Make Belts and Hems
113 - How to Make Slip Covers
114 - How to Make Café Curtains
115 - Things for Little Girls to Make
116 - Creating Charm When Sewing for Girls
117 - How to Mend and Refit
118 - How to Do Dressmaker Tailoring
119 - How to Make Aprons
120 - How to Make Cushions, Pillows, and Bolsters
121 - How to Sew for Babies

Really it seems like some of these are essentially the same: Curtains, Draperies, Valences, Café Curtains. But some are super fun like the Aprons, Creating Charm When Sewing for Girls, and especially Things for Little Girls to Make. 

I will be trying some of the projects and techniques and I will let you know what I think. 

I do recommend the series though. It's a fun read if you are into sewing techniques and the past. 

Retro All-In-One Apron from Singer's How to Make Aprons booklet

This is one of the booklets from the Singer Sewing Library, number 119, How to Make Aprons:

It's a really fun one to read. Some of the projects are outdated and impractical but are an interesting glimpse into the past.

There is one project that I thought was super cute, the All-In-One apron. I recreated it, following the instructions in the booklet, scaled down to a toddler sized apron. I had to make a few adjustments in lengths and sizes to make it work for a toddler but I think it turned out pretty cute:

Here are the instructions from the booklet if you're interested in making your own ladies' sized apron:

(Just a note, the instructions in the booklet were a little confusing in a couple of places so I just had to kind of go with my own methods here and there).

If you want to make a toddler sized apron, I made a tutorial for the Retro All-In-One Apron and I have it posted on my other blog, Heartbeet Boutique, if you would like to check it out.

This is a fun project to use some of your Slant-o-Matic attachments:

-General purpose foot - 

-Straight stitch foot and plate:

-Button sewing foot:

-Buttonholer (optional)

(If you aren't interested in using your buttonholer or if you don't have one, use the instructions in your manual for making buttonholes. It's one of the pages I use the most in my 503 manual. It's on page 44).

This project was great practice for a few essential skills including top stitching and making buttonholes and applying rick rack.

Anyway, if you get a chance, Singer's How to Make Aprons booklet is worth checking out.