For The Love Of Vintage Plastics: My Bakelite Collection

  Bakelite has been found in almost every antique store I've ever walked into, yet only when I find particular pieces at good prices do I indulge.  However, there is also the past-time of trying to find Bakelite among the heaps of costume jewelry at thrift and antique stores alike, and although I'm not quite obsessed enough to dig through mountains of plastic jewelry to find some, I have a couple pieces that weren't marked and only after purchasing did I discover to most likely be Bakelite.

My largest Bakelite piece - a sewing box from probably the 1920s/30s.  The outside is tarnished(as is usually the case), but the inside has retained its beautiful original color, a deep red swirled with black.   Inside the lid is stamped 'Domart Sewing Box, Patented, Made in U.S.A. by The Domart Company, Glenside, PA.'

  As for Bakelite jewelry - I'm surprised at just how directly the value is reflected in how collectible the piece is.  Bangles can go for hundreds of dollars in some cases, yet brooches and earrings can be found at much lower prices.  I personally don't like bangles, but I love earrings and brooches, so this works in my favor(I also like to coordinate colors, so being able to buy matching sets is wonderful!)

Two bar brooches from the 1930s, and one rather large piece from the 1940s.  Unfortunately I didn't notice that the red one was glued together in the corner, but for the price I'm still quite happy with it.

Red pair with screw backs, 1930s/40s; green/yellow swirl pair with clip-on backs, 1940s/50s; brown carved pair whose original backs were replaced with pierced ear backs(not done by me!), 1930s/1940s.

Three buckles, all 1930s/40s.  The green one was sold as Bakelite, but the red and brown weren't - I only found out once I cleaned them and they emitted that pungent chemical smell all Bakelite collectors are familiar with(I'm still not completely sure about the brown buckle - the hue is different from my other brown Bakelite, but I'm still including it).

A rainbow of Bakelite!

Vintage Project Spotlight: 1935 Crochet Scarf, French Scarf

Welcome to the first in a new series spotlighting my vintage projects!

  Not all my projects are the type where I can show the whole process like my c. 1923 Butterick Dress , so these posts will just show the finished product, my inspiration, and how I style them.

This vintage project spotlight is on my 1935 crochet scarf, 'French Scarf'.

(source)

  I've had this icy gray size 5 acrylic crochet thread for months, and I just couldn't think what to make with it.  I bought this back when I was just starting to dip my toe into using crochet thread, and it turns out that acrylic, as soft as it is, seems to get caught on the hook much, MUCH easier than using cotton thread.  I only had one ball, so I kept putting off using it since I just wanted to use it up and not buy anymore, but most patterns need at least two.  However, I finally found a cute scarf pattern that ended up using almost all the yarn.

  The pattern would be fairly simple for most people I assume(single crochet, chain, skip a stitch, then repeat, only doing single crochets under the chain), but for some reason I just can't get the hang of it(I always mess up when it's time to turn and start a new row).  To get a similar, loose effect, I did the body in double crochet instead, and continued following the pattern for the lacy edges(minus one row since I felt it was long enough and I was terrified I'd run out of yarn).

And here's the finished scarf!  

  I love that in the original photo it's shown worn with a bar pin, which I have several of and am always thinking about new ways to wear them.  It also looks great with this pastel-toned celluloid pin that I've been trying to wear more.

The shade in these outside photos makes the scarf look very blue - the tabletop views are much more accurate.

French Scarf #2020
Free Vintage Crochet: Patterns