Sewing in the Machine Age Exhibit at SFO

Warning: image-heavy post!

As I mentioned, I just got back from a lovely trip to Seattle with my best friends from high school. Before the trip even started, though, things were looking up when I discovered that there was a sewing machine history exhibit in our terminal at SFO! I think I may have even told Elaine that if the trip ended right then and there, I would still be happy. Anyway, I took a whole bunch of pictures and Elaine graciously waited for me to finish exclaiming over everything.

I would have loved to be gifted with a treadle machine upon my marriage. [picture]

I remember what a big deal it was in Little Town on the Prairie when Pa bought a sewing machine for Ma, and how it made light work of Laura's wedding trousseau.

I remember learning about John Henry vs. the steam engine, but somehow missed out on seamstresses vs. the sewing machine.

These early machines don't look anything like what I'm used to seeing.

Ahhh, that's more like it.

Early sewing patterns.

Apologies about the blurriness...I was excited.

This sounds like a fascinating system.

An ad for Simplicity patterns. I love these looks, especially the braid on the sheath dress and the raglan sleeve casual dress.

This display wasn't that interesting, except that I actually have a copy of that textbook!

Speaking of sewing and books, this absolutely ridiculous poem? list of vocabulary words? mystic chant? is from an old children's book. I am dubious about the wisdom of teaching children words like "PenCil" and "MaChine" with such odd capitalization.

Even back then, there was an association between cats and sewing. This pleases me.

They also had an assortment of displays of sewing-related objects.

Beautiful portable sewing kits.

Less portable, but still awesome egg-shaped etui.

Besides eggs, there are also bird-shaped sewing implement holders.
The fact that the scissors are all stabbed through the birds' heads tickles my fancy. Does that make me a horrible person?

Actual sewing birds! Meant to grip fabric so that you can hand-roll hems and such.
I wish I had one of these cool things! Instead, I just use my machine's lowered presser foot.

I'm glad they acknowledge that irons are essential to good sewing.

Besides all the actual items on display, there were so many pretty posters showing vintage styles!

These are much like the fashion plates in my Harper's Bazaar Victorian fashions book.
I am loving the nautical look on the left. It's like, let me hit you on the head with how many places I can put stripes.

 

I will never get tired of looking at 30s styles.

Apparently I was so excited about this poster of Downton Abbey-era dresses, I couldn't stand still.

They also had two extant gowns on display! It was difficult to get good pictures of them, though, due to an unfortunate combination of the lighting there, the glass, and my camera.

A classic Victorian dress. I love the black velvet and how it stands out even on a black background.

A hand-sewn dress from the pre-machine age. This could be Jane Eyre's wedding dress!

Absolutely gorgeous!

Unfortunately, this exhibit is after you go through security, so you won't be able to just waltz into SFO and check it out. However, if you should be so fortunate as to be flying out of or into Terminal 3, plan on at least twenty extra minutes there for drooling.