Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

TRANSFER PATTERN

Date Range From

1940

Date Range To

1950

Materials

PAPER, INK

No. Pieces

2

Length

43

Width

71.3

Description

A.WHITE ENVELOPE, 11.6CM LONG X 20CM WIDE; ENVELOPE PRINTED WITH BLACK IMAGE OF A WOMAN EMBROIDERING BESIDE TABLE AND LAMP AND BLACK TEXT “THE HERALD, HOUSEHOLD ARTS DEPT., LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA, RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED, ALICE BROOKS DESIGN, YOU HAVE ORDERED TWO OR MORE PATTERNS, PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THEY MAY [WORD TORN] ARRIVE AT THE SAME TIME BECAUSE [WORD TORN] ARE MAILED IN SEPARATE ENVELOPES”. FRONT OF ENVELOPE HAS WHITE LABEL WITH PRINTED TYPED BLACK TEXT “LH DEC. 3/47, MRS. OLE HUSTAD, 336 TALISMAN AVE., VANCOUVER, B.C., 7457”. FRONT OF ENVELOPE HAS BLACK HANDWRITTEN TEXT “EMBROIDERY” AND RED POSTAL SEAL “TORONTO, ONTARIO, DEC. 5, 1947”. BACK OF ENVELOPE HAS BROWN LONG STAIN ON LEFT SIDE; ENVELOPE IS TORN OPEN AT FRONT LEFT SIDE; ENVELOPE IS CREASED ALONG TOP AND RIGHT EDGES. OVERALL GOOD CONDITION. B. TRANSFER PATTERN PRINTED IN DARK GREEN ON PAPER, 43CM LONG X 71.3CM WIDE. PAPER IS FOLDED INTO FOUR SECTIONS LENGTH-WAYS AND WIDTH-WAYS; FIRST SECTION HAS PRINTED BLUE TEXT “ALICE BROOKS DESIGNS, T.M. REG. U.S. PAT. OFF., TRANSFER PATTERN, NO. 7457” AND TEXT WITH INSTRUCTIONS “MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS”, “PLACING MOTIFS”, “TRANSFERRING PATTERN”, “EMBROIDERY”, “COLOR SUGGESTIONS”, AND IMAGES OF FIVE TYPES OF STITCHES. PATTERN IS PRINTED OF: A PUPPY IN A CORNER WITH DARK FOOTPRINTS LEADING TO PUPPY; A PUPPY IN A WASHBIN WITH KETTLE POURING WATER ON IT; A CHICK CHASING A PUPPY; A PUPPY HIDING FROM A CHICK BEHIND A DOGHOUSE LABELLED WITH REVERSED TEXT “BEWARE!”, A PUPPY WITH A BONE IN GRASS LOOKING AT BUTTERFLY; A PUPPY OUTSIDE A WASHBIN WITH KETTLE AND SCRUB BRUSH, AND DARK FOOTPRINTS; A CHICK WITH LABELLED WITH REVERSED TEXT “TRIAL”. BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER HAS REVERSED NUMBERS “7457”. PAPER IS YELLOWED AND TORN IN CENTER; PAPER IS CREASED FROM FOLDS INTO SIXTEEN SECTIONS; TOP LEFT CORNER IS CREASED ALONG EDGE; OVERALL GOOD CONDITION.

Subjects

TEXTILEWORKING T&E

Historical Association

DECORATIVE ARTS

DOMESTIC

History

ON JUNE 22, 2017, COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN KEVIN MACLEAN INTERVIEWED PAT DEBOER REGARDING THE DONATION OF A NEEDLEWORK TRANSFER PATTERN. THE TRANSFER PATTERN WAS SOLD TO PAT’S MOTHER, MARGARET HUSTAD, IN 1947 THROUGH THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE PATTERN AND HOW SHE CAME TO ACQUIRE IT, DEBOER ELABORATED, “MY MOTHER [MARGARET HUSTAD] NEVER THREW ANYTHING OUT…AND I DON’T THROW ANYTHING OUT. SHE HAD THIS GREAT BIG SEWING BOX PLUS A GREAT BIG BOX OF PATTERNS…WHEN SHE DIED IT JUST GOT MOVED TO MY HOUSE. I STARTED TO GO THROUGH IT AND I’VE GIVEN…A LOT OF THE PATTERNS I TO THE DRAMA DEPARTMENT IN THE UNIVERSITY BECAUSE THEY WENT BACK TO ABOUT 1945.” “THIS PATTERN…CAME FROM LETHBRIDGE, SHE ORDERED THEM THROUGH THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD…THAT’S HOW SHE COULD HAVE ORDERED THEM. [IT’S A] TRANSFER…THEY’RE LITTLE PUPPY DOGS AND A DOG HOUSE…I THINK SHE BOUGHT IT TO USE IN THINGS IN MY ROOM.” “IT’S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT…WE DIDN’T HAVE MASS [PRODUCED GOODS]. MOM DIDN’T HAVE MASS PRODUCED STUFF LIKE THEY DO NOW. SHE WAS AN EXPERIENCED SEAMSTRESS AND SHE MADE ALL MY CLOTHES, SHE ALTERED ALL HER CLOTHES AND SHE HAD SO MUCH [SEWING] STUFF. I THOUGHT WELL…I DON’T THINK IT WOULD HURT TO GIVE SOME OF THIS TO THE GALT SO THAT IF YOU EVER WANT TO DO A DIORAMA…THAT EXPLAINS WHAT WIVES AND FARM WIVES AND WOMEN DID YEARS AGO.” DEBOER SPOKE TO HER MEMORIES OF HER MOTHER’S SEWING, RECALLING, “I DON’T KNOW WHERE [MY MOTHER] LEARNED HOW TO SEW, OTHER THAN I THINK WOMEN ALWAYS SEWED. IT WAS A NECESSITY, DURING THE DIRTY ‘30S WHEN PEOPLE COULDN’T GET THINGS. WOMEN WOULD COME INTO TOWN HERE, THEY WOULD SEND THEIR HUSBANDS TO ELLISON’S AND GET FLOUR SACKS. THEY WOULD MAKE TEAS TOWELS AND PILLOW SLIPS, AND IT WAS SIMPLY BECAUSE THAT WAS WHAT THEY HAD, THAT’S WHAT THEY COULD GET. MOM WAS GOOD AT IT. DURING THE ‘30S, MOM AND HER FAMILY WERE LITERALLY LIVING HAND TO MOUTH AND MOM WAS MARRIED TO A GENTLEMEN FROM BARONS FOR FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AND SHE WAS RIGHT DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE ‘30S. [SHE] AND LLOYD HAD NO MONEY, BUT PEOPLE WOULD GIVE MOTHER THINGS. THEY WOULD GIVE HER OLD DRESSES AND THEY’D GIVE HER OLD COATS, AND SHE WOULD ALTER THEM SO THAT SHE COULD WEAR THEM, OR LLOYD COULD WEAR THEM. OTHERWISE SHE WOULDN’T [HAVE] HAD ANY CLOTHES TO WEAR.” “[MY LOVE OF SEWING] COMES FROM MY MOTHER…SHE ALWAYS WAS SEWING…THE SEWING MACHINE SAT IN THE KITCHEN, RIGHT WHERE SHE COULD GET AT IT. SHE TAUGHT ME TO SEW WHEN I WAS ABOUT TWELVE MAYBE, A SINGER SEWING MACHINE AND I DID IT. I COULD’VE USED A TREADLE SEWING MACHINE TOO BECAUSE MY AUNT THAT LIVED IN VULCAN…SHE HAD A TREADLE SEWING MACHINE, SO I’D USE THAT. MY MOM TAUGHT ME TO SEW ON AN ELECTRIC SEWING MACHINE AND SHE TAUGHT ME TO MAKE MY OWN DOLL CLOTHES. THAT’S HOW IT STARTED. I HAD AN AFFINITY FOR IT. IT WAS SOMETHING I FELT I LIKE I WAS GOING TO BE GOOD AT…YOU COULD PRODUCE SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY ELSE COULD USE OR ENJOY. WHEN MY GIRLS WERE LITTLE I MADE ALL THEIR OWN CLOTHES. I SEWED EVERYTHING.” “MY MOTHER WAS THIRTY-EIGHT WHEN I WAS BORN…I CAME LATER IN LIFE. MY DAD [MOTHER’S SECOND HUSBAND] WAS SIXTY-SEVEN WHEN I WAS BORN. I’M MY DAD’S SECOND FAMILY. MOTHER ALWAYS SEWED, SHE SEWED FOR HER[SELF], SHE HAD A SISTER WHO HAD EIGHT CHILDREN AND FOUR GIRLS AND FOUR BOYS, AND MOM SEWED FOR THEM. THEY LIVED JUST OUTSIDE OF VULCAN…THE OTHER LADIES SEWED, BUT NOT TO THE EXTENT MY MOTHER DID. MY MOTHER REALLY WAS AN EXPERT SEAMSTRESS. SOME OF THE NEIGHBOURS WOULD BRING THINGS UP TO HAVE MOTHER FIX THEM, OR [SHE WOULD] SHOW THEM HOW TO FIX THEM. MOTHER WAS ALSO VERY GOOD AT MAKING DINING ROOM AND LIVING ROOM DRAPES. THE NEIGHBOURS WOULD SHOW UP WITH THESE BOLTS OF CLOTH AND SAY, “HERE MARGARET WE NEED DRAPES”…IT WAS A BIT UNUSUAL. THE OTHER LADIES IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD DIDN’T DO IT LIKE SHE DID…I THINK THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON WHY I TOOK TO SEWING.” “MOM A GREAT BIG KITCHEN, AND HER IRONING BOARD WAS IN THE KITCHEN AND…THE SEWING MACHINE WOULD GET MOVED OUT TO THE KITCHEN, EVERY SO OFTEN IT WOULD GET PUT AWAY…AT CHRISTMAS WHEN SHE WAS CLEANING THE HOUSE UP FOR COMPANY. IT WOULD GET PUT AWAY. MOST OF THE TIME IT WAS IN THE KITCHEN. MOM WAS SEWING AND I APPARENTLY EXPRESSED AN INTEREST, AND SO SHE SAID “OKAY IF THIS WHAT YOU’D LIKE TO DO” THEN…SHE BOUGHT PATTERNS FOR DOLL CLOTHES THAT WOULD FIT MY DOLLS AND STARTED TEACHING ME. WE’D BE IN THE KITCHEN, AND IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT WAS DONE, BETWEEN THE TWO OF US…IT WAS A PROGRESSION OF HER EXPERTISE AND LOVE OF DOING IT.” “I DON’T THINK SHE EVER CHARGED [FOR HER SEWING]. IT WAS THEY ASKED HER AND SHE SAID OKAY AND THAT WAS THE WAY IT WAS. I CAN NEVER REMEMBER MY MOTHER CHARGING FOR HER SEWING.” “PART OF [SEWING] WAS BONDING WITH MY MOM. I WAS AN ONLY CHILD BEING RAISED BY PARENTS WHO WERE OLD. THERE [WERE] A LOT OF TIMES WHERE I WAS BY MYSELF BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE MOM AND DAD ASSOCIATED WITH WERE OLDER…SO [SEWING] WAS SOMETHING THAT I COULD DO THAT WOULD KEEP ME OCCUPIED…WHILE MOM AND DAD WERE VISITING…IT WAS A GENERATIONAL THING, BECAUSE MOM AND DAD WERE ESSENTIALLY A GENERATION ABOVE THE PARENTS OF ALL MY FRIENDS. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME AS A YOUNG CHILD ALONE, SO I READ OR SEWED.” “[MY PARENTS] LIVED IN VANCOUVER [AFTER RETIRING]…THEY LIVED IN VANCOUVER FROM 1945 TO 1949.” “IN 1949 THEY MOVED, THEY DIDN’T COME TO LETHBRIDGE RIGHT AWAY. I WAS RAISED IN PENTICTON. MY DAD HAD BRONCHITIS AND WHEN THEY MOVED OUT TO VANCOUVER HE FOUND THE DAMP AIR WAS TOO HARD ON HIS LUNGS. HE DIDN’T WANT TO COME BACK TO GRANUM, SO HE WENT LOOKING FOR SOME PLACE TO MOVE TO THAT WAS DRIER SO HE FOUND PENTICTON.” “IN 1961 I MARRIED A BOY FROM BARONS BY THE NAME OF RONALD DEBOER. I HAD A CHILD, AND AS I’M AN ONLY CHILD, AND DAD AND MOM DECIDED IF THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE GRANDCHILDREN, THEY WANTED TO BE CLOSE TO THEIR GRANDCHILDREN AND MOVED BACK.” “SHE KEPT SEWING. SHE MADE CLOTHES FOR HER GRANDDAUGHTER…MOM WAS ALWAYS SEWING SOMETHING. I DON’T THINK SHE MADE TOO MANY THINGS FOR ME AFTER THEY MOVED BACK TO LETHBRIDGE HERE, BUT SHE CERTAINLY DID FOR [MY DAUGHTERS]. THERE WERE SIX YEARS BETWEEN BOTH MY TWO GIRLS, MY FIRST HUSBAND WAS KILLED A YEAR AND FOUR MONTHS AFTER WE WERE MARRIED IN A FARMING ACCIDENT. I WAS SINGLE FOR TWO YEARS…THE FACT THAT MOM AND DAD WERE HERE IN LETHBRIDGE WAS MY SAVING GRACE BECAUSE I WAS OUT ON THE FARM.” “I SEWED ALL THE TIME. THE LAST FEW YEARS IS ABOUT THE ONLY TIME I HAVEN’T SEWED. THIS LAST…TEN OR FOURTEEN YEARS THAT I HAVEN’T SEWED ON A REGULAR BASIS [WAS] BECAUSE I HAD TO GO BACK TO WORK FULLTIME. BUT PREVIOUS TO THAT I SEWED ALL THE TIME. MY MACHINE WAS NEVER PUT AWAY. IT WAS DOWN IN THE BEDROOM, IT WAS JUST NEVER PUT AWAY.” “[I ALWAYS SEWED] GENERALLY SPEAKING CLOTHES. I WAS EITHER ALTERING CLOTHES…MY HUSBAND’S GOT REALLY SHORT LEGS, TWENTY-EIGHT (28) INCH LEG, YOU CAN’T GET A PANT THAT’S GOT TWENTY-EIGHT INCH LEGS, SO I WAS SHORTENING HIS JEANS. ON THE FARM YOUR WORK CLOTHES GET RIPPED AND THE SEAMS COME APART AND I DID ALL THAT.” “[I LIKED SEWING FOR] THE FACT THAT I COULD SHUT EVERYTHING ELSE OUT, AND IT WAS MY TIME. I COULD FOCUS…IF I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A PROJECT, YOU HAD TO KNOW WHERE THE GROCERIES WERE BECAUSE I NEVER STOPPED. [MY HUSBAND] WOULD COME IN AND SAY “YOU KNOW, IT IS SUPPER TIME”, AND I’D SAY, “YEAH, MHMM”. IT WAS A WAY FOR ME TO FOCUS, AND IT WAS MY TIME. IT WAS JUST TIME THAT WAS MINE. I WAS BEING CREATIVE, AND FELT LIKE I REALLY BEING USEFUL…IT FELT GOOD.” WHEN ASKED ABOUT HER MOTIVATION TO DONATE THE PATTERN, DEBOER NOTED, “I HAVEN’T BEEN DOING ANY SEWING FOR A LONG TIME AND I DECIDED BECAUSE I HAVEN’T DONE ANY SEWING FOR A LONG TIME MAYBE I SHOULD GET GOING AND START DOING SOME SEWING. WHEN I STARTED SEWING, I STARTED GOING THROUGH ALL THIS STUFF, AND I THOUGHT THERE’S A LOT OF OLD INTERESTING STUFF IN HERE. THIS IS JUST A VERY BRIEF SAMPLE OF WHAT I HAVE AT HOME. I THOUGHT MAYBE I SHOULD GET A HOLD OF [THE MUSEUM] AND SEE IF THEY’D LIKE SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD USE TO DEMONSTRATE AT SOME POINT IN TIME THROUGH THE MUSEUM OF WHAT WOMEN USED TO DO…WHAT THEY WERE EXPECTED TO DO.” FOR MORE INFORMATION INCLUDING THE FULL INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS, PLEASE SEE THE PERMANENT FILE P20170022000-GA.

Catalogue Number

P20170022000

Acquisition Date

2017-06

Collection

Museum

Less detail