“Stamped to Embroider” Dress

Back in May, I purchased a lot of items from HiBid.com that was listed as “1920s/30s Printed Patterns Dresses Linens Doilies. Sewing and needlework patterns printed on fabric by Bucilla and Vogue. Finding these was like opening a time capsule from the life of a housewife 100 years ago.” Quite the description! As a rule, HiBid has bad pictures. I could see a table covered in linens and what I believed to be a 1920s dress in the middle. So I bid on it! It turned out to be an absolute goldmine of pristine condition “stamped to embroider” linens, aprons, and—best of all—two 1920s dresses!

I’ve done some research since then on “stamped to embroider” pieces. They seem to have begun in the 1870s as mostly decorative pieces like napkins, centerpieces, pillowcases, etc.

Ad mentioning stamped patterns

The Mercury & Weekly Courier, July 3, 1880.

After a time, there was also children’s clothing and women’s underclothes—chemises, corset covers, etc.

Feldman & Co. Ad featuring “Ladies’ Gowns” stamped to embroider.

The Lima News & Times-Democrat, March 30, 1921

In the mid-1920s, women’s dresses became incredibly simplified in construction. The “one-hour dress” was born, made entirely from one’s own measurements and a straight run of fabric rather than fitted to the corseted body. It seems that during this shift in dressmaking, companies offering “stamped to embroider” patterns jumped on board with pre-made dresses that you could pick up at the store and embroider yourself. The earliest mentions I could find to these dresses appeared in the February 1923 newspaper below.

Sharp & Hanson ad featuring Bucilla-Glossilla Stamped Goods and introducing “novelty house dresses”

Perth-Amboy Evening News, February 16, 1923

Apparently these stamped pieces proved to be quite popular for decades, eventually morphing into the kinds of “embroidery kits” that modern audiences may be more familiar with. “Stamped to embroider” clothing, however, seems to have tapered off significantly in the early 1930s, with only items like baby clothes and women’s aprons available after that point.

The Baumoel Store ad, featuring stamped needlework designs

The Telegraph-Forum, September 23, 1929.

From 1923-1927, however, stamped dresses appear to have been quite popular. I found many ads from all over the US advertising these house dresses, smock dresses, and even “coolie coats.”

Perkins Bro’s Company ad featuring Bucilla dresses

Durant Daily Democrat, March 21, 1924

I found a number of brands selling these dresses, but Bucilla and The Royal Academy of Needlework seem to be the most popular. These dresses were advertised as regular daily wear for women in easy-to-wash in linen or cotton. Numerous ads discuss how they are “quick” to embroider, as the patterns are intended entirely for straight stitch and French knots.

Geo E Brett Co. ad featuring Bucilla Smock Frocks

The Evening Tribune, Albert Lea, Minn., April 13, 1926

Which brings me to my project! There were two dresses in the lot of items I purchased. An orange smock frock that I gave to my mom, and a green linen house dress for myself. It was very helpfully stamped with both a pattern number and the brand, Bucilla Dress No. 1737 from 1925. The dress was already begun, though the sewist from a century ago didn’t make it very far, as seen below.

I decided to continue with their color selection and finish the dress as they had begun. I had some challenges as I progressed, especially the neckline, since I didn’t have any of the original instructions for the dress. Upon the suggestion from a friend on Instagram, I was able to locate the exact ad for my beautiful green dress! I wish I had found the newspaper ad sooner, because realizing the neckline was supposed to have a split opening at center-front would have made my life much easier.

My Dress!

The Owensboro Messenger, April 28, 1925

It took months of embroidering off and on. Then some time to be brave enough to cut into it. Finally, I felt like I had to use a few of the scraps to make a hat with matching appliques. And now it is finished!

I’m terrified to wash this dress, even though it was designed as a hard-wearing house dress. This particular dress is linen (I’m pretty sure that “linene” is just an odd spelling of linen). How will it hold up after 100 years??? Only time will tell. In the meantime, I’m incredibly proud of the work I did to finish a dress begun 99 years ago.