Sewing a Career
Here at the Cannery Row Antiques Mall we have around 150 dealers. Very few are antique dealers full time. We boast several published authors, radio and TV personalities, newspaper and magazine writers, even a CEO, but one of the most unique careers is held by dealer Anna Depew. Anna designs vintage patterns.
Anna grew up in her mother's antique store in Denver. her mother was a well known dealer there and supplied movie studios as we'll as actors with period clothes and even helped supply some of the costumes and jewelry for the movie Titanic. Her mother was an excellent seamstress but Anna didn't get the sewing bug until after college. Her mother told her, "Go to college and pay someone to sew for you." Anna went to college, studied French, but as soon as she graduated she started sewing clothes and then collecting patterns which led to designing patterns.
Anna has created a small internet business selling her patterns, she writes a blog, http://afewthreadsloose.blogspot.com She writes at great length about what she knows about collecting patterns and designing her clothes, as well as, sewing tutorials.
Anna has a special collection of the 'S' series of Simplicity patterns which were issued in 1937. They issued 24 patterns that year and she has all of them except three. Her favorite period is the 1930's and several of her pattern designs reflect her penchant. She has even re-issued an old Simplicity pattern from her 'S" collection when the copyright expired.
If you love what you do it's not work. To Anna, Mrs. Depews Vintage is a labor of love. You can order her patterns as well as vintage patterns through her blog or on Etsy at Mrs. Depew's Vintage, her website:http://mrsdepew.com or stop by our mall where she sells them out of her showcase.
Anna's degree in French did help her with her pattern business because many vintage patterns, including Haute Couture patterns are in French.
Anna working on a pattern in her studio
Anna grew up in her mother's antique store in Denver. her mother was a well known dealer there and supplied movie studios as we'll as actors with period clothes and even helped supply some of the costumes and jewelry for the movie Titanic. Her mother was an excellent seamstress but Anna didn't get the sewing bug until after college. Her mother told her, "Go to college and pay someone to sew for you." Anna went to college, studied French, but as soon as she graduated she started sewing clothes and then collecting patterns which led to designing patterns.
Anna with her "S' series collection of Simplicity patterns from 1937
Anna has created a small internet business selling her patterns, she writes a blog, http://afewthreadsloose.blogspot.com She writes at great length about what she knows about collecting patterns and designing her clothes, as well as, sewing tutorials.
Anna has a special collection of the 'S' series of Simplicity patterns which were issued in 1937. They issued 24 patterns that year and she has all of them except three. Her favorite period is the 1930's and several of her pattern designs reflect her penchant. She has even re-issued an old Simplicity pattern from her 'S" collection when the copyright expired.
Anna's version
The original pattern from 1937
If you love what you do it's not work. To Anna, Mrs. Depews Vintage is a labor of love. You can order her patterns as well as vintage patterns through her blog or on Etsy at Mrs. Depew's Vintage, her website:http://mrsdepew.com or stop by our mall where she sells them out of her showcase.
Anna's degree in French did help her with her pattern business because many vintage patterns, including Haute Couture patterns are in French.
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