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Outdoor Sewing Kits and Patterns collection, 1971-1999

Overview of the Collection

Title
Outdoor Sewing Kits and Patterns collection
Dates
1971-1999 (inclusive)
Quantity
5.5 linear feet, (10 boxes)
Collection Number
UUS_ORA 011
Summary
This collection contains patterns, textiles, sewing materials, and sewing instructions from do-it-yourself outdoor gear companies such as Altra Kits, Frostline Kits, and Green Pepper Inc.
Repository
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.

Languages
English
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Historical Note

Sewing kits and patterns for outdoor recreation gear became popular during the late 1960s in the United States due to an increased interest in outdoor recreation. This enthusiasm for the outdoors led to a sudden demand for outdoor clothing. Due to high retail prices in outdoor clothing, consumers sought other ways to buy outdoor merchandise. Sewing machines were common in many households at this time and do-it-yourself brands, like Frostline Kits and Altra Kits, began to offer outdoor gear kits and patterns at reasonable prices. The sewing kits provided all the materials needed for a project, such as thread, zippers, and even down for coats and sleeping bags. The mail-order outdoor sewing kit businesses, and related sewing pattern businesses, thrived throughout the 1960s to the 1980s. However, with an increased affordability in retail outdoor gear and the decline of home sewing, outdoor recreation do-it-yourself kits and sewing patterns began to decline in popularity by the 1980s and largely disappeared from the market in the 1990s. Some companies, like Green Pepper Inc., continue to sell outdoor gear sewing patterns as of 2021.

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Content Description

This collection contains materials related to outdoor recreation sewing kits. Most of the outdoor gear brands contain sewing kits, which include materials and patterns to make the designated item. The Green Pepper Inc. collections only contains sewing patterns. Frostline Kits collection include sewing instructions without any patterns or sewing kit.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the Outdoor Sewing Kits and Patterns collection must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Preferred Citation

Initial Citation: Outdoor Sewing Kits and Patterns collection, 1971-1999, USU_ORA 011, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.

Following Citations:USU_ORA 011, USUSCA.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The Outdoor Sewing Kits collection is first arranged by sewing kits and then by patterns, with the exception of Frostline Kits, which contains three sewing kits, sewing instruction guides, and one The Personal Touch II magazine. The materials within those subjects are arranged alphabetically.

Processing Note

Processed in February 2021

Acquisition Information

Much of this collection was purchased by USU Special Collections and Archives on eBay from 2020 to 2022. Bruce Johnson donated the ladies down coat Altra Kit in 2020 and the Frostline Kits sewing instruction guides and the Personal Touch II magazine to USU Special Collections and Archives in March 2021.

Related Materials

Outdoor Recreation Catalogs (ORA 001)

Outdoor Recreation Serials (ORA 002)

Michael Hodgson and Therese Iknoian outdoor industry collection (USU_ORA 043)

Bruce Johnson Papers (USU_ORA 014)

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Detailed Description of the Collection

  • Altra Sewing Kits, 1977-1981

  • Calico Kits, 1977

    • Description: Wilderness Shirt kit
      Dates: 1977
      Container: Box 3
      Location: Calico Kits, 1977

  • Holubar, 1976-1977

    • Description: Heavy duty booties kit, x-small
      Dates: 1976
      Container: Box 4
      Location: Holubar, 1976-1977
    • Description: High country parka kit, medium
      Dates: 1977
      Container: Box 5, Item 1
      Location: Holubar, 1976-1977
    • Description: Voyageur pack kit
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box 5, Item 2
      Location: Holubar, 1976-1977

  • Plain Brown Wrapper, 1975

  • Frostline Kits, 1971-1990

  • Green Pepper Inc., 1981-1997

  • Mountain Sewn, 1978

    • Description: Boys and girls fiberfill Vest
      Dates: 1977
      Container: Box 9, Folder 4
      Location: Mountain Sewn, 1978
    • Description: Boys and girls raingear, pattern C46-590
      Dates: 1978
      Container: Box 9, Folder 4
      Location: Mountain Sewn, 1978
    • Description: Womens Raingear, C46-580
      Dates: 1978
      Container: Box 9, Folder 4
      Location: Mountain Sewn, 1978
    • Description: Feetstuff, pattern C46-600
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box 9, Folder 4
      Location: Mountain Sewn, 1978
    • Description: Men's down-filled super sweater, pattern 1052
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box 9, Folder 4
      Location: Mountain Sewn, 1978
    • Description: Women's fiberfill vest pattern, C46-420
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box 9, Folder 4
      Location: Mountain Sewn, 1978
    • Description: Men's Fiberfill Vest, C46-410
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box 9, Folder 4
      Location: Mountain Sewn, 1978

  • Storm Mountain Designs, 1999

Finding aid/Register created by Monique Davila and Clint Pumphrey
2021

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