Master Guide: Vogart and American Thread Co. transfers

The chart below details the Vogart (or American Thread Company) needlework patterns that were produced in the 1940s and 1950s and sold in the famous "black banner" package. Each entry includes:

• Transfer number: If it's a clickable link, there's a detail page on the transfer (and perhaps one for sale);
• Description: Full descriptive text from the envelope front, plus our notes on re-issues or companion patterns;
• Type: Because not all Vogart transfers are for embroidery; and
• Theme: Our abbreviated system to sort out the animal days-of-the-week from the floral pillowcase transfers.

More information, including search tips (with abbreviations and terms), printing instructions and our links to related pages is here, too. But we know you're anxious to see the chart so we've put everything else at the bottom of the page. Just one note: reissued transfers use the same graphics as the original.

  Search tips, abbreviations and conventions

This page is set up for browsing and quick reference -- so in addition to giving the Vogart transfer titles, we've also included our own designations. That makes it easy to use your brower's search/find feature to do a quick search on this page.

Transfer type is usually embroidery, but some transfers are for crochet, sewing or another form of needlework -- or for specialty embroidery such as cutwork or applique. A few, which we designated no-stitch, are full-color transfers (forerunners to the Textilprints line). Cross stitch transfers are listed as x-stitch as a reminder that they are not counted cross stitch designs. The term mixed means that two or more needlework techniques are used.

Transfer themes are categorized by what's shown in the graphics:

• nursery for transfers decorating a nursery or toddler's room -- sheets, pillowcases, quilts, pictures -- and also dolls, doll clothing and toys;
• kitchen for transfers depicting tea towels, Days of the Week sets, placemats, napkins, small tablecloths, cafe curtains, aprons, pot holders, appliance covers, and such;
• pillowcases -- no surprise here -- but Vogart wasn't consistent about the term or the spelling in its titles;
• linens for those showing other types of household linens -- dresser or vanity scarves, guest towels, full-size table cloths, chair sets, and such;
• layette for transfers shown ornamenting baby or toddler clothing;
• clothing for transfers shown ornamenting adult clothing; and
• all-purpose for the few with a variety of motifs from all or most of the other categories.

Transfer motifs are categorized in very general terms and labeled as follows:

• floral (all types)
• belles (all types) -- people (all other)
• cats -- dogs -- bears -- butterflies -- animals (all other)
• fruits -- veggies -- food (all other)
• DOW (days of the week)
• SOTB (south of the border)
• monograms -- motto -- guest -- animated -- toys -- borders -- misc.

So if you want to find all the transfers with kittens, put the word "cats" in your browser search box. That will take to you to each transfer featuring cats, one by one -- no matter how or whether they're mentioned in the Vogart title. To search for a more specific term (Siamese) or for more than one term (cats and pillowcases), you're better off using the Sewing Palette's site search box at the top of the page.