Learning from books

During my adventure at the Antiques Center last Sunday, one of the vendors I visited specialized in antique and vintage lingerie. Her stall was jam-packed with silk slips decorated with beautiful lace. Hung from the rafters was an 1890's kimono, not the Japanese kind but how the term was used in the late 19th, early 20th centuries a fancy embellished bathrobe in this case with roses formed over large balls of batting.

There were undergarments I had seen described in my oldest sewing books but had never seen in real life. There were corset covers and brassieres ( not what we think of as a bra today but an undergarment that was designed to hold one in and protect you from your corset) and camisoles. 

There were bevies of bedjackets, stacks of beautifully beaded sweaters, nightgowns, hostess gowns, half slips, full slips, garter belts seamed stocking. I had no need of any of the beautiful things in the store. 

The owner began to chat with me as I admired her collection.   I mentioned my love of old sewing books and she produced from under a table, ten volumes from this sewing series.  

 It was a correspondence sewing course published in 1922 out of Buffalo, NY.

There are directions for making camisoles.

And brassieres- notice the shape, side darts, and waist darts and back-lacing all designed to give a firm uni-boob.

There are directions for drafting the newly trendy pajamas.

I loved the photos in this series.

Here are charming sewer is pinning a sleeve into the armseye.


Here she is checking the fit on a one-piece dress.

This is an evening gown you can make using this course. A sheer embroidered dress is worn over a "silver cloth" underdress. Our model is about to tie on a huge sheer sash that will have a giant bow on the side of the dress.

I now own ten volumes of this sewing course I am looking forward to going through all of it carefully.

Last week I had ordered 

This book by Jeam Ray Laury. Jean was one of the women who created the art quilt movement in the late 1960's. She was trained as an artist and turned to quilting and fiber arts because it was compatible with raising a family.

In addition to being one of the sparks behind the great late 1960s and 1970s crafts revival particular in the world of fiber Jean Ray Laury wrote books that both showcased emerging crafts and taught how to do them.



Before you look at the photos from this book, you need to remember that this was an era of great experimentation a time of breaking the rules.

Some of the projects elicit the question of "Why?". I really don't know why anyone would want to wear a scary crocheted face on their body. Perhaps you have an answer.

But before we get too snarky about these photos, we need to remember that this is the equivalent of the funky first fruits of a tree. All of the DIY clothing you see on Pinterest is a descendant of these funky fruits.

The clothing produced by Rodarte and the tallitot that I make all trace their roots to these odd garments.

It was a glorious moment of try anything and let's see where you end up.

I treasure both the formalism of The New-Way Course in Fashionable Clothes-Making as well as the let's try anything approach of Creating Body Coverings.