I have secretly loved this bad ass cover of the pamphlet precursor to Pants for Real People for as long as I can remember. I am so THRILLED to have found a vintage copy.
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| This booklet came along with Pants for Any Body. Can't tell you anything about it as yet... |
This is another of those Dept. of Agriculture booklets but it focuses on fitting suits, specifically. How awesome is that???
I also bought the following new books:
S, my fitting friend, and a few wonderful readers, recently recommended that I get The Complete Guide to Perfect Fitting by Sarah Veblen. I've just started to read it and it's AWESOME. It's clear, intelligent and articulate. It makes fitting knowable, somehow. Or maybe I've just been fitting my ass off, so it all makes more sense than usual.
In truth, I got the The Dressmaker's Handbook of Couture Sewing Techniques, by Lynda Maynard, to rack up enough bucks to get free shipping on the Veblen book. I would have spent 8 bucks on shipping as the Veblen book was less than the $25.00 free-shipping minimum . I know little of the Maynard text, but it seems to have a very good tutorial on how to sew a waistband using petersham - another great, though different, tutorial for which can be found on Sunni's site (where you can also purchase the loveliest petersham).
I'm so happy to find incredible instruction - both modern and vintage - and I spent, on all of these, less than $50.00. Unbelievable, no?
So, have you read any of these books/pamphlets? Thoughts or feelings about any of them? I utterly love the vintage books on tailoring - which are not as challenging to find as one might imagine. I have to stop myself from snapping up every one I can find. I'm turning into Peter - only books, thankfully, are easier to store than machines!
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I too, have/suffer from a sewing book addiction. Unfortunately there aren't many sources for used books locally, and I don't like ordering online. However our local library sells off books that they take out of circulation several times a year and I have gathered quite a few through them, I have over 150. I love them all.
ReplyDeleteWhy no ordering online? It's the best for books - which are usually cheaper online (and heavier to carry home!)
DeleteI have a funny story about Pati Palmer and Susan Pletsch: when I was a young teenager, my mother had me take a class with Pati. My mother was an awesome seamstress and wanted me to learn too. She worked at the department store where Pati started her career. The funny part: I didn't think I had to write anything down! I sat through the class and listened carefully and remembered pretty much....nothing. Now that I have a teenager and two-almost teens, I can feel my mother's despair at my choice not to write anything down.
ReplyDeleteOn a related note: my mother died six years ago and on my last trip home, I went through her fabric (an entire room, as she was a quilter) and selected many pieces to have made into clothes during a trip to vietnam next week. Crazy? Maybe....
I LOVE this story! Thank you for sharing it. I hope you have a wonderful trip and that you come back with beautiful clothes that remind you of your time with your mother.
DeleteMe three. Nice book haul!
ReplyDeleteMerci!
DeleteThanks for the recommendation of Sarah Veblen's book :) I've heard it's good other places too! It might be worth a look from me, since I'm suffering from fitting nightmares at the moment :)
ReplyDeleteI also love the cover of that first book- that is one damn sassy book cover! Heh heh :)
It's really good - though I can see it's going to take me a while to really understand it all. And all of the drawings in Pants for Real People are groovy and fabulous - why didn't they keep that aesthetic??!
DeleteI'm a librarian enough said:) I'm so jealous, I have to WAIT until the end of the month before I get Sarah Veblen's book because it's out of stock. It's just sad.
ReplyDeleteHa! I'm sorry you have to wait. Giving you good book vibes.
DeleteI have a hard time turning down most any old sewing book that throws itself in my way ("throwing itself in my way" being loosely equivalent to "shows up at my local VV"). Although none of the really cool old ones have shown up. Still, there have been a few gems.
ReplyDeleteLove the Palmer&Pletsch pamphlet cover, too! :)
Oh, things just get thrown in your way routinely! It's a gift :-)
DeleteI've been keeping a wishlist on Amazon of sewing books, with comments as to which blogger recommends them. So I've added these as well!
ReplyDeleteThe Dressmaker's Handbook or Couture... is what is currently on my nightstand. It's got a lot of good techniques very well explained.
ReplyDeleteIt is really good!
DeleteI like the sound of the fitting book! I might keep an eye out for that one.
ReplyDeleteI totally recommend it.
DeleteI'm with you. I love odd old sewing books. And I keep looking at the Sarah Veblen book because I like photos. So far I only have one fitting book (the big Fitting & Pattern alteration one--which I got for a steal from a library sale--and it's awesome).
ReplyDeleteThey really do the trick - and they've stood the test of time.
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