Sewing in Time

Sewing is my passion and fulfillment at this time in my life, but as a former librarian and book lover I also like reading and seeing what the sewists of the past were doing and thinking. The art major (under grad) in me is drawn by the illustrations in the books and on patterns.

That is what drew me to buy "Making Beautiful Clothes" from Garrison House Ephemera, The Past on Paper. Disclaimer: Tess of Garrison House is also a friend which is beside the point of this post. But just saying.

This is actually a 48 page pamphlet describing a mail order course in dressmaking and designing from the Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts & Sciences. Since I bought it from a friend she generously threw in one of the monthly "Inspiration" magazines that enrollees received which had some damage to it.

The illustrations are so charming. 

Great little history of fashion here about how everything old is new again.

I thought these little items were probably pretty obscure and rare and perhaps these original items are, but the person behind the Woman's Institute is not quite so unknown. An online search of Mary Brooks Picken, the Director of Instruction pictured in the pamphlet turned up quite a list.

Blogs:
Burda Style
Amy Barickman
Past Perfect Vintage
The Sewing Loft
plus more I did not list.

Also the ubiquitous Wikipedia plus her New York Times obituary so I am a little late to this party!

But does anyone know about the illustrator(s) ? This one is real charmer.

When Thimbles Ruled

After having acquired an old Singer sewing machine (see previous post) I decided to continue in this historical vein and tell you about a book I acquired from my bookseller friend (Garrison House Books or her blog).

The cover is a bit bland but it has real charm inside.

 

The book was published in 1913 by the Butterick Publishing Co. which was housed in the Butterick Building in New York. Wonder if the building still exists.

The book is written for the teacher and not a step-by-step for the student. 

 Thimbles are my thing and they are used but not pictured. There is NO machine sewing anywhere in all the projects right up to a middy blouse at the end. I am throwing a picture in here just for interest. Beneath it is the detailed 11 step and repeat thimble exercise!

In the supplies for your sewing outfit it suggests an aluminum thimble because they are light and inexpensive. "Colored thimbles are pretty, and children like them. Silver thimbles are nice, of course, but children outgrow them, so that there is very little point in getting them." So these little ladies were expected to start quite early.

 Click HERE if you missed out on my earlier post about my first thimble.

She's not in the book but isn't this ad image from THE GRAPHICS FAIRY sweet? I don't think they started THIS young!

Methods (for the teacher)

"Always remember the never-ending patience which it is necessary to use with the dull-witted, awkward child. Some time this patience may be rewarded with a result showing some degree of success."  Is this PC?

 

Miniature clothes

"These small garments are an excellent preparation for the making of full size clothes in the upper grades. "

 



There are instuction for making a baby cap from paper and then using the folded paper as a pattern for a one made of "fine lawn".  Great for the unwed mother! We go right from dolls to real babies.

The book continues with gussets, bias edges, tucks and mending.

 

The best feature of this book are the beautiful line drawings of the sweetest young ladies of the early 20th century. I used one of them to create THIS.

 

I shared these with Karen at THE GRAPHICS FAIRY and she has posted two of them for you to use. Click HERE and HERE.

The book ends with the middy blouse that you see when you click on the first HERE in the previous sentence.

Helpfully the text suggests:

"For the Summer for play dresses or for gymnasium suits the middy blouse is frequently made with a short sleeve. For colder weather and for school, the long sleeve blouse is more practical and comfortable than the one with the short sleeve.”

Duh!

 

                              

So who has ever sewn any more than a hem by hand? Could you complete a whole garment that wouldn't fall apart the first time it was washed?