1920s, 1930s, 1940s: More Gems From The Sewing Library

Following on from last week’s post covering the 1950s, 60s and 70s in the Museum Section of my home sewing library, here’s some beaut books from the three decades before. 1940s The 1940s is represented mostly with Home Ec textbooks produced by the Education Department of South Australia. 1930s Neither of these books has a…

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1950s, 1960s, 1970s: Gems From The Sewing Library

Do you have a sewing library at home? I bet you do! I’ve been cultivation a sewing library since I was a fashion student in 1990. It’s a collection of sewing, fashion and patternmaking books, but it also has a Museum Section. The Museum Section contains old books that I inherited, found at garage sales…

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Discovering Halston’s bias cuts

A beautiful book I ordered on Halston (at great expense to the management) arrived during the week. I’m too young, and lived in the wrong country, to remember Halston’s fashions. I was a child in the swingin’ 70s, spending much of it on an actual swing. I phoned Mum to ask if she remembered fashions…

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Book Review: Zero Waste Patterns by Birgitta Helmersson

It’s my pleasure to review Birgitta Helmersson’s new book, Zero Waste Patterns. Birgitta is a Swedish/Australian designer and pattern maker based in Malmo, Sweden, where she and partner Sam Grose run a shop and studio. She has been making zero waste patterns for over a decade. Take a look at Birgitta’s website, where you’ll find…

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Making Wendy Ward’s zero waste trousers

Some time ago I bought Wendy Ward‘s new book How to Sew Sustainably. Actually, I borrowed it from the library and liked it so much I bought a copy. I really liked the trousers and dress made using the same cutting concept, and wanted to try them. Cleverly, the dress is the trousers turned upside…

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Book Review: Zero Waste Nähen

It’s my pleasure to review Stephanie Kroth’s new book Zero Waste Nähen. Nähen translates as sew or stitch, and this book is a collection of 25 zero waste sewing patterns. [In the interests of full disclosure, I offered to review this book when I heard it was coming out, as I thought you would like…

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Recommended Reading: Disney, Fibershed and Francis Marshall

A mixture of great books have arrived from the library lately, all very different but so interesting. The Art of Disney Costuming – Heroes, Villains and Spaces Between by Jeff Kurtti and the Staff of the Walt Disney Archive (2019 Disney Enterprises Inc) Everyone at home loved this book! It’s a big book, almost A3…

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Recommended Reading: Talley, Fassett and McMaster

Yes, Talley, Fassett and McMaster sounds somewhat like an academic paper, but they’re the authors of three interesting books I’ve just finished reading. The Chiffon Trenches – a memoir The Chiffon Trenches – a memoir by Andre Leon Talley (2020 Harper Collins). (Note: small very font.) I was alerted to this book after reading Andre…

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3 books for bedside reading

Recommended reading All 3 books together

The Haywood Household has been laid low. After the first few days in bed feeling utterly wretched, one migrates to the sofa in a dressing gown. Absolved of all household responsibilities, the time passes with reading, watching TV, nose blowing, taking little naps and eating ice cream with a teaspoon (to soothe the throat). This…

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