Book picks similar to
Corsets Historical Patterns & Techniques by Jill Salen
sewing
non-fiction
fashion
history
Knitting Classic Style: 35 Modern Designs Inspired by Fashion's Archives
Véronik Avery - 2007
This collection of clothing and accessories is organised into four thematic chapters that highlight women's wear, men's wear, traditional ethic garb, and sportswear.
The Dress Doctor: Prescriptions for Style, From A to Z
Edith Head - 1959
In 1959, she published a best-selling memoir and style guide, The Dress Doctor, in which she shared tips on style and dozens of entertaining anecdotes on Hollywood's A-list with her fans. Now, The Dress Doctor has returned in this special edition of the original volume, an alphabetical romp through the art of getting dressed and dressing Hollywood, with specially commissioned illustrations and the best advice and stories culled word for word from the original book. From Audrey Hepburn to Zooture, The Dress Doctor is filled with Head's timeless tips: her expertise on developing a personal style, dressing to flatter one's figure, building a wardrobe, and judging quality. Her prescriptions for dressing properly for various activities from archery to house cleaning to roller skating are a charming mix of perennially chic and, now, with the passing of time, tongue in chic. Fashion illustrator Bil Donovan's stunning re-creations of Head's most famous gowns, along with illustrations of myriad other stylish ensembles, bring the designer's work vividly to life again, along with Hollywood icons Grace Kelly, Katharine Hepburn, Mae West, Cary Grant, and many others. This irresistible, elegant volume is a unique treasure for those who love film, style, and the glamour of Old Hollywood.
Craftivity: 40 Projects for the DIY Lifestyle
Tsia Carson - 2006
Need some pillows for your new couch, and have a bunch of old wool sweaters? Turn those sweaters into felt! Knitting, felting, leather tooling, glass and metal work––it's all here. CRAFTIVITY is filled with 60 amazing DIY projects that make the most of what you have by taking old stuff and turning it into functional, breathtaking art.
The Apron Book: Making, Wearing, and Sharing a Bit of Cloth and Comfort
EllynAnne Geisel - 2006
EllynAnne’s enthusiasm for these textile artifacts dances across the pages as she muses on aprons in the kitchen; housework aprons; aprons worn by America’s waitresses, butchers, and maids; barbecue aprons; children’s aprons; holiday and dress-up aprons; and the sassy variety that are equal parts smooch and sizzle. She dishes on fabrics and adornments; aprons as custom gifts; and collecting, displaying and preserving aprons. She shares tidbits of advice and recipes, along with her favorite apron stories, gathered from apron wearers everywhere like ripe cherries in the lap of her own apron.The Apron Book is loaded with fabulous four-color photographs of the author’s vintage apron collection, plus the images of apron lovers past and present. You’ll also find four basic apron patterns—the waist apron, the bib apron, the smock apron, and a little girl’s apron—plus a host of variations for sewers of any skill level. As a bonus, the bib apron pattern is packaged separately and tucked inside the book!There is no other book like The Apron Book, which celebrates the humble yet lovely apron and the spirit of the men and women who once wore them, while providing the inspiration and tools to reinvent aprons for the here and now.According to EllynAnne, “Aprons don’t hold us back, they take us back “ — the very reason for the apron’s status as today’s hottest collectible.
Fibershed: Growing a Movement of Farmers, Fashion Activists, and Makers for a New Textile Economy
Rebecca Burgess - 2019
Even those who value access to safe, local, nutritious food have largely overlooked the production of fiber, dyes, and the chemistry that forms the backbone of modern textile production. While humans are 100 percent reliant on their second skin, it's common to think little about the biological and human cultural context from which our clothing derives.Almost a decade ago, weaver and natural dyer Rebecca Burgess developed a project focused on wearing clothing made from fiber grown, woven, and sewn within her bioregion of North Central California. As she began to network with ranchers, farmers, and artisans, she discovered that even in her home community there was ample raw material being grown to support a new regional textile economy with deep roots in climate change prevention and soil restoration. A vision for the future came into focus, combining right livelihoods and a textile system based on economic justice and soil carbon enhancing practices. Burgess saw that we could create viable supply chains of clothing that could become the new standard in a world looking to solve the climate crisis.In Fibershed readers will learn how natural plant dyes and fibers such as wool, cotton, hemp, and flax can be grown and processed as part of a scalable, restorative agricultural system. They will also learn about milling and other technical systems needed to make regional textile production possible. Fibershed is a resource for fiber farmers, ranchers, contract grazers, weavers, knitters, slow-fashion entrepreneurs, soil activists, and conscious consumers who want to join or create their own fibershed and topple outdated and toxic systems of exploitation..
Craft, Inc.: Turn Your Creative Hobby into a Business
Meg Mateo Ilasco - 2007
Plus, get inspired by--and learn from the mistakes of--artists/business owners such as Jonathan Adler, Lotta Jansdotter, Denyse Schmidt, Jill Bliss, and many more.
Respect the Spindle
Abby Franquemont - 2009
With step-by-step instructions, this essential manual details the basic steps of spinning and then advances to the more complicated spinning wheel, showing how to use the spindle to make specific types of yarn, explaining traditional spindle spinning techniques, and detailing five simple projects designed to instill confidence in creating a variety of yarns with this simple tool. Combining fascinating historical narratives, traditions, and cultures from around the globe with vivid photography, this all-encompassing tour of the spindle also boasts easy-to-follow, contemporary techniques and styles that affirm the tool's enduring legacy.
The Forgotten Arts and Crafts
John Seymour - 2001
The Forgotten Arts & crafts brings together in a single absorbing volume two best-selling classics, The Forgotten Arts and Forgotten Household Crafts, written by the acknowledged "Father of Self-sufficiency" John Seymour. Taking the reader on an evocative journey through the worlds of traditional craftspeople -- from blacksmith to bee-keeper, wainwright to housewife -- Seymour celebrates their honest skills, many of which have disappeared beneath the tread of progress. With characteristic passion, Seymour demonstrates that these country arts and household crafts need never be forgotten. From woodland and building crafts to the tasks of the kitchen and laundry, he explores every aspect of traditional life. Materials and workshop tools are usefully annotated, and techniques evoked in engaging words and pictures. Over 1,700 detailed illustrations and photographs bring to life each craft and skill. In an affectionate and nostalgic account, John Seymour recalls a lifetime of encounters with working craftspeople in different parts of the world and describes the trades and household activities he saw practiced in the countryside of his youth. With a crusading vigor, he commends the joys of noble toil and makes a compelling plea for "virtuous craftsmanship," which may, without vigilance, vanish forever.Originally published as two separate books: The Forgotten Arts and The National Trust Book of Forgotten Household Crafts.
Encyclopedia of Needlework
Thérèse de Dillmont - 1884
Needlework encyclopedia gives all there is to know about your favorite hobby.
Custom Knits: Unleash Your Inner Designer with Top-Down and Improvisational Techniques
Wendy Bernard - 2008
Herein lies the beauty of Custom Knits, which teaches knitters how to use improvisational techniques to achieve spectacular results—and to unleash their inner designers. Wendy Bernard, creator of the popular blog Knit and Tonic, provides 25 original designs for sweaters of nearly every type, plus variations, most knitted in one piece starting at the top, a method that allows you to try on as you go, alter as desired, and essentially design on the fly. “Make It Your Own” prompts in each pattern suggest easy alterations to suit your style and body type. And an in-depth reference section teaches how to alter key sweater elements, for example, change a crewneck to a V-neck, add sleeves to a vest, and much more. For the truly adventurous, the book concludes with guidelines for knitting sweaters with no pattern at all. Bernard’s friendly writing style and photographer Kimball Hall’s lively images create an inviting book of beautiful designs and key techniques that a knitter can use to customize nearly every garment she knits from now on.
The Principles of Knitting: Methods and Techniques of Hand Knitting
June Hemmons Hiatt - 1989
This is the definitive book on knitting techniques, with valuable information for everyone from beginners to experienced knitters. June Hiatt presents not only a thorough, thoughtful approach to the craft, but also a passion for carrying on the art of knitting to future generations. She has repeatedly tested the various techniques and presents them with clear, easy-to-follow instructions—as well as an explanation of what each one can contribute to your knitting. Informed by decades of experience and thousands of hours of practice, this comprehensive resource offers a variety of ways to approach every skill and technique and offers solutions that can help solve the most challenging aspects of any knitting project. The Principles of Knitting has been totally rewritten—new instructions, new illustrations, and new information. While the basics of knitting have not changed much, June’s understanding of the material has deepened over the last twenty-five years, and she’s eager to share what she has learned with the knitting world. In addition, the book has been reorganized to make it easier to use and has a gorgeous new design. Reading The Principles of Knitting is like having a knitting mentor by your side who can answer any knitting question you have in an honest, intelligent, informed manner.
Collage Lost and Found: Creating Unique Projects with Vintage Ephemera
Giuseppina Cirincione - 2006
From a sailor missing the love he left ashore, to a school boy's crush on his teacher, the stunning pages of this book will inspire you to dust off the vintage ephemera you've been collecting for years and combine it with basic collage elements to create romantic pieces you can wear as well as display.In addition to delectable inspiration for a multitude of projects, you'll learn several practical techniques that can aid you in all your creative endeavors, including:Simple soldering techniques that anyone can do right awayThe art of layering with beeswax to add an intriguing depth to your workMagic tricks for turning metal repair tape into aged sheet metalIn-the-know sources for finding vintage ephemera, as well as tips for transforming new items into ones that appear to have stood the test of timeGive in to the seduction of the past. Let Collage Lost and Found take you to a world where collage sings to you of a simpler time where your creativity knows no bounds!
Shape by Shape Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters: 70+ Designs for Blocks, Backgrounds & Borders
Angela Walters - 2014
User-friendly and visually exciting, the contents are first divided into three sections: Blocks, Negative Space, and Borders. Then, to make it even more accessible, the Blocks section is further organized by five shapes: Squares, Triangles, Circles, Diamonds, and Hexagons. With an illustrated index, 70 free-motion quilting designs, crystal-clear instructions, and gorgeous full-page photographs, this is the go-to resource you'll want handy before starting any quilting project.
Knit, Swirl! Uniquely Flattering, One Piece, One Seam Swirl Jackets
Sandra McIver - 2011
Using simple knitting techniques, she creates elegant sweater jackets in four dramatic silhouettes and three flexible sizes.
The Cool Girl's Guide to Knitting
Nicki Trench - 2005
*Everything the beginner knitter needs to know*Why knit? Why join a knit group? How to start your own knit group*What you'll need to get started on what might turn out to be a lifetime's passion*Step-by-step practical guide teaches how to knit in easy, jargon-free language*Troubleshooting section explains how to avoid the mistakes that you are definitely going to make*20 funky patterns for you to follow