Books about Fabric -- Your Recommendations Please!

Readers, when I say I have a lot of sewing books, I mean I have a lot of sewing books -- many dozens.  I bought some of them new, purchased even more used online, stumbled upon others at the flea market...I even found a couple in the trash!

I'm always looking for that sewing book that's going to both inspire me and bump my sewing skills up a rung or two, but it rarely happens.  Usually I leaf through a new (to me) book enthusiastically when I first get it, and then maybe -- maybe -- I'll remember to dig it out of the pile when I need to research a new technique for a sewing project. 

What happens more often is that I'll find myself perusing, say, The Readers Digest Complete Guide to Sewing at 3 a.m., and, bleary-eyed, stumble upon some very clear section about, I don't know, welt pockets, and wonder why it didn't occur to me to refer to the book when it could have helped me.  When you have so many sewing books, they start to cancel each other out, or you don't remember which book describes what.

One of my frustrations, as someone relatively new to sewing, is that my knowledge of fabric is not very good.  As you know, I shop for fabric in stores barely one step above the dumpster, and the people who work in them know less about fabric than I do and nothing about sewing.  There's no guarantee you won't ask for cotton voile and be directed to acetate linings.  YOU have to know the difference.

I was re-reading Bridal Couture yesterday at the cardiologist's -- my mother is having hip surgery tomorrow and this was a recommended precautionary visit; everything's normal, it turns out --  and while Susan Khalje is pretty good about describing the most popular bridal fabrics, some of them are hard to grasp and a photo just isn't enough (for me).  I'm honestly not sure I get the difference between dupioni and shantung, for example.  (This was something I liked about the McQueen show last week: the fabric was identified for each dress; I was like, So THAT'S silk taffeta...embellished with human hair and vulture skulls.)

Sometimes I'll go to Etsy and look at vintage dresses to see what a particular fabric looks like sewn up.  There's some great photography on that site, though that's not a perfect solution.

I just ordered a used copy of Claire Schaeffer's Fabric Sewing Guide, and I'm hoping it will be the fabric book of fabric books.  Do you know it?  I didn't get the latest edition, as I'm a sucker for old editions that cost less than shipping and handling. 

There's also a series by Julie Parker --  All About Cotton, All About Silk, and All About Wool.  These reference guides include actual fabric swatches that you insert in the book itself.  I've read good things about this series, though it's not cheap at roughly $50-60 per book.  And they don't cover synthetics.

My other option is to make a date with some fabric guru here in New York and, perhaps in exchange for lunch, make them tour me through some high end fabric store and show me what's what.  Does this sound like your idea of fun?  Let me know!

Readers, did you learn about fabric from a book, or did you learn by taking on projects that use a wide range of different fabrics?  I have certainly picked up a lot these last two years just by sewing, and only rarely mistake denim for taffeta.  But I'd like to know more and I'm hoping the Schaeffer book will prove indispensable.

So how about you?  Do you own any fabric reference guides and if you do, which is your favorite?  What are their strengths and drawbacks?

Any books -- or strategies -- you recommend?

Thanks!

Whatever Happened to Twenties Style?

It's been a while since I've written about Twenties style.  Quite frankly, I'm worried about it.  I have always maintained that once a style has been relegated to Halloween costume status, it's gravely endangered. 

Sadly, we've come to remember Twenties fashion as a fringed sheath, long beads, and a headband.  Stir briskly.

Part of the problem, I think, is that the original source material is too distant -- not in time as much as in popular memory.  We remember Thirties fashion primarily through old movies, so many of which are still beloved.  Most Twenties films, however, were silent, and are forgotten.  Many are lost entirely.

How many people remember Colleen Moore, or have ever seen a Clara Bow film?





More recently (though not much) Twenties style was filtered through the Fifties and early Sixties, when there was renewed interest in the period.  They usually got the beads right, but the silhouette wrong.  It would have looked too dated.

The Twenties' female ideal was the boyish figure and the Fifties and early Sixties' ideal was curvy.

Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis looked more authentically Twenties in Some Like it Hot than Marilyn; androgynous looks were in.



Pattern companies' attempts to revive the Twenties were often unfortunate.

I own some original Twenties patterns myself and I've made one for Cathy.  They can be hard to find and expensive when you do.







The Twenties chemise and dropped waistline is revived on the runways from time to time, true, but why isn't Twenties style more popular?  Is it simply too costume-y for today's tastes?



I recently picked up a fabulous book on Twenties fashion (both male and female), Fashions of the Roaring Twenties, by Ellie Laubner (Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 1996).



It is full of gorgeous photographs of the wide variety of Twenties fashion, and does a great job establishing the historic context too.  It was a period of tremendous social change for American men and women, and for the latter especially, this was reflected in how they dressed.







More pics of Fashions of the Roaring Twenties and Twenties style here.

Friends, do you consider Twenties style too remote or do you incorporate it in your own style?  (If so, how?)

Is the Twenties just a boop boop de doop on your fashion radar?   Do tell!

PS - A wonderful article on Twenties fashion with some great videos over at Glamour Daze here.

A Day of Rest

Loyal readers, today is all about R&R here at MPB.  Having just finished a two-week Jeans Sew-Along, I badly need a vacation, or at least an afternoon wrapped in compression bandages -- maybe two.

I still photograph well, of course, but one does lose one's dewy freshness (among other things).



As always, along with R&R comes a notable investment in R&D, as we strive to keep the pipeline stuffed with new products and projects.  The competition is fierce and I am committed to staying one step ahead of the pack.  I may have to hire more staff.

Needless to say, my mind is teeming with ideas, both fresh and moldy.  Any little thing can spark a new project.  A quick peek at the headlines...

A new book...



A trip to the salon...

And suddenly I've bought a new pattern, which should arrive any day now.

The problem with a dress like this, friends, is that there's really only one event you can wear it to, and you have to plan it.  Given Cathy's love life these days, I don't think there's any rush.

But there are other new patterns in my life.  I won this on eBay recently -- you can't have too many vintage slip patterns; who wants to line everything?



I picked up some wonderful books at the flea market on Saturday and I wanted to share one of them with you today.    

New York Fashion, by Caroline Rennolds Milbank, is what's commonly known as a coffee table book, but you don't need a coffee table to enjoy it.  Upper body strength is essential to lift it, however.
 

This gorgeous volume, published in 1989 by Abrams, is my new favorite vintage fashion book, and focuses primarily on Twentieth Century fashion from the turn of the century through the 1980s.  This is the period when New York became a fashion capital, and New York Fashion covers all the major designers and the glorious clothes (and fashion trends) they produced, decade by decade.  It's a great read and full of gorgeous photographs, both black & white and color.







More pics of New York Fashion here. 

Moving right along...

Thank you for your kind response to yesterday's fashion shoot.  I think Michael and I are going to dress alike more often -- all couples should, really!



Whatever became of this charming tradition?

Friends, we're out of time.   I hope that whether you're at home, at work, or even on the road, you're planning your next projects along with me.

What's next for you and does it include a white tulle veil or matching Pendleton plaids (for your next trip to Disneyland)?

Go for it, I say.

Happy Monday, everybody!

Loved the gown, Kate!

We like to stay up to the minute here at MPB, so I must opine on the dress: it's beautiful.  But then again, I'm a sucker for a lace overlay!

Which provides the perfect segue into the book I just received the other day, Susan Khalje's classic, Bridal Couture.


I'd first heard about Susan Khalje and Bridal Couture from Robin, who attended Susan's week-long Couture Sewing School in March.  Kind Robin even offered to lend me her copy of Bridal Couture, but friends, I like to know I can take a book into the bathtub with me and not worry.  Not that I would ever take my copy into the tub, given that I paid about three times the original price (the book is sadly out of print though a CD copy is available on Susan's website). Since used print copies can go for well over $100 these days, I'm OK with the $79 I paid (a birthday present to myself).  Still, for me, that's a sewing machine. 

I'm going to be honest here: when I opened my mailbox to find the book folded inside and realized this was a softcover book, and not a particularly thick one at that, my heart sank.  Then I opened the book.  Friends, I love Bridal Couture -- and I'm not even getting married any time soon! 







Bridal Couture is so clearly written, so well organized, so beautifully illustrated -- it's a must for anyone interested in sewing evening wear, and not just wedding gowns, though that's obviously its primary focus.

Would I have preferred if it had been a how-to guide to recreating Rita Hayworth's wardrobe from You Were Never Lovelier?  Absolutely!  But I don't think the techniques are dramatically different.

It pains me when something so worthwhile is currently so expensive, though again, a CD copy can be had for much less.  I've posted more pics from Bridal Couture here and am even thinking of attending Susan's next workshop in Baltimore in the fall, though I'm not sure what I'd make.  Something to think about...

I have more great news, patient readers -- my Featherweight is working at last!



You may recall that after I replaced the missing loop guard screw, Rain discovered that the original hook had tiny burrs that were snagging the thread, burrs he lacked the tools to remove.  Fortunately I was able to find a full hook assembly for sale on eBay for what seemed like a reasonable amount ($38 with shipping) given the original cost of the machine (about $225 with shipping).  This meant the whole loop guard screw replacement drama was totally unnecessary, of course, but that's life.

In addition to my original damaged hook, Rain had taken my bobbin case and bobbin back home with him to test and clean, so to make the machine work I needed to pick these up and it didn't seem fair to make Rain come to my place yet again.  I also wanted Rain to install the hook assembly.

Now I know you're curious -- I was -- so I will share that Rain lives in a huge, semi-industrial space (whose location I cannot reveal) bursting with vintage Singer sewing machines in various stages of restoration -- mainly 221's (Featherweights), 201's, and assorted 15 models.  There must have been five different workstations set up for him to work on his machines.  I even got to revisit my 15-90, which Rain has already converted to a hand crank. This guy is something else.

Anyway, the Featherweight now stitches beautifully; I still have to polish her up a bit.





Like Bridal Couture, this is another item that consistently receives raves so effusive, it almost made me not want to like it.  But I do, and I totally get why so many people collect Featherweights with a passion.

Finally, readers, even more good news!

After I-don't-even-remember-how-many months, I finally emptied the cat litter out of my stinky vintage American Tourister luggage set (not including the cosmetic case, which still needs help) and vacuumed the insides.



I let them air out on the balcony for a few more days and I can say that 90% of the smell is gone.  I made lavender sachets to tuck inside and am now using the luggage to store fabric as well as some of Cathy's endless accessories. 





Don't you love a happy ending?

Speaking of Cathy, I should also tell you that my poor cousin was unable to attend the show and party last night (for which I originally was going to make her another taffeta cocktail dress) and I went in her place.  Cathy had been looking forward to it and was going to wear her Twenties flapper dress, but pooped out at the last minute.  It's just as well: we could take the subway (Cathy insists on cabs) and save ourselves some cash.

Friends, that's it!  Believe me when I tell you that the only royal wedding I care about is the MGM one with Fred Astaire and Jane Powell (and even that's a bit of a yawn), but you have to admit, a lace overlay gown is tops.

I'd love to get your initial impressions.  How do you think it compares to this?

Maybe it's the times but, lovely as it is, Kate's dress is rather sober-looking in comparison to Diana's.   Thoughts?

Happy Friday, everybody!