The pattern designs and beautiful sea green cover of this 1936 book make my heart sing. Oh and the dogmatic instructions make me giggle a little. Shown here with some Victorian button scissors. One of my favourite Christmas prezzies :)
[Soundtrack: 'Give Him a Great Big Kiss' by the Shangri-Las]
Oh what a gorgeous book! I can totally see why it's one of your favourite Christmas pressies.
ReplyDeleteI want to make the simple blouse from page 97 - it looks so pretty.
Ooh, what a glorious present! I just love the drawings and all the handy tips in books from that time. I have a similar book in Swedish that I have yet to actually use, but I´d love to start constructing and sewing using it. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely book, where in the Foreword she mentions 'girl' I hear it in my head as 'gels' in that prewar Received Pronunciation accent!!! Beautiful
ReplyDeleteOh I love books like this!
ReplyDeleteOh, that's lovely! The illustration of the lady in the dress remind me of the ones in my favourite book, Miss Pettiegrew Lives for a Day - same style!
ReplyDeleteAlso, oddly enough a bit of idle googling because I now live in Brighton and I was curious to know what/where the Brighton Diocese Training college was, I discovered that it was the building I walk past every morning and had been wondering about! Ah, serendipity!
What a great peek into the past!
ReplyDeleteOh, oh, oh...she's a sea green beauty! I adore the cute simple blouse pictured!!!
ReplyDeleteWow! I love such books... it is so difficult to find them! You are lucky woman!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous book and gorgeous scissors. What a thoughtful gift! The book must be great inspiration.
ReplyDeletehow fun! and it looks like it's in great condition!
ReplyDeleteWow. What a special gift. I love the illustration for a "simple dress." Isn't it funny how much more detail went into pattern making of yore. Have we become lazy in our sewing or just not interested? Hmmm.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great gift!
ReplyDelete-Emily
WOW! What a beautiful book!
ReplyDeleteThat is a fabulous gift! You are one lucky lady!!
ReplyDeleteOooh what a wonderful book! I drafted patterns when I was in school, but I haven't done it since. I love the line under Pencils: "Rubbing out is a waste of energy and shows lack of thought" - reminds me of my art teacher!
ReplyDeleteLucky you! I love the tone of vintage books and words you rarely hear now like 'becoming'.
ReplyDeleteThat book seems to have been designed for Tilly, queen of turquoise! But what exactly are button scissors?
ReplyDeleteThat book seems to have been designed for Tilly, queen of turquoise! But what exactly are button scissors?
ReplyDeleteHi Tilly, what a lovely book I love Ms Howletts idea of a simple dress, unfortunately not mine. It is a very nice dress and one I would be happy to make. I am always looking out for interesting books, luckily where I live I have easy access to some great seconhand bookshops which are my preferred option, not only cheaper usually,but i love to think of all the previous owners who may have cherished them.
ReplyDeleteI just love the forward. Sometimes hearing something in different language than we would use today makes it seem fresh and true, like "how the actual knowledge and skill gained . . . will give them that individuality and freedom of dress which every girl desires." All of the sewing girls I know in 2013 still desire it!
ReplyDeleteI love the illustrations as well, I may just have to see if there are any copies of this book on my side of the pond.
Hi Tilly! The name of the lovely simple blouse on the page 97: "Magyar" means: "Hungarian", and I really want to know why. I'm from Hungary, but I can't recognise this style as a traditional Hungarian blouse, but there must be a reason for the name, and you made me very curious! :) Thanks for sharing these pages!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to make those knickers!
ReplyDelete