Category: Reference

Ladies’ Home Journal: November 1958

Another excellent time capsule find from my recent road trip. So much good stuff, but here are lots of the pages for your viewing pleasure: (Click on an image and then click again for big versions!) Much like the 1945 … Read More

McCall’s Magazine: October 1945

One of my recent  finds of particular interest to vintage enthusiasts and fashion history nerds is this McCall’s Magazine from October 1945. It’s an interesting time capsule of the ideas being promoted to women at the tail end of World … Read More

Recent Finds: Summer 2014

Whilst I juggle several projects for clients and sadly neglect the made for me items, here are some fun things I’ve picked up recently… The Sawa 2000 De Luxe. There seem to be a lot of these around, and yet little info … Read More

Darts, the HLB Way

Whilst putting together one of my recent garments, I started thinking about how different sewists have different methods for common sewing techniques. It all depends where you learned to sew, and what works best for you. I’ve seen a number of … Read More

Pattern Inventory: Part Three

In which I catalogue my collection of men’s and kid’s patterns. Menswear-wise, it’s a very limited handful of patterns. I just don’t come across that many, and they tend to be similar styles when I do. Usually bathrobes for some … Read More

Pattern Inventory Adventures: Part Two

In which we catalogue and pack all of the 1970s patterns in my collection (plus some errant 50s/60s ones that somehow escaped my notice in the first part). The 1970s is often not taken seriously in terms of fashion eras. … Read More

My Library: Costume in Detail 1730-1930

Another library book I fell in love with and eventually had to get my own copy. Nancy Bradfield’s 1968 book is true to it’s title. Her black and white detailed drawings record construction, fastenings, and textures of actual garments spanning … Read More