refocus

For obvious reasons I’m finding it very hard to concentrate on anything and the pressure of unfinished projects has woken me up a few times this week so I have redirected my focus and I’m really excited about adding to collective knowledge.

My pattern book is heavily dependent on multiple factors. The first is to piece together information from tailors manuals. The second is to add into that extant garments. The third is to match each of these to art by region and date to find the direction of influences. And the fourth is to test my theories for places were there is no physical record.

I’ve just found a great source, but I think I want to subscribe to a publisher to be able to translate parts. And they also publish a few other articles I really want access to so I need to create a list and that means working through my bookmarks etc.

But it’s been very useful.

I have some of my extrapolated work supported, so that’s pretty fantastic.

garment cutting for workshops

I promised a list of the books on garment cutting brought in already for the workshops Auckland Libraries​ (Waitakere Central Library Henderson​)
These are some of my favourites

Guide to dressmaking
by J. Henry Symonds, , 1876
https://archive.org/details/guidetodressmaki00symo
(full illustratiosn for stitches and trimmings)

The science and geometry of dress
by Mrs. Louisa L. Jackson, 1876
https://archive.org/details/sciencegeometryo02jack

Ladies’ cutting made easy
Thomas Hiram Holding,1885
https://books.google.co.nz/books/about/Ladies_cutting_made_easy.html?id=GC8BAAAAQAAJ&redir_esc=y
(lots of variations on dresses very clear illustrations, diagrams take a bit of care)

A Concise Treatise on Ladies and Misses’ Tight-fitting Garments:
by M. Kaempfer, 1886 (Moschcowitz Brothers)
https://books.google.co.nz/books/about/A_Concise_Treatise_on_Ladies_and_Misses.html?id=Tqimbul_qxkC&redir_esc=y
(This is mostly of the Princess Dress style- this iwll be covered in the bodice workshop as they rely on a good bodice foundation)

Directions for cutting garments with the Davis improved square
by Myra A. Davis, 1888
https://archive.org/details/directionsforcut00davi

The national garment cutter book of diagrams.
by Goldsberry & Doran, 1888
https://archive.org/details/nationalgarment00gold
(Chock full of very easy to follow diagrams- these look modern!)

Instruction on Leola M. Head’s self teaching system of cutting ..
by Leola M. Head, 1889
https://archive.org/details/instructiononleo00head

Instruction book of Bisbee’s American tailor system of dress cutting
by F.S. Bisbee,1895
https://archive.org/details/instructionbooko00bisb

Casneau’s guide for artistic dress cutting and making
by Mrs. Alice A. Casneau, 1895
https://archive.org/details/casneausguidefor00casn
Very long book with photogravure polates of the garment in progress. It makes it very simple to understand the various engraved diagrams.)

The Kintzel dress cutting system, 1896
by A. G. Kintzel,1896
https://archive.org/details/kintzeldresscutt00kint

Maurice’s system of dress cutting..

Maurice’s system of dress cutting..

by Sivarz, Maurice. [from old catalog]
Published 1889
Publisher [n.p.]
Pages 28
Possible copyright status The Library of Congress is unaware of any copyright restrictions for this item.
Language English
Call number 6267213
Digitizing sponsor The Library of Congress
Book contributor The Library of Congress
Collection library_of_congress; americana
Notes There are no page numbers listed
Full catalog record MARCXML

This one has a ball taille, and yes, there is a single seam at the front bodice! This is what I had been noticing in garments so it’s nice to have it confirmed.

Studies in plain needlework and amateur dressmaking .

Studies in plain needlework and amateur dressmaking ..

by Ross, Harry A., Mrs. [from old catalog]
Published 1887 Topics Sewing, Dressmaking Publisher Battle Creek, Mich., W. C. Gage & son, printers
Pages 56
Possible copyright status The Library of Congress is unaware of any copyright restrictions for this item.
Language English
Call number 9622452
Digitizing sponsor Sloan Foundation
Book contributor The Library of Congress
Collection library_of_congress; americana
Full catalog record MARCXML

Instructions in dressmaking, basting and fitting

Instructions in dressmaking, basting and fitting

by [Moschocowitz brothers, New York] [from old catalog]
Published 1884 Topics Dressmaking. [from old catalog] Publisher [New York
Pages 40
Possible copyright status The Library of Congress is unaware of any copyright restrictions for this item.
Language English
Call number 8222341
Digitizing sponsor Sloan Foundation
Book contributor The Library of Congress
Collection library_of_congress; americana
Full catalog record MARCXML
This book has an editable web page on Open Library.

Sadly only a single image of line art is included

Fashion magazines

Many more fashion plates in context! Some of these have made their way into cosutme history books.

Of interest to me is how much pink there was in the 1870s! So much. It’s quite… fashion doll pink in plates but I have some paintings where it’s much softer 🙂

 

I have linked to the about pages in each case, click the book cover then the thumbnails icon to be able to see at a glance how much information there really is! Some of these came with pattern suppliments, it’s a pity these have simply been scanned to show that they exist but from experience of scanning my own magazines they are on webarchive) it is a big ask as it is!

 

Le Moniteur de la mode: journal du grand monde ; modes, illustrations, patrons, littératures, beaux-arts, théatres.

1874

Revue de la mode: gazette de la famille, Volume 1

1870

Les Modes parisiennes:

1872&1

Journal de Demoiselles

https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=kBxfAAAAcAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s

1874

https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=HE5iAAAAcAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s

1875

https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=r1gEAAAAYAAJ&dq=Magasin+Des+Demoiselles.&source=gbs_navlinks_s

1878

https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=yVkEAAAAYAAJ&dq=Magasin%20Des%20Demoiselles.&source=gbs_similarbooks

1881

https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=x_wGAAAAYAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s

1883

https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=71gEAAAAYAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s

1884