Authentic Victorian Dressmaking Techniques

by Kristina Harris (editor)

At the turn of the century, ladies of privilege could easily afford their own dressmakers, and even middle-class housewives occasionally employed competent seamstresses. But many women did their own sewing, often relying on Dressmaking, Up to Date, a how-to book published by the Butterick Publishing Company. First published in 1905 and widely considered the first modern American sewing book, this extremely rare volume is published here complete and unabridged.This Butterick manual provides clear and concise instructions for altering patterns, hand-sewing stitches, and creating shirt-blouses, skirts, wedding and evening gowns, coats, jackets, maternity wear, undergarments, bathrobes, children's clothing, and many other articles of apparel. Today's costume historians and sewing enthusiasts will find fascinating instruction in such long-lost arts as boning a bodice perfectly, creating skirt sweepers and bust enhancers, concealing hooks and eyes, and other vintage dressmaking techniques.An indispensable archive of information on late-Victorian and turn-of-the-century clothing, this volume will be of immense interest to anyone fascinated by the fashion and costume of the period. It will also be of value to needleworkers wanting to create accurate reproductions of Victorian-era costume, or to anyone interested in applying time-honored sewing techniques to a modern wardrobe.

Genres: Sewing, Fashion, Nonfiction, History, Fashion History, Victorian, Historical Sewing

375 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 29, 1998

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent resource, though definitely not one I'd recommend to novices. It was written in 1905 so has none of the accessible writing or clear step-by-step pictures you would get in a modern book. Not a complaint; just something to keep in mind! This aside it is an absolute goldmine of information if you're prepared to dig a little for it. Also helpful was the fact that, because of the era, they assume you're sewing by hand, so it goes a long way to ensuring you create a fully period correct piece.

[Nom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a GREAT book for anyone interested in authentic sewing techniques. It teaches terms and shows you pictures of what it is suppose to look like. A lot of step by step directions/photos. I have enjoyed every word I've read and every picture I've reviewed.