Mrs. Neanderthal’s problems were simple. All she had to do was swing a fur skin over her curvaceous form, anchor it with a bone on one shoulder, and presto there she was-seductively attired. No fuss about size or figure type. No to-do about seaming or shaping. Hers was a covering for all seasons, accommodating to all dimensions, large and small, and to all curves, big and little, concave and convex. The only real problem was whether to wear the fox for every day and the leotard on Sunday or vice versa.
Old sewing books are a combination of etiquette, charm and sewing.
This book has a great section on grading patterns, using darts and probably one of the most extensive sections on measuring the body (including arms, pants and crotch) I’ve seen, especially in an older book.
Nearly each page contains a black and white pictorial of a particular task. The drawings are simplistic, but extremely helpful and educational.
On the subject of “helpfulness” there’s a how-to section on making a dressmaker/ papier-mache form. The latter portion of the book is dedicated to teaching the reader how to choose a style with an eye to proper fitting, complete with beautiful black and white fashion illustration depictions of the times.
About the same size as a standard dressmaker’s pattern, How To Make Clothes That Fit And Flatter is hard-back and a little known gem worth having on your sewing book shelf.
How to make clothes that fit and flatter by Adele P. Margolis
Pages: 290, not including the index/glossary. Year: 1969.
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Surprisingly, I found this book at a yard sale early last summer. I love it. I'm usually under the impression old sewing books are going to be out-of-date. Not this one-even though I can't say I sew with alot of vintage patterns, this book has been helpful to me in so many other ways. I think this same author has a book on making pants? Am I right?
You're right. Many older sewing books are sew worth it and still relevant for sewing projects of today. They're especially helpful when working with older sewing patterns.