I enjoy working with vintage sewing patterns, so it just makes sense that I enjoy looking through old and vintage sewing books. A shelf or two filled with old sewing books, magazines, references, pattern books and supplements is so worth starting because:
1. They make using old sewing patterns easier to understand.
2. Some are like a mini history lesson because old sewing books include so much more information other than sewing, for example rules of dressing, etiquette lessons and rules for living.
3. Many include fascinating graphics, photos and illustrations that are great learning tools and just nice to look at.
4. Contain much more useful information on how to sew that you may be able to find in a modern sewing book.
Here are some of my favorite vintage sewing books:
- Clothing for Women: Selection, Design, Construction: A Practical Manual for School and Home.
- Clothing Construction
- Reader’s Digest Complete Guide to Sewing
- Singer Sewing Book
- Coates & Clark’s Sewing Book
- Simplicity’s Simply The Best Sewing Book
- Sewing Made Easy
- The Complete Book of Sewing
- How to Make Clothes that Fit and Flatter
- The Vogue Sewing Book
- McCall’s New Complete Book of Sewing and Dressmaking
Sewing Pattern Portal
Hi, I was wondering which book from your list do you most absolutely suggest for me. I want to learn. I have no clue how to sew and I’m really eager to start doing my own clothing. I’ve been searching in the “new up to date” books but I’ve found that they don’t provide information about darting, body measurements, and the likes. If you could pleas help. I would really appreciate it. Thanks
Hi!
Thanks for emailing. Learning to sew is fairly easy as long as you’re willing, have the patience and are able to follow instructions. I’m glad you’ve decided to take on the art.
In my opinion, the best sewing book is Reader’s Digest Complete Guide to Sewing (the earliest edition-) hands down. It doesn’t matter if your into modern sewing or vintage. This book is wonderful. It’s easy to read, understand and has clear, concise graphics, photos, drawings and other illustrations on just about every page. Perfect for a beginner and valuable resource for the experienced. The book and information within will never out date itself.
It’s available on Amazon and you can search around for it other places as well. It’s the best.
For a comparison of the oldest and latest edition read this post:
Complete Guide to Sewing
Reader’s Digest Complete Guide to Sewing
I have 9 of the 11.
(and hundreds more that I really need to part with lest I appear on a documentary about insane levels of hoarding)
@ZipZap-Wow, 9 out of 11! Which are you missing? And I know a little bit about hoarding myself. It's hard to part with our treasures, isn't it?