Sewing Instruction from Yesteryear - a book giveaway

I have been sewing up a storm lately, in the best possible way.  After all, it is wedding season and as a guest you want to have a great dress, right?  So I have been making quite a few of those. . . at least I hope they were great.   Also in the works is an unusual wedding dress for a wonderful bride who brought me a roll of vintage Kimono silk. The wedding is not until August, so no photos until then.


Meanwhile, I noticed that it is Vintage Pattern contest time on Pattern Review.   I had every intention of giving that a whirl this year, but now I am not so sure, for a couple of reasons.
Mostly because I have plenty of other projects that take priority, but partly because I really have no need of a vintage style dress.  Unless I can convince a friend of mine that she needs this one.  She saw this in my stash, but couldn't really figure what color or fabric.  I like the short sleeve, and of course it would be great in black, very Audrey.  But I am not crazy about sewing on black.  Plus it takes about 6 yards, eek.   










A few months back I found this book at a garage sale, and then brought it home and realized I already have a copy, which I think I inherited from my great-Aunt Jo.  So how about a giveaway for any of you thinking of making something vintage this month?  Or if you just want to add to your sewing book library.

This book is amazingly useful. I find all those old sewing books to be very helpful and refer to them when I am trying to figure something out.  Recently I was trying to add godets to a garment and found some good info in this book.  Godets - you don't hear that one every day :)

The page on the right talks about combining two patterns, I don't think I have seen that in a book before.


And here they talk about turning facings and trimming - my favorite topic.

They are promoting a method on these old Simplicity patterns which they call "the Simplicity Unit System" of sewing,  which instructs you to treat each portion as a unit - i.e. finish the entire bodice, or skirt, or sleeves and then attach together.  Which is exactly the opposite of how I sew things.  Not that it matters.  They haven't moved on much since 1958 when this book was published as the Simplicity patterns I use lately seem to have the exact same instructions with some different verbiage. 

Saving the best for last and creating a desperate desire in all to have this book, I reveal the most helpful pages in the whole book.  The lucky winner can pore over the chart and find just the right color for your new outfit!    Really ?? Sadly my combination of brown hair and green eyes is not listed so I will have to muddle through choosing my own fabric colors. And I find the redheads kind of scary.  



If you would like to be entered in the giveaway for this book, leave a comment or follow the blog and I will do a drawing on June 15.  (international is ok with me).


The sun was shining today, the jays are still sitting on their nest, and latest development is a honey bee hive in the apple tree.  So I am waiting for a local beekeeper to come over and hopefully take them away to continue their good work elsewhere.   


Happy sewing,  Beth