I recently received my copy of 18th Century Embroidery Techniques and while yeah, okay, I haven’t exactly READ it yet, it looks really exciting. A comprehensive overview of the techniques of embroidery in the period, including good clear descriptions so you can do it yourself, plus lots of really pretty color pictures of period embroidery examples. I recommend it to anyone interested in the period.
Happy Happy Dance
Oh my god! I just got in the mail a copy of Barbara Johnson’s Album of Fashions and Fabrics! Which I bought for $43.50 +shipping (it goes for $225+ usually). I wasn’t going to believe that I actually found it for that price until it showed up, and it just did! I love Bookfinder! (off to covet my new precious)
19th Century Fashion in Detail – in Detail
Okay, I’m sorry, it just has to be done. I know not everyone is feeling the love for Nineteenth-Century Fashion in Detail but I sooooooooooooo am. If you care to participate, here we go:
Pg. 16, 1885-86 riding jacket: wow, the braiding is outstanding. It looks like it’s continuous all the way down the jacket. Love the pleats at the back hem — I wish we could see them in person.
Pg. 20, 1817-20 lilac walking dress: the piping on this is just so amazing. But even more I am loving the passementerie appliques. Notice the binding on the inside of the collar seam — again, that’s something I would think of as a flaw in my own sewing, but here it is!
pg. 24, 1895 jacket bodice: the velvet! I love that they put the dart into the velvet/trim/thingie.
pg. 26, 1885 brown/orange dress: I am so loving this color scheme — I have 4 yards of a lightweight floral jacquard that is a very similar color. I love the built-in jacket effect, esp. how it’s cut shorter than the “vest.” Again, check out the box pleats at the back hem!
pg 50, yellow striped 1827-29 evening dress: this is SO not me, but I love it.
pg. 52, 1840s evening dress made of 1770s fabric: note wonkiness in the cartridge pleats! If I could find fabric like this…
pg. 64, 1890-93 worth candy cane bodice: WOW. I would sell family members for that fabric.
pg. 84, 1855-60 fan-front bodice: look! It’s pleated, not gathered!
pg. 86, 1865 wedding dress: I WANT. I think it’s mostly the silk duchesse satin that keeps hitting me over the head. Love the huge box pleats at the skirt waistband.
pg. 178, 1855-57 promenade dress: I LOVE the notted fringe.
pg. 200, 1885 day dress: I love the contrast between the bold print and the simple style.
Oh. My. God.
Got my copy of Nineteenth-Century Fashion in Detail yesterday. PLUNK. It’s PORN, I tell you! PORN! (credit Bunny/Mercurio for the “porn” concept). There are all these salacious closeups of hot, quivering buttonholes and pleats and and… SMALL CHILDREN SHOULD LOOK AWAY.
Hot damn! Did you see the lavender 1810s dress and spencer (hello, Katherine? you so need to make that)? The green velvet fringed 1850s number? THE CANDY CANE 1890S WORTH GOWN? HELLO!
But seriously — not only is the book FABulous, but I’m really excited to see what I would consider teeny tiny flaws on these perfectly gorgeous gowns. Seams that are a tiny bit crooked, stitches showing, weird issues (like the ones I always have) where piping and binding doesn’t fold over nicely at a corner or edge. It makes me feel like I’m not so much of an amateur if the amazing seamstresses and courturiers who made these gowns can’t get around these issues either.
I LOVE YOU VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM. Will you marry me and/or have my love child?
Oh My
I’d only heard offhand, unclear references to Moda a Firenze 1540-1580: Lo stile di Eleonora di Toledo e la sua influenza (Fashion in Florence 1540-1580: The style of Eleanora of Toledo and her influence), but my recent interest in Italian fashions of the 16th c. made me decide to hunt it down. And WOW, am I glad that I did! The book (in Italian and English) is simply gorgeous, with tons of portraits I’ve never seen before. But most importantly… want to see what Eleanora of Toledo’s burial dress really looks like? Want a research update on the dress (ie it never had sleeves)? Want to see a beautiful, full-length AND detail shot of this dress? Then get thee this book! Unfortunately it’s a bit hard to track down (and expensive — it seems to run in the $60 range, plus shipping from Italy) ) — try searching for books in Italian on Bookfinder.