~The Library: Recommended Reading~
This is a list of books that I can recommend to you. Most of them I do own. Hence, I have money for nothing
else! ;0) Between buying fabrics & trims, tools, books, and DvD's, this is sadly the truth! I am a total
bookworm, especially if it will teach me a new skill. Whether it be about jewelry making, or shoe making, or
simply costume history: many of these books will help you make that costume you are working on. I have tried
to include links to the item and ISBN (if available to us) if the link is not available, it's most likely because
the book is old, out of print, and very rare now. For those, I suggest scouring eBay and used book stores.
Happy reading, and happy hunting!
Sewing Study Guides:
Sewing Basics by Patricia Moyes
The Complete Photo Guide to Sewing by Singer Sewing Library
Sewing 101: A Beginner's Guide to Sewing by Creative Publishing International
High Fashion Sewing Secrets from the World's Best Designers by Claire Schaeffer
Creating Your Perfect Quilting Space: Sewing-Room Makeovers for Any Space And Any Budget by Lois L.
Hallock
Dream Sewing Spaces: Design & Organization for Spaces Large & Small by Lynette Black
Costume Construction & Costume Design Study Books:
How to Make Sewing Patterns by Don McCunn
Patternmaking for Fashion Design (4th edition) by Helen J Armstrong
Draping for Fashion Design (4th edition) by Hilde Jaffe & Nurie Relis
Patterns for Costume Accessories by Arnold S. Levine & Robin L. McGee
The Art of Manipulating Fabric by Colette Wolff
Elegantly Frugal Costumes: The Poor Man's Do-It-Yourself Costume Maker's Guide by Shirley Dearing
Costume Designer's Handbook: A Complete Guide for Amateur & Professional Costume Designers by Ingham &
Covey
Fabric Study Books:
Claire Shaeffer's Fabric Sewing Guide by Claire Shaeffer
The Basic Guide to Dyeing and Painting Fabric by Walter & Preistley
All About Silk: A Fabric Dictionary & Swatchbook (Fabric Reference Series, Volume 1) by Julie Parker
All About Cotton: A Fabric Dictionary & Swatchbook (Fabric Reference Series, Volume 2) by Julie Parker
All About Wool: A Fabric Dictionary & Swatchbook (Fabric Reference Series, Volume 3) by Julie Parker
Period Costume Study Books:
Textiles for Colonial Clothing in America: (Spiral-bound) A Workbook of Swatches by Sally A Queen
Textiles for Clothing of the Early Republic (Regency): 1800-1850 (Spiral-bound) A Workbook of Swatches by
Lynne Zacek Bassett
Textiles for Early Victorian Clothing: 1850-1880 (Spiral-bound) A Workbook of Swatches by Susan Greene
Textiles for Victorian and Edwardian Clothing: 1880-1920 (Spiral-bound) A Workbook of Swatches by Affleck
& Herbaugh
Costume in Detail by Nancy Bradfield
The Cut of Women's Clothing by Norah Waugh
The Cut of Men's Clothes by Norah Waugh
Patterns of Fashion: The Cut and Construction of Clothes for Men and Women C1560-1620 by Janet Arnold
Patterns of Fashion: Englishwomen's Dresses and Their Construction C.1660-1860 by Janet Arnold
Patterns of Fashion 2: Englishwomen's Dresses and Their Construction C.1860-1940 by Janet Arnold
The History of Underclothes by C. Willett Cunnington
The Little Corset Book: A Workbook on Period Underwear by Bonnie Holt Ambrose
Nineteenth-Century Fashion in Detail by Lucy Johnston
Historical Fashion in Detail by Hart, North & Davis
Dress in Detail from Around the World by Crill, Wearden, & Wilson
Corsets & Crinolines by Norah Waugh
Waisted Efforts: An Illustrated Guide to Corset Making by Robert Doyle
The Little Bodice Book: A workbook on Period Bodices by Bonnie Holt Ambrose
Erte's Fashion Designs by Erte
Les Petites Dames De Mode by John R Burbidge
Authentic Victorian Fashion Patterns: A complete lady's wardrobe by Dover Harris (ed)
Victorian Jewellery by Margaret Flower
Jewelry: From Antiquity to the Present by Clare Phillips
Fashions of the Regency Period Paper Dolls by Tom Tierney
Far From Home: West by Rail with the Harvey Girls Paper Dolls by Lesley Poling-Kempes
Late Victorian Costume Paper Dolls by Tom Tierney
Great Fashion Designs of the Victorian Era by Tom Tierney
Colonial Fashions Paper Dolls by Tom Tierney
Fashions and Costumes from Godey's Lady's Book: 8 Full Color Plates by Stella Blum
Empire Fashions by Tom Tierney
Sewing Victorian Doll Clothes by Michelle Hamilton
Costume 1066-1990's by John Peacock
Two Centuries of French Fashion: The Brooklyn Museum (antique booklet I bought off eBay, about the Theatre
de la Mode Exhibit printed in the 1940's)
Théâtre de la Mode: Fashion Dolls: The Survival of Haute Couture by Edmond Charles-Roux
Buttons and Trimming from Snowshill Collection, by Althea Mackenzie
Beads in Fashion 1900-2000 by Pina, Winfield, and Korosec
Go to eBay and do a search for:
1.)Godey's Lady's Book (This is Vogue Magazine of the Victorian Era)
2.)Peterson's Magazine (Same, but to a lesser extent)
3.)The Delineator (for eras after 1900)
Or: Antique Fashion Plates, Antique Fashion Magazines.
Look for special publications put out by large museums with big costume exhibits like the
Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York,
The Victoria and Albert Museum,
or Snowshill Costume Collection. Even some small museums put out booklets to go with costume collections.
Cultural/Ethnic Costume Studies:
Dress in Ireland A History by Mairead Dunlevy
Costumes, Textiles, and Jewelry of India by Vandana Bhandari
The Art of Arabian Costume: A Saudi Arabian Profile by Heather Colyer Ross
Movie Costume Study Books:
50 Designers/50 Costumes: From Concept to Character by Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences
Vanity Fair: Bringing Thackeray's Timeless Novel to the Screen by Mira Nair
Behind the Scenes with Count Olaf (A Series of Unfortunate Events Movie Book) by Lemony Snicket
The Phantom of the Opera Film Companion by George Perry
Dressing a Galaxy: The Costumes of Star Wars by Trisha Biggar
Queen Amidala Paper Doll Book (Star Wars, Episode I: The Phantom Menace) by Joyce Patti
Padme Amidala Paper Doll Book (Star Wars, Episode II: Attack of the Clones) by Random House
The Art of The Lord of the Rings Series:
FOTR
TTT
ROTK
The Lord of the Rings Weapons and Warfare by Chris Smith
Jewelery Making Study Books:
The Encyclopedia of Jewelry Making Techniques by Jinks McGrath
The Art of Metal Clay by Sherri Haab
Polymer Clay Study Books:
Faux Surfaces in Polymer Clay: 30 Techniques & Projects That Imitate Stones, Metals, Wood & More by Irene
Semanchuk Dean
Polymer Clay Creations by Marie Segal
The Polymer Clay Techniques Book by Sue Heaser
Creating Your Own Jewelry: Taking Inspiration from Museum Masterpieces (polymer clay) by Cris Dupouy
Liquid Polymer Clay: Fabulous New Techniques for Making Jewelry and Home Accents by Ann Mitchell
Embroidery, Needlework & Beading Study Books:
The New Anchor Book of Freestyle Embroidery Stitches by Joan Gordon
The Beader's Companion by Judith Durant
Bead & Sequin Embroidery Stitches by Stanley Levy
Charted Peasant Designs from Saxon Transylvania by Dover Needlework Series
The Complete Book of Machine Embroidery by The Fannings
Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches by Mary Thomas
The Beginner's Guide to Freestyle Embroidery by Christina Marsh
Creative Machine Stitching: Special Effects for Quilts and More by Patricia Nelson
Teach Yourself Machine Embroidery: Easy Decorative Stitching Using Any Sewing Machine by Susan Rock
Embroideries from Snowshill Collection by Althea Mackenzie
General Craft Books:
Crafts & Hobbies by Reader's Digest
Millinery Study Books:
Hats in Miniature by Lyn Waring
The Art of Miniature Millinery by Alberts, King, and Henry
Hats and Bonnets: From Snowshill by Althea Mackenzie
Shoe Making Study Books:
The Art of Making Beautiful Fashion Doll Shoes: "From Beginning to Last" by Alberts, King, and Henry
Shoes: The Complete Source book by John Peacock
Shoes and Slippers: From Snowshill Collection by Althea Mackenzie
Doll Diorama, Miniatures, Dollhouses, Doll General Study Books:
Making Dollhouses & Dioramas: An Easy Approach Using Kits & Ready-Made Parts by Robert Schleicher
Besides Your Book Library: Consider These Sources of Information As Well
-Save your magazines in a magazine holder.
Magazines On Today's Market:
Threads
Beadwork
-Cut out whole articles or fashion spreads and save them in a 3-ring binder with clear pocket holders.
-Cut out pictures of gowns, clothing, and anything that brings you inspiration and hold them all in a 3-ring
binder with clear pocket holders.
-Save swatches from past projects, sample requests, and shopping trips.
Save a 3"x3" square. Cut it with the pinking shears. Glue or staple them to paper, and label them with
purchase date, location, fiber content, width of fabric, all the pertinent info about the fabric. The next time
you are thinking of creating something but do not know where to begin, head into your library and dig out
your big fat swatch book. Sit down with it for a while and go through the pages, feel the fabrics as you look at
them. Inspiration, and ideas suddenly seem to appear. =0) Resist the temptation to rip the swatches out and
re-staple them back in when you are done thinking..hahahaha. This tool is very useful for mom's who cannot
always afford the luxury of spending an hour in the fabric store playing touchy-feel. You can do it on your
own time, in your pj's. Then you know what you are looking for when you get there. Personally, I call it
textile therapy. =o))
-Save Catalogs. Save old and new fabric, tool, and craft catalogs from places like Dick Blick Art Supply, or
Hancock's of Paducah. Keep them in a magazine holder. This is because I often "just KNOW I saw it
somewhere before.." but I cannot remember where. So I keep my mail order catalogs to browse through to see if
what I want is in there. Sometimes you need to purge these and put brand new ones in, because the stock
changes often
-Don't forget to pile up your user manuals for all your sewing tools.. put them in a folder.
"Oh..so THAT'S what that button does.." 80)
-And lastly, don't forget to make yourself these:
1.)A "My Designs" folder with your own sketches and designs in it.
2.)A "My Finished Projects" folder with photographs of your finished creations in it (a.k.a your portfolio)