Reconstruction Era Fashions: 350 Sewing, Needlework, and Millinery Patterns 1867-1868 [Paperback]

Frances Grimble (Editor)

Product Details

• Paperback: 529 pages
• Publisher: Lavolta Press (August 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963651749
• ISBN-13: 978-0963651747
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #678,237 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #39 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Weddings > Gown

More About the Author

Frances Grimble is the author of nine books on historic costume and needlework (one of which, After a Fashion, is in its second edition). Over 60 of her articles on sewing and vintage clothes have appeared in national magazines, such as Threads, Sew News, and Antique Trader Weekly. Ms. Grimble has been a how-to writer and editor since 1983. She has worked for book publishers, magazine publishers, and software companies; she has written a number of user manuals and coauthored a computer book. More, and detailed, information on her books is available on www.lavoltapress.com.

Ms. Grimble has substantial formal education in researching social history and in clothing design. In 1974 she began making historical reproductions for periods from the Renaissance into the 1920s; she tries to schedule regular sewing time in addition to that required by her writing projects. Since 1972, she has collected vintage clothing and accessories from the late 18th century into the mid 20th.

Ms. Grimble lives in San Francisco, California. She is married to a researcher/developer of artificial intelligence software. Her favorite pastime is reading, and her favorite fiction genres are fantasy and science fiction. She is also fond of historic costume dramas on DVD.

Ms. Grimble has no intention of posting a blog anywhere, because it deducts too much time from writing her books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive selection of patterns, beautiful illustrations, October 9, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Reconstruction Era Fashions: 350 Sewing, Needlework, and Millinery Patterns 1867-1868 (Paperback)

Reconstruction Era Fashions contains a comprehensive selection of patterns from rare issues of the first 14 months of the Victorian fashion magazine Harper's Bazar. It provides sewing patterns with instructions for most garments in an 1860s woman's wardrobe, from corsets to wedding dresses to riding habits. Instructions for enlarging, fitting, and using the patterns are included. Needlework patterns for trimmings and accessories use a wide variety of techniques, including embroidery, crocheting, knitting, tatting, and ribbon work. Patterns are also given for every type of millinery. The patterns are illustrated by exquisite engraved plates. They are supplemented by fashion columns with practical advice on wardrobe planning, and by articles that focus on specific techniques, including dressmaking and corset making.

This book will be useful to theatrical costumers, historic reenactors, needleworkers, doll artists, pattern collectors, costume historians, and vintage clothing collectors. At 13 cents per pattern, it's well worth the price.

42 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good for the war years as well as the Reconstruction, December 6, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Reconstruction Era Fashions: 350 Sewing, Needlework, and Millinery Patterns 1867-1868 (Paperback)

I am a Civil War re-enactor (female) who bought Reconstruction Era Fashions because I don't believe in restricting my research to just the war years. However, I was happy to discover it also contains material useful for my Civil War impression. There is a substantial section of instructions for dressmaking and pattern alterations that is suitable for the Civil War and, judging from the (many) illustrations, was reprinted in the late 1860s from an earlier 1860s source. There are large sections with other appropriate instructions for fancy buttonholes and buttons, netting, and crocheted tatting. The patterns and instructions for corsets, underclothes, and many accessories and trimmings are also fine for the CW. Although the bonnet styles are different from the war years the section on millinery techniques is very illuminating. The book is profusely illustrated--techniques are illustrated as well as the finished garments--and the production is very high quality.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A super deal, October 19, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Reconstruction Era Fashions: 350 Sewing, Needlework, and Millinery Patterns 1867-1868 (Paperback)

This book is a super bargain compared to original _Harper's Bazar_ magazines with pattern sheets. It's easier to use too--all the patterns have been disentangled and presented separately. Patterns are included for just about every woman's garment or accessory you'd ever want to make. The articles on sewing techniques are different from other 1860s ones I've seen reprinted, and better illustrated.