On a recent walk, Lola and I had such a nice time. It was late afternoon, the leaves were so green, the trees fully leafed out and the wildflowers in bloom. Dappled sunlight is enchanting. What more could a girl want?
Bernadette Banner (historical costumer) has written a book. Her specialty is hand stitching. A compendium of techniques used before sewing machines were common, I have watched her videos for several years and I have seen how her skills have evolved. As a costumer she worked on several Broadway shows. That type of sewing does not have to be exact, precise, or perfect. One does not see the fine points from the audience. Costumes need to be able to be adjusted to fit several size ranges so that 2 or more people can wear it without major adjustments. Bespoke items require a different approach. Therefore, Bernadette has made it a passion.
In her videos she imbues the lifestyle and the esthetic of a Victorian/Edwardian era lady. She is young, I am not sure right now just how young, but she researches and creates lovely pieces. A video HERE shows her making a ladies Pinstripe Waistcoat. Ironically, I sold my Antique Singer hand crank sewing machine shortly before discovering her. Drat! I am searching for another one.
My Victoria, now in a new home. 😥
The new owner is very talented in quilting and other needlework projects. After cleaning and tuning the machine, she made some items and shared them. Wow, the machine stitched perfectly. Knowing that the machine has been respected is important. She was used, no doubt about that and I often wonder who used the machine before me, what they made, and how it ended up on Ebay.
Bernadette's book is available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle. Mine arrived a couple weeks ago and it is so well done! As all of her projects are well planned, this book is as well. The text is excellent and the photo samples are as well. If you or someone you know is a hand stitcher or just interested in the process, this book is perfect for their library.
- I started as a hand stitcher when I was 9 years old. I took scraps of fabric, some donated from my aunt who was an expert seamstress, some from discarded clothing and sheets, and some from mothers rag bag! Let me tell you, my Barbie look-sort-of-like doll was a fashion diva!
- By the time I was 10, I graduated to my grandmothers treadle machine. A family member still has it. I have no idea how that machine came to us. It had one spool of red thread in the drawer. My mother did not sew. I wound that long shuttle bobbin with some of the red thread, threaded the top of the machine the way I thought it should be, I had no manual, no instructions. I took one of the white sheets off the clothes line. With no pattern, I traced a "crop top" and a pair of Bermuda shorts onto the sheets and sewed them together! I top stitched with the red thread too. At the family reunion I was the talk of the ladies. From there, I was addicted. PS: I never clipped another sheet! They made sure I had some kind of fabric!
- Now I have the best of the machines on the market, I am blessed, no doubt. I just need to find the time and a day when I can sit for a period of time. But knowing how to hand stitch is essential, some things are just not meant to be machine worked. Bernadette's book is on the Couture level, and the price is very reasonable for a book of this quality.
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