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We have a new Columnist! Ask Jennifer all your dyeing questions..
Vintage Fabrics
May 20 - Underground Railroad Quilt Code
October 20 - Up Close and Personal with Vintage Aprons
November 20 - Colorful Vintage Tablecloths and Towels
September 20 - The Legacy of Warren Featherbone
May 20 - Some Costumes for Elderly Ladies
March 20 - And That's a Wrap - Oh to be in my ki-moni-yo
February 20 - Life Was a Breeze with Fans
January 20 - Please Don't Ridicule My Reticule!
April 20 - More Mill Connections
February 20 - One Woman's Failed Struggle to Quit the Fabric Habit
January 20 - The Indian Head Connection 3
October 20 - The Indian Head Connection 2
September 20 - The Indian Head Connection 1
August 20 - Recycling Vintage Fabrics
July 20 - Sanforized: Fabric's Best Friend
June 20 - History of the Printed Tablecloth
May 20 - Decorative Relief Carving in Wooden Spools
April 20 - Vintage Hankies - More Than Sneeze Catchers
March 20 - Indian Head Remembered - Revisiting An American Institution
February 20 - Doll Couture Vintage Style
January 20 - Meet the Azlons from A to Z: Regenerated & Rejuvenated
December 20 - Osnaburg the Great
Part 2 Home Beautiful with Cretonne, Chintz, Barkcloth & Crash
November 20 - Osnaburg the Great Part I -- Feedsacks on Our Backs
October 20 - WWII Fashions Part 2 --All Dolled up
September 20 - Cotton Dyeing in the 18th & 19th Century
August 20 - Hooked on Buttons
July 20 - Pillow Talk
June 20 - WWII Fashions
May 20 - A Going-Away Dress
April 20 - Harriet Quimby
January 20 - Capes
December 20 - Umbrellas
November 20 - Weaveprints
October 20 - Grenadine
September 20 - Bias Tape
August 20 - Dolls
July 20 - Thread Chart
June 20 - Vintage Costuming
April 20 - Building A Textile Reference Library
March 20 - Profile of Collector
February 20 - Feedbags
January 20 - Cambric
December 20 - Gizmos
November 20 - Trims
October 20 - Stores 1920-59
September 20 - 1880-1919
August 20 - Sweatshops
July 20 - Label Scandal
June 20 - Bias Tape
Extra: Bias Tape Chart
May 20 - Miracle Fibers
April 20, 2000
March 20, 2000
February 20, 2000
January 20, 2000
December 20, 1999
Ask Andy
December 20 2007
November 20 2007
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Guest Columnists
Dyeing Stretch Velvet
Sewing Dance Costumes as a Business
Window Treatments
Stretch Velvet
QuiltVisions
September 20 - Quilt colors
July 20 - Quilt colors for summer weather: Are you ready?
September 20 - Can every quilt be your favorite?
April 20 - Ideas: Springtime color bursts feed our imaginings
March 20 - Quilt ideas are You-nique
August 20 - Inspiration is all around us
May 20 - Purpose leads quilters to joyful adventure
January 20 - Remembering loved ones with a quilt vision
December 20 - Pleasing, honoring, creating = JOY
November 20 - It's Not too Late For a Christmas Quilt!
October 20 - Recipe for happy quilts: Seeing Red!
August 20 - State Flowers: the longest online swap?
July 20 - Summertime and a quilt is. .
June 20 - Black and white and. . . what?
May 20 - Busy agenda vs. quilt workshops
April 20 - Challenge quilts try us, stretch us
March 20 - Inspirations at home make quilts sing and bloom
February 20 - A Joyful Quilter is a Treasure
January 20 - Imagination sparks Elm Creek quilters and us!
December 20 - Whoops! Ten tips to turn celebrations into quilts
November 20 - What's good enough for Grandma is good enough for me!
October 20 - What's in a name?
September 20 - Heart influences
August 20 - Color studies prove magical
July 20 - United in Memory Quilt
June 20 - Purple and gold
May 20 - Color your world with Wow!
April 20 - Themes carry out dreams
March 20 - Quilt Condos and Communities
February 20 - "I just did it"
January 20 - Small Groups
December 20 - Lively Quilts Get Out of Bed
November 20 - How are we Remembered?
October 20 - Quilt Shows
September 20 - Comforting NY
August 20 - Spirit and joy
July 20 - Shop, Shop...
June 20 - There's always a beginning
A Quilter is Born
October 20 - Washington Quilt Show
August 20 - Fabric Choices
July 20 - Quilting Disasters
June 20 - Guilds and Groups
May 20 - A Quilter is Born
Fabric Distinctions
Kalasiris
Pleather
Batik
Spandex
Wool
Corn
Upholstery
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Velvet
Quality in Apparel
Hemp
Pashmina
Silk
Cotton
Olefin
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Wrinkle Free
Children's Sleepwear
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April/May, 2001:
Building A Textile Reference Library
Murphy’s Law sez "The
very moment you realize you have become a collector, an overwhelming number of gadgets and
accessories are required which will become larger and more costly than the
collection."
Depending on what you collect, those can be sometimes useless, frivolous and downright
expensive. Luckily for the fabric collector, about the only need is good reference books
-- well, you might have to throw in several bookcases.
Where to begin and what to buy might seem insurmountable decisions. Taken one step at
time, you can have the luxury of a textile reference library without taking out a second
home mortgage to finance it.
Regardless of your reason for collecting vintage fabrics, the overriding factor is
vintage fabric itself and what you need to know so that this knowledge will enhance your
specific textile interest[s].
A good building-block approach to planning your library can be achieved in three steps
and over a period of time. The first step begins with books and periodicals which provide
basic but critical textile information; this is followed by adding books which expand upon
those various basic elements and finally books which speak directly to your special
textile interest.. And don’t overlook the option of acquiring a few books in each
level for starters and then going back to fill in.
Once you begin, don’t fall prey to the notion that because different books will
contain the same information that you should bypass any duplication. Authors express
themselves as individuals so that on any given topic there will be diverse interpretations
which help to broaden and give a complete picture of the subject.
Level I
Basic Books
Basic books are those which contain vintage and current glossaries of textile
terminology and fabric descriptions, overview of textile production from field to loom,
fiber definitions and a good selection of photos showing various fabric weaves.
Complementing books are vintage supplemental references which include, for example,
fabric pages from catalogs such as Sears or Wards, magazine advertisements and
salesmen’s swatch booklets. These are most helpful in making your learning three
dimensional but as they are not as readily available as books are, they can be added at
any time. Grab them when you see them.
Because vintage fabric is the focal subject, most basic references should have been
published prior to 1960. It is important that you understand each fabric’s name,
usage, importance and place in fashion history as written during its marketing lifetime.
And it is equally important that you know the changing production standards and
technology and their effects upon the textile industry. A familiarity with the past helps
you to date and identify your fabric; knowing the current textile market helps you to
eliminate contemporary fabrics.
Ideally, a reference from every decade should be represented on your reference shelf.
Where to begin? A good starting point is a glossary from the early 20s. Many fabrics
listed during that time were on the market at least several decades earlier as well as
several decades later; some are still available today. Thus in one book you have access to
a great range of fabrics and good historical perspective. From there, you can move
backwards and forwards in time as other old books are located.
Some recommended basics:
Glossaries &
Dictionaries:
Vintage: Fabrics and How to Know Them [later editions changed to Fabrics], Grace Denny, 1923, 26, 28, 36, 42, 46, 54,
62. One of the best glossaries and overall textile information references published. Each
edition lists current fabrics, manufacturers, brands and trademarks and legislation and a
list of fabrics which have become obsolete since the previous edition. Nice selection of
photos. All editions should be collected. Price range $10-$ 20.
Fabrics, the first [1923] and last
[1962] editions of Grace Denny's remarkable glossary series. |
Handy pocket guides such as this Dan
River's 1947 Dictionary of Textile Terminology help to reduce hunting time. |
Any glossary published by textile manufacturers or associations; for example, Dan Rivers Dictionary of Textile Terms,
1944-47 or Rayon Glossary by American Viscose Corp., 1944-50. [There
might be later editions for both.] These small pamphlets provide fingertip specifics and
save time burrowing through larger books.
| Contemporary: The Butterick Fabric Handbook, Irene Kleeburg, 1975. Great glossary and
general textile information to bridge the gap from 1950s to mid-70s. Price range $7 to
$12. Fairchild’s Dictionary
of Textiles, Tortora and
Merkel, 7th edition 1996 [also see 1915, 20, 24, 59, 67, 79 editions].
Remarkable for its scope and depth of textile terms and fabric definitions from ancient to
present. Numerous Illustrations and photos. This will be a much-used reference. About $75.
Fabric Glossary, Mary Humphries, 1999. A must-have which blends
past and present, innovative for its "lumping" of fabrics by family and place
for swatches. Swatch kit available separately. Under $40. See book
review under Wisdom.
Fabric Production, Textile Science
and Technology |
 
This trio of modern glossaries -
Butterick's Fabric Handbook 1975, Fairchild's Textile Dictionary 1996 and Humphries Fabric
Glossary & Fabric Reference 1999 -- are all you need to learn about today's fabrics. |
Vintage: Textiles, Woolman & McGowan, 1913, 24, 26, 27, 31, 34, 36, 43, 47. College textbook
series covering all aspects of the textile industry. If for no other reason, its
comprehensive view of clothmaking from caveman to 1940s and aggressive stance on needed
reforms within the clothing and textile industry make this a vital reference. Good
illustrations and photos. About $10-$20.
 
|
Two favorite textile
textbook series which spanned three decades -- Woolman and McGowan's Textiles [1926
ed. shown] and Potter-Corbman's Textiles: Fiber to Fabric [1967 ed. shown]. |
Staple Cotton Fabrics, John Hoye, 1942, indispensable for identifying
fabric weaves. Magnificently detailed magnified photos for fabric identification;
excellent concise information about finishes and applications that convert greige cloth
into all those cotton names so familiar to us. About $15.
Textiles: Fiber to Fabric, Potter, Corbman, 1945, 48, 51, 54, 59, 67,
Corbman only 75, 83. College textbook series. Excellent reference for its
scope and clarity in covering entire textile field, includes glossary and good selection
of photos. $10-$20 range
Contemporary: Textile Reference, Mary
Humphries, 1999, another must-have for an intensive view of modern textile
technology. Under $40. See book review under Wisdom.
Optionals for any level Vintage Sears and Montgomery Ward and other store
catalogs, needlework supply and pattern catalogs, vintage periodicals which feature fabric
and related ads, salesmen’s sample booklets, notions and sewing machine literature.
Level II Expanding on the Basics
Now that you have read the
basics, you will want to know more about the history and various aspects of textile making
and use of fabric – books on specific fibers, dying and printing, fabrics from or
popular in specific time periods, fabric selection for sewing, professional textile
dictionaries.
This secondary acquisition of references will probably be the largest in your library.
There are many to choose from; all are not necessary to have as you can begin to look
ahead and to be selective regarding your collecting interest. Here are some collectors
choices and examples:
| Fibers Vintage: Textile Fabrics, George Johnson, 1927. Explains how to spot
imperfections when purchasing textiles. Covers history, construction and care of fibers
with excellent photos of substandard textile construction. About $10-15.
Miracle Fabrics,
Newcomb & Kenny, 1957. Steps leading
to discovery of rayon and nylon written in an easy style lay language. This is but one
example many references on early synthetics. About $10.
Contemporary: Textile Science, Marjory Joseph, 1966, 72. Textbook series and
one of many easy to understand technical references which bridge gap between vintage and
current fiber technology and construction. Illustrations and photos. About $10.
All About Cotton [Wool,
Silk], Julie Parker,
1995, provides basic fiber descriptions with attached swatches. About $30. |
Miracle Fabrics 1957 is a concise
and understandable history of the development of rayon and nylon.
Identifying cotton, silk and wool is
made easier with Julie Parker's All About swatch-buckling series, 1995. |
Color
| Contemporary: Forties Fabrics [Fun fabrics of the 50s, Couture Fabrics of the 50s], Joy Shih, 1997, and Fabulous Fabrics of the 50s, Bosker, Mancini, Gramstand, 1992 -- these
books provide a stunning array of prints of the 1940s and 50s [Bosker book covers 20s to
50s] to help identify age of fabrics. $20 each. Dating Fabrics 1800-1960 , Eileen Trestain, 1998. Prolific photo display
of prints by decade to identify age of fabric by color and design. A quilter’s
must-have but helpful for any fabric collector. $25.
Clues in the Calico, Barbara Brackman, 1989. Although a quilters
guide to dating and identifying antique quilts, reference is more noted for its indepth
information on block and roller printing, printing styles, fabric dyes and pattern
identification and how these clues help to date fabric. Certainly essential subjects for
all fabric enthusiasts. $30-$40.
Textile Designs, Meller and Elffers, 1991. 200 years of European
and American patterns for printed fabrics organized by motif, style, color, layout and
period. 1,823 color illustrations. A quilter’s reference must-have but relevant for
all fabric buffs. $55-$70. |
 
Three essential references for
dating fabric by color, dyes, printing technique and design -- Dating Fabrics
1998, Clues in the Calico 1989 and Textile Designs 1991.
- Clues courtesy Judy White and Laurette Carroll; Textile Designs courtesy Judy White
|
Topical
Dictionaries
The following are examples of specialized references which make researching easy:
| Vintage: Textile Brand Names Dictionary, Textile Book Publishers, 1947. Shortcut to
4,000 brand names in existence from 1934-47. Listed alphabetically by brand name, by fiber
classification and by manufacturer of brand names. About $10-15. Callaway Textile Dictionary, Callaway, Linton, Price, 1948, comprehensive
listing of terms used in textile manufacturing and products, especially if you need to
know blobby wool or cranky checks or lingoe in a hurry. Nice assortment of photos showing
various textile machines and equipment. About $10-15.
Modern Textile and Apparel Dictionary, George Linton, 1954, 63, 73. This remarkable
716-page reference could easily be part of the basic books. Provides significant domestic
and foreign terms for everything on the textile horizon from apparel to asbestos, fabrics
and finish to costume, fashion and style, legislation, management and labor, technology,
care and testing. Loaded with illustrations and photos. $30-$40.
Contemporary Textiles in America 1650 –1870, Florence Montgomery, 1984. One of the most
popular and coveted textile books, a dictionary based on original documents, prints and
paintings, commercial records, American merchants papers, shopkeepers advertisements and
pattern books with original swatches of cloth. Expensive $300!! |
 
Specialized dictionaries provide
detailed information often not found in other textile references -- Callaway Textile
Dictionary, 1948, contains technical textile terms and products; Modern Textile and
Apparel Dictionary [1973 ed shown] is enormous in scope; Textiles in America is
coveted for coverage of early fabrics but is out of sight at $300!
- Textiles in America courtesy Linda Learn |
General History of
Fabrics
Vintage The Story of Textiles, Walton Perry, 1912. A birdseye view of the
history of the beginning and the growth of the industry by which mankind is clothed. An
homage written at the time when the textile Industry and the factory system had
revolutionized American social life and the beginning of the heyday of American mills.
Excellent photos and illustrations of old loom construction, mills and equipment and
inventors. $35-$40.
| America’s Fabrics, Bendure and Pfeiffer, 1947. Written for the
consumer and student. Traces origin and history, manufacture, characteristics and uses of
fabric. Good glossary and reference for view of post-WWII technology and the rise of early
synthetics. Wide variety of color and b&w photos supplement text. About $25. Contemporary Fabric Catalog, Hardingham, 1978, British softcover.
Comprehensive collection of names and descriptions of fabrics for wear and home décor,
each accompanied by a photo, fiber history, textile terms and production plus a delightful
glossary of obsolete fabrics. All from a European point of view. About $10-$15.
Home Sewing
Vintage: Lippencotts’ Home Manuals -- Clothing for Women, Laura Baldt, 1916, 18, 20, 22, School text
series and consumer use. Working directions for the design and construction of
women’s outer and under clothing and correct selection of fabric. Large glossary
provides popular fabrics of that period and their use. Wonderful colored fashion
illustrations; clear photos of patternmaking and sewing construction techniques, laces and
fabrics. About $15-20.
Women’s Institute & Library
of Dressmaking – Sewing Materials, Mary Brooks Picken, 1924, 28; Fabrics & Dress, Rathbone and Tarpley, 1931, 37, 43, 46, 48; Textile Fibers and Their Use, Katherine Hess, 1941, 48 -- These three series
are excellent home economics high school and college and consumer books which teach fabric
use, design, fashion and care. Extensive fabric glossaries and wardrobe budgets, trade and
sewing terms. Good photos and illustrations on sewing techniques, garment construction,
types of weaves and laces. Another insight into how past generations worked with textiles.
About $8-$15. |
 
Good sources for general history of
fabric, production, glossary and selective photos -- America's Fabrics 1947 and Hardingham's
Fabric Catalog 1978, a British publication.
 
Vintage books which show appropriate
selection of fabrics for garments and the latest in construction techniques -- Lippencott's
Clothing for Women [1922 ed. shown], Women's Library Institute-Sewing Materials
[1924 ed. shown] and two school home ec perennials, Fabrics & Dress [1937 ed.
shown] and Textile Fibers and Their Use [1948 ed. shown.]
- Women's Library Institute courtesy Leona Stormoen |
Level
III The Specialty Books
By now you are saturated
with the textile world and it’s time to find those books which appeal to your area of
collecting. A few suggestions, then let your fingers trip the internet:
Costumemaking/ Fashion Godey’s and Peterson’s from the 1850s-60s; Costume de la Mode, R.Turner Wilcox, 1942, 48; The Book of Costume, Millia Davenport, 1948; Victorian and Edwardian Fashion, Alison Gernsheim, 1963, 81 $6. [Dover];Costume in Detail, 1730-1930, Nancy Bradfield, 1968, 75, 81, 93, $36-$96;
1997 trade paperback, $27.
  |
Wonderful resouces for
constructing fashions of long ago and fabrics to use -- The Mode in Costume [Costume
de la Mode, 1948 ed. shown] and Costume in Detail 1981. |
Feedsacks Textile
Bags by Anna Lue Cook,
1990, $13.
Quilter Two of the best have been listed in Level II. There are a million books
out there as this is the top hobby interest of the decade. A comprehensive listing would
require a tome or two.
Textiles A History of
Textile Art, Agnes
Geijer, 1979, $36-$65; Medieval
English Clothmaking,
A.R. Bridbury, 1982, $28; and Textiles and
Clothing-Medieval Finds from Excavations in London, Museum of London, 1992, to be reissued in
paperback this summer $45 -- these three
books contain details about types of fibers, how threads were spun and woven, twist and
ply of threads, threads per inch, cloth industry in historical times and definitions of
names of cloth as recorded in history.
Where
to Find References
It is a dictum that we can never
have enough books. Those listed in this column are suggestions and
serve to represent the broad spectrum of books and periodicals available.
It is not too difficult to locate books, thanks to internet search. Prices, however,
can be intimidating. Note that prices quoted are approximate and may be outdated, depend
on book condition and will differ from store to store. Here are some places to start:
Bibliography section from textile books – an excellent source to obtain
titles for internet search.
http://www.addall.com probably the best site as it provides all
chains, independents, most major book exchanges and other book sites; best feature is
price comparison chart, all in 25 seconds or less. Offers both current and
used/out-of-print menus.
http://www.doverpublications.com or http://store.doverpublications.com Always a grand
selection at great prices and an alternative to expensive hardbacks. It is gratifying to
know this store finally has a web site.
http://www.ebay.com hard to beat this site for locating books at
good values. A good source for obtaining salesmen’s swatch folders and other unusual
fabric references. Check vintage fabric and vintage books categories; use keywords textile
books, fabric books, costume books, etc for quick searching.
The usual places – used book stores, library sales, antique stores, flea
markets, swap with friends, join online discussion lists where books are frequently
mentioned or you can post your wants.
Your comments are always welcome. If you have a particular book that would fit Level I
or II, please let us know so that those references can be added to this column. Or share
any other comments regarding references which can be included. Now, enjoy your
book-hunting excursions.
The arbitrary cut-off date for
this Vintage Fabric column is 1960. To stay within the scope of this timeframe, reference
materials published up to that date are the prime source of information to more accurately
capture actual thoughts of the time.
If you are interested in vintage fabrics and textile production, email Joan@fabrics.net . Your topic or query could be of
interest to collectors and professionals whose hobbies or research require knowledge and
use of old fabrics and their contemporary counterparts.
Joan Kiplinger is an antique doll costumer and vintage
fabric addict who learned to sew on her grandmother's treadle and has been peddling
fabrications ever since.
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