Gems from a library

I’m at a friend’s house enjoying her vintage sewing book library and thought I’d share some gems – one genuine, one decidedly paste – with you.

From the excellent The Classic Techniques from Time Life’s Art of Sewing library, here’s the schematic for a 3,000-year-old Danish shirt that looks like an interesting way to make a top from a single small piece of yardage.

And now for the shocker. From Honour Gillett’s Sewing (which has some very very cool 70s clothes – seersucker flares, anyone?) I bring you the tackiest sewing caddy ever.

Perhaps you should make one for someone you don’t like.