If you spend enough time in online costuming communities, you will inevitably hear about Bertha Banner, author of "Household Sewing with Home Dressmaking," a sewing manual originally published in 1898. It's not for nothing that it is so widely referenced, either - the 1890s are a popular decade in the costuming community, so having a primary source about sewing practices in that area is invaluable, and it's also just packed FULL of information on all sorts of sewing topics.
"Household Sewing with Home Dressmaking" by Bertha Banner is available on archive.org for free to view and download! However, a simple web search will also bring up ways to purchase a physical reprint of the book, like the one I was kindly gifted by my aunt.
The preface gives us some fun cultural context about how women "these days" just don't know how to sew anymore, so this manual was assembled to help teach women about "'mending, patching, and darning'" and also some simple dress making. There is also a short glossary at the beginning with some terms relating to geometry and textiles, and an index at the end.
The first few chapters deal with basic hand stitches (how to make them, what to use them for, how to hold the needle and fabric, etc), decorative stitches, and smocking; "Plain Sewing" which includes undergarments and household items like pillowcases; "Seams, Bands, Gussets, Tucks and Bindings" which is all of that and seam finishes; and "Fastenings" which discusses different types of fasteners, how to attach them, and when to use them.
Following that is a whole section on mending, including various methods for patching and darning different textiles and holes.
Next is two chapters on technical textile information - fibers, weaves, dying methods, finishes, usual fabric widths, fiber qualities... a wealth of information on how late Victorians made, used, and understood textiles. Fascinating stuff, if sometimes incorrect or no longer relevant.
Then we get to the garment sewing chapters, which is what we costumers are really here for. Tips for cutting fabric, sewing garments, identifying and solving common fit issues, finishing seams, boning bodices, and more. And last but not least, a whole chapter on skirts with a section on pockets.
For all the memes about "finishing in the usual manner," there is SO much information in this book, it's incredible! It was, of course, written in the 1890s, so terminology is different and language has changed, but if you're willing to do some research and trial-and-error, you can get a lot of great sewing information from a primary source!
It's still easy to see how this would have been useful for home sewers when it was published, though. The book covers everything from the most basic 'how to hold a needle' to more complex sewing and mending, to technical textile information that would help them make informed choices.
Stay warm. Stay safe. Stay healthy.
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