Millinery -- 1930s Hat Making Techniques

I haven't read the entire book; but what I have read I can positively state that this book deserves 5 stars for the the timeless, indepth, historical information for millinery techniques that was taught and practiced during the 1930's and all of which can be applied today. This book appears to be a reproduction of the original book of the Title.I am a novice at millinery. I took a course many years ago. Even though I thoroughly loved it, I did not continue with my hatmaking hobbies. I had already bought quite a few book on millinery, but I bought this one for its historical information on millinery which I intend to use in the near future.The reason why this one is so good is because everything it mentions for supplies used in the 1930's are supplies that can be found and bought in the present market and therefore; anyone can make many different kinds of hats using the bare necessities. The techniques are also what I was taught when I took a millinery course in 1989, but more indepth. I particularly appreciate the historical information that the photographs, illustrations and text provide. I highly recommend this book for hobbists' and instructors' collections or library of millinery books.The professional background of the authors should give readers an example of the quality of the information they will find entailed in this book.MILLINERY - 130's Hat Making Techniques was authored by British needlework (millinery) professionals.Violet Brand:Visiting Lecturer (Needle Subjects) National Training College, London lecturer in Needlework, Municipal Training College, Brighton External Examiner, Universities of Mancheser, And Liverpool Examiner, University of London.Beatrice Mussared:Formerly Teacher of Needlework, City Technical School For Women, Liverpool Lecturer In Needlework, St. Peter's College, Peterborough and Diocesan College, Brighton

This is a very good book, with nice instructions and illustrations. Interesting thoughts/opinions/knowledge on the techniques and materials are scattered throughout, which are great. Sometimes the language made me giggle: "a heavy hat is an abomination". I expected the book to be bigger (not the amount of pages, I mean actual dimensions) but it doesn't really affect the content, which is good. I think the printing could be better, because the text and illustrations don't fill the page; there is a lot of empty white space surrounding. The interior paper is not expensive quality, but it doesn't bother me because I would rather not have this book cost more. The illustrations are clear and crisp. I haven't tried to find all the suggested materials, but I recognize many of them because I have already done some millinery work. I am sure some of the materials are outdated and unavailable, but for the most part many things have not changed.

Interesting but not terribly useful today as techniques/materials have moved on somewhat.Some of the techniques are still in use today, though.

The printing in this book is very hard to read. Almost like it's a bad photocopy. Some of the illustrations are hard to make out as well.

Old fashioned good information.

Despite the age of this book and its techniques OR should I say: BECAUSE of the age; this book should be the natural part of every keen hatmakers education. It be happy amateurs or more "serious" milliners.The authors takes us through the making of hats in both fabric, straw and felt. They explains in detail the different techniques used for the different materials, and gives us great tips of how to get a more professional finish. And we all want to be more professional... don't we!?Yes, some of the material used are very hard to find nowadays, and some are even no longer produced. Some of the techniques have been modernised or changed. Still I find the book very interesting. It is when you are familiar with these "old-fashioned" ways to do things, you are able to take the hatmaking one step further. Use these stiches and knowledge together with how we work today and you can develope your own way of hatmaking.If it is anything i would like to change in this book, it is the photos in the last part of the book. If they had been sharper it would be easier to see the details. I guess it is hard to do anything to it, due to the age...I highly recommend this book to everyone interested in hatmaking.

Really insteresting techniques