PSRS Recomended Merchants
Books of Interest, and Sewing Patterns ..
This information was provided by the "Citizens Companion" Back to Basics
Aug, 2006: Special Edition. Found on pg 62-64 Reused by permission of Connie Payne on 11-6-08. No reprinting without permission.
Merchant Recommendations
This list is provided to assist you in narrowing down the search for merchants/sutlers that carry authentic items. However, remember that merchants are in business to make money, not to accurately outfit you. Most have a mixture of both correct and incorrect items and it is up to you to be aware of inaccuracies. There are merchants that would sell you "period polyester" if you are not careful, so do your research before you make a purchase. The best course of action is to enlist the help of a trusted mentor. Most of us love an excuse to go shopping and will guide you to a wise purchase. One definition of a "farb" is a "Fast and Researchless Buyer". You will spend more money in the long run buying several incorrect items rather than one correct item, even if it costs a little more. And remember, all of us have made mistakes. It is helpful to window shop, compare prices, and wait to buy items until you have looked at all your options.
Abraham’s Lady (Ready-made clothing, patterns, accessories, dressmaking books.) www.abrahamslady.com (717)338-1798
Anna Allen: The Graceful Lady (Custom women’s clothing and millinery.) www.thegracefullady.com
Tim Allen (Men’s headwear.) www.timallenhats.com
Andrea Miller Amey & Mark Amey: Amey’s Adornments (18th & 19th century Reproduction Jewelry.) 717-672-0333 andmar@dejazzd.com
Christine Ballard (Bonnets and other millinery, instructional workshops.) Email Mrs.Bonnets@aol.com
Kara Bartels & Brian Merrick: Corner Clothiers (Men’s clothing and accessories. www.cornerclothiers.com (717)334-4429
William Booth (Variety of historically accurate cloth.) www.wmboothdraper.com (262) 886-9133
Burnley &Trowbridge (Variety of historically accurate cloth.) www.bunleyandtrowbidge.com (757)253-1644
The Carpet Bagger (Valises and bags.) www.carpetbagger.com (540) 459-4499
Glenna Jo Christen: Mrs. Christen’s Miscellanea (Millinery, accessory items, patterns, cage crinolines, books, and original item workshops) http://www.home.earthlink.net/~gchristen/Catalog.html email to gwjchris@earthlink.net
Chris Daley (Men’s clothing) www.cjdaley.com
Denver Fabrics (Often carries excellent silk taffetas and good wool.) www.denverfabrics.com
The Dressmaker’s Shop (Historic fabrics, patterns, dressmaking books. ) www.thedressmakersshop.com (888)589-5923
Elizabeth Stewart Clark: (Dressmaking books, children’s clothing patterns.) www.elizabethstewartclark.com
Ezra Barnhouse (Variety of accessory and personal items.) www.ezrabarnhousegoods.com (937)349-3571
Fabric.com: (Search for silks and wools.) www.fabric.com
Fig Leaf Patterns (Historic patterns) www.figleafpatterns.com (803)778-0934
Fugawee: (Men’s and women’s shoes.) www.fugawee.com (800)749-0387
Lynne Gaither (Corded petticoats for pre-war impressions. www.cordedpetticoats.com
Merchant Recommendations Page 2
Kay Gnagey: Originals By Kay (Custom and ready-made clothing, patterns, fabric, millinery & accessories, and instructional workshops. www.originals-by-kay.com (260) 422-7617
Heirloom Emporium (Custom & ready-made clothing.) www.heirloomemporium.com (540) 465-2627
Joe Hoffman (Men’s clothing and hats.) www.skilletliker.com (800)431-1862
James Country Mercantile (Historic patterns.) www.jamescountry.com (816)781-9473
Robert Land Historic Shoes: (Men’s and women’s shoes.) www.RobertLandHistoricSoes.com (519) 835-7147
Mason-Dixon Sewing Company: (Authentic Civilian apparel of the Civil War Era.) www.Mason-Dixonsewing.com (443)807-9446
Madova Kid Gloves: (Italian white kid gloves, men and women.) www.madova.com
Tom Mattimore: (Men’s and women’s shoes; call regarding women’s styles, as they are not always listed on the site.) www.civilwarboots.com (307)745-8460
Joy Melcher: The Civil War Lady: (Custom clothing, millinery.) www.civilwarlady.com (712)542-LADY
Mike Virginia Mescher: The Ragged Soldier Sutlery (The source for games and amusements. Wonderful books on a wide variety of topics. Free article archives available. www.raggedsoldier.com mmescher@dejazzd.com
Lynnette Miller: Miller’s Millinery (Ready-made and custom millinery, millinery patterns and kits, instructional workshops) www.bonnets.com
Cody Mobley – Phil Frag: The Company Tailor (Men’s clothing and accessories.) www.thecompanytailor.com
Vivian Murphy (Women’s custom clothing, accessories, millinery, and instructional workshops.) www.themantuamaker.net
Ortega Traders: (Original jewelry and accessories. Quality wood products.) www.ortegatraders.com 904-771-1662 ortrader@comcast.net
P.Palmer Dry Goods: (At events, the home of: Originals by Kay, Historic Impressions, and Mrs. Vincent’s Parasol Emporium. Women’s clothing, corsetry, fancy goods, pasrasols, shawls, millinery.) www.originals-by-kay.com
Past Patterns: (Historic patterns, instructional workshops.) www.pastpatterns.com (866)738-8426
Past Reflections (Ladies & Children’s Clothing, accessories & patterns.) www.pastreflectionsreproductions.com
Reproduction Fabrics: (Documented cotton print fabrics.) www.reproductionfabrics.com (406)586-1775
Carolann Schmitt: The Genteel Arts Academy: (Dressmaking instruction.) www.genteelarts.com
Robert Serio: (Men’s and women’s shoes.) www.MissouriBootandShoe.com (417)451-6100
RL Shep (Reprints of original magazines, dressmaking and tailoring manuals. www.rlshep.com (707) 964-8662
Robin Stokes (Women’s clothing, fabrics, knit & crochet kits.) www.robinstokes.com (908)454-1209
Merchant Recommendations Page 3
TP & H Trading Co.: (Men’s headwear.) www.benderhats.com (610)582-0327
Hank Trent (Ready-made women’s clothing and millinery.) www.hanktrent.com
The Trunk Shoppe: (Trunks and cases.) www.trunkshoppe.com (304)643-2760
Misc……
http://www.fashionfabricsclub.com
– (Lots of fabric, need to pay close attention to content and weight of fabric.)http://www.hedgehoghandworks.com
– (Good source of sewing items and notions.)http://www.lacis.com
– (Sewing trims, lace, textiles, sewing supplies.)http://www.sullivanpress.com
– (Great resource for writing stuff and research)http://www.bookfinders.com
– (Good Source for hard to find books)http://www.victorianbonnets.com
(Caution – multiple time frames covered. Good source of bonnets and hard to find correct straw hats.)http://www.96storehouse.com
(Period fabrics, patterns, notions, miscellaneous items.)http://www.harriets.com
(Ladies items, sewing supplies, clothing, and underpinnings.)
PSRS Handbook Recommended Reading and Resources
These resources are a starting point for research. We strongly encourage you to search out new ones and share your findings with others. This hobby has seen tremendous growth in information in the last few years and new information is just waiting for someone to find it! Enjoy the journey and let me know rf I can help.
Mrs, Sfieny 1&y 2001,2006
BooksThese books are added as a general list. Please see individual bibliographies at the end of some chapters for more detailed lists. Remember that you can read these more than once. As your base of knowledge expands you will see new things each time you read a book, particularly ones with photographs. It is sometimes helpful to use those self-stick, color coded flags to mark items of particular interest.
Who Wore What. Juanita Leisch, Thomas Publications
Civil War Civilians. Juanita Leisch, Thomas Publications
Dating Fabrics. A Color Guide 1800-1960. Eileen Jahnke Trestain, American
Quilters Society Victorian and Edwardian Fashion. A Photographic Survey. Alison Gemsheim,
Dover Publications
Hair. Hat. Hood and Bonnet. Too of the Era of the Hoop. Heidi Marsh The Robert E. Lee Family Cooking and Housekeeping Book. Anne Carter
Zimmer, University of North Carolina Press
To help understand some of the things the women of this era went through read some of the diaries that they wrote. These are only a few, check out your local library for regional histories.
A Blockaded Family. Parthenia Antoinette Hague
Diary of a Southern Refugee. Judith McGuire
The Civil War Diary of a Southern Woman. Sara Morgan, University of Georgia
Press
The War the Women Lived. Walter Sullivan Diary of Miss Emma Holmes. John F. Marszalek Women of Gettysburg. E.F. Conklin Life in Dixie During the War. Mary A. H. Gay, J.H. Segars, editor, Mercer
University Press An Antebellum Plantation Household. Anne Sinkler Whaley LeClerq, University
Of South Carolina Press The War-Time Journal of A Georgia Girl. Eliza Frances Andrews, University of
Nebraska Press
Mary's World. Richard Cote, Corinthian Books, Mt. Pleasant, SC. When the World Ended: The Diary of Emma LeConte. Earl Schenk Miers Lucy Breckinridqe of Grove Hill. Journal of a Virginia Girl. Mary D. Robertson
This information was provided by "The Citizens’ Companion" July 2008 issue pg 42. Information reused with permission from Connie Payne. No reprinting without permission.
Patterns
This is a list of pattern companies along with notes and recommendations. We do not guarantee results. Most require a minimal knowledge of sewing terms and techniques. If you are so inclined, making your own clothes can be quite gratifying and you can’t beat the fit! Do not be afraid to use a lot of hand sewing, in some instances it can actually be easier than using a machine. Underpinnings are a good place to start: they require simple white cotton in manageable yardages and the finished product is not visible to the world to see minor mistakes! Having an experienced sewer you can call on if you get in a pinch is recommended, especially during the fitting phase, as fashions of the time are quite fitted and it is impossible to do by yourself. Purchase inexpensive fabric to start with, wash it first, and have a go at it.
Elizabeth Stewart Clark’s Free Online Patterns www.ElizabethStewartClark.com
Fig Leaf Patterns www.Originals-By-kay.com
#201 Day Dress c.1857, #104 Aprons, #209 Corded Crinoline
Galla Rock www.GallaRock.com
#212 Work Dress, #210 Day Dress
Harriets www.Harriets.com or www.VictorianTreasuresByMary.com
Heidi Marsh Patterns www.fcsutler.com or www.JamesCountry.com
Homespun Patterns www.JamesCountry.com
Laughing Moon Patterns www.lafnmoon.com
#111 Round Dress
Old World Patterns www.JamesCountry.com
Past Patterns www.PastPatterns.com or www.Originals-By-Kay.com
#701 Gathered Bodices 1858-1862, #702 Darted Bodices 1858-1862 , #800 Single &Flounced Skirt 1848-1857 ,#707 Chemises , #706 Petticoat & Drawers,
#712 Apron front hoopskirt with flounce, #801 Fan-Front bodices 1841-1847
Peachtree Patterns www.Originals-By-Kay.com
Period Impressions www.abrahamslady.com or www.JamesCountry.com
#607 Corded & Tucked Petticoats, #453 Work Dress
Truly Victorian www.trulyvictorian.com or www.VictorianTreasuresBymary.com
Butterick, McCall’s, & Simplicity can all be found in the Big Name Stores and even on sale at times for under $2.00 a pattern.
Simplicity Historical Patterns, Martha McCain
Be sure to get the "Historical" pattern, not the costume variety. These patterns have a tendency to make period methods more difficult than necessary. Elizabeth Stewart Clark has a very good review of each pattern and its strengths and weaknesses.
Simplicity www.simplicity.com
#2881, #2887, #2960, #3727, #3791, #4400, #4510, #4551, #5726, #7212, #9761, #9764, #9769
Butterick www.butterick.com
#B3721, #B5061, #B4570, #B3737, #B5265
Links to some of the units in our membership.. |
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Ferguson's Artillery Ladies Auxillary http://www.scfala.com South Carolina Ladies Auxillary http://www.csa-scla.org 27th South Carolina http://www.27thscvi.org |