Jami sent a link to The Perfect Nose blog which regularly offers free downloadable books. These books were published in the 40’s and 50’s and their copyrights weren’t renewed, therefore making them public domain. She’s generous enough to scan them, crop and edit them so we can all enjoy those books.
This week she uploaded Dress Design Draping and Flat Pattern Making by Marion S. Hillhouse and Evelyn A. Mansfield. This book (340 pages) was first published in 1948, but is still very good. The process of pattern making has not changed, it is the fabrics that have changed. Read more about the book here, the download link is at the bottom of the page.
Other books (“Friday freebie”) offered by The Perfect Nose:
- Fundamentals of Patternmaking for Women’s Apparel (Book 1: Foundation Patterns) by Esther Kaplan Pivnick (published: 1955)
- Fundamentals of Patternmaking for Women’s Apparel (Book II: Style Patterns) by Esther Kaplan Pivnick (published: 1958).
- Lingerie Patternmaking and Grading Simplified: A Manual for the Student and the Worker by Jack Kirschner (published: 1950)
- Precision Draping by Nelle Weymouth Link
- Pants: How to do your own measuring, pattern drafting, fabric selection, cutting, and sewing for a perfect fit by Anna Romaniuk and Ellen Knight (published: 1974) (previous blog on PlanoASG)
Thanks for the link love, Nienke-much appreciated.
Dear All, I have been trying to download the free version, but can not find the link “at the bottom of the Page” of the link provided by you above. Where is it? Your help is much appreciated. Thanks, Susanne
could anyone share this with me as the link is no longer available 🙁
I don’t have the book saved myself, sorry 🙁
Because it’s a public domain book, copy & pasting the title into Google should bring up another archived copy 🙂
Teri –
This book is no longer in the public domain. Someone realized how valuable it was!
This book is no longer in the public domain? Was the copyright renewed or something like that? I’d love to know exactly how matters stand, since I have a paper copy and it’s on our to-do list for copyright research.
Thank you and best wishes
I believe that the copyright was renewed. The book is no longer available in public domain is our understanding.
I paid some serious money for a perfect copy of this book several years ago, and don’t regret it a bit. The professors in the Clothing and Textiles department at Texas Tech said that Hillhouse and Mansfield were the experts on draping and flat pattern.
Hello! I feel like I am opening the time capsule of this blog post and stuffing one more item in — so be it. Sadly The Perfect Nose has taken down the pdf of the book, as the copyright status is unclear.
As far as I can tell original print copies remain available in many libraries, and you can get more information on libraries near you that may have it at https://www.worldcat.org/title/dress-design-draping-and-flat-pattern-making/oclc/265001251
I am lucky enough to have a copy I picked up secondhand years ago, and I have been using it to create a French lining/moulage/dress form cover. The first chapter on dress forms is incredible and so helpful.