This innovative and breathtakingly detailed book from the V&A presents dress patterns, construction details, embroidery, and making instructions (including a knitting pattern and lacemaking) for 15 garments and accessories from a 17th-century British woman's wardrobe. Step-by-step drawings of the construction sequence and scale patterns for each garment enable readers to accurately reconstruct them. There are scale diagrams for making linen and metal thread laces, silk braids, and embroidery designs. Multiple photographs, close-up construction details, and X-ray photography reveal the hidden elements of the clothes, the number of layers, and the stitches used inside. This first book in a new series takes the physical examination and study of historical clothing to a new depth and degree of detail, using the expertise of designers, tailors, and makers from London's Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

This beautifully illustrated book reveals the sharp pleats, high collars, gleaming pastes, colourful beads, elaborate buttons and intricate lacework that make up some of the garments in the Victoria and Albert Museum's extensive fashion collection. With an expertly written text by one of the museum's fashion curators and exquisite colour photography of garment details, complemented by line drawings and photographs, the reader has the unique opportunity to examine up close historical clothing that is often too fragile to be on display. It is an inspirational resource for students, collectors, designers and anyone who is fascinated by fashion and costume. This new edition features an updated design, fresh content and new research, and an introduction that focuses on the makers and processes involved in producing 18th-century fashion.

Book Two in the V&A's groundbreaking new series presents 17 patterns for garments and accessories from a seventeenth-century woman's wardrobe. It includes patterns for a loose gown, a jacket, a pair of stays and a boned bodice, ivory and wooden busks, shoes, a hat, a stomacher, linen bands and supporters, a bag and a knife case. It also features a description of the stay-making process. Full step-by-step drawings of the construction sequence are given for each garment to enable the reader to accurately reconstruct them. There are scale patterns and diagrams for making linen and metal thread laces and embroidery designs. Multiple photographs of the objects, close-up construction details and X-ray photography reveal the hidden elements of the clothes, the precise number of layers and the stitches used inside.

This eclectic collection of verse covers a wide spectrum of thoughts, observations and emotions - some are funny, others heartfelt, but most of all, every single one is genuine and sincere. Susan North experienced an enormous traumatic shock when her husband suddenly collapsed from a genetic disease, which resulted in major life-saving heart surgery, and she now has the responsibility of being his carer. But out of all this, like a phoenix from the flames, came the poetry - a salve to the soul - and the writing helps to calm Susan and keep the stress at bay.