The Sewing Place

Resources => Publications => Topic started by: Sewingsue on September 03, 2019, 19:58:11 PM

Title: What to keep?
Post by: Sewingsue on September 03, 2019, 19:58:11 PM
I have been moving some of my books around and found myself wondering whether a cull might be a good idea.
I would be grateful for any comments about which of these are definitely worth hanging on to -

Singer Sewing Reference Library. 101 Sewing Secrets 1989
Ladbury, Ann. Make the Most of your Sewing Machine. Batsford 1987
Aldrich, Winifred. Metric Pattern Cutting. Mills and Boon 1976
Bray, Natalie. More Dress Pattern Designing. Crosby Lockwood 1970
Woolridge, Anne (Ed) Encyclopedia of Advanced Dressmaking. Marshall Cavendish 1978
Betty Foster’s Adapting to Fashion. Macdonald 1980
Foster, Betty. Creating Fashion. Macdonald 1983
Garner, Lynne. A Perfect Fit. David and Charles 2009
The Perfect Fit. A practical guide to adjusting patterns for a professional finish. Creative Publishing Int. 2005
Title: Re: What to keep?
Post by: Morgan on September 03, 2019, 20:16:54 PM
Which ones are you likely to use? 
If none, then let them all go.
Title: Re: What to keep?
Post by: BrendaP on September 03, 2019, 21:53:07 PM
Only you know which ones you are likely to want to refer to again - all of them or none of them or somewhere in between.

I'm a squirrel and would keep them all.  :)
Title: Re: What to keep?
Post by: Goth Gardiner on September 03, 2019, 21:54:50 PM
That's only 10 books. No need to cull until you have 100.
Title: Re: What to keep?
Post by: Sewingsue on September 03, 2019, 22:03:02 PM
That's only 10 books. No need to cull until you have 100.
That's only some of the sewing books.

I have no intention of counting the craft ones.
Title: Re: What to keep?
Post by: Lowena on September 03, 2019, 22:06:21 PM
If you haven't used them in the last 6 months, get rid!
Title: Re: What to keep?
Post by: wrenkins on September 04, 2019, 07:35:02 AM
If you haven't used them in the last 6 months, get rid!
Books don't work like that. If they did, libraries would be empty!  :o
Title: Re: What to keep?
Post by: Efemera on September 04, 2019, 07:46:41 AM
Get rid of Ladbury and Foster, keep the rest.
Title: Re: What to keep?
Post by: SkoutSews on September 04, 2019, 09:26:57 AM
Oh definitely keep them!  They don't eat anything (as my mother used to say).  15 years or so ago I had an attic clear-out and threw out all my old 1970s and early 80s sewing patterns and my books, thinking I'd never take up sewing again.  I regret it.
Title: Re: What to keep?
Post by: Nevis5 on September 04, 2019, 09:30:38 AM
I'm the same, @SkoutSews  .  I agonised for days over whether to get rid of my 15 years worth of Burda magazines when we did our renovations a few months ago.  In the end I let them go.  Have already regretted it :(  I have about 20 sewing books but I do refer to them quite a lot as my memory isn't what it used to be and I like to refresh my sewing brain if doing something I've forgotten.

I did chuck the craft books (took them to a charity shop) because I just don't have the time any more. 
Title: Re: What to keep?
Post by: wrenkins on September 04, 2019, 09:33:02 AM
I keep my reference books...for referencing.  :[ Sometimes one will explain something better than t'other.
Everything else is fair game.
Title: Re: What to keep?
Post by: Lowena on September 04, 2019, 10:47:47 AM
Books don't work like that. If they did, libraries would be empty!  :o

It works like that in my world. I don't run a library :D
Title: Re: What to keep?
Post by: BrendaP on September 04, 2019, 11:10:20 AM
Fiction and other stuff that's read once and that's it can go.  Reference/instruction books stay.
Title: Re: What to keep?
Post by: b15erk on September 04, 2019, 11:12:28 AM
Same here @BrendaP .  I buy a lot of books from the Credit Union locally - a sewing friend works there and it raises funds for local charities.

Jessie
Title: Re: What to keep?
Post by: jintie on September 04, 2019, 14:27:33 PM
I keep my reference books (sewing, archeology, geology) and the rest has a temporary home until it goes to the local big charity bookshop. This functions mainly as an extremely cheap middle class book exchange, and, after running expenses deducted, has a few hundred pounds a year left to donate.
Title: Re: What to keep?
Post by: Sewingsue on September 04, 2019, 14:42:39 PM
Get rid of Ladbury and Foster, keep the rest.
Done  :)

Well actually I have done a half cull.
Title: Re: What to keep?
Post by: Marniesews on September 04, 2019, 22:45:53 PM
I'd definitely suggest keeping the Aldrich & Bray pattern cutting books. Those are classics and even if you don't want to draft a pattern from scratch they can be invaluable to help you draft style alterations to a pattern that you've already fitted for your body.

I've even used one of Bray's old books that I'd bought years before and never used to make pattern adaptations for a ballroom dress a couple of years ago. It worked really well and since then I've often read them and got ideas for other dresses too.
Title: Re: What to keep?
Post by: Sewingsue on September 05, 2019, 07:14:52 AM
Thanks, @Marniesews  I think that was at the back of my mind.
I know which of my craft books are considered classics because of the author and information even if the examples shown are 'of their time', but don't have the same knowledge of my older sewing books (saved from library stock a few years ago with good intentions).