Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Sew Expensive... Millinery For Every Woman Sewing Book

Hello my dear readers! For you today I have another Sew Expensive moment brought to you by the internet and people with too much money!

For today's installment, I have a stunning book that recently sold for an equally stunning price!

This beautiful, and painfully rare book sold on Ebay recently for a sum that made me quite literally squeal. I scared the hell out of the dog.

This original Millinery for Every Woman by Georgina Kerr Kaye sold for an incredible $587.90 (that's 427 € or 354 £!).

Why would this amazing little tome go for so much, you might ask? Because it's full of hat patterns and very rare millinery knowledge that is slowly dying out. Very few people make their own hats any more compared to the average woman of the 18th century who often knew how to make just about anything. That sort of knowledge is rather scarce these days so a book like this would find a very welcome home among those who wish to preserve that kind of knowledge.

If you're interested in making your own hats, there isn't a lot of info readily available and books like these are not easy to find!
But don't fret, my dears, there is an alternative to spending half your rent on antique millinery books! There are several re-prints of this book currently available on Amazon for as little as $25.

In other news, Happy New Year! Another year has gone by and I find that as a whole, I'm just as content with life as I have been for the last 7 or 8 years.  So no resolutions for me, just happy business as usual.
How about you? Any grand resolutions you hope to keep?


  1. That prices was high enough to frighten more than the dog! Thanks for pointing out the affordable repro editions!

  2. Happy New Year to you too. :)

  3. Wow! That's some book. Looks like lots of good knowledge in it though. Glad they are doing affordable repros so the knowledge can still get out there.

    Happy New Year to you!

  4. Crazy! No real resolutions here just a few sewing goals..trying bras and pants and jeans this year .

  5. Oh my! Glad to hear there is a reprint available.
    Happy New Year!

    Emily's Vintage Visions

  6. Well I'm certainly intrigued by this book, but I think I would go check them out on Amazon rather than spend that much! Hopefully whoever paid that much will really enjoy it.

  7. Wow. Just wow. I could never justify that kind of expense - and I can usually find a reason or justification for everything! *lol*

    Need to win the lotto - you in?

  8. Oh wow, I was was wondering how much that one was going for.
    I just got my hands on 'It's Fun to Make a Hat' by Helene Garnell (circa 1944) and didnt realise it had the hat patterns inside - worth it if you can find it cheap :)