Perfect Gift for the Jane Austen Fan - Pride and Prejudice Quiz Book

Are You looking for the perfect gift for the Jane Austen fan who has everything and still wants more??? More Collins? More Darcy? More Choices?

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that an intelligent Reader with a good sense of humour, must be in want of more Jane Austen.”

 I'm a huge Jane Austen fan. Pride and Prejudice is one my may all time favourite books and this year I decided to share my love of Austen by writing a Quiz Book which I hope will also delight new readers and die-hard Austenites.

To View on Amazon.com Click HERE : Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice – Quiz Book -Complete Novel Plus: Quizzes, Crosswords and WordSearches

Whether you’re a Pride and Prejudice expert, or new to the delightful works of Jane Austen this brand new edition contains something for all. Inside you will find:

• Pride and Prejudice complete novel
• 61 Chapter Quizzes
• 30 Crosswords
• 31 Word Searches

All 120+ pages of puzzles have been specifically written for each chapter, and will entertain for hours.

True Fans of P&P who already know Longbourn was terrorised by an arsonist, Wickham a spy for Napoleon, and Mr Collins the heartthrob of a generation, will find the quizzes superbly easy. Everyone else will find them tolerably amusing.

 

 

I hope you'll consider looking it up my Pride and Prejudice Quiz Book on Amazon or Pin it on Pinterest.

 

Thank You! A portion of the proceeds from the sale of my book will be donated to causes I am involved with, including:

1) Adoption of retired racing greyhounds.

2) Purchasing books for children staying in the local hospital.

To View on Amazon.com Click HERE : Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice – Quiz Book -Complete Novel Plus: Quizzes, Crosswords and WordSearches

Book Review: "Hecklinger's Ladies' Garments" by Chas Hecklinger (published 1886)

The 1886 Victorian sewing book Hecklinger's Ladies' Garments - A Text Book How to Cut Up and Make Ladies' Garments by Chas Hecklinger is a gem of a book.

This is the first Victorian sewing book that I have printed out the entire text because it has so much useful historical detail.

The section on draping skirts is worthy alone, and while the actual selection of bodice patterns are few, there are finished drawings to show styles, as well as pages and pages on possible trims. 

From pattern to construction to finishing, this text covers a lot more than many of its contemporary publications. I rate this book 5 out 5 stars.

 Hecklinger's Ladies' Garments is free to download through the Internet Archive HERE

 

Book Review : "Guide to dress making" by J Henry Symonds (published 1876)

The Guide to dress making by J Henry Symonds is a must-have for anyone interested in Victorian sewing techniques. 

Published in 1876 it includes earlier dressmaking techniques with diagrams on how to do cartridge pleats (which it calls gauging), and also how to make engagaentes, a type of separate under sleeve popular in the 1850s.

The main downside is the book focuses on ‘Ladies Underclothes’ and therefore doesn’t have many patterns, and what’s included is extremely basic but the How-to-sew information provided by the very readable text makes up for this lack and I rate this book 4 out 5 stars.

Patterns of note: chemise, nightdress, engagaentes, basic skirt, dress trimmings-ruches

The Guide to dress making also includes:

• estimating material yardage
• a glossary of terms
• diagrams and examples of stitches, hems, cording, bias binding
• instructions and diagrams of how to measure person
• pitfalls for beginners to avoid.
• Very clear written instructions on cutting gored panels for skirts, including lengths required and allowing for hems, followed by a clear but basic pattern (which is drawn very small)
• Written guide how to assemble a dress
• diagrams how to lay out pattern on fabric
• sew seams and create seam casings for whalebones.
• Shows a couple of methods of dress decorating with ruches – this a little complicated looking, but worth seeing
• briefly covers bodices for balls, discussing options and giving tips on materials and styles– text only.
• A few pages dedicated to making over old dresses – text only.
• Text discussion with tips to making jackets, Dolmans etc.
• Chapter with clear instructions and diagrams on making a chemise and nightdresses.

The Guide to dress making is free to download through the Internet Archive HERE.

If you liked this Review, check out my next Victorian Sewing Book Review HERE

Where to find Public domain How-to-Sew books from the Victorian Era

If there's anything that gets my wannabe costumer's heart beating a little faster it's genuine Victorian dressmaking books, add to that FREE Victorian sewing books and you can well understand my joy at discovering the wealth of public domain books available through the Internet Archive - which as far as I can tell,  are scanned copies of old books housed at the Library of Congress.

The books can be downloaded as PDFs, and some you can even load to your Kindle etc.

However, searching the archives can be a bit hit and miss, so I thought I would share and review some of the books that I find there, to find my reviews click on the "Book Reviews" link or "Public Domain Dress making books" in my side bar.