Frequently Asked Questions (in order of frequency—see also our corporate FAQ)

I am trying to (fit a pattern, insert a zipper, make a bound buttonhole). Can you help?

Certainly! That is one of the reasons this site exists. Most of the books published at VintageSewing.info include detailed instructions on how to (fit a pattern, insert a zipper, make a bound buttonhole). If you are creating a garment for a specific year, go to the long table of contents for the books for that year and you will probably find it listed; otherwise, do a search for (fit pattern, zipper, bound buttonhole) and see what turns up.

I have a (commercial/informational) site (related to vintage sewing/vintage items) that I think would be of interest to your readers. Will you please link to me? I'll link to you, too!

Thank you for your interest in VintageSewing.info. You are welcome to link to any page in this site you would like. As time permits, we will visit your site to evaluate its content as it relates to this site. Please do not be offended if we decline to add your site to our links page. This is not necessarily a reflection of your site, but a reflection on the focus of VintageSewing.info (which is to publish public domain sewing books rather than provide a lengthy list of links).

I am a student looking for information about (whatever). I would greatly appreciate it if you would please answer the following questions.

First, you must understand: the most important part of your education is learning how to find information, evaluate it for accuracy, and present it concisely, citing your sources.

You are more likely to get an answer if you:

• Identify yourself clearly with your real name, age or grade, school name and location.
• Explain why you are asking - is it a homework assignment? A term paper? Casual interest?
• Ask a very specific question. "Did they use zippers in 1926?" "Can I use volatile chemicals to dry clean my own clothing at home?"
• Explain the research you have already done (so we don't point you back to sources you've already read).
• Do not dictate a timeline. (Demands that we "answer right away - my paper is due tomorrow" will elicit laughter, not a response.)

Most likely you will receive a link to the relevant work(s) on this site. If you need an immediate reply, you could search the site yourself.

If you have a broad question, such as, "What is the best fabric to use for an evening gown?" What do you mean by "best"? What style of evening gown? Are you asking for a personal opinion? Or do you want to know what fabrics would have been recommended to a woman aspiring to Parisian style on a depression-era budget?

If you are asking an analytical question, such as "When did the sewing machine become common in the home, and how do you think it affected the home sewer?" you are asking us to do your work. Remember: the most important part of your education is learning how to find information, evaluate it for accuracy, and present it concisely, citing your sources. How do you think the sewing machine affected the home sewer? You can use the works on this site to find out how it affected sewing books by comparing sewing books across eras. Are garments more elaborate or less elaborate? Is there more attention to detail or less? Is there enough information on this site for you to draw valid conclusions?

I am looking for (something other than a book, but related to vintage sewing).

You will most likely find it on eBay.com. Eventually, everything turns up on eBay. Also, try other vintage sites, especially those in the business of selling items.

Where can I get my own copy of (name of book)?

Short answer: eBay.

Long answer: Used book stores, estate sales, or a locating service such as Alibris.com. Try your grandmother's (or great-grandmother's) collection of sewing references. If you merely want to read the print copy of the book, try a major university library (especially for older works).

Can I copy the pictures from your site?

The images are in the public domain. You may copy them for your personal use. You may make them freely available. You are not granted permission to sell them, or copy them to other media to sell to others. If you want to do something of that sort, you need to acquire the original work and make your own scans.

To see all of the pictures in one place, I recommend the Google.com image search engine. (Type in VintageSewing.info; beneath one of the images there will be a link to More results from www.vintagesewing.info. Select this link. It takes a month or so for Google to index the newest pictures.)

You may NOT embed a link to a picture on your own web page. If you want a copy for your web page, please copy the picture to your own server. If you link directly to our image source, each time your web page is loaded it will send a request to our web server for the picture. That is called hot linking, which is very tacky. We are charged for the bandwidth, so it is also called stealing, which is illegal.

Can I send you money to help pay your hosting fees? I have an old sewing book—do you want it?

We explain some of the ways you can help us maintain, improve, and expand this site on our "Support" page.