Quaker Jane's Recommended Reading

Books on Old Order and
Conservative Amish/Mennonite Life

I am not Amish or Mennonite, but I can suggest the books below for more information on these groups.

             

             

             

             

             

Books Including Information
on Plain Dress

Amelia Gummere's classic study of the history of Quaker plain dress, first published around 1900. Not entirely up to our modern scholarly standards, but the single best source of information about the development of the Quaker costume (male and female) over the centuries.


Anthology of scholarly works on a wide range of topics historical Quaker design, including plain dress and architecture. Nice images of example Quaker garments.


An indispenisble guide to the practice of plain dress in the United States among a wide variety of religious groups, including Amish, Mennonite, Quaker, Hutterite, Brethren and others.

About Quakers
and Quakerism

British Friend Gil Skidmore has collected and edited the writings of a number of 18th Century Quaker women, including Grace Hall Chamber, Lydia Rawlinson Lancaster, Ruth Alcock Follows, Catherine Payton Phillips, Sarah Tuke Grubb, Priscilla Hannah Gurney, Mary Alexander and Ann Crowley. She also offers biographical information and information about the Religious Society of Friends at that time.


People often have all sorts of interesting ideas and assumptions about what it means for me to be a Quaker, and this book talks about where some of those ideas came from.

Books to Aid
the Home Sewer

I have the 1976 edition of this sewing reference book and have used it since I was in high school. It is almost like a glossary or dictionary. It is easy to look up specific techniques and see extensive illustrations explaining how to implement them. I hope thee finds the newly available one is just as useful.


The classic sewing reference book The Complete Book of Sewing - Dressmaking and Sewing for the Home Made Easy, by Constance Talbot circa 1940s, available as a reprint.


Christian Light Publications offers a Home Economics course on preparing and sewing a Cape Dress. I own and have used these books to aid in sewing a cape dress. This is the book on preparing.


Christian Light Publications offers a Home Economics course on preparing and sewing a Cape Dress. I own and have used these books to aid in sewing a cape dress. This is the book on actually sewing the dress.