Originally published in 1910s, this practical home millinery textbook contains 41 chapters detailing the techniques, methods and instructions on how to make hats, bonnets and veils from start to finish, well illustrated with 24 full-page plates of diagrams.

Book Excerpt:

I venture to place this Manual -- Practical Millinery -- especially at the disposal of teachers of technical classes for the subject, and of students who attend those classes.

It is the result of successful teaching, and is intended to combine information on the many and various methods of technical and practical work of this kind.

The hints given and the points taken up will prove of special value to those who desire to qualify for an examination, nor less for those studying for business purposes, insomuch as they will be found to cover all the ground embraced by the subject.

To the student her teacher can be but a guide, who will demonstrate how a thing is done: the application necessary to success must come from herself. The artist, like the poet, is born, not made; nevertheless, even though at first there may not be the slightest aptitude apparent in a girl, much may be accomplished towards making her a good milliner by patience and careful observation on her own part, with the aid of a good teacher and the use of a methodical and up-to-date manual.

To the teacher, as to the student, the book will be no less valuable. Millinery lends itself admirably to demonstration and practice, during which a class may be interestingly employed, as the smaller parts may be commenced and finished during one lesson. Millinery forms a subject which is taught with an aim to educate girls for everyday life, and like needlework, and all subjects relative to it, it encourages habits of neatness, industry and thrift.

However, not entirely for the teacher and student is this book intended, but also for the home-worker, by whom it is likely to be appreciated.

It is not an exhaustive treatise, rather is it only a methodical arrangement of the principles governing the Art of Millinery. There are many such principles that never change, whatever alterations of style, etc., fashion decrees, so the forthcoming information will, I hope, encourage even the unlikely worker to produce, with practice, the most artistic creations.

One more argument in favour of the subject of millinery: What satisfaction is greater than that of finding oneself able to copy an expensive model at one-third the cost of the original?