Akron Public Library

In a life that spanned nearly a century and witnessed some of the most momentous events in American history, Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley was born a slave. She earned her freedom by the skill of her needle and won the friendship of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln with her devotion. Chiaverini illuminates the extraordinary relationship the two women shared, beginning in the hallowed halls of the White House during the trials of the Civil War and enduring almost,...

"Based on true accounts of how Parisiennes resisted the Nazi occupation in World War II--from fashion houses to the city streets--comes a story of two courageous women who risked everything to fight an evil they couldn't abide. Paris, 1939. Maison Chanel has closed, thrusting haute couture dressmaker Lila de Laurent out of the world of high fashion as Nazi soldiers invade the streets and the City of Lights slips into darkness. Lila's life is now a...

This gripping historical debut novel tells the story of two women: one, an immigrant seamstress who disappears from San Franciscos gritty streets in 1876, and the other, a young woman in present day who must delve into the secrets of her husbands wealthy family only to discover that she and the missing dressmaker might be connected in unexpected ways.

Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!

"Paris, 1940. With the city occupied by the Nazis, three young seamstresses go about their normal lives as best they can. But all three are hiding secrets. War-scarred Mireille is fighting with the Resistance; Claire has been seduced by a German officer; and Vivienne's involvement is something she can't reveal to either of them. Two generations later, Claire's English granddaughter Harriet arrives in Paris, rootless and adrift, desperate to find a...

In this collection of more than 120 dolls' dress designs, from modern outfits to period costumes, all the patterns are of actual size and ready to trace off the page and use. They fit dolls of 10 to 25 inches (28 to 63.5 centimeters), and can be altered to fit other sizes. Many of them are intended for the beginner, while experienced dolls' dressmakers should find the more elaborate period costumes an interesting challenge.

Discover the life and business of colonial dressmakers, the only business a colonial woman could purchase during that period.

Includes index

The incredible true account of Kamila Sidiqi who, when her father and brother were forced to flee Kabul, became the sole breadwinner for her five siblings. Armed only with grit and determination, she picked up a needle and thread and created a thriving business of her own and held her family together.

For fans of Fiona Davis, Beatriz Williams, and Joanna Goodman, a mesmerizing historical novel from the bestselling author of Not Our Kind about three women in post-World War I New York City and the secrets they hold. Brooklyn 1919. As New York City continues to reel from the losses of both World War I and the deadly influenza epidemic, the lives of three very different women are about to take an unexpected turn. Recently arrived from New Orleans,...