TWO WOMEN SEPARATED BY CENTURIES, THEIR LIVES DRAWN TOGETHER BY A BEAUTIFUL SILK DRESSTextiles historian Jo Baaker returns to the Dutch island where she was born, to investigate the provenance of a valuable seventeenth-century silk dress retrieved from a sunken shipwreck. Her research leads her to Anna Tesseltje, a poor Amsterdam laundress who served on the fringes of the Dutch court.But how did Anna come to possess such a precious dress? Jo is convinced the truth lies hidden between its folds, but as she gets closer to Anna's history, haunting details of her own past emerge.

Longlisted for the 2022 ARA Historical Novel Prize. ‘From a few shimmering strands of truth, Lauren Chater has spun an intriguing story of love, loss and fulfilment.’ Pip Williams, bestselling author of The Dictionary of Lost Words Two women separated by centuries but connected by one beautiful silk dress. A captivating novel based on a real-life shipwreck discovered off Texel Island by the bestselling author of Gulliver's Wife, Lauren Chater. The brightness of silk in that dull room was like the heavens parting after a storm ... She saw herself remade, no longer a poor laundress but a woman with means. Jo Baaker, a textiles historian and Dutch expat is drawn back to the island where she was born to investigate the provenance of a 17th-century silk dress. Retrieved by local divers from a sunken shipwreck, the dress offers tantalising clues about the way people lived and died during Holland's famous Golden Age. Jo's research leads her to Anna Tesseltje, a poor Amsterdam laundress turned ladies’ companion who served the enigmatic artist Catharina van Shurman. The two women were said to share a powerful bond, so why did Anna abandon Catharina at the height of her misfortune? Jo is convinced the truth lies hidden between the folds of this extraordinary dress. But as she delves deeper into Anna’s history, troubling details about her own past begin to emerge. On the small Dutch island of Texel where fortunes are lost and secrets lie buried for centuries, Jo will finally discover the truth about herself and the woman who wore the Winter Dress. Praise for The Winter Dress 'Chater has delivered a beautifully told story that takes an intriguing historical mystery and weaves it into a richly imagined tale that is every bit as breathtaking and beguiling as the remarkable dress it is based on.' Better Reading ‘Vivid, expansive and richly imagined, The Winter Dress weaves together a fascinating historical mystery and an uncompromising portrait of the possibility and price of female autonomy with remarkable and deeply affecting results.’ James Bradley, author of Wrack 'Wrap yourself in Chater's prose. The Winter Dress is a captivating tale of discovery and obsession by one of Australia's very best historical fiction authors. Absolutely essential reading.' Melissa Ashley, author of The Birdman’s Wife

"A tribute to a time when style -- and maybe even life -- felt more straightforward, and however arbitrary, there were definitive answers." -- Sadie Stein, Paris Review As a glance down any street in America quickly reveals, American women have forgotten how to dress. We lack the fashion know-how we need to dress professionally and beautifully. In The Lost Art of Dress, historian and dressmaker Linda Przybyszewski reveals that this wasn't always true. In the first half of the twentieth century, a remarkable group of women -- the so-called Dress Doctors -- taught American women that knowledge, not money, was key to a beautiful wardrobe. They empowered women to design, make, and choose clothing for both the workplace and the home. Armed with the Dress Doctors' simple design principles -- harmony, proportion, balance, rhythm, emphasis -- modern American women from all classes learned to dress for all occasions in ways that made them confident, engaged members of society. A captivating and beautifully illustrated look at the world of the Dress Doctors, The Lost Art of Dress introduces a new audience to their timeless rules of fashion and beauty -- rules which, with a little help, we can certainly learn again.

I have never known love, but now I need this man's permission if I want to marry someone!? Mary Jane, a nurse in London, received bad news. Her grandfather, her only living relative, had had a heart attack. She rushed over to her grandfather on his deathbed when he introduced her to Fabian, a surgeon. He was worried about his granddaughter's future, so he chose him as her guardian and entrusted him with everything. Mary Jane, who was already independent as a nurse, had doubts about her guardian. I'm only 22 years old, why do I need a guardian? Fabian may look good, but he's so overwhelmingly intimidating.

Fresh from Bunka, the Japanese publisher of Pattern Magic and Drape Drape, comes this stylish book for home sewers. Sweet Dress Book comes with six patterns you can use to make 23 different stylish outfits. An entire wardrobe in one little book! From these simple patterns, Yoshiko Tsukiori has created a collection of beautiful garments that you can easily make yourself, including blouses, camisoles, shifts, kimonos, coats, dresses, pants, and playsuits. These easy-to-follow patterns present a variety of designs and techniques that you can choose to incorporate, such as French sleeves, darts, straight-cut designs, and raglan sleeves, along with stylish detailing such as shirring and ruffles.

An unforgettable novel of love and hope, written with the natural simplicity and grace of a born storyteller.

Every vintage-obsessed sewist dreams of having a closet full of gorgeous dresses. The follow-up to the popular Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing and Gertie Sews Vintage Casual, Gertie's Ultimate Dress Book is packed with all the information and patterns you could ever need to create a wardrobe filled with stunning vintage frocks. The book begins with all the essential techniques for dressmaking and includes instructions and patterns for 23 dresses for a variety of occasions. Elements of each pattern can be mixed and matched, allowing readers to customize the bodice, skirt, sleeves, pockets, and details of each dress for a truly unique creation.

Stylish Dress Book features a selection of beautiful clothes that you can wear every day. Using simple shapes and individual details, this book shows you how to craft a stylish collection of garments to your own taste. For anyone who knows the frustration of going to the mall and finding racks of identikit clothes in cheap fabrics, this book offers a fabulous homemade alternative. As every sewist knows, DIY fashion is the best way to be stylish. What makes these Japanese sewing books different from other guides on the market is the simplicity of the projects. The instructions come through a series of simple, step-by-step diagrams, so the sequence of construction is easy to follow. The book also includes four actual-size patterns. Choose from 26 different garments and then set to work to make your own unique outfit.

Birth. Death. Wonder … One woman’s journey to the edge of love and loyalty from the bestselling author of The Lace Weaver London, 1702. When her husband is lost at sea, Mary Burton Gulliver, midwife and herbalist, is forced to rebuild her life without him. But three years later when Lemuel Gulliver is brought home, fevered and communicating only in riddles, her ordered world is turned upside down. In a climate of desperate poverty and violence, Mary is caught in a crossfire of suspicion and fear driven by her husband’s outlandish claims, and it is up to her to navigate a passage to safety for herself and her daughter, and the vulnerable women in her care. When a fellow sailor, a dangerous man with nothing to lose, appears to hold sway over her husband, Mary’s world descends deeper into chaos, and she must set out on her own journey to discover the truth of Gulliver’s travels . . . and the landscape of her own heart. Praise for Gulliver’s Wife 'An absolutely gripping read, with a powerful and ultimately hopeful story to tell' Booktopia ‘Gulliver’s Wife is utterly spellbinding. Lauren Chater is a master of story-weaving and exquisite detail. I adored this book.’ Melissa Ashley, bestselling author of The Birdman’s Wife ‘Lauren Chater’s Mary Gulliver is an extraordinary character – a performer of everyday miracles, a woman of quiet strength and compassion in a world where nothing can be relied on, least of all her flamboyant fantasist of a husband. Set in a fictional past, this superbly written story of love, loss, motherhood, and letting go is highly relevant to the issues we face today. Do not miss it.’ Meg Keneally, author of Fled ‘Bold, evocative and brave – Gulliver’s Wife is a revelation in story-telling. I am in awe of Lauren Chater’s talent. Gulliver’s Wife had my heart from the opening line and didn’t let go until long after I finished the final page. An exquisitely told tale of love, loss and the magic of life.’ Tess Woods, author of Love and Other Battles ‘An imaginative tour-de-force!’ Bestselling author Kate Forsyth ‘The most impressive aspect of this novel is the finely tuned and nuanced treatment of the relationship between a mother and her rebellious teenage daughter.’ Sydney Morning Herald ‘A heartfelt tale of female solidarity.’ Daily Telegraph