Question on patterns

[lady serena]

Which professional patterns do you use for men and women? I'm looking for bodice, shirt, skirt, paned slops, breeches, and doublets. I finally got the hubby interested in going in garb and I didn't want to wear the big 3 pattern clothing as it looks to "costumey". I do have the "Working woman's pattern from Margo, but I'm wondering what else is out there, and the best pattern. Thanks for your help. Lady Serena

[isabelladangelo]

It really depends on how you sew.   I've used several of the big 3 patterns, with minor edits, and have gotten some great historical gowns out of them.   It comes down to materials and just editing out things like Princess lines and darts -neither of which is hard at all.  For instance, Simplicity 2621 is pretty darn accurate and looks *gorgeous* in person.   

However, admittedly, with the mens patterns they've made it harder recently.  Try AlterYears for some pretty decent men's pants (their website is sort of sucky but it shouldn't be hard to figure out) and Period Patterns.

[gem]

Totally agree 100% on Simplicity 2621.

Don't forget about books. Publications like The Tudor Tailor and Patterns of Fashion give you a lot of pattern bang for your ducat, but they will put your pattern grading skills to the test!

[operafantomet]

Along with "Patterns of Fashion", which has patterns taken directly from surviving historical garbs, I would like to recommend the books "Period Costume for Stage & Screen" by Jean Hunnisett. They are way more period than people give her credit for, and they are informative and fairly easy to work with. Jean Hunnisett is probably most famous for her "Phoenix dress" for Glenda Jackson in "Elizabeth I", but according to a source even the Shakespeare Globe Theatre occasionally use her patterns. Read more here:

BOOKS: http://www.amazon.com/Period-Costume-Stage-Screen-1500-1800/dp/0887346103
PHOENIX DRESS: http://www.naergilien.info/research/london1/Phoenix/index.htm

[lady serena]

Thank you for the help. I guess I would concider myself a pattern sewer as I have tried before to draft my own and well lets leave it at that. What about Alter Years, I have heard good and bad things about there patterns, and example is that the Irish dress pattern looked like a drunk drafted it around the arm holes and the fabric guides on the pattern package do not match to what is needed. On the other hand I heard that they are really good patterns. What about Reconstructing History, I have seen threads started here to never buy there patterns as they are smaller than actually printed on the pattern package.