From my library - pattern books

Here is my pile of pattern books, a few contemporary ones but mostly for historic costume, 20 in all.

These are my basic draping and pattern making books.  Truly I learned most of my draping and pattern making from my mother and on the job, but these books filled in the gaps and answered questions that I was too shy to ask. The green one "Draping for Fashion Design" by Hilde Jaffe and Nurie Relis teaches every thing you need to know to drape a garment from scratch.  The one on the left I bought from the student book store at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology in NY), "Modern Method of Women's and Children's Garment Design" by A. Gebbia teaches flat pattern design and grading basics.  I couldn't live without either.

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Now for the fun stuff ...

These are the three famous books by Janet Arnold. They are filled with information about garment construction and loads of patterns from 1560 - 1940.


She has quite a bit of written material, but the illustrations and pattern diagrams are the best, see below.

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This is another set of must have books for the serious costumer, "The Cut of Women's Clothing 1600-1930" and "The Cut of Men's clothing 1600 - 1900" both by Norah Waugh.  These books have more written material than patterns, but the patterns are good, but not as detailed as Janet Arnold's.  One of the things I like about these books are all the contemporary quotes about fashion from each era, very fun and extremely interesting.

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She has reproductions of pattern diagrams mostly from the 19th century.

These are the pages from the men's book I used to make my pirate coat. The added grid lines are mine.

As well as many pattern diagrams made for these books.

These are also, respected books with lots, and lots of written information with good and useful patterns.
"History of Costume" by Blanche Payne and "History of Costume" by Carl Kohler

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Two wonderful books for the Renaissance Faire attendee and serious re-enactor. "The Tudor Tailor" by Ninya Mikhaila and Jane Malcolm-Davies and "Elizabethan Costuming" by Janet Winter and Carolyn Savoy

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OK, the patterns in "Pattern for Theatrical Costumes" are very sketchy, but this is still a useful book, especially for ancient cultures, like Greek and Roman and some Asian costume. It also has basic sewing and hat making.  BUT, if you want to know about hats, "From the Neck Up" by Denice Dreher is another one of those must have books.

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Dover Books has more and more books with pattern diagrams in them and they are not too expensive.

This is a wonderful little (and it IS little) book that shows how to take a modern basic bodice pattern and turn it into a bodice from Tudor through Edwardian, not authentic, but great for theater.

I love Folkwear patterns and this book has some pattern diagrams and load of information about the history of these clothes and how to embellish them.

And, I still want to show you the books I have for making crafts and my dress-up, masquerade costume books.