47 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Historical corset patterns, September 16, 2008
This is a wonderful book for those interested in Historical Stays and Corsets.
You will not find modern overbusts or underbusts in this book!
Things I love about this book:
clear patterns on graph scale. they are only 1/2 scale so easy to enlarge.
2 doll corset patterns which are full scale.
an 1880-5 child's stay band
18th century stays with side lacing which could have been used for pregnancy.
At least one color photo of each corset
small section on construction
Things that would have made this book totally awesome:
Not switching between the terms "stays" and "corset" for the 18th century. (I hope this was an editors change, not the author's error)
more photos of the back, insides, details!
giving the museum accession numbers for the garments so we could contact the museums for more photos.
Info on adjusting the patterns to fit individual bodies
marking the bust, waist, hip position and measurements on the pattern somewhere for ease of alteration.
More construction information.
a nursing corset or a later maternity corset (but that would be just me)
You will need Linda Spark's book for more on construction and fitting of corsets. Fore more information on the construction and fitting of 18th century stays, see "Fitting and Proper" and "Costume Close Up"
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good for Historic reconsturction but no size info, January 9, 2009
This review is from: Corsets: Historical Patterns & Techniques (Paperback)
The graphed patterns are great if you want to reproduce historic styles but there are no measurements of the original garments, a major failing. I've sewn two of the corsets in the book, they went together easily and then I was able to figure out the size and grade it to the size my client needed but a two step process that would have been faster if basic specs of the original garments had been provided. Pictures of the corsets are lovely but are minimal.....no inside views, often only a photo of the front (no side or back views for several, although line drawings are clear and fairly accurate). Minimal construction information although the projects in the back are good for explaining different construction methods, they are not very detailed. Overall, a must have for the patterns alone, much easier to use than those by Waugh and can't beat the price!
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great source!, February 11, 2009
This review is from: Corsets: Historical Patterns & Techniques (Paperback)
I love this book. It was so easy for me to follow the patterns and the photos are beautiful. I only wish the pattern to the 1875 corset on the cover page had a pattern (it's my favorite in the book). I don't recommend it as a pattern book for an inexperienced stitcher. Being able to flat pattern and grade it to size are important skills to use this book.
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