Customer Reviews

Handbook of Practical Cutting on the Centre Point System 1866

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4 star:		(1)
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Although the order of the sections could be improved, it is a full description of the Center Point System, and has very helpful diagrams. There are several points where it takes a bit of work to understand what he's saying, and to apply the information to make a pattern different from the model, but I think it's worth that bit of effort. I've looked at several books on patternmaking and a lot of them are big disappointments because they only tell you how to draft their specific design. Although this book doesn't go into the intricacies and theory of cutting or how to make any pattern your heart could desire, I think it does give the necessary information to understand how to use this system to generate a pattern of your own design. And although I'm not interested in making historically accurate clothing, this seems like an outstanding book for those who do want to make period clothing from that time. It focuses on the cutting of men's garments, but there are two or three garments for women.

This book works well with the Civil War Man also from R. L. Shep. These books are part of his reprint of first source drafting and cutting books. There is very little around for patterns of the Civil war period. These books require some advanced skills, but the payoff is great if you take the time to read and follow their drafting samples. Both authors use the size 36 as their standard which today is SMALL so beware that their drafts will have to be made larger for most people. But you do get very good style information. These two books work well because you get a "fuller" picture with both of these books. These books have two different methods but if you are really serious about the period this is a very good book for Men's clothing. It has coats, frocks, vest, trousers, everything for a suite of clothes. This book has information on cutting styles for the 1850's, 1860's and 1870's. But it is alittle difficult for a beginner.

This is such a good system of measurement and tailoring, I don't know why it's not used today. Devere writes in a semi-formal-but-approachable tradesman's English of the 19th century that is easy for modern minds to follow, and loads of illustrative plates are interspersed with the text. Anyone who has a passing familiarity with a sewing machine and can make a pattern on fabric will find this book invaluable for making men's clothing with a classic line and fit. Using only a few measurements from a common point on the body (Devere's "centre-point"), a "wrapper" of the body is generated which can then be easily modified for anything from loose lounge jackets to trim tailcoats, coats with or without skirts, and overcoats of all styles. By varying the details like collar depth, lapel style, and placement of the shoulder-seam, it is just as easy to make very historically accurate replicas, or modern jackets with classic touches. I have personally made several jackets and vests with the help of this book, and I am by no means a professional tailor!