Customer Reviews

Tailor's Pattern Book 1589

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Today my copy of this book arrived in the mail. I am very excited, this is a reissue of the 1978 edition which has been unavailable for so long! The book is a facsimile (with translation) of "Libro de Geometria, Pratica Y Traca" (Book of the Practice of Tailoring-- Measuring and Marking Out) by Juan de Alcega, printed in Madrid in 1589. Alcega was a master tailor.

The book was apparently intended as a guide for journeymen tailors, to help them figure out economical ways of cutting out garments, as well as giving them diagrams for some standard styles of garment. For each garment, there is a cutting diagram (much like the cutting diagrams that come with modern patterns), an estimate as to how much fabric is required (in Castillian ells) and brief directions on how the garment goes together. He also includes charts to help figure out how much fabric is needed based on desired length of the garment and fabric width.

In "Patterns of Fashion" Janet Arnold cites this book extensively (the '78 edition), though she complains that the translation is not as perfect as it could be, because the translators were not costume scholars. Any Spanish speaking folks doing graduate work in this area? Here's your chance. However, at least after a cursory examination, the translation seems good enough to me. And Arnold commented that it was extremely useful even without a perfect translation.

The first 4/5 of the book is a facsimile of the original, the remaining 1/5 is a translation, glossary, and notes (including a conversion table for Castillian ells to centimeters).

The book contains diagrams for 73 garments, plus a diagram for a "war banner," and two diagrams for "silk saddle trappings for jousts." The garments are for both men and women. The men's garments include ceremonial cloaks and church vestments. There are no diagrams for trousers, because trouser-making was apparently a different craft in Alcega's time.

Many of us, in reading Janet Arnold are familiar with this book due to her citing it numerous times. Now we can own it...and own it I do! This book is indespencible if you want to know what paterns from the latter 16th century looked like. It was written in 1589 by master tailor Jaun de Alcega to show others how to lay out patterns to conserve fabric. This book, is like having someone hand you a layout diagram from a modern pattern for many many differnt items of clothing ranging from doublets; to dresses; to cloaks; to horse barding. This book includes the actual 16th century Spanish work, followed by a translation...It even includes a conversion chart from the period Spanish measurements to modern ones ESSENTIAL!

This is a good book, if you're really serious about this time period, and you're also an experienced costumer.

The first 3/4 of this book is the original patterns in Spanish. The last fourth is the English translation. The patterns are mostly cloak patterns, with a few gowns for women, and a few doublets and gowns for men.

The pattern is given with a name and a brief paragraph of basic instructions, but no illustration of the garment. So unless you really research it, you won't be sure how the garment will look when you finish it. If you are an amateur costumer, I wouldn't buy it (since you need to know how to scale up patterns, tailoring tricks, and lots about the clothes of this time period.)

If you are enamored of late renaissance Spanish clothing, go for it. But before you buy this book, I suggest you buy Patterns of Fashion: The Cut & Construction of Clothes for Men & Women C. 1560-1620 By Janet Arnold.

For those who wish to re-create 16th century Spanish clothing and make them as authentic as possible, this is the book for you! The patterns should be used as general shapes and adjustments made for various body types. One word of caution: these patterns are not like those sold by Simplicity, McCall's, etc. Extensive experience with tailoring is required. However, even a novice can appreciate the value of this book as a source of documentation.