The producer of this pattern series is generally well regarded in the historical costume research groups I've encountered over the years. That said, doing research and producing usable patterns are apparently not complementary skills. Kass McGann routinely reminds her customers that her patterns will walk you through every step necessary to produce the "historical" garments described. Unfortunately the historical description is only marginally more useful than the included cartoons and instructions. The instructions refer to layout lines, dots and notches that never made it to the final draft. Having bought several of these patterns, many pieces are reused over and over with the same errors repeated in the pattern and instructions. The author provides no errata on her business or personal websites or the forums she frequents. All inquiries are referred to her email address, necessitating undesired delays. I don't expect to develop a personal relationship with the creator of a pattern, particularly when I'm paying a premium for the product, but I do expect it to do as advertised. The patterns are best described as "historically inspired."
I'm a prolific home sewer with twenty years experience in fitting other people and making historical garments based upon primary and secondary documentation using machines and hand sewing.
Save your ducats and look elsewhere, or draft your own, these patterns are no shortcut as I had hoped. Goodness knows I would have been better off had I done just that from the start, as that is what I ended up having to do in order to produce the historically correct garments this pattern attempts to describe, and saved myself the frustration of ahistorically drafted patterns. Don't even get me started on the codpiece. One wonders if she ever verified her patterns with actual garments before sending them out to the printer.
Kudos to Kass McGann for finding a way to profit from her research. Shame for producing such a poor product. I will never purchase another Reconstructing History product again.
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