Anyone used Reconstructing History patterns?

[abendgules]

I'm a longtime self-taught sempstress and have learned using measurements, and gradually moved on to fitted garments with cloth and paper blocks, with pretty good results.

I've used modern patterns a bit, for modern clothes and can follow pattern instructions.

I'm now tackling (or hoping to tackle, eventually) a couple of projects where I don't have much experienced - full hose, mens' doublets, Italian ladies' clothes - so I'm considering lashing out on patterns for guidance.

Does anyone have experience with these patterns? Are there any assumptions I should know about?

Comments

[xrian.livejournal.com]

People who love these patterns rave about them. They do, as another commenter said, require you to read, understand, and follow the directions (not a universal skill set! ;)

People who don't love them tend to focus on the size grading, I.e. the math that takes one pattern and automatically translates it into many sizes. Apparently for some garments this doesn't work very well, especially since IIUC it's a modern set of equations not designed for garments that don't always fit like modern garments.

I hasten to add that I'm passing this along as hearsay, since I haven't used any of the patterns that require close fitting. I just listen to what other costumers say.

If that's the case, it is probably worth your while to check a few pattern measurements to make sure, for instance, that edges that are supposed to be sewn to each other (and not eased) are the same length. And making at least a partial muslin first is seldom a bad idea ;)

[mariedeblois.livejournal.com]

For the one RH pattern I've tried so far, I wish I'd had the opportunity to do at least two muslins, because I was a) working long-distance and b) working on a type of item I was unfamiliar with (men's pants). I trusted the pattern rather than the back-of-my-head voice saying seam X wasn't long enough, and it wasn't long enough. That said, I'd have noticed and been able to solve that if it hadn't been for the long distance thing.

[bend-gules.livejournal.com]

Aha, this is useful to know. The grading assumptions are really important to (modern commercial) patterns.

And yes, a muslin is a must.