Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

For anyone interested in making a medieval garment, but who doesn't know where to begin: this book is for you. This book covers everything you ever wanted to know about medieval clothing, from measurements, patterns and materials to methods of construction. It has over 400 illustrations of medieval clothing, and 121 patterns for shirts and smocks, cotes, doublets, kirtles, hose, surcotes, cotehardies, gowns, overkirtles, cloaks, children's clothing, headwear, and accessories. Current books on the subject of Medieval costume concentrate either on research (with good information on what was worn, but little on how to actually make it) or towards theatrical costume (with information on how to make the items, but dubious historical accuracy.) The Medieval Tailor's Assistant is the best of both worlds, combining solid research and detailed "how-to" information into one volume. This book is geared more toward the novice or intermediate costumer and sewer than toward the advanced historic costume researcher. As it is not primarily a research work, it doesn't delve into original sources as much as books like Janet Arnold's "Patterns of Fashion." The research which went into it is very good, however, and it gives less experienced historic costumers a splendid place to start.