Patterns for Theatrical Costumes: Garments, Trims, and Accessories from Ancient Egypt to 1915: Amazon.ca: Katherine Strand Holkeboer: Books

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Patterns for Theatrical Costumes by Katherine Strand Holkeboer is back in print at the same $29.95 price.

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Customer Reviews

22 Reviews

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4.5 out of 5 stars (22 customer reviews)

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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Patterns for Theatrical Costumes:Garments, Trims, and Acces, Sep 17 2003

By

D. Remington "Costumelady" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Patterns for Theatrical Costumes: Garments, Trims, and Accessories from Ancient Egypt to 1915 (Paperback)

I've been a costume designer for over 25 years. 18 years ago I picked up a copy of this book. Little did I know what a Godsend it would be to me over the years. This book is great for the costume designer, who has a small budget, a big cast, a flaky volunteer crew, and a month to put together a peroid show. This book is to be used and doggear with a broken spine. I costume six to ten shows a year, and this book is always at my side. The simple drawings give directors a quick idea of the period, the patterns are amazing and easy to draft.

I will often times give my costume interns a copy of this book for a going away present. It is an invaluable resource. One warning, it is not for the picky historical reinactors. This book is for the "down and dirty" theatrical costumer.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An invaluable resource., Jun 9 2004

By

M. E. Volmar - See all my reviews

This review is from: Patterns for Theatrical Costumes: Garments, Trims, and Accessories from Ancient Egypt to 1915 (Paperback)

This book is the most comprehensive, single-volume collection of historical patterns (from Ancient Egypt through 1915) available today for men's and women's costumes. While the pattern designs are very simplistic, present little detail on closures or embellishments and present only general instructions on construction, they are functional and very easy to make, represent nearly-authentic cuts and effectively achieve the intended essential look for their specific period.
Each pattern in the book is presented in three sizes and, for the individual pieces of a complete garment, a label is often attached, giving its historical name and a brief description of its appearance or use. As a bonus, patterns for specialty costumes (fantasy, religious, Chinese, Japanese, and animals), undergarments, hats, wigs and masks are included, and its Introduction explains, in a step-by-step format, costuming techniques such as enlarging patterns, fitting designs, and draping.
This book can also serve, with just a little imagination, as an infinite source of ideas to help you create your own patterns, although you will have to refer to other books on period specific costumes to give your work finishing details like ornaments, trims, and other accessories.
The only weak point of the book is its glued soft-cover binding, which is completely inadequate for the spine-creasing use you will surely subject it to.
If you either work for the theater or just enjoy making your own costumes, you will find this book to be an indispensable part of your library.
--Reviewed by M. E. Volmar

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Patterns for Theatrical Costume, Aug 28 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Patterns for Theatrical Costumes: Garments, Trims, and Accessories from Ancient Egypt to 1915 (Paperback)

A good book to use as a starting point in the building of costumes. It gives great detail on how create masks, millinary, drafting a pattern, radiating a pattern and so on. Gives a good basic idea of the styles for specific periods and the names of the different pieces. The historical accuracy is also very good too. Nice variations on how to give a different shape to sleeves, and hems and decorative borders that are accurate for the period. I have created sucessfully the early 16th and 17th century costumes as well as early mantles. Sizing is not always true to modern sizes and some adjusting may be neccessary. I really enjoy this book and it is often the first place I look in getting ideas for a new costume.

Stephanie Carrig

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great costume book!
This book was very detailed and contained helpful information. While a begining sewer probably would not be able to scale the patterns up correctly, a seasoned sewer shouldn't... Read more

Published on Jan 20 2004 by Sarah Courtney

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Reference
I have not found that the patterns in this book are especially easy to use due to the fact that they must be enlarged... or that I am just too impatient. Read more

Published on July 15 2003