PATTERNS

ALCEGA
Alcega's pattern book is at least familiar to most costumers if only by name rather than sight. The patterns are not patterns per se (some pieces don't match up in regards to size) but a guide to the best use of fabric when cutting a garment for a customer. The patterns seem to be for the affluent, but no court specific dress is mentioned. There is barding for jousting however.
When I purchased my copy, I knew there was indeed a good number of patterns in there, but I was not sure how many would actually be useful in my recreation of women's costume. Pattern books tend to be heavily weighted in favour of men's garments.
So when I received it I was pleasantly surprised by the number of images of cutting layouts for women:

4X Faldellin: half circle shaped skirts with the back cut on the fold. This produces a line that goes acrodd the CF horizontally which then touches the hem further back. It gives a line very similar to that seen in some portraits of skirts which are probably tucks (as in some they extend all the way around the skirt.)
7X vasquina: "kirtles" these are cut in gores, using triangular shaped pieces attached to the slevage to make the trapezoid panels. These do not have bodices.
4X vasquina y cuerpo baxo: "kirtles" with a low cut bodice, with a curved neckline. Again skirt pieces are cut in gores.
8X saya: gowns with fitted pointed bodices. Most have the familiar half circle sleeves. Gored skirt panels.
10X ropa: loose gowns with no seperate skirt.
2X mongil trancado: mourning gowns with a loose back but seperate fitted bodice at the front. The backs can have either a full bodice underneath (probably made of an inferior cloth as it wouldn't be seen) or pieces at the back that could be laced/tied together. It seems very similar in arrangement to the "saque" dresses of the 18thC. There are surcoats in Patterns of Fashion that have controlled taped pleats at the upper backs. The skirt fronts are cut in gores.
1X verdugardo: supportive skirt. The farthingale. cut in gores, piecing again to make best use of fabric.
7X Manto (for women, many more for men): semi circular mantles.
2X jubon (for women, more for men): fitted doublet

If you are wishing to recreate a late 16thC gown, then getting hold of this book will be enlightening.

OTHERS
Of course if you are loathe to buy a book before understanding what you are getting, there are some very kind souls who have other pattern books online.

Hosted by The Renaissance Tailor: Tammy Dupuis has several images from several books at her site.
  ~ Francois de la Rocha de Burguen, 1618: specifically f181, which is remarkably similar to a saya in Alcega.
  ~ Diego de Freyle, 1588: specifically 41, 42, 43, 44 for ropa, 45 for a mantle, 47 for a saya and vasquina
  ~ Martin de Anduxar, 1640: showing layouts for cutting stripes to lie diagonally on a man's doublet/jerkin.
  ~ A Polish Tailor's Manuscript of 1585: for layout of similar gowns to the loose ropa.

Hosted by Dre Leed's Elizabethan Costuming Page
  ~ Milanese Tailor's book: The skirts are rather less full than in Alcega, but there are typical half circle Spanish hanging sleeves evident.
  ~ Tailor's Book of Enns, 1590: not too much in the way of Spanish inspired clothing, but another way of cutting a gown with no waist seam and is very interesting nonetheless.

Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion does not have any patterns of extant women's Spanish dress but she does have patterns of garments heavily inspired by the fashions. Most noable of these are the patterns of the dresses worn by Dorothea Sabine and Dorothea Maria.
Blanche Payne's History of Costume, first edition has a pattern for the black velvet jerkin in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the c1600 Spanish girl's gown.
These books are also extremely worthwhile to hunt down.



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