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Yes, they come with fullsize patterns.

Um, I think the reason most people haven't translated the instructions fully is because the people who actually use the patterns have sewn some in the past, and don't need instructions, or they just use the pictures as instructions. I know I don't bother to take the time to read any kind of instructions unless there are photos or other pictures. I would actually suggest buying a Gosurori, because they have more patterns, four size choices, and some very detailed instructions. You have to do a little pattern splicing and such, to alter some of the pieces to the correct style, but it's definitely not drafting.

I haven't had much luck with people's instructions for drafting, either, but I still think that the Gosuroris are a better deal than Bibles, if you're buying them for the patterns.

Check out this gallery to decide which volume is best for you:
http://www.avantgauche.co.uk/gallery/index.html

I own the Homemade volume, and #6, if you have questions about them. There's also a list of patterns included in bibles, on that site, if you're interested in knowing that. I have quite a few bibles, so if you want specific pictures, I can probably help you out.

The Gosuroris are basically just pattern books, with the design drawings in the begining, and then the instructions in the back, with a pull-out pattern sheet.

The Bibles have all kinds of neat photos, and articles that I can't read, but I love looking at the ad photos (which the gosuroris have, too) and trying to figure out what books and movies they're reccomending, and stuff. It also has makeup tips, but if you just want the makeup, buy the Makeup extra. I hear that it's a consolidation of all the makeup in the bibles. I don't know which one it goes up through, but I'd guess about #15, or so.

Both have pull-out pattern sheets, but the bibles only have a few projects per volume while the gosuroris have up to 50, or more. WIth the pattern sheets, you're either going to need vellum, or a similarly translucent paper, in order to trace the pattern pieces you want; or you can do like I do, and put brown package paper beneath the pattern sheet and run a tracing wheel over the pattern lines, then go over those lines with a pen. Brown paper comes in wider rolls than vellum does, and is just as sturdy. (Plus, it's recyclable.)

The reason you'll have to somehow trace the patterns you want is because they're all stuck on one large sheet of thick paper, and if you tried to cut out what you wanted, you'd ruin other pattern pieces, possibly ones you need to complete your outfit. It can be confusing to figure out which pieces you're looking for, but the gosuroris tend to number them, and you can use batty-chan's translations to make sure you're looking at the right piece. I always label my tracings with the number, size, and name, as well as the volume it came from, since I have two of the books.

Yep, I meant the really thick vellum that's cardstock quality. You can buy it in rolls, and some people have used it to trace the patterns. I just prefer brown paper, or butcher's paper, because that has a nice plastic coating that helps it hold up.

Pattern tissue is just flimsy junk. >.< Some pattern companies, the smaller ones usually, use nice thick white paper.

Some pleated skirts are tubes. Actually, most are. They're 3x the finished waist measurement.

If you want really elaborate pleats, you could probably use a flared skirt to pleat.

I don't think it's a dirndil, because the bodice is different. Try making a pleat, with a piece of scrap fabric and you'll understand. You'll get three layers of fabric for each pleat.

You want 2.5 (at the very least) to 3 times your waist/hips (depending on if you have proportionally large hips, which I do, so I use my hips as the base measurement) for lolita skirts, anyway. Otherwise, you don't get enough pouf. An easy way to do that without all the fabric at your waist is to make a tiered skirt, where only the bottom tier has 3x your waist/hips in fabric.