“If you sew for fun, don’t feel like you’re falling behind if you see others talking about their sewing progress. Stick to what works for you – time & budget. It’s not a race. Enjoy the ride accomplishing new designs & techniques.” ~Jennifer Rosbrugh
The response I got from posting the above status on the Historical Sewing Facebook page totally surprised me. It was not expected. But yet, I think so many of us who enjoy historical costuming occasionally feel like we’re not keeping up with the leaders in our hobby.
It’s not wrong to have the inner drive to keep up, to be personally inspired by others’ projects. But does this feeling of not being good enough or fast enough take our passion out altogether?
Sometimes I’ll see other fellow bloggers post pictures of their progress on a certain project. This is on Monday. Then by Wednesday they’re posting photos of a completely different project. Whoa! But then a week later they’re back to the first project. – And it’s nearly finished!
What astounds me is the amount of photos they are posting. Indeed. If you’ve not taken photos as you progress through each step in a costume, you may not realize just how time consuming it is. And then to add to that – these amazing costumers have the time to actually sit down and write a blog post with several pictures.
(I say “have time” as our lives are really set by the priorities we take the time to allow for.)
But I have to wonder if I’m just abnormal with a full-time day job, husband, two cats, friends online & off and trying to run an online website with active classes PLUS get in sewing time now & then.
Really? (Said sarcastically) “These successful bloggers must have no employment and must be rich with both time & money to produce costume after glorious costume.”
Well… at least that’s what it seems to me (on the outside looking in). But I know that’s not the truth.
That I currently don’t have a life of leisure to stay at home all day and sew up lovely articles for my historical wardrobe while my maid cleans the house and fixes all the meals must mean I’m falling behind all those other successful costumers, right?
Why can’t I keep up??…. argh…
But that’s not the point, is it?….
I would LOVE to have more time to sew. To finish that 1884 red day dress just because I want to; to complete a new lovely lime green 1916 dress for a Downton Abbey gown of my own….
I deeply admire my fellow costumers who dedicate themselves to continually working on their craft, their skills. That doesn’t mean the rest of us aren’t doing the same thing. It’s merely that we’re all on various tracks to different destinations.
The best way to stay on YOUR track and arrive at YOUR destination is to acknowledge the limitations you have. Accept them. Recognize that another costumer may have a larger money bag than you. That’s completely ok because they are at another point in life that’s different from yours.
TAKE HEART – your skills will improve by using them… free time comes & goes… and we all live through the highs and lows of financial well-being.
Our individual projects reflect particular points in our lives. Isn’t this the same for the REAL antique clothing that exists? It was a reflection of the wearer at the time – who they were, what they did, where they traveled. Copy this idea into your own sewing and you’ll find that those projects reflect the real you at this point in your life.
And the fun thing is, they will each have a story to tell about YOU….
Perhaps because I’m just new to all this (although I know a lot about costume history in general) and live in a little regional town in Australia where anyone who finds out about by hobby would think I was totally mad–and so I have nowhere to wear my things– I would rather spend half a year making something and get it right than try to “keep up” and make poor quality garments. 🙂
This advice was exactly what I needed to hear right now. I’m getting back into costuming as a leisure activity after years away from it (trying to support myself as costumer before the Internet was mainstream burnt me out for a long time) . I am in the point in my life where I have a decent non-sewing career so I have some money I can devote to my hobby… but it’s the time that is sorely lacking. If I’m lucky, I get an evening or two a week to spend in the sewing room. I started reading a large number of blogs and trying the HSF challenges as a motivator and ironically, I was de-motivated. I saw all these amazing things that other people were doing, I had all these ambitious projects that I wanted to do…but it became clear quickly that I simply did not have the time to knock out a project a month, much less a project every two weeks and other people’s finished garments made my own modest successes seem paltry. I just need to keep telling myself that I am costuming for my enjoyment and not to “keep up with the Jonses.” 🙂
Hear! Hear!
As I move into a time in my life where I have more time to call my own, I often feel WAY behind if I compare my accomplishments against others. I am a very proud mother to nine (yes, nine) children, will have eleven (yes, eleven!!) grandchildren by February and try to be involved in my church and community as well as working part time nursing in long term care. Do I wish I had more knowledge? YES! Do I wish I had more money to buy those rich, sumptuous fabrics? YES! Would I trade the years of motherhood and being grandma for either of those? Never. So I give thanks for what I have, work to the best of my ability, learn where I can and make do with whatever fabrics I have. Do I still envy all the talented experts out there? Naturally! I’m human after all 🙂
Often, I only have 1-3 days per month to update my blog. I usually do a lot of scheduled posts for the future. So, it may seem like I have time every other day to make a post, but I don’t. I also only have time to post photos of my completed projects or ideas and materials posts….but, definitely not progress photos. I’m usually too busy thinking about the steps to complete it.
Wow this struck such a chord. I always see you (and others) at costume college and think “oh my goodness she has so many dresses and every year new things I’ve never seen and they are so beautiful. Am I just wasting my time? Should I even be here?” I started sewing about 3-4 years ago and only have about 3 costumes (one of which I just finished in time for halloween). I always feel so behind, but you’re right every person’s story is different. Personally I’m only just now speeding up to the point where I can knock things out in a semi-timely manner and I definitely hear you on the full time job with husband. It helps a lot to hear this from someone I always look at and think “wow I’m not keeping up” :).
No worries! Just keep at your own pace. I only do a couple new dresses throughout the year then pack in my Month of Insanity (aka July) when I furiously try to finish all my ideas for Costume College. Alas, this year I had to hack 3 projects from that list and they STILL aren’t done now in November. I wish I could finish faster but life is full of other things too. Remember, it’s about the journey. As long as you’re moving forward you are on the right path. 🙂
I can tell you from experience, having the time doesn’t mean you’ll accomplish ANYTHING. I had to take a summer off a year ago because the classes I needed to take to graduate were ONLY offered in the fall, not the summer, so I figured, “Oh, I’ve got all these projects and all this fabric, I’ll get TONS done!”
Pffft.
I still haven’t redesigned the glove pattern to actually fit my hand with non-stretch fabric, despite the fact that I took the measurements and worked it all out a week and a half ago. And that summer off? I didn’t even finish the embroidery piece I’d been working on for a year and a half. Won’t have it for this year’s Ren Faire, either.
I mean, the gloves are understandable; we’ve spent all this summer renovating the house, so for instance today I spackled, sanded, primed, and painted an entire bathroom all by myself, and tomorrow I have to do another coat of paint and grout the floor tile. But last summer? Last summer the time just sort of slipped away; I kept thinking, “Oh, I have plenty of time for that.” That’s…kind of a dangerous thought; in a lot of ways it’s better to have to squeeze your sewing into whatever time you have, because then you’ve got more motivation!
Action is the greatest motivator!
I don’t write. I do however take photos at the end of a project an put them on my pintrest sight. Some times this happens in one big post of several outfits.
Thanks, Jennifer,
I was just feeling depressed that I am not having a new warkrobe to wear at Costume College, and how I have so much sewing to do and no time for my own. And feeling overwhelmed with all that I HAVE to do (like get my figures together for SBOE and pay them before I even think of packing). Yet, some think I accomplish so much and what vitamins am I taking? I think we all accomplish a lot in each of our lives, some are more verbal about it and some don’t count the non-costuming /sewing things we do, also. It takes time to keep up relationships or businesses, even though we are barely breaking even. Thanks for letting me feel I am not alone. It’s OK to just go alkong on the pace that I am and inspire and help others.
Shelley Peters
SewPeriod!
Kansas Mercnatile
Thank you for writing this article, there certainly is a sort of secret pressure to keep up with the costumers and bloggers and the reality is that most of us really can’t. I make costume and clothes semi professionally on top of a full time job and it really is a struggle to do it all. Though something I have found that is an amazing help is an app which allows blogging direct from my phone, I snap a picture of what I’m making, type in a few words, press upload and boom! Its out into the world without even going near a desk. Admittedly the length of my posts are generally shorter and only include one picture, but at least they’re done, whereas before I had the nagging back log of projects that would just never get written up.
But however many I manage to do, or however much sewing does get crossed off the to do list, there will always be people who do more. So you are quite right, work at your own speed, enjoy what you do and don’t let it become a chore.
Such a great post! I think we all need this reminder from time to time. I’ve felt like I’m not good enough for other costumers, because I don’t sew that many things a year, but I have to remember that I’m a graduate student with limited time and money. I also have to remind myself that the people I really admire have been sewing for much longer than I have, and my skills are still developing. So thanks for writing this!
Wow !After reading the article and comment I do recognize myself.I never had a lot of time and I know I did not sew fast at all.I wish I could present more costumes I made on my blog and be a leader or at least close of it.When I see other blog with so much costumes and so many activities people are going I wish I could do the same.But the reality is I’m not a fast sewer and I’m a new mom since december so every free moment is precious and rare .Do you know what I like the most about the article?I feel it was written by someone who have her feet on earth and fully conscious of the reality.Did anyone went to an activity and having the impression people are looking at you and make you feel uncomfortable because you’re not enough good or historically correct for them?
My friend Gwenyver add a post every day on her blog during one year because she was a new mom at home.Now it’s more when she have time.
Costume and blog did reflect the different stage of our life.It’s good to see people who realize that.Costuming and blog are both time consuming.
Thank you so much for this. I am a *costumer.* I am not a recreationist. I do not make historical outfits. However I do try to keep some elements of them in mind whenever I work on something that could be applied to a particular era.
While I have been sewing and creating costumes and outfits for almost 30 years now, since my early teens, I feel like an amateur whenever I encounter a recreationist. Comments downgrading the type of material I use, the cut of the sleeve, etc., they hurt. But I have to remember, I aim for the 10 foot, or even the 5 foot rule – looks good at 10 feet.
I also have one really big benefit that recreationists don’t – I have a lot more artistic license than they do. If I don’t like that sleeve cut, that skirt draping, I have a lot more options to change it to.
I suppose I should take it as a complement that the recreationists are analyzing my work in comparison to theirs, even though it’s a completely different category, because it means that I got it close enough that they didn’t realize I wasn’t attempting to recreate.
So, again, thank you.
This was such a good article! I think that we also should be more understanding towards others and the costumes they’re wearing or making and we should also understand that other people might have more or less limitations than we do.
I keep this posted on my design wall. It is adapted from Keri Smith’s The Artist’s Survival Kit
(Just as her checklist in meant to be tongue-and-cheek, so is mine!)
How to feel miserable as a costumer.
Constantly compare yourself to other costumers.
Talk to your family about your “work” and expect them to take you seriously.
Base the success of your entire career on the opinion of one unpleasable customer.
Stick with what you know.
Undervalue your costuming expertise/knowledge.
Let money dictate which projects you take.
Bow to societal pressures.
Take every commission that comes across your desk.
Do whatever the client asks- i.e. remake something, offer a discount, rent your custom designs, share your trade secrets, do pro bono work.
Set unachievable goals and expect them to be done by tomorrow.
Follow every other “costumer’s” site and constantly try to keep up with them.
Continually wonder why others do not follow (or stop following) your blog or facebook page.
Smiles!
I was rather depressed about how much sewing I’ve (not) been doing lately and reading through blogs which made me feel even worse. I stumbled upon your reply and I really appreciated what you said! I’m guilty of most of those items!
I really like being able to look at the costumes I have and think about what my interests were at the time I sewed them! I completely agree on how much they reflect what was going on in my life at the time.
I also play in a vampire larp, and my favorite part of it is costuming! I love looking back at what I created for the characters I’ve played and remembering good times! And it also means my costume closet varies from Tudor gowns, Italian Renaissance dresses, Hindi lehenga choli’s and veils, medieval bliauts, and victorian undergarments made from upcycled silk sari’s(my latest obsession)! And every piece was made under a different deadline and budget.
I do admit to feeling overwhelmed looking at other peoples blog sometimes. Not because they are sewing faster than I, but because I want to try more new things! Seeing everyone’s plans for Edwardian is driving me nuts!! I want to make one too!
I suppose I should add, in case anyone gets the wrong impression, that most bloggers I know are not at all wealthy. I know I’m not! Far from it! I source most of my fabrics and trims at big discounts or buy at estate sales or thrift stores where I can, and I’m all about coupons for stocking up on thread 🙂 I started doing my small business as a stint in between jobs and I’m still looking for something in my field.
Ah… don’t we all feel that way! I know you mentioned me, but I don’t feel like a leader in this in any way. I’ve barely had time to work on any personal projects in the last six months, but have projects from the last year that I finished and never blogged, so am playing catch up with those 🙂
It’s so funny, how we look at what others made and wish we could do the same. When I was working full time for someone else I’d spend more time on my personal projects and get a lot more sewing done, and wish I was at home doing my own business! But now, trying to be a small business and run it myself, I am so tired at the end of the day that I don’t want do do anything but veg out in front of the tv and do a bit of sewing on the weekends when I can fit it in- almost no sewing after work like I used to do! Maybe that’s why I made so many vintage outfits last year- I knew I could finish most of those in a day or two 🙂 But I’ve been wanting to get more into doing historical stuff and I know those can be quite time consuming compared to the vintage stuff!
Plus, I’m a hermit and seldom go anywhere 😉
I’m very new to costuming and oooh and ahh over every new costuming blog I find. I have to keep telling myself that I’ve just started and some of these people have been costuming for years! The sheer amount of pieces that go into a historical costume is overwhelming to me too so my mantra is one thing at a time (and research, research, research).
Personally, I’m able to post on my blog so much because I have a full time office job that frequently has a lot of lag time in between projects. I choose to use that time to work on hand sewing or to update my blog. Maybe the same applies to other bloggers as well.
I too do a lot of article & ebook writing on my lunch hour. I’ve been seen with my sewing basket there too when I’m running out of time at home before an event.