Have you ever dreamed of opening up your closet and it’s packed with dresses from another time? Of course you have or you wouldn’t be here reading! Isn’t it fun to dream of silk dresses, wool coats and bonnets? To think of afternoon tea and reading Pride & Prejudice as a contemporary novel? So Read More...
Category: Jen’s Musings
Being Safe in the Wilds of the Sewing Room
Do Not Try This At Home The deadline was approaching. The annual Costume College was the next weekend, and I was desperately trying to finish my costume for the Gala. You know the panic. I had a narrow ¼” seam allowance with several fat layers of fabric under my presser foot to stitch on the Read More...
The Biggest Mistake Costumers Make
Reproducing historical costumes is a heavy task. We work and labor; we finagle and cry; we bleed and curse and cause our family to wonder why we do this crazy stuff for something we’ll display to the world once or twice. It’s because we’re chasing after that elusive goal of hearing: “Wow! You look like Read More...
Wonder How Much That Costume is Worth?
I sort receipts for a living. For real. As a bookkeeper I have to sort through someone’s crumpled, sticky, torn, estrogen-mimicking receipts so they can be recorded. Piles and piles of receipts. And they all come to me stuffed into a gallon size Ziploc bag. I save the fun for slow work days…. Makes me wonder…. How Read More...
Costume College 2012
The Golden Age of Hollywood: 1930-1955 It was another spectacular year at Costume College! New friends were made, classes taken, sleep lost, stitches made, food eaten, Time Warp dancing happened and all the other wonderful happenings at this can’t miss event weekend. A huge thank you to the committee and to my friend, Becca Metzger, Read More...
3 Strategies for Overcoming Project Procrastination
Procrastinators of the world unite – tomorrow! If you are a historical costumer, you probably put off doing certain tasks to finish a project. I do. You WANT to sew. But you want to finish surfing Facebook or reading the new blog you found. You agonize over picking up that skirt to sew the final Read More...
Trying to Keep Up With Other Costumers?
“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 Read More...
Childhood Films that Inspired Me to Sew
I’m a movie buff. Quoting movies is a favorite pastime (“Like I could tip a cow… by myself!”). Discovering new books as a result of a movie production (either before or after I see it) shapes my current viewpoint and defines moments in my life. So it’s not too hard to further that thought that Read More...