How often do you sew? Do you feel productive when you barricade yourself in your sewing area? If you’re anything like me, some days are full of efficiency while others… well, 3 hours later and you’re still staring at the pattern…. With our limited time and very busy lives, it’s hard to feel productive when Read More...
Planning a Big Costume Project
Yeah… you’ve finally reached that point where you want to tackle a huge project. Something that challenges you. An undertaking that takes your skills to a new level. It may be a trained 1882 dinner dress; a Civil War ball gown; or an embroidered Regency dress. But where to begin? You have a brief idea Read More...
Some Things Are Better Left in the Past
Faux pas: a slip or blunder in etiquette, manners, or conduct; an embarrassing social blunder or indiscretion. Just because you find historically documented proof of something being from the past, be it a dressmaking technique, hair style, manner of speaking, etc., doesn’t mean you *should* use it in your costuming. I mean, really, do we Read More...
Avoid the Corset Ridge
If you’ve worn a corset you know it…. THAT LINE! That horrible, awful line. That ridge that sticks out in front of you like a power boat pushing through the water creating a wall of water around its bow. It’s nearly as bad as obvious hoop lines. Ugh… So what can you do next time Read More...
1875 Scotch & Soda Dinner Dress
For years I’ve wanted to make a gown using my family’s tartan. But I didn’t necessarily want it in wool. So that left a silk fabric. Yeah… expensive silk. From Scotland. hehe 😀 Also, I hadn’t sewn a plaid in years (and no, I don’t mean going back to when I was 14 and made Read More...
Costume College 2013 Review
We came, we played, we sewed, we learned, we (didn’t) sleep much, and it was Fantastic!! Simply a great Costume College event! Being my 13th year attending, you would naturally expect some years to be great and some so-so. But honestly, the last few Colleges have been really good! It comes down to “it is Read More...
Selecting the Correct Bustle to Create the 1870s or 1880s Silhouette You Want
Scrolling through the hundreds of photos of Bustle Era dresses and patterns makes you wonder – so just what goes under that dress to make that silhouette? How does that skirt get into that shape? This period is all about the skirt! It is what defines this era and further divides it into three distinct Read More...
Could a Perfect Fit be Too Tight?
Have you ever thought about how tight your historical clothing should be? Fit is very important for that “look.” However, is there a point where we are so concerned with that “look” that we forget we’re reproducing garments that were intended to be lived in? We see antique, existing clothing on mannequins and fashion sketches Read More...