How I Got Bitten By The Costume Bug

[mala_14]

It all goes back to grade 1 when I started reading the Little House Books. Anyone who has read These Happy Golden Years can probably understand why. All those descriptions of Laura Ingalls's beautiful dresses are enough to get anyone interested in pioneer clothing. After that it was Anne of Green Gables and her Christmas dress. I know that I have sketches around somewhere in some little notebook of what I thought clothing looked like then. Of course that was LONG before the Internet came to my house and before I could do any actual research. Now I have a small encyclopedia of knowledge of historical costume in my brain stretching from 1750-1950 and including Tudor and a little Elizabethan as well. Unfortunately, my brain can't hold all this knowledge very well so it doesn't all stay in there. I still like to think that I know a great deal more than the average person on the street.

Anyways, now that I'm able to sew a little bit and know a great deal more about fashions and fabrics I have these uncontrollable urges to create historical garments in my head. Some of these eventually get onto paper and then stop as they can go no further. I am a currently unemployed new adult so I can't afford all the stuff I would like to make these garments. My mom, who also has a bit of a sewing bug which our fabric-filled basement will attest to, supports my sewing habits and is generous enough to by me a yard or two of fabric here and there so I can practice sewing vaguely historic stuff for my rag doll who is nicely squishable in stays. So far I finished 18th century stays and am about 3/4 finished hand sewing an 18th century chemise.

Pictures of these project will be forthcoming due to my lovely new digital camera. I just need to install the software. Yay!

Comments

[ayzil.livejournal.com]

I used to sit in my basement for hours and just examine the pictures in the clothing article of the old Enclopedias we had down there. I would just slowly go through all the pages and envision stories and plays where the characters wore them all, from ancient to modern. I don't know why, but I, too, was always fascinated with historical clothing. Of course, at school I don't have the time, space, or resources to pursue it. I can't wait to see your pics!

Re:

[mala-14.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'm gonna load the software today and tinker around with things. This semester I have only 2 classes which sounds like nothing compared to the busy schedule you seem to have, so I feel like I have to be productive.