I started sewing when I joined the SCA. Before that, my mother would make me wonderful Halloween costumes, and I'd help her by sewing the straight seams on the machine, but that's about it. I never even made doll clothes, or anything of the kind before. But I LOVED historical clothing. Ever since I was a child I've loved dressing up, not in funny clothes, but in clothes of other cultures or of eras past.
So, when I joined the SCA, sewing became the way to obtain the costumes I wanted. I think to this day I like "having made" something more than I like "making" it. I had to learn to make clothes without a pattern (thanks Kass - and her reconstructinghistory website), something my mother wouldn't do. I learned mostly by reading mailing lists and websites. I love thinking about projects, planning, researching, buying fabric and accessories, washing, preparing and ironing the fabric, but then I get stuck because I HATE HATE HATE marking, pinning and cutting. Sometimes a project will sit in a box for years before I start because I just can't bring myself to lay it out and cut. The sewing stage itself doesn't bother me. It's not something I enjoy doing, but I don't hate it either. Fitting doesn't bother me either, but fitting myself is kind of a hassle - I really have to get a dress dummy at some point. Then I get to the other part I love - hand-finishing. Hemming, finishing the inside seams, all of that. I also love cats, and used to have one (he'd find a squishy spot somewhere close by and sleep there while I worked - wonderful to have that kind of company) but I'm allergic and doubt I'll ever have another one. You're right though - when I think of it, all (or almost all) costumers I know have cats. _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
