Magic School Bus

A re-imagining of the children’s cartoon. Photography by Jennie.

Morgause

When a friend showed me pictures of a dress the character Morgause wears in BBC’s television program ‘Merlin,’ I decided to try and make it.
I started from scratch, dyeing bolts of silk habotai and chiffon a deep red. I built the bodice from a light corset pattern I had lying around, using boning and eyelets, then covered it in the red silk and added a zipper, like the (blatantly inaccurate) original.
The lace top started life as an indecent American Apparel minidress, which I bought off Ebay, dyed, and cut up. The chiffon wrapping around the bodice was sewn in place while I wore the dress, since my dress form helpfully bit the dust. I draped the skirt and tacked the belt in place.
I’m fairly happy with the result, allowing for the slight changes I made to accommodate my form and looks.

Historical Clothing

A very warm and comfortable Regency gown in a period cotton print. It is fully lined.

This light cotton dress has a drawstring waist and neckline.

I made my spencer jacket in black wool twill and lined it with tea-dyed cotton.

I made each of these dresses in a different style from the same period.

Clothes I Wear Around

I based this blue cotton jumper very loosely on an existing bodice pattern and added a geometric waistband so I wouldn’t get bored.

I made the skirt from an old pattern in green twill, and used another 70s pattern to make the vest, which is made in cotton damask, topstitched, and carefully faced in twill.

For Christmas Eve I took a pretty lace dress and turned it into what I thought was a prettier lace dress. Of course, I started this project on December 24th. And in the time-honored tradition of advertising, my glum “before” picture, and now-

behold my much more staged and much more attractive “after” picture.

More Historical Clothing

Petticoat, shift, bedgown, and modesty cloth all handsewn, and the bedgown hand-dyed. This kit is a representation of English clothing in the 1750s. Worn over my 1860s corset.

I made this gussetted corset in cotton duck, with an outer fabric of silk dupioni. It is boned with plastic cable ties, my favorite inaccurate material! They just work so well.

This dress is only loosely historical, as it was inspired by Pre-Raphaelite paintings of John William Waterhouse. The linen/rayon blend is hand-dyed. The pattern is based on a Regency short stays pattern, and I modified it slightly and attached a skirt. The skirt is deeply pleated with double knife pleats for fullness.

A Brief Introduction

Welcome to my costuming and clothing design portfolio. This will serve in the interim until my printed portfolio is complete.
My interest in sewing and designing was first manifested as elaborate dress-up schemes when I was very young. As I grew it developed into a fascination with vintage and handmade clothing, which prompted me to start compiling the vintage collection I have now, and to study and make clothing from many time periods.

As a historical reenactor I have learned how to make clothing that is accurate to the last detail. As a performer I learned that on stage, a costume is used to convey an impression or idea, but it is not always necessary to follow every rule of period sewing. Having reenacted for several years and acted all through and after junior-high and high school, I have had many mentors in both areas and have worked at developing a balanced view of clothing in performance.
Aside from my more professional opinions, I take great pleasure in creating things and spend much time sewing for nothing more than personal enjoyment.

Thank you for perusing my portfolio. I hope you find it interesting.

Wedding

This dress was a commission. It is fully lined satin with an empire waist. The buttons were done with satin cord.

Knit

This orange batwing hoodie is an exact replica of the item pictured below. The pattern was taken from the original. Made in a cotton knit.

Inspired

The following pictures represent clothing that I have made based on things I have seen on television, in films, or in photographs. My projects will be displayed first, followed by the inspirations.

Odds and Ends

A blue cotton broadcloth skirt in four panels with trim at the hem. Drawstring waist.

Gold Brocade

-formal brocade dress. Pattern drafted entirely from scratch. A particular feature is the double side panels which form interesting princess seaming. Based loosely on the green dress worn by Susan in the film “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.”
[It’s interesting to note that I made this dress at age fifteen. It was my first drafting project, and took months of measuring, drawing and redrawing.]

Floral skirt with waistband and grosgrain ribbon trim. Every stitch done by hand.

Halter-neck apron, fully lined, with waist ties and 1940s fit.