The wonderfully multi-talented @tendstowardschaos easily fits into ANY category here on LC, but I decided to focus on one of her many talents for our latest feature…her amazing clothing making skills!
You are so adventurous in your clothes making! Tell us about some of your earliest clothing projects and how you got started making clothes.
Thank you! Aside from the clothes I hand-sewed for my stuffed animals in elementary school, I guess I started out by making Halloween costumes for myself while I was in college. My grandmother had taught me the basics of sewing - we would sit together and mend my grandpa’s shirts - and I had a copy of Singer’s Sewing for Style, a new sewing machine I got for Christmas, and way more confidence than skill. Naturally, my first projects were full of mistakes. I didn’t know much about fabrics, drape, pattern drafting/alteration, etc. But, I managed a wearable version of Marilyn Monroe’s iconic dress from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. That bubblegum pink, strapless number with the oversized bow. My husband and I have done quite a few couples’ costumes over the decades. Captain Hook and Tinkerbell, Antony and Cleopatra, Scarlett Overkill and the Minions, Shaggy and Velma.
Cleopatra costume featuring real vintage Lame` on the collar and belt
What do you find is the most challenging part about making clothes? The most rewarding?
The most challenging thing, for me, is fit. Not many people are the exact proportions of the slopers used by the Big 4 pattern designers, and pattern-drafting is still something I’m attempting to learn. I have to alter almost every pattern, but practice is making this less daunting all the time.
I love making stuff for my family - costumes, sweaters, bags. My kids are growing out of everything faster than I can stitch, though, so I’ve been honing my skills on garments for myself lately. Still, I love that they use and enjoy something I poured time, effort, and love into.
What was the most challenging SEWN clothing item you’ve ever made?
The (Original) Catholic School Uniform Blazer. Men’s tailored garments are no joke. Making one out of several other garments, in polyester, was a challenge. I loved every minute of it, though. It had started out as a joke, but turned into a gesture of appreciation for a principal who really cares about his students.
What advice would you offer others who are interested in trying their hand at clothes-making?
Learn about the different types of fiber and fabric. Get your hands on samples and play with them.
You are a rare talent in that you sew AND knit wearable items. What was one of your earliest wearable projects in knitting?
I picked up knitting again because a friend asked me if I would knit the Doctor Who scarf. After that, I was determined to knit a sweater. There were a few skills I needed to learn, and that meant a few smaller projects (hat, mitts, etc.) to figure those out. I used some of the yarn left over from the Doctor Who scarf to knit my first raglan sweater. Amazingly, it fit and looked like a proper sweater. Success on a first attempt is a little addictive and I have barely put my needles down since.
What was the most challenging KNITTED clothing item you’ve ever made?
I don’t actually knit anything I would consider a challenge in any technical sense. I suppose that a long, over-sized cardigan in fingering weight cotton is a challenge, just because it’s a lot of stitches. Anything I’ve made with mohair was a challenge because frogging wasn’t an option. But, I tend to keep my knit projects simple so that they stay relaxing. I’ll probably tackle cables someday, though. There’s a specific cabled afghan that my grandmother knit for all of her kids, and some of her older grandkids, and I would like to knit one for each of my kids to carry on the tradition.
What are three essential tools you can’t live without when it comes to making clothes?
An iron, a seam ripper, and an automatic buttonhole attachment for my sewing machine.
What is your favorite project you’ve posted in the Fashion Category?
The Elizabeth Swann from PotC2 costume. It was so much work and it was so much fun to wear. Pirate clothing is ridiculously comfortable, too. Sourcing all of the materials was a bit of a scavenger hunt and modifying the patterns to fit the film costumes took some effort. My only regret is that the vest is made from synthetic fabric (not period accurate!) because that is what I had on hand…it made for quite a warm costume.
What is your favorite project that someone else has posted in the Fashion Category?
This is a really hard question. You know we have buckets of talent on LC, but I’ll call out a few. Ceeps’ patterned tops are all amazing (and so much fun!) and Loop-da-loop’s creations are equally fabulous, and Edel’s Renaissance SCA gown was just “chef’s kiss” divine.
Thank you, @tendstowardschaos for giving us a peek behind the curtain of your genius!