démodé

about the seamstress

about the seamstress

Kendra has been sewing since she was a wee lass, when her mother taught her sew on her Singer machine. Her first big project was a purple calico sundress for 4-H. Little did she know that she would have to participate in a judged fashion show wearing this sundress (evil fascist 4-H!), where her hem was determined to be sub-par. Her hems have sucked ever since.

Later forays into sewing were relatively unsuccessful, such as the upsetting-to-remember tiered iridescent lace skirt made with her mother's help (after sewing wrong sides to right sides too many times, they swore that next time they'd just buy the damn thing).

Kendra discovered the joy of sewing late in high school, when a friend (very sweetly!) made her a very badly fitting Renaissance Faire bodice. She thought, "I can do better than this!" and lo, she could! Her first bodice (bright blue cotton, coffee dyed to pass costume approval, and smelling of coffee forever after) was a success, and she was soon suckered into creating costumes for other Ren Faire friends. She quickly developed a need for a new costume every year, and when she started dancing at historic balls, a dark path opened before her.

Kendra primarily creates historic costumes for herself (she has sewn for profit before, and could be talked into it again for the right amount of money). Her current emphasis is on costume of the nineteenth century, although she's particularly fascinated by the 1770s-1790s, 1870s, and 1910s. She has an almost unnatural passion for stripes, thinks that all clothing should include box pleats and massive amounts of piping, and would be inordinately happy to spend her life on the couch hand sewing. Her DVD collection includes an entire shelf of what is known to her husband as, "Girlie Costume Films."

CONTACT THE SEAMSTRESS

1) Questions? Check the FAQ first

2) Email me (Don't forget to change the "at" to an @!).
I love getting email about this site and costuming, but be forewarned
that I'm not always prompt about writing back (job, life, sewing, etc.).

Rough costuming plans for the next millennium:

2008:

• 1560s Venetian gown (Caterina needs a new dress in time for faire season!)

Distant but will probably happen:

• 1530 Catherine of Aragon gown with gable hood
• 1560s Nuremberg dress (redo bodice, make sleeves, complete with hat and accessories)
• 1570s middle class Elizabethan kirtle and gown
• 1660s gown
• mid-18th century French court gown
• 18th century fancy dress costume
• 1780s jacket to wear with ivory petticoat, stripey capote (finish)
• 1790s interestingly pleated dress (or 1790s drop-fronted gown?)
• 1890s brocade evening dress
• 1909 suit, complete with new fancy embroidered/trimmed undies (specifically, corset cover and petticoat; maybe drawers) and recovered parasol; coordinating 1909-10 hat
• 1920s day dress for the Gatsby picnic

Someday:

• 1570s Flemish dress
• Queen Margot dress
• 1790s crewel embroidered evening dress
• Late 1870s natural form gown
• Satin and velvet 1880s afternoon dress
• Late 1940s suit
• 1940s princess line coat

Costume-related organizations/events/affiliations

Current:

• Newsletter editor, Greater Bay Area Costumer's Guild
• Performer, Bella Donna Venetian Courtesans
• Instructor, Costume College
• Member, Costume Society of America
• Occasional attendee, Gaskell balls
• Occasional attendee, PEERS balls

Past:

• Performer, Oliver Twist, Dickens Fair (2007)
• President, Greater Bay Area Costumer's Guild (2004-2007)
• Board of Directors, International Costumer's Guild
• Historical Masquerade Judge, Costume Con 23 (2005)
• Performer, Fezziwig's, Dickens Fair (2003)
• Attendee, Lively Arts History Association (2001-2003)
• Attendee, Social Dance Irregulars (2001-2003)
• Performer, Merrie Pryanksters, Renaissance Pleasure Faire (northern California) (1994-1996)
• Performer, St. Cuthbert's Guild, Renaissance Pleasure Faire (northern California) (1993)

Gallery of Scary Early Attempts!

I share this with you in the spirit of "we all started somewhere."  Don't laugh.

The fabled First Renaissance Costume(TM)!  Note the horrible bodice, in one layer of grey corduroy, boned with plastic, and not cut nearly high enough.  The blouse and "muffin cap" (god!) was bought at faire, I made the skirts.  Yeah, I blinked, too.		Going to my first ball, in a borrowed synthetic pink bridesmaid's-type dress!  My hoop is hitting the mirror behind me, hence the weird angle.  God I look young -- I'm about 17 here.		My first (personally owned) ballgown.  Made by a custom seamstress (who made modern things), out of synthetic moire taffeta, from a bridal gown pattern.  I told her to bone the front - she stuck plastic boning it at random places, and obviously didn't know thing one about fitting.  Note the sleeves.  The pic on the left was taken when I thought it was more Victorian to not smile for photos.