I’ve been Sewing Costumes for 20 years (and I’ve run out of room)



In 2003 I started my first job in a costume shop and I’ve been sewing a wide variety of historic costumes ever since. As my closet has begun to overflow, I realized I should take a few moments to share everything before setting it free! I’ve traversed centuries in my journey to get to where I am today, but every piece was part of that (no matter how successful). Georgian, Victorian, Regency, Edwardian, and a few random outliers add up to nearly 70 major ensembles. I may not be as prolific as I was years ago, but I hope the next 20 years brings just as many reasons to celebrate!

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00:00 Intro
02:35 2003-2007
04:56 2008-2010
07:49 2011
11:17 2012
15:08 2013-2014
18:00 2015
20:44 2016-2018
25:30 2019-2020

cosplay costume store We offer a wide range of styles and sizes, from classic superhero costumes to intricate anime outfits and beyond.

48 thoughts on “I’ve been Sewing Costumes for 20 years (and I’ve run out of room)

  1. I'm just now realizing that I could have met you or Abby in 2006/7 (when I was 6) on a vacay to Williamsburg and found you on YouTube all these years later is bananas! Got my first historic dress there too and was mad I had to wear crocs instead of accurate shoes. Let my dad hear about that for awhile. 😂

  2. I had no idea you were at Tesla Con! I remember those costumes from your first year as it was my first year and I was so in awe of them. Do you ever plan to come back?

  3. I feel a little bit mean, but I like that someone else also had big plans for 2020 and they didn't work out, a lot of people in my real life didn't have big specific plans for the year so they weren't completely devastated when it all fell apart so it's nice to empathize with someone else on that front

  4. Incredible. You could earn so much just by sewing Edwardian or Victorian (Vest and Blouses) upper parts Clothes for ppl who can't sew. Like a retro Style. Nowadays Clothes is so boring, no shape, less embroidery, so much oversized, that (i) look even more ticket than i am.

  5. I have really enjoyed your channel. This has been so educational and inspirational. Your interest in fashion has opened up a whole new avenue for me. You have made so many beautiful things. Your clothes are gorgeous! But…your extensive knowledge of under garments, hats, shoes and so many other items has been totally fascinating! What a joy and pleasure it has been hearing about your life and experiences. Thank you for sharing this truly interesting subject. I look forward to your future videos. 🙌🏻 🙌🏻 🙌🏻

  6. I REALLY like the brown floral print that you made for Colonial Williamsburg, and then, with Abby's help, made for yourself. Do you have information about whether/where it is accessible?

  7. Just delightful to see your journey and these lovely pieces! I've never done anything at your level, but I do know how hard it is to let go of things you've sewn and worked hard on, especially if they are associated with special events. Great idea to do this video for them

  8. My first historical piece was a full on Robe a la Francais last year. I did make a mock up of cotton, but after that went straight to silk taffeta. Super expensive, a very stupid, but incredibly rewarding.

  9. I want to start doing more historical sewing. I'm kind of in a rut with sewing atm because I donated or re-homed so much of my projects I made since starting sewing over 15 years ago. I also run out of space. Its not very inspiring. I made the conscious decision to stop consuming certain sewing content that feels like everyone is simply "massproducing" their version at home. I felt I wanted to learn to sew to do something else with it. Now it feels like everyone sews 10 dresses / week and they still land in landfill or will only be worn once. Currently looking for a way to make my sewing more sustainable, even though I shop mostly second hand for supplies and patterns. There's still a lot I could do and also make better plans before starting a project.

  10. There's something else going on here. Good self care is relapse prevention. We learned this in an addiction support group. Good clothing supports good health. Most of the modern clothing for the lower classes is made to fit a plastic mannequin. The clothing irritates our skin because it's not made to fit us. It actually cuts our skin. It's literally bad for our health to be too poor to afford clothing that fits. So the work that you are doing is improving the quality of life for everyone. Keep going, no matter how discourage you get. You are doing really well.

  11. There's nothing wrong with the red toille dress. It doesn't look too large of a print to me. It looks beautiful. I think you are being too critical of yourself. I have the same problem. It's a response to years of child abuse. They beat me so frequently I grew up believing I was never good enough, no matter what I did. Everything I have seen in your video looks really attractive.

  12. Wow! I learned so much good and useful information from this video. For example, that you made at least ten mock-ups before you completed the dress. I love vintage clothing. Thanks for making the video.

  13. You can probably blame Jane Austen for people's first foray into historical costuming. She epitomises the Regency period for most people. Odd since she was actually writing her books in the late 18th century!

  14. I love this!! So great to hear about your costume journey! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASEEE do a shoemaking video too.. I would love to hear about your journey with that tooo

  15. Where would you start to find something easy ish to make to start? I’d so love to make something historical, even though I generally make quilts and am an oldie in my fifties