Great Expectations

Dear Blogosphere,

Welcome! and thank you for reading this, if indeed you are. I am Abby and I am a professional costumer. This blog serves the purpose of chronicling my costuming and designing adventures. About a year ago, I subscribed to the popular website patternreview.com and began to review patterns I had sewn. Sharing my experiences and photos got me hooked, but I wanted to share more of my costume construction process than Pattern Review is prepared to handle, so here we are.

A little bit about me: In 2003, I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatrical Design and Production from Baylor University. My concentration was Scenic Design, but I have worked in every aspect of theatre production before and since. I have worked at various civic and professional theatres doing everything from scenic carpentry and scenic painting to costume design and lighting technician. In 2007 I began working full time in a costume production house in Houston and fell in love with costuming. More specifically, I fell in love with costume history and have become obsessed with recreating historical clothing with all of the accurate details. While working there, I was able to really hone my sewing skills and get some experience with other interesting costuming activities like making period headpieces, shoes and jewelry, and looking at pretty, pretty costume pictures.

At the end of 2010, I had decided to quit working full time and drop down to extreeeeemely part-time at the costume shop so that I could stay home with our son, who was (at the time) due to be born in February (he's now almost 3 months old!) and do some sewing for fun. However, at the end of December, my husband got laid off from his job, so now it looks like sewing might be a necessity rather than a hobby (Going back to full time at the shop really isn't an option, unfortunately, since I didn't make enough there to pay for child-care during work hours).

At any rate, I'll be doing more of it and will share my adventures here! My first project is for a sewing contest on Pattern Review called "Knock it Off!" where I am charged with reproducing a garment I have seen somewhere. I will be attempting a 1950's evening dress from a vintage Kotex ad. I will start working on it after the first of May per the contest rules and also due to the fact that my commissioned job for a set of Medieval costumes from Annunciation Orthodox School is due on Thursday the 28th. I've been sewing my little fingers to the bone over the last couple of days to get all of the last-minute things finished up.

I can't wait to get started on the new project!

Thanks for reading, and I'll see you soon!