How I began making costumes

(This post first appeared on Lady Janes Wardrobe)

Mum first taught me the basics of sewing when I was a teenager, and I used to sew basic outfits for girlfriends when I first went to work. I made my first historic costume while taking part in Bushranging Re-enactment shows when I was 17. It was a black cotton fabric with blue printed flowers trimmed with cotton lace. In those days I didn't know any better and it was from a basic commercial pattern with a ZIPPER down the back. I did however make a proper cage crinoline from cotton tape and crinoline steel wire obtained from a local wire merchant. He still had some sprung steel wire at the back of his warehouse. I made 9 hoops of varying widths guided only by a black and white illustration in a costume text. Looking at it now, it's actually pretty darned good! Beginners luck I guess. I made a circular calico petticoat to go over it and used to tie it down at intervals to the hoop, nothing more embarassing than lying "injured" on an open field and your petticoat blowing all over your head exposing your legs. It happened only once, and that was before I had made pantaloons or bloomers, and I used to wear bikini knickers....You can bet I researched and made bloomers pretty quickly, and made sure to wear them religiously. I often wore a camisole as well as the bloomers under the dress, and added gloves, bonnet and reticule bag to complete the look. The photo shows my 18 year old daughter wearing the dress only at an Open House at the historic house where I volunteer.