Dispatch no. 6 - Updates Podcast

It's interesting how many of your costuming insecurities and hesitancy match my own. I can't afford yards of linen and silk. I work full time (From home now! Finally. My new boss is great) but that's time I have to dedicate away from "hobbies". I've made several sets of earrings, a few necklaces and bracelets, and my first forays into beaded brooches, but the long process of clothes making daunts me. The cost of materials and time--and not wanting to seem like I'm jumping on a trend--gives me pause. I've made a few shirts, and a circle skirt, but still it gets to me lol. Idk, I know this is years ago, but I feel your pain. Thanks for sharing

Wow!! What a Brilliant design! Beautiful work!

I wasn’t even aware that costuming videos were big on YouTube! Shows how much I know. I’ll bet you could manage some interesting partnerships with institutions that have outreach programs, public libraries, community arts schools, maybe even some thrift stores would consider sponsoring a video or online series where you would go in, shop for things and demonstrate a variety of ways the items could be styled (once it’s safe, of course.) Also retirement homes for independent seniors would probably enjoy a planned video event. After all, you do make clothes from their era and you seem like the type who would get along well with older folks. Before the pandemic, I used to go entertain at seniors homes and I loved it! I miss it. I’ll bet there are all sorts of other partnerships that could be made and that would get you connected with new groups of people (ie non-sewers like me) and who would enjoy your content. The Steinway piano galleries are always keen for creative events and fashion/music pair well together. Maybe some local music teachers who often hold studio class recitals would care to have you talk about the fashion from the times when the music was written (Chopin, Beethoven, etc). Book clubs, too, perhaps? Maybe you could reach out to them via the public library and find out if any are reading historical literature and, as a complement to the discussions, you could be a special guest to talk about the fashion. You’d have to read the book, but you do seem to enjoy reading and it might make for interest in your own book later down the road. Probably you learned some good skills in this regard when you worked in retail. Introverted as I am, I know I learned a tonne about making connections and building partnerships when I worked for Steinway selling pianos. Thankfully though, that’s behind me. I need to create! As for the Master’s degree, forget about it. You have more passion and, dare I say, knowledge than most with the coveted piece of paper. My DMA degree, we used to joke, stood for “Doesn’t Mean Anything.” There is a bit of truth in that. You just be you.

Another late listener, here to confirm that your sewing trajectory feels VERY familiar. Which sewer of our generation didn't get into sewing via fantasy and historical costuming?? And tbh, even if you were "sewing out", I don't think there's any shame in making a good financial choice in this capitalist hellscape. As long as you do it well (and you do) anyone complaining is just being ajerk.

I just caught up on the podcasts, so I'm late to comment. BUT I think imposter syndrome is real and so sinister. You don't need to "prove" you're allowed to make historic costumes! Even if you had never made them and were inspired by the current popularity is wouldn't matter! That's not selling out (selling out would be if you had zero interest in historic costuming but were just doing it for the views, which you know, not really that wrong anyway). Lots of things drive our interest - I'm old enough to remember when Swingers came out and suddenly everyone was curling their hair and learning to swing dance (when in fact I'd been made fun of for all those things). I'm DYING to see your new Victorian gown as I have always wanted to make a bustle gown and am far too lazy a seamstress to do so. Do it for me! :D

That green "through the decades" idea sounds amazing and as a baby seamstress, terrifying! But if you choose to undertake that I would love to see it!

To be clear, we're excited for your journey - WE ALL WANT A BUSTLE GOWN, so that's NEVER gonna be selling out in my not so humble opinion. Even if we didn't all want insertion lace or bustle gowns, that's STILL not selling out. So happy to be supporting you.

I am very excited about the bustle gown. Super excited. Extremely excited. I am more than happy to help with the silk fund!

As someone working in the museum industry, the only reason why they require a masters degree is because the market is so small and there are so few jobs that it becomes crazy competitive. There is also very little money to go around (because humanities are so undervalued). I've been doing work study/volunteer/graduate assistant work at the same museum for nearly a decade now and I still needed a masters to get a part time job working $16.50/hour. I even had a full-ride grad assistant position lined up, but the funding was pulled at the literal last minute. So I lost my job and doubled my student loans in a single day. I am so sorry that you weren't able to follow that dream. It is a heartbreaking industry. I hope that one day that we will live in a world that values education and the arts enough that we don't need thousands of dollars of debt to work.

Your themed parties during high school sound like the only parties I would ever want to be invited.

To be honest, I would LOVE it if you venture into historical sewing from other centuries. I actually came across your blog at some point and was a tad surprised to see your earlier projects. I had no idea you had a blog and had been working on earlier historical projects. Surely, other people will be amazed with your content!

Now that I have listened to the complete podcast, I wanted to reassure you that just because others have gained popularity for documenting their costuming before you, it doesn't mean you're following a trend. You've been into this since before it was cool, and should anyone question it, you have proof. Please never doubt the validity of your interest and your proficiency at it. There is not anyone else in the costuber community that does what you do and has your point of view. You've shown you can do it all from home and make it art.

Just finished the podcast. PLEASE do the lookbook through time. I live for that! Also green is my favorite too!

I had been debating whether or not to put in a request for more Edwardian inspired outfits. I went back and watched an older vest video of yours while I made mine. I like occasionally watching the historically accurate costumers but I’ve had multiple health issues over the last couple of years. My serger is a lifesaver and I hate how I end up feeling guilty not hand finishing everything after watching some other videos.

There was an interesting article in our newspaper today about the resurgence of sewing during the pandemic. Demand for sewing machines (especially entry level machines) is much higher but production is down (due to shut downs). I hope the interest keeps up. While I love that the sewing community is small and friendly for the most part, I think it's great that more people are interested in learning.

If we have all been learning something during Covid Times, it is do make projects that bring us joy. Rachel Maksey has said that anything with the term ‘Lookbook’ doesn’t do well this past year. Besides I feel yours are more like clothing travelogues. With your filmic style and incredible scripts, it isn’t just pretty photos of you wearing stuff it just feels more. I would like to suggest for a perk here on Patreon, is if after your mini films comes out, you take time to make round up detail vlogs for us, showing close ups of the garments and their accessories. I don’t have a huge screen to zoom in on details, and sometimes your gorgeous lightning makes it hard to discern the texture on your darker color fabrics. Don’t hesitate to make your bustle dress. It sounds stunning. It would be awesome if you were to do your green dresses through the time periods, perhaps your character could be an actual vampire, so you could make your awesome scripts about pretending to be your own grand daughter, or that the villagers are suspicious again lol! I’m impressed to hear how far in advance you plan your projects. I never know what I will do one day to the next. Good for you! I’m glad you got your book editing time in!! That is pure mental health.

Closets were not regularly included in home design plans until well after the 1900. Therefore, I think you can safely call yourself - The Closet Historian. Now, if you had called yourself the Armoire, Clothespress or Trunk Historian, that would be a totally different matter.

I can't wait for that bustle dress! And you're looking at it the wrong way - when WON'T you be able to wear it? When you work from home, you're free to wear whatever you want, and that dress is gonna be way too fabulous to NOT wear! So I really hope that you'll be wearing it for some of your videos, because I know you will look amazing! <3 Also, the idea of sewing a green dress from different decades is really clever! I'm really looking forward to it! <3

My favorite part of your channel specifically (above any other sewing/costuming-related YouTube channel that I subscribe to, and there are a lot) is the detail that you go into for the pattern making. I've learned A LOT from you where I find the other channels to be more entertaining than educational. I would love to see your planned historical costume with your signature style of creating videos. If you want to learn more about vintage sewing machines, you can also check out Vintage Sewing Machine Garage. Hundreds of great videos on all sorts of models. He has been my go-to resource for the past few months since I've picked up the sewing machine restoration hobby.

A late bustle era goth gown....oh I can't wait!!! This adventure is going to be awesome!!! It is definitely time to give yourself permission to make the dress. Proud of you!! Stay safe and best wishes from Down Under <3

I’m not much of a reader, but I also read (or rather listened to) Hank Green’s AART and ABFE as soon as they came out, and I loved them. I got the audiobook of Axiom’s End because I’m a fan of Lindsay Ellis, but I haven’t listened to that one yet. I just used a bunch of audiobook credits before cancelling my subscription, so I have lots of Toni Morrison, Margaret Atwood and John Green to listen to. I also picked up some mysteries set in the 1930s that have art deco covers, I’m looking forward to those.

Learning how to oil my sewing machine is next on my adulting to-do list. I have the oil, now I just need to watch the videos to learn how to do it. I’ve always gotten my machine serviced by a professional, but that’s gotten logistically difficult in these plague times.

Historical costuming videos are popular because they bring people joy. When you make your amazing victorian gothic dress, it will bring your viewers an engaging and inspiring experience, while letting you reconnect to something you love. It might not appeal so some of your current audience, but it will help other people find you channel. And it sounds like you’re not going to stop making your classic content that got us interested in the first place, so it seems like upsides all around.

I'm so excited about this! Yes there is other historic costumers but do they have your amazingly creative fashion sense? I dont recall seeing any other goth bustle dresses 😄