RAYvens!

We here in Maryland are pretty excited about Super Bowl XLVII this weekend, and we here in the studio will watch the game decked out in our purple and black (15% off for the 15 points that got us here when you type RAYVENS at checkout!)

We have been the personal costumers of Poe, and his former cohorts Edgar and Allen, on several occasions over the years.  So while you're enjoying your beer and brats, enjoy our walk down memory lane with our good friend Poe...

The Studio Goes to the Inauguration (By Proxy)

Everyone is talking about the fashion at the inaugural balls:  the who, the what, the "wear."   We had a personal investment in the inaugural balls, so that was what we talked about most!  We altered two very different beautiful gowns on their way to two different balls.

The first was for a woman who needed a dress bought several years ago to be taken in.  We pulled it in at every single seam to show off her new trim body, and added some bling to the back of her jacket to bring it up in style.  She dressed it up with a bejeweled necklace and bracelet brought over from India by a friend.

depending on the light, this dress could be green, bronze, or silver

The second was a brand new dress that needed hemming; our lovely lady was already a perfect ready-to-wear size, but the four hems of her stunning mermaid dress needed shortening, and the edges of her scarf needed evening out.  When she came in to pick it up, we had some fun helping her style the dress with a chunky, sparkly necklace and earrings.

all the right statement pieces work together to make a beautiful whole

Then we watched the inauguration from the warmth of the studio.  How did you mark the occasion of our 57th peaceful transition of power?

Sewing and Organizing Tips: Tuesday Tip Roundup I

Every Tuesday on some of our other social media outlets, we publish a tip from Marilyn on how to keep your sewing area organized and efficient, from DIY substitutions to why-didn't-I-think-of-that organizational advice. Below is a roundup of our first ten Tuesday Tips:


1.  Sort and store your fabrics, threads, and notions by color.

2.  Make your own pattern weights using two 5/8" zinc cut washers hot glued together on the flat sides - costs about 30 cents each

 3.  Extend the life of your pattern tissues by keeping them in 9 x 12 manila envelopes. Cut the pattern envelope and glue it to the manila envelope; the tissue doesn't have to be folded so tightly and the patterns go in and out easier.

 4.  Freezer paper is useful as a substitute for pattern paper: sturdier and cheaper. I use the kind that is waxed on one side. Wax paper is also useful as a tear-away stabilizer: If you're sewing a fabric that doesn't want to flow under your pressure foot, back the fabric with it and tear away when done stitching.

5.  Don't forget to press your pattern pieces before laying them out on your fabric - set your iron on synthetic and no steam.

6.  Keep pin cushions at both your sewing machine and your work table - saves jumping up and down for pins.

 7.  Use a tomato pin cushion to store slightly used machine needles - use a marker to divide it into sections for each type (Universal, 60, 70, etc.)

 8.  Don't sew over pins - it can nick both the pin and the needle and cause burrs that then can cause pulls and runs in your fabric

9.  A good substitute for a velvet board is a thick terry cloth towel.

 10.  You can make your own seam stick by going to the hardware store and getting an 18" piece of 1/2" half round moulding

We hope these have been helpful! We will do another round up in a few months, but in the meantime, you'll see our updates in real time every Tuesday on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+.

White House Historical Association War of 1812 Recap

 The past few months here in the studio have been chock full of the Forgotten War. As we've mentioned previously, we were updating costumes for two currently running programs with the White House Historical Association: First Kids, about kids who have lived in the White House over the course of our country's history, and Paths to Freedom, about the Civil War (check out the video on their website to see a sampling of the costumes we made for them!)

Welcome to the chaos!

The third program was to be completely new, about the War of 1812.  We made costumes for an entire cast of characters: President James and First Lady Dolley Madison, Dolley's house servant Sukey, the 15 year old slave Paul Jennings who helped save the famous painting of George Washington, and the French Ambassador Louis Serurier, among many many others that we will detail in an upcoming post.

The List

In the beginning... there was fabric

For this post we will simply detail the PROCESS.  And process it was.  From design and conception to patterning to full-scale factory-style assembly line, we were in full tilt for the entirety of the project.  The complexity of the costumes, particularly of the men's uniform jackets, was daunting.  Men's coats in 1812, especially those of the military and upper class, had all the trimmings: cuffs, tails, standing collars, layers of interfacing, and buttons galore.   

We were all hands on deck so Caroline (who you may remember from this post about LADEC) and Barb, two lovely ladies we have worked with in the past, came back to join the fun and frenzy.  We were also joined by our new regular addition, Sara (who you may remember from our recent Halloween post.)  And as always, Marilyn, Meghan and I were there in the thick of it.

Caroline and the impressive pile o' trims

Barb, about to start buttoning

Sara and Meghan sewing and serging

Me carefully labeling and cutting jackets so as not to lose them in the flurry of blue peachskin faille

Sara, Marilyn, Meghan, and Caroline were positioned perfectly long enough
for me to snap one picture, and then it was back to the 1812 flurry!

All the costumes were made from a hue of peachskin faille, an extremely sturdy polyester blend that has the look of a more expensive fabric, hangs well, doesn't fade with wash or wear, and is virtually un-wrinkleable.  In other words, perfect for costumes that literally thousands of kids will be pulling on and off over their clothes over the course of the next several years.  With our 1812 order we also had some minor repairs to do on some of the Civil War and First Kids jackets from several years ago, and even we were impressed at how well the costumes had stood the test of time: the fabric on a brand new jacket and a six year old jacket needing button repairs were virtually identical.  

All machines on deck!

An overflowing bucket o' ladies-to-be

When we first began this project, we knew we were going to need a little extra something to unite us in focus and drive, and to help any extra-long days feel not so extra-long.  Enter: Harry Potter.  We listened to the entire seven book series while we cut, serged, stitched, and pressed.  117 hours and 4 minutes of Jim Dale interpreting J.K. Rowling. It was by far our best decision, and to be quite honest we feel a little lost without them now (is it too soon to start all over??)

Oh Harry Potter. We laughed with you, we cried with you.
Mainly cried though, because holy moly what a sad series.

And then, suddenly, we were done.  We stood back for only a moment to admire our handiwork before moving into the next project, but that moment felt GOOD.

All the laydees

The finished rack! The costumes wrapped all the way around.

Meghan gets pictures of her cravat handiwork. Note Marilyn in the loft holding them all up.

And then it was time for the costumes to go to their new home in DC, but not before one last photo op!  Note the two newest members of the nonmoving branch of our studio family, Trevor and Susie Q.  They fit in very nicely with Molly and our other two dress forms, don't you think?

Photo credit: White House Historical Association @WhiteHouseHstry

Last, but most certainly not least, thank you so much to John, Courtney, Katie, and the ladies and gents of the White House Historical Association for the opportunity to work with you again.  This project was exciting and colorful and stretched us creatively and mentally in so many wonderful ways we never expected.  We learned some history, drafted some patterns, and invented whole new ways of interpreting historical research to fit the unique needs of this program.  We got to do what we love and we are so happy with the result, and even happier that you love it too.

The Ghosts of Costumes Past

Hello again! So sorry for the radio silence; we've been neck deep in 1812 for the past few weeks, but we're back now, and better than ever!  We also have so many updates to fill you in on, but an important holiday must first be recognized.

IT'S HALLOWEEN, Y'ALL!

We thought we would celebrate by reminiscing on some of our first and favorite costumes from our pasts, in order of years...


 In 1988 I wasn't finding and pulling my own Halloween costumes yet, but this pictures shows I clearly got my quirky sense of costume humor from my parents.  My dad, who had a sprained arm at the time, went as a one-armed jack, and my mom, who was extremely pregnant with my brother at the time, went as a bowling ball.




In 1998 Meghan's mom made her and her and brother into the cutest little candies on the block. And then ten years later, the exact costumes were worn my Meghan's mother herself and a friend. Impressive!

1998

2008

In 2007 Sara costume designed her first show, Ragtime, in which she was also an actor. She never seemed to have the time to make costumes for *herself,* but here are her first costumes she made for others!

Sara with her towheaded show family

In 2012, Marilyn made costumes for her granddaughter's Batman themed birthday party, in which her granddaughter was Batgirl and her baby brother was The Boy Wonder.

Na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na Batgirl!

Marilyn and The Boy Wonder

What were your favorite costumes?  Do you make, rent or buy your Halloween costume from year to year?

Flashback Friday: World War II Navy Nurse Re-Enactor

This Flashback Friday comes from an article Marilyn wrote for The Bride Guide in the Prince George's County Women's Journal in 2009:

Reference: Couture Allure Vintage Fashion Blog

The next project to deliver this summer was a World War II Navy Nurse uniform for a re-enactor. Working from period photos, my assistant developed a pattern that was an exact replica complete with the very extended lapel and notching.

My client ordered fabric from the very company that made those uniforms (yes, they're still in business! and still making uniforms from what I understand).  Lots of detail work went into re-creating this uniform and the results were spectacular! At the final fitting my client arrived in jeans and t-shirt.  She went into the dressing room to change into her new uniform and stepped out transformed. It was like a momentary time warp. Needless to say, we were both very happy with the uniform!

NPR Also Says to Check That Tag

Here in the studio, we love us some NPR.   With the exception of the past week or two, when we've been listening to the complete Harry Potter audiobook series to get us through all the patterning we're doing (just started Book 5!) , we listen to hours upon hours of Diane Rehm, Kojo Nnamdi, Ira Flatow, and all those kooky economists at Marketplace.

So I was pretty excited when I stumbled across this gem from Caitlin Kenney at Planet Money.  Here she investigates why her wedding dress cost the amount it did, and she ultimately decides that she was, in her words, "ripped off."  What I think is most important to take away from this, however, is not as she says to shop around and look for cheaper options.  It is to better understand what to look for to find a quality garment for this incredibly special occasion, or to know what you're buying and why.



In Ms. Kenney's case, she ended up buying a dress that had been mass produced with inexpensive fabrics, and while she was never lied to, she also did not know to ask any of the right questions that could have helped her understand what she was getting into.  Some of these questions we have started to outline in our How to Spot Quality series (see Part I and Part II).  Both industry experts she interviewed assumed her dress had a lower price tag.  But as Ms. Kenney says of her dress shopping experience, "In that kind of atmosphere it never occurs to you to say 'What's this made of? This isn't polyester, is it?"  New wedding dresses are expensive, for the most part for good reason, but they are also an investment.  And like when buying a car, you deserve to know what is going into the product in which you are investing.

Now this is not to say that there is anything wrong with polyester.  Polyester can be fairly convincingly rendered to look and move similarly to more expensive fabrics, for a much lower price.  However, it is imperative to know that that is what you are buying, and not fall into any assumptions about where your dress came from and what it is worth.   In the coming weeks, we will be posting some more from our How to Spot Quality series, so look forward to some more insights and advice from our end, but we would love to hear your stories and learning experiences in the comments as well!

Flashback Friday: Saving an Unsalvagable Dress

Today's Flashback Friday comes from another article Marilyn wrote for the Prince George's County Women's Journal:

I worked with a bride who very much wanted to wear her mother's 1950 wedding gown on her wedding day.  Since her mother had passed away, it was a way to bring her mother's presence into the wedding.  The gown had been stored for years and so it was sent to a local dry cleaners who damaged the gown in the process of cleaning and pressing.  The bride's sister worked through a list of local dressmakers but none were interested in working on the gown when the damage was explained.  Finally, she got my name on her list and I agreed to assess the damage and suggest what could be done.

The damaged dress

Note the stains; they were everywhere!

After a burn test to determine fiber content and a close examination of the damage I felt that the gown could be returned to its glory.  We developed a multi-step plan that included cutting out the original lining and horsehair, replacing the original lining and horsehair, replacing the original trim along the neckline, some minor alterations and sending it to my preferred dry cleaner [Editor's Note: It's TRS Dry Cleaners, and we recommend these life-savers to anyone who comes through our doors!] for stain removal and pressing.  I was also asked to remake the headpiece and veil with as much of the original parts as possible, replace missing covered buttons, and, using some of the new neckline trim, add accents to the wristlets, purse and shoes the bride was adding to the ensemble.

When it was all done, the gown looked fabulous, the bride was happy, looked beautiful, and I was able to take quiet pride in contributing to her dream of wearing her mother's wedding gown.