Bearded Seamstress

WORK IN PROGRESS WEDNESDAY: We built this doublet made of blue and black wool with a linen lining (wool from Dorr Mill, linen from Fabric-store.com) for a client one year ago. They found the trim they wanted to use, and brought it back to us to attach. The trim is being hand stitched on with a metallic gold thread making it seamless with the trim and doublet. We can't wait to see it out in the wild....

Join me at the Remaker Fair this Saturday, April 20, to celebrate Earth Day while learning ways to be a bit more sustainable with your textiles. Bring extra craft supplies you may not use any more to share at the craft swap.

Share and join us at Mi Centro on Hilltop this Saturday.

I am excited to announce that I will be teaching four one-week summer camps in partnership with .tacoma at Productivity Parlour for Artful Living. We are focusing on foundation skills in sewing, upcycling and sustainability in fashion.

If you have a youngster interested in learning or expanding their sewing skills, have them join us this summer. Registration through Remakerytacoma.org/summer-camp.

www.remakerytacoma.org

Always a grand time costuming and working events like these. Come join us at The Grand Cinema this weekend for all sorts of shenanigans!

Happy November!😁

"Don't you ever let a soul in the world tell you that you can't be exactly who you are."

-Lady Gaga

Wise words from Dolly.

Throwback Thursday
Catching up on a year of posts and projects...
Back in July 2022, I posted about a project that I had about 7 days to finish. I managed a wearable item for the Cosplay Universe showing at The Grand Cinema. I spent time upgrading that initial piece to a close to final cosplay that I wore at the Film Awards Party in February 2023 at The Grand Cinema.

So my birthday just past, and my besties surprised me with the cutest cake. Since it was themed with my favorite things, I thought I would share it with you all.

I had a blast working at this past weekend for the Barbie and Oppenheimer opening. Grabbed a few photos by wonderful volunteers, including one with our executive director sporting the Barbenhemier shirt.

So our summer jobs 253 project at the Hype Center has begun. We visited a couple of days in the weeks prior to starting our sewing group to set up our work space, add needed supplies, and service the sewing machines they had received as a donation.

Every Friday through the summer, we create projects for students to participate in. Our goal is to provide projects that are functional for them, while also being fun and teaching foundational skills.

Our first project was a drawstring bag, and we have a series of projects lined up with student input to build on skills throughout the summer.

The Grand Cinema is hosting a special showing of Cosplay Universe on July 14. I will be there with a new cosplay mashup and hope you all will join in. Costumes are encouraged, and there is a costume contest with some awesome prizes.

Edited for additional clarity.

Through outreach with a local nurse as well as the 253 summer jobs program and a facility that works with under served teens, we have been given the opportunity to create a sewing program at their site over the summer. I will be serving as the supervisor and volunteering my time to get this project established, and hopefully be able to continue throughout the year and into the future.

From one of my current interns who will be paid to work on this project over the summer: "As one of the interns that will be working on this project, I am very excited to use the skills I've picked up so far this term to help teach others about sewing. Not only will I be teaching sewing, but I will also be learning and building up my skills even more at the same time. Helping others Is something I love doing, and I'm glad I've been given this opportunity." ~D

FEATURE FRIDAY:
It was a tight timeline, twelve days, but we managed to finish it. The interns did 75% of the work from laying it out, cutting, pinning, and sewing it all together with guidance from the Parlour mentors. It was a big hit film awards party. Big shout-out to the interns for making it work. Thank you to the SOTA students who took these photos.

WIP WEDNESDAY:
While we finished the final outfit in time for the awards party, we wanted to share a couple more in progress photos before we share the finished outfit. Here they are!

Depending on the statistics you look at, folks produce between 60 and 80 lbs of textile waste a year. That doesn't include what manufactures discard, or the environmental impacts of the waste. Want to make more thoughtful choices about your wardrobe? This article is a great start.

How to Reduce Textile Trash? Start Small and Think Local, Experts Say | The Tyee Recent viral TikToks revealed shocking amounts of waste generated by the clothing industry.

Happy Spring Equinox, get outside and enjoy the bright colors. Stay safe and Covid free.
Harry Clarke, The year's at the Spring
"All alone, those rocks amid-one night i very nearly did."
Oldbookilustrations.com

In case you needed to hear this today.

WIP WEDNESDAY:
has five interns this spring term with Next Move. I am lucky to be working with and mentoring these students. I am "hiring them" to create a Victorian outfit for me to wear at film awards party at the end of this month. They will be working with me to mock up the bodice and then create the entire outfit. I can't wait to show you how they do and the finished project.