In my previous post, I wrote about my first costume project, the Irish shift, which I created entirely by hand. At the end of that project, I was pretty anxious to learn how to use a machine. I was also somewhat nervous. I hadn't had the best experience trying to learn as a teenager and I was more than halfway convinced that I was incapable of using a machine. Fortunately, I have some amazing women friends and one of these friends, the very dear Mrs. Fuzzy, took me under her wing.
While I was studying at the University of Texas in Austin, I frequently spent my spring break visiting Mr. and Mrs. Fuzzy. The break immediately after I made my Irish shift was no different. I packed myself into the intrepid little Escort, Frank, that I drove in those days. I rather think Frank enjoyed the open road and certainly managed the spring break road trip every year with quiet panache.
That break I packed the rest of the beautiful linen into the car as well as the Irish shift so I could show it to Mrs. Fuzzy. This was back in the days before Tumblr or Facebook or even MySpace. (It was also back in the days when I was just figuring out that crazy thing called email.) If I wanted her to see the project, I either had to take it to her myself or mail pictures. How much more fun to share my project with one of my costume mentors and to then ask her help with the skirt!
Mrs. Fuzzy was an excellent teacher. Not only was she very happy to share some tips and show me the basics but she was one of those teachers who could stand back and inspire one to attempt the scary new thing just learned. (Indeed, Mrs. Fuzzy still has this capacity in abundance.) There was no watching over her shoulder while Mrs. Fuzzy sewed up my skirt. Oh no, indeed! She sat me down at her serger and her sewing machine. (Incidentally, that was the first and last time I used a serger until this month.)
The skirt she
helped me make was a very basic draw string affair. We had died the fabric a beautiful saffron as a nod to the research on historical Irish costume that talked about the saffron shirts. Being a still rather active Goth at the time, I wasn't willing to wear that much yellow, no matter how luscious, close to my face nor in that quantity all over my body so I had chosen not to dye the shift saffron. Even though it quite scandalized my color preference at the time, I thought I could manage a saffron skirt. Now I am quite glad I went with that color. I think it provides a nice bit of contrast for the ensemble.Once the fabric was dyed, Mrs. Fuzzy showed me how to finish the edges of the fabric and sew up a couple of seems. Essentially we used two panels of saffron linen to make a huge tube. The serger was involved. Mostly I have this vivid memory of adrenalin coursing through my veins and an intensity of purpose as I stared at the blade next to the needle. Well, if anyone ever said sewing was for the faint of heart, they were wrong! There is no garment construction without a little faith, a little bravery, a little fear, and sometimes a huge portion of bravado.
We left one seem partially open near the top so I could wear pockets underneath. Then we turned over the top and bottom of the tube to make a drawstring casing and hem respectively. It was extremely easy construction and yet, sewing each seam myself on Mrs. Fuzzy's ma
chine, I had this sense that I could make anything! It was as if the world of sewing machines had opened before me like some costume making paradise. (In my naivete, I thought that, once I knew how to make a straight seam, I didn't really need to know anything else to make clothes.)When I drove back to UT at the end of my visit, I left with one of Mrs. Fuzzy's spare sewing machines in the trunk of Frank the car. (I used that machine until it died the final death of old age, probably aided and abetted by horrible neglect on my part.) I was eager to get started on the a boned bodice and over-skirt to finish the ensemble and I had the most delightful blue plaid wool just waiting for the project.
~La Cucitrice
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