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1. What is your dirty little secret when it comes to costume construction?
My buttonholes are for crap. This isn't really a secret.
The fake back seam. Since most of my Japanese clothing is made using fabric on bolts ranging from 44" to 60" wide as opposed to 14" to 16" wide Japanese bolts, I will cut a double width body piece out of my fabric, slit it up the center front from hem to collar line (i.e., halfway), then sew a false center back seam from nape to back hem. That seam needs to be there for the line of the garment to drape correctly, but this shortcut means I can accomplish it with a line of running stitch that does not require a felling treatment. I've also used this on things like hitatare or kariginu sleeves.
2. What are you the most proud of when it comes to your costume construction?
With the exception of one cotton kosode, every single thing I've made for myself since 2000 is 100% hand sewn, crap buttonholes included. As a result I'm FAST. See Regency In A Week.
3. Which of your costumes do you think you look the best in?
I can't decide. It's a toss up between this and this.
4. What style of costume would you never be caught dead in?
Norse.
Elizabethan.
16th century German.
16th century Italian.
Anything 19th century after about 1815.
5. What was your all-time favorite Halloween costume?
Tossup between Indiana Jones. Aussie cowboy hat, khakis, bomber jacket, boots, a good dozen rubber spiders and a very large rubber snake wound artistically around my pant leg. And the very 80's yuppie witch (spiked hair, white face, black business suit, black Reeboks, briefcase with fake cobwebs flowing out of the top).
6. If time/money/skill was no object, what would you be for Halloween this year?
I don't really do Halloween these days.
7. Which is more important to you in a costume - style, or comfort?
I don't consider it "costume." I make clothing. It needs to be functional or it's not clothing! Even in 70+ yards of karaginu mo, it fit, it was made of natural fibers and it told me exactly how it needed to be worn.
8. What comfort do you refuse to give up when wearing a costume?
Undergarment layers must be breatheable, washable natural fibers. Period.
9. Where is the strangest place you've ever worn a costume?
I'm in the SCA. There is no longer anything strange about picking up groceries or stopping to eat in medieval clothing.
10. If you see a non-costuming friend or coworker while you are in costume, would you go say "Hi!" or run and hide?
I would say Hi.
My buttonholes are for crap. This isn't really a secret.
The fake back seam. Since most of my Japanese clothing is made using fabric on bolts ranging from 44" to 60" wide as opposed to 14" to 16" wide Japanese bolts, I will cut a double width body piece out of my fabric, slit it up the center front from hem to collar line (i.e., halfway), then sew a false center back seam from nape to back hem. That seam needs to be there for the line of the garment to drape correctly, but this shortcut means I can accomplish it with a line of running stitch that does not require a felling treatment. I've also used this on things like hitatare or kariginu sleeves.
2. What are you the most proud of when it comes to your costume construction?
With the exception of one cotton kosode, every single thing I've made for myself since 2000 is 100% hand sewn, crap buttonholes included. As a result I'm FAST. See Regency In A Week.
3. Which of your costumes do you think you look the best in?
I can't decide. It's a toss up between this and this.
4. What style of costume would you never be caught dead in?
Norse.
Elizabethan.
16th century German.
16th century Italian.
Anything 19th century after about 1815.
5. What was your all-time favorite Halloween costume?
Tossup between Indiana Jones. Aussie cowboy hat, khakis, bomber jacket, boots, a good dozen rubber spiders and a very large rubber snake wound artistically around my pant leg. And the very 80's yuppie witch (spiked hair, white face, black business suit, black Reeboks, briefcase with fake cobwebs flowing out of the top).
6. If time/money/skill was no object, what would you be for Halloween this year?
I don't really do Halloween these days.
7. Which is more important to you in a costume - style, or comfort?
I don't consider it "costume." I make clothing. It needs to be functional or it's not clothing! Even in 70+ yards of karaginu mo, it fit, it was made of natural fibers and it told me exactly how it needed to be worn.
8. What comfort do you refuse to give up when wearing a costume?
Undergarment layers must be breatheable, washable natural fibers. Period.
9. Where is the strangest place you've ever worn a costume?
I'm in the SCA. There is no longer anything strange about picking up groceries or stopping to eat in medieval clothing.
10. If you see a non-costuming friend or coworker while you are in costume, would you go say "Hi!" or run and hide?
I would say Hi.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-24 03:33 am (UTC)Completely Ignorant Question .....
Date: 2008-03-24 04:27 pm (UTC)We were watching Shogun over Spring Break. How bad is it?
Re: Completely Ignorant Question .....
Date: 2008-03-24 05:13 pm (UTC)Re: Completely Ignorant Question .....
Date: 2008-03-24 07:48 pm (UTC)Re: Completely Ignorant Question .....
Date: 2008-03-24 10:42 pm (UTC)I'd be curious to have a look at the mini-series again at some point in my copious spare time....
Re: Completely Ignorant Question .....
Date: 2008-03-25 01:07 am (UTC)We picked up the 2-hour very abbreviated version to watch last week (the child's girlfriend had never seen it) -- which is what got me wondering.