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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.

Date: 2008-03-24 03:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] takadai-no-tora.livejournal.com
#3, the first 'this' looks like it makes you smile when you wear it (as well it should) but the second 'this' is damned elegant.

Completely Ignorant Question .....

Date: 2008-03-24 04:27 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] florentinescot.livejournal.com
I'm so totally ignorant about Japanese clothing ....

We were watching Shogun over Spring Break. How bad is it?

Re: Completely Ignorant Question .....

Date: 2008-03-24 05:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gurdymonkey.livejournal.com
I don't really know because I haven't seen it since the original network airing back in the 80's.

Re: Completely Ignorant Question .....

Date: 2008-03-24 10:42 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gurdymonkey.livejournal.com
That said, I re-read the novel about a year ago, after having read Giles Milton's "Samurai William", which is about the real English pilot that Anjin-san was loosely modeled on. There are things Clavell gets right, things he deliberately plays fast and loose with in the service of his story and a good sprinkling of WTF moments. It's not history, it's a novel and as long as one keeps that in mind, it holds up pretty well.

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)
From: [identity profile] florentinescot.livejournal.com
nods. I seem to remember that he was thought more highly of than some for the accurateness of his narrative.

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.

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