My Favorite Things

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I love making costumes. Sometimes I use commercial sewing patterns and sometimes I make my own.

My deep dive into Victorian costuming started after I read Gone with the Wind at the age of fifteen. I decided then that I needed a corset in the worst way, so I checked some books out of the library, studied them, and made a corset out of upholstery material and baling wire. It wasn’t bad for the mid-1970s and the resources available, to be quite honest.

Then, many years later, a friend who enjoys participating in theatre productions suggested that my husband and I might get a kick out going to the Great Dickens Fair in the Bay Area. You don’t need to have a costume to attend, but I’m a costume gal, so we had costumes–all of us. My husband, my daughter, my son, his girlfriend (now wife) and myself of course. I would come home from school and spend the evening sewing costumes–three Victorian dresses, two tailored coats, two dress shirts, two pairs of slacks, two brocade vests in a matter of two months.

I truly enjoy tailoring men’s wear so the Victorian jackets are the real deal–horsehair canvas, pad stitching on the lapels, inner pockets to hide anachronistic cell phones–as are the trousers and vests. The dresses are also fairly accurate.

In addition to Victorian costuming, I also make family Halloween costumes. It started when my daughter-in-law, needed a costume to fit a Disney princess theme at her work. She became Merida from Brave. The next year my son asked if I could make him Pennywise from the movie It. I did, making the costume from bits and pieces of other patterns. I even made the shoes using cheap running shoes as a base.

 

The next year he asked if I could make Captain Hook. Could I make Captain Hook? You bet. It’s actually one of my favorite makes, and it, too, is the real deal with all the tailoring details and an inner pocket for a cell phone.

I haven’t had much call to costume over the past couple of years, but now that I have grandkids, I can see a whole new era about to begin. My sewing machine and I are very excited!

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Jeannie Watt raises cattle in Montana and loves all things western. When she's not writing, Jeannie enjoys sewing, making mosaic mirrors, riding her horses and buying hay. Lots and lots of hay.

49 thoughts on “My Favorite Things”

  2. Absolutely amazing! So creative and intricate. And I appreciate your accuracy.

    My mom tried and tried to teach me to sew. It never stuck. I would get so frustrated. And by the time I finished something, I never wanted to see it again. Much less wear it.

  3. How fun! I don’t enjoy sewing, but I have a family friend who is also a costume designer & artist, & I love seeing what she comes up with for special occasions!

  4. You have such a great talent. I used to make dresses that matched for myself and my daughters, but they were from patterns. I am not creative enough to design something.. My mom made clothes for my Barbie and Ken dolls when we were young. She also made shirts for my dad.

  5. Wow! How fun that you do this. My mom was quite the seamstress, but unfortunately, I can barely hem a skirt or replace a button.

  7. Oh how wonderful! The pics are great! What talent! I’ve also enjoyed sewing over the years. I come from a line of artists, crafters, and quilters on my mother’s side. One year in the ‘80’s, I asked the president of our bank if I could get everyone downstairs in the lobby to dress in long dresses, could we do it the Friday of the Olustee Festival? It is an reenactment of a battle that took place near the town of Lake City, FL. Well, we got it done! And our customers loved it! And I think the crew did also. And I know from your article that you love it too! Oh what fun! Especially when your grandchildren start asking!

  8. You are very talented. I made my 11th grade prom dress in high school. That was the most challenging I’ve ever made (modified pattern) so I appreciate someone with your talent and knowledge.

  9. Jeannie – I’m so impressed! I have very basic sewing skills, and I’m far too intimidated to try anything as complicated as what you’ve made. Those costumes are AMAZING! I managed to make a very simple Jedi robe for my boys when they were young. That thing got lots of use over the years. The closest I’ve come to creating a pattern of my own was making my daughter a Princess Leia white dress outfit that was basically just side seams and sleeves with a hole cut out for the neck to wear over a white turtleneck. It looked good from a distance, but it was pretty cringe-worthy up close. Ha!

  11. Jeannie, your Victorian outfits are gorgeous. I absolutely love the look! They are stunning!!!! You are so incredibly blessed with so many talents! Thank you so much for sharing!

  12. Jennie, Your sewing skills are fabulous! I have sown most of my life but never created elaborate costumes. My only venture outside a pattern was to make 3 taekwondo workout costumes for the neighborhood boys so my husband could try to teach them some taekwondo moves. He was not a licensed teacher, but they sure had fun learning.

  14. welcome today. how fun. when our son (age 13) and my husband went into Boy Scouts new Civil War Reenacting, he started making his own uniforms. He enjoyed it so much that he started researching and making uniforms for other men. He became a well respected taylor in his own right and sought after by many men. I joined him in sewing. I would sew the shirts, vests and drawers while he sewed the pants and jackets. We had our own website and got many orders from there. We also went into smaller things like bread bags, etc. He is now in WW2 reenacting but the sewing has not stopped. He and his wife have been married for six years now and they both still love to sew. Kristen (his wife now) helped with sewing for their wedding. Richard sewed the Civil War uniforms for himself, his father (preacher) his soon to be father in law (in the marines) his cousin (best man) and two men standing up with him. Kristen sewed her dress, her moms dress, her sisters dress (maid of honor) our daughters and another lady standing up for her. I made my own dress since I can sew. Kristen also made all the corsets and hoop skirts. I had never worn a corset until then. It is so comfortable. Both Richard and Kristen have made costumes for Halloween, Comic Con, Star Wars, etc. Richard makes hats and bags that were used during WW2. Kristen likes to make her own dresses and aprons etc.

  19. They are beautiful!! You are so talented, you do amazing work down to the very details.
    Thank you for posting the pictures and telling the story behind them.

  20. Jeannie, I’ve seen some of your costumes, and they have absolutely blown me away. Your eye for detail is incredible. Absolutely incredible. Captain Hook is my favorite.

    You should hire out at a movie studio. You’d make a fortune!

    I’ve sewn since junior high, and with four daughters, I’ve made a ton of matching dresses, Prom dresses, and even one daughter’s wedding dress. But nothing like what you’ve done.

    Even buying the braid and details would be a challenge. You must travel to a big city to get your notions?

    Bravo, Jeannie. You are one talented lady!

  21. Wow, so impressive and lots of work. Mom and my great-grandmother taught me to sew and I took Home Ec all four years. My sewing machine is gathering dust now.

  22. Your sewing ability is impressive. I did a lot of sewing for our children, curtains, tablecloths & napkins, and Halloween costumes, but never anything as elaborate as what you did. I did make the attendant dresses and other items for our wedding and many of my own clothes. But they were never any big deal, just basic Simplicity and McCalls patterns. I have been wanting to do more sewing, but my sewing machine is beyond repair. I have my grandmother’s treadle machine and my mother-in-law’s Singer she used as a professional seamstress. Once I dig out my sewing room (which has become a storage room) I need to oil up my MIL’s machine and see what I can do. I have tons of fabric and many great patterns of both everyday clothes and period clothing.
    Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful costumes.

    • I hope you get that machine oiled, Patricia. I’ve taken breaks from sewing and it’s a bit intimidating diving back in and getting organized, but so worth it. My newest machine is from the 80s, but the one I use most is from 1979. I also use my mom’s Singer from the 50s.

      • I have found the older ones are better. I gave my daughter my 1972 machine and would like it back. My newer one has plastic gears and can’t be fixed. Our other daughter has my aunt’s machine and it likely is circa 1950 or so. Neither one is sewing.

  23. You are so very talented. Thank you so much for sharing. The costumes are fabulous. God bless you.

  24. You are so creative and talented. I have tailored a few outfits complete with hair canvas and pad stitching but nothing as elaborate as your costumes and to do that many in two months, wow! Baling wire has sooooo many uses 🙂 Never thought of it for a corset but my mom put some in a petticoat for my sister one time.

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