My husband's family all were in school plays as kids; they also entertained the family by putting on skits, making costumes out of anything that was to hand. One sister sewed but the other didn't until recently. Their mom was always supportive and helped sew costumes for the cast past high school into their community theater stuff. She didn't act until the 1970s and was in an adult singing group that put on plays in their small community with the kids from the school district and the adults. He grew up in costumes and joined the Northern California Renaissance Faire at 16 and the Dickens Fair that same year; at 50 he's still participating in a Ren Fair and the Dickens Fair.
My mom sewed from the time she was in high school and wanted nice clothes her divorced mom couldn't afford to buy. As children my sister and I (she didn't sew for the boys except for Halloween) had beautiful clothes year round. She taught me to sew in a sneeky way. I was "too young" to sew but I could help pull out the pins after she sewed a seam. I could pick up the pins she dropped. I could help sew this button or do this hem. Then I was able to pin pieces together, then sew straight seams, but the sewing was too hard for me because I was too still little. She hooked me at an early age. Before I knew it, I was sewing. Mom hasn't sewn in years, but she got both of her daughters interested, me more than my sister. She always used Vogue patterns and taught us the best techniques. I got lazy and forgot much of what she taught me in the 70s making quick skirts and blouses for college, but relearned them later. I joined the NorCal Ren Faire and Dickens Fair in 1977 my husband and I met there a few years later) and have made costumes for those venues for for my husband and myself for years and years. Our children were raised at the Ren Fair since the S.F earthquake put an end to the Dickens Fair for many years. There was always a costume box full of costume bits and pieces not connected to any fairs, with fabrics, belts, ties, capes and hats for them to play with any time they wanted to. The box has gone to my niece, except for a piece each girl kept for sentimental reasons. My older daughter did not get the gene; she is done with costuming except for Halloween, when she invents wonderful costumes that take a good month to build (the bathroom sink was one of my favorites) and the younger daughter wears costumes any time she wants. The force is strong in that one; she got a double dose of the costumers gene. She acted in high school and has continued acting at the Dickens Fair and in community theater. She doesn't sew but she does appreciate the costumes I've made over the years. Some of her favorite clothes have been costumes I made for her. I think she will be in costumes until she dies. LynnD > Quoting penn...@costumegallery.com: > > > I was re-reading Margo's post and it got me to thinking...How many > of our > > family members are enjoying costuming since we became a member of > h-costume? > > Or maybe inherited the costuming gene? If so what kind of > costuming? > _______________________________________________ > h-costume mailing list > h-costume@mail.indra.com > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume > _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
