An interview

[mmcnealy]

An interview from alienor

1. What is your favorite fabric to work with?
My all time favorite fabric is wool. Its such a forgiving fabric and such a great feel to it when I am working with it. Wool just makes me feel happy, can't really explain it, I just *LOVE* wool.

2. Did you grow up in a military family, or just marry into it? If you married into it, what has been the most unexpected change?

I married into the military, but there is a history of service on both sides of my family, my maternal grandfather and uncle have both served in the Marines and my paternal grandfather was in the Army.

The most unexpected change? How angry I get at protesters out in front of the grocery store on the way home from work. They are out there every Wednesday with their signs "BUSH LIED" "ARE WE SAFER NOW?" and flags. My blood just boils and I walk faster.

For the seperation part of things, I think that I was pretty well prepared going into it. My usual mood of operation is any day I get to spend with Matt is a bonus day, any day he's gone is just normal. That may sound backwards, but I don't view having him home as a 'right', its a priviledge. I know and am grateful for the sacrifices that he is making to make us safer here at home. I honestly believe that this IS making the US a safer place to live.

3. If you could import one costumer you've met online into your living room for weekend (for chatting, fitting, whatever), who would it be and why?

I think it would have to be Jen Thompson, not only is she a great person, but also so I could just see her new outfit with the pinked doublet up close. ;) I so want one, but I don't think I'm up to all the hard work to make it for myself.


4. What's your favorite costuming 'secret'?

The power of a steam iron. It never ceases to amaze me at how many problems can be fixed with a little steam and heat.

5. If you could instantly absorb all the contents of one book (think photographic memory here), what would it be and why?

JA's Pattern's of Fashion. I have read that book from cover to cover several times and I still am learning new things everytime I open the cover. It is such a useful book.

Comments

[jenthompson.livejournal.com]

Dude! I'd so love to come hang out with you too! And really, if you saw this doublet in person, you'd totally start pinking the crap out of every costume you made. It's just too cool for words. I even impressed myself with this one! You should see it with the brown slashed Italian doublet over it. *drool* I never really thought about wearing the two together, but they look quite maaa-va-lous as a set! I love being able to mix and match my costumes. Now if I just had a place to wear them! ;-)

[mmcnealy.livejournal.com]

Hmm.... I have this satin backed shantung, which is just dreamily shiny which might work well for this project... Its yellow so it would need to be dyed some other shade I can actually wear.

You know the dress sleeves in PoF that have that lattice style of pinking? That's what I am thinking would be cool to do. What do you use to do the pinking? A chisel?

[jenthompson.livejournal.com]

Yep! A chisel is what I used. And if you were just doing a pair of sleeves, it would probably go pretty fast. If you do that lattice pattern, just be sure to test your fabric first to see if it holds up well to bias cuts. My satin didn't cooperate with diagonal cuts as well... but your fabric might hold up better than mine. And I think Drea had good success with backing the fabric with lightweight interfacing to prevent raveling on some of her pinked sleeves. It's not the most period solution, but totally worth it to get the right effect. It's not *our* fault modern manufacturers don't weave satin as dense as they used to! Sometimes you just have to improvise. ;-)

-jen