What is your costuming/sewing background?
I began sewing very young, as part of a 4-H project. and went from there. As a child, I used to make handmade cloth dolls to compete in craft competitions at state fairs. As I grew older, my interests turned to fashion and costuming, and I began to design and create garments for myself and others. I have a fairly extensive theater background, in both performance and production, and learned a lot of my early techniques backstage. Once I became confident in my abilities, I began accepting private commissions from individuals and eventually graduated to designing for professional theater companies. I rarely work in theatrical environments these days, as I'm pursuing a degree in a different area, but I still enjoy costuming and will probably continue the hobby until I'm old and gray.

What sort of training have you had?
I am largely self-taught, but have taken a few classes, mostly focusing on particular aspects of sewing, such as patterning and finishing techniques. Overall, I have been sewing for more than half my life and have been making clothing and costumes for nearly ten years, so I've had time to experiment and learn through trial and error. Having created well over 100 costumes in my lifetime, only a few of which are pictured here, has helped me to hone my skills. Practice makes perfect, as the saying goes.

Do you accept commissions?
I am not currently accepting commissions for the remainder of 2010. If you are interested in commissioning a costume from me in the future, I ask that you contact me well in advance to make sure I'm available to create the garment before your deadline. Approximately two months notice is generally the rule of thumb for most costumes, but for something particularly elaborate or time-consuming, I would appreciate more notice. I also cannot guarantee that I will be available to create your costume, as scheduling only allows me to accept a few commissions per year. Generally, commissions are handled on a "first come/first served" basis.

What do I need to know/do to commission a costume from you?
The first, most important thing is to know your budget. This lets me know if your expectations are realistic and what sorts of materials I will be able to use in creating your costume. Please keep in mind that creating a costume is a great deal of work, and one can almost never have something that is high quality as well as fast and cheap. Maggie has an excellent article on why this is the case on her website The Costumer's Guide to Movie Costumes. If you have never commissioned anything before, I would strongly encourage you to read the article before contacting me.

That said, a custom costume from me will most likely start at $150. I charge approximately $15 per hour for labor and my formula for figuring out what a commissioned costume should cost is: Cost of Materials + Cost of Labor + Shipping (if applicable). I always ship costume commissions with both postal insurance and delivery confirmation to make sure they arrive safely.

Once you have determined a budget, I would also appreciate any and all visual references pertaining to what you would like me to create. These can be anything from hand drawn sketches to digital pictures of something you would like me to reproduce. Having a solid idea of what the costume should look like will help me to determine how much and what sorts of materials might be involved, which will, in turn, help me to determine the commission's overall cost.

Finally, I will need some basic measurements to help determine how much fabric will be needed. Generally chest, waist and hip measurements are necessary, as well as your approximate height. If you are unusually shaped, or exceptionally tall or exceptionally short, this would also be helpful to know. Once we've determined that I've accepted the commission, I will request more detailed measurements before beginning the project.

What is SteamTailor?
SteamTailor is my Etsy store where I create individual pieces incorporating a steampunk aesthetic. Many of these pieces are pre-made, so their prices are set before being added to the shop. I do accept custom orders through SteamTailor, but normally for only one or two pieces at a time. SteamTailor is meant to be more of a limited number prêt-à-porter shop, rather than the bespoke designs that I create here. I primarily specialize in waistcoats for SteamTailor, though you can occasionally find frock coats, skirts, hats and various other accessories there.

Do you sell or rent pre-made costumes?
I do not rent costumes, though I may occasionally sell costumes of my own that I no longer wear. If I do so, the costume is sold 'as is' for the price listed on this website, though I am willing to make small alterations for an additional fee. Please keep in mind that I am fairly short, so if I'm selling something that once belonged to me, please contact me prior to purchase to make sure the costume will fit you vertically, as well as horizontally.

Can you tell me how you made a particular costume or give me step-by-step instructions on how to make it?
I am generally happy to share my experience with making a particular costume, but I am afraid I do not have the time to type up an individual tutorial for each one. Thus, I cannot give step-by-step instructions on how to create a particular costume, but I don't mind answering general questions. As many of my creations are original designs, I also reserve the right to not divulge information on how they were created.

Can you sell or make me a pattern?
I generally only make patterns for individual use and do not offer patternmaking services outside of commissioned garments. I also tend to use commercial patterns and slopers when available, so more than likely you can already purchase the pattern I used for a particular costume from an outside source.

Do you or your costumes make appearances by request?
Occasionally, if there is no detriment to myself. I cannot generally afford to travel very far from Atlanta without the offer of some sort of compensation. I have conducted costuming panels at conventions in the past, and have acted as a judge in a few different costuming competitions, but these were mostly local. If you are interested in having myself or my work make an appearance at your function, please contact me and we will discuss whether such a thing is feasible.

Where is your studio located?
I have a home studio where I do the majority of my work. I have a large sewing/cutting table, industrial machine, dressform and a variety of materials and tools at my fingertips. Occasionally, if I find my studio is not equipped for a particular aspect of costume creation, I will borrow the necessary space or equipment from a friend. Neither I nor my partner smoke, so all my costumes are from a smoke free environment. I do have two small dogs, but they are not allowed in the studio, so any contact with pet hair is minimal.