 Good morning and welcome to sunny, glary, Bumper Regis. I am back in our courtyard. And no doubt there will be extraneous sounds like seagulls and wind and various things. I don't know that I'll be able to edit out with my very beginner level editing skills. But here we go. Ever since lockdown started, I've wanted to participate in this 20 questions lockdown edition. Started by Robin at So Loud. I filmed a version about three weeks after the UK went into lockdown and didn't get it uploaded straight away because I hadn't actually launched my YouTube channel and hadn't really started learning any editing skills or anything so it wasn't really ready and I didn't want it to be the first video that I launched. Also, in retrospect, realized three weeks in at the time of filming that we were all under a little bit of a, ah, what's happening? We don't know what's going on kind of state and lockdown is so shocking and none of us have lived through anything like this before. Whereas now, about six weeks later, things have bedded in a little bit and while we're still just as keen to be able to get together with our friends and our communities the same way as before, I think we've all done a bit of soul searching in terms of our lifestyles and our risk levels as to what adaptations to our day-to-day routine we're willing to make long-term and this pandemic looks like it could be some while before we're all in the clear, if ever. You never know if there's something else that might come along too. So it's been a learning curve and after a total of, well, approaching 12 weeks now, this might be edging towards a new revised normal for many of us. So I thought this is a good time actually to revisit my responses to being asked 20 questions about being a customer at a time of lockdown and reaching out and making virtual connections with other people. Of course, in the meantime, other things have hit the world stage. There's social unrest. We're living in a really momentous times. We are living in a time that will go down in history and be written about. And the question is whose voices will be heard? I'm talking about that a bit on other social media platforms and to be honest, much more in real life off-screen. So I'm not going to get into that here, but it does shape and flavor some of the responses that I give to some of these questions. These things are real and we are living it and it does affect all of us, whether we like it or like to admit it or not. So on that sober note, I have here with me a list of the 20 questions that Robin has posed for customers. And I'm going to try to follow this through an order. The first time that I filmed this, I missed out several of the questions altogether. So starting with what was your first costume? Bonus if you share an embarrassing photo. My first costume was my attempt at a mid-century Scottish impression with a red wool jacket. There are photos. They're not embarrassing. Amazingly enough for first costume. My sister, we did a photo shoot on the Isle of Skye a few days after my wedding. So the all dressed up in the mist and I was quite pleased with how the photos came out. The jacket itself wasn't the greatest fit and I haven't really, I've really haven't worn it since but I'm actually still pretty proud of it. It looked great. What is your favorite costume you've made? It's a bit like asking a mother for a favorite child. Actually it tends to be whatever project I've just finished, whatever dress or gown or project I've just finished is my favorite, it is the one at the moment and the one I just can't get enough of. Having said that, the second part of this question is what costume are you most proud? And that one I have to say is one that I didn't do a lot of stitching on. I'm really, really proud of the recreation of the Isabella McTavish Frasier Gowren that it took a team of eight and all of her family and allies to make my stitching contribution was a little more than assembling one sleeve and a little bit of hemming but making that happen, enabling that to happen and bringing everyone together to work together and produce something that then is so interesting and educational for everyone else. I'm really, really proud of our work on that and how that all went from beginning to end. It was a wonderful experience. What costume do you dream of making? I have a few that are sort of yes, would really like to. Definitely knowing any personal history connected to gowns is a factor for me. So the Deborah Sampson dress in the historic New England Museum is on my list. Really would like to make that and that one is another dress that like the Isabella dress that has been passed down through a family and the family lore is that Deborah Sampson wore it when she got married. That one has had some alterations that I am currently in discussions with the museum and the curator there and once they are able to return to their offices and consult their files, there's some details they're going to share. So that one is a little un-hold at the moment. I'm really excited to actually get some more information beyond what we can see in the photos and have a go at making that. There's also another one that, again, knows something about the original wearer. It's quite a lot older. It is in fact, it's an early manchua from the very beginning of the 18th century and that one might be, that will be an interesting one. It's very striking. It has similarities to quite famous one in the mat with Spittlefield silk. This one also Spittlefield silk. We won't be able to get a reproduction fabric and the main aim of that project will be education about the cut and the construction. So that will likely be made in a plain colored silk taffeta and the focus will be on the style and the cut and the construction and a lot less so on the fabric. But that one's really exciting and I really hope that that can happen. And then longer term, I have an academic project that I'm hoping will be a post-grad thesis and that one will be very multifaceted and multidisciplinary and not focused on just one single dress but possibly the wardrobe of one woman. And there's so much still to think about that and get that arranged that is far too early to start talking about any details on that one. But that's probably actually of the ones that the projects I've mentioned is probably my dream. That will be a lot of research, a lot of archival research, but that's a big thing and I really, I really, really hope that can happen one day. A sewing task you love versus a sewing task you hate. There's a lot of things actually in sewing that sometimes I love it and then other times, same thing, I hate it. And sometimes it goes back and forth. There are some things, I do them the first time, discover them, they're new, try them and I think, wow, this is wonderful. Where has this been all my life? The so-called English stitch in the 18th century didn't have a name. That's amazing. It's magic. So that one I love. Then there are other things that I really, really hate and then learn to love through application, through practice, through getting better, being happier with results, plus being faster. And that what I have to say is hemming. Hemming is one of the most versatile things you can do. It just is so useful in so many different places in so many different ways. Yet to begin with, I was so slow that faced with meters and meters and meters of hemming. Oh, God, I just hated the thought of it and just wanted to slit my wrists out of boredom and mmm. But improved technique, using a thimble, finding a flow, finding the zen if you like and there I've had good teachers that have helped me do that. And now it's one of those things that's called, oh, yeah, hemming, lovely. And just carry on. And it's lovely. So that's something I did hate and now love in terms of things. And you know, eyelets, same thing. They'd say it takes about making 100 hands-on eyelets before you actually get good at it or consistently good at it. And I say that's about true. It probably took about four pairs of front and back lacing stays to realize, hey, actually my eyelets, they're not so bad. And they're, yeah. I don't have a panic attack at the thought of tackling a row of eyelets in the pack of stays anymore. What I wrote there, so will Wooler silk. Both so lovely. Both have pros and cons. Both have kind of required a certain way of working. And there are those pesky seagulls. I wish they would show their faces like a capture them on film for you. But living by the seaside, you can't be away from the seagulls. Wooler silk again. I think if I absolutely had to choose one and never be allowed or never have the opportunity to work with the other one, I probably would choose Wool. It's the most versatile and the most forgiving. And it's just wearable, really, really wearable. No stress involved with it. Would I rather go to a themed event or pick your own theme? Definitely prefer themed events. I just love the immersive quality of being with like-minded friends that were all on the same page, thinking of the same things and yes, we often use that for escape and we could all sometimes use a little bit of that, especially in stressful times. But yes, I think it really fosters a sense of community. I think the advantage to pick your own theme is that you do see a lot of creativity and a lot of amazing things that you don't go to the event expecting to see. And that can be really, really mind blowing, sometimes amazing things you see. But for me personally, I prefer a themed event. Would you rather attend a big ball or an intimate dinner? I'm an introvert and I love to talk, but not small talk. So small intimate dinner, friends and friends of friends, basically new friends to be made, but yeah, able to talk, that's the key thing. And hear each other, not overwhelming noise. Do you prefer to machine sew or hand sew? I prefer to hand sew. I have used the machine for some things. I find there's something mentally about the speed that you're going that does not encourage reflection. It becomes more focused on getting the job done and you don't enjoy, you're not actually enjoying the process. There are some things I think are just human paste, like walking and cycling versus speeding down a motorway to get to 80 as quickly as possible. And it's the same with hand sewing versus machine sewing. That said, I do have a Singer machine that is 1890s model with a hand crank and that kind of speed is quite lovely too. Another thing too, and possibly others who suffer like I think it's a general low grade anxiety is don't like a lot of noise. So machines are a factor in that if you've got a sewing machine going quite a lot, you know, hours of the day, days on end to work on a really big project, it's not restful. Hand sewing is very restful, very good for your mental health. Do you like wigs, hair pieces, or your own hair? I haven't yet got, I haven't got a lot of experience with all three of these or any one of all three of these, to be honest. Until last year, I shaved my head and just covered it with a cap. Then last year I began wearing a wig. And I thought that posed some challenges as my hair was growing out. My hair is very slippery, very straight and the wig would slip a lot and no amount of pins, gel products, those velcro type wig caps. Yes, wigs were found very stressful. My own hair is what I'm doing at the moment, it's not a great deal of it, but at least it's something and I'm learning to work with that and learning to use period recipes for pomade and powder and no powder at the moment, but to try to begin learning those period hair styles and hair pieces is something I am looking forward to exploring and making and learning to use as my hair gets just a little bit longer. I'm really looking forward to that. Name five small businesses you love for costume things. This is kind of tricky. I, over here in the UK, it seems the number of sort of vendors, we don't have big markets that have a lot of choice for 18th century goods, so when you're 18th century specific looking for things that are high quality, made period techniques as really good reproduction quality things, our shopping opportunities, if you like, are quite limited here, so I end up looking to the US for a lot or to Europe, but I'm shopping online without the opportunities to go to the big open air markets like Fort Frederick and a lot of the things that happen that serve the 18th century communities, so look online. So really all I can speak to are the ones that I have personally purchased, worn, used, and am happy with and would wholeheartedly recommend to. So I'm going to name a few of the products that I absolutely hand on heart would recommend and I'll have all of their details in the description box below this video. One is hats period. I've had a hat from her that was very good. Penny River costumes, I've had a lot of different things for her, lots of small things that you kind of suddenly realize you need a number of different things and there isn't time to make them all before your event. Highly recommend Penny River. Dames all in mode. I have, I think all of my sparkly jewelry is from her. It's lovely, very good quality. American Duchess for shoes, fantastic, the right look, just amazingly stylish, correct shoes, but with modern construction, so they feel familiar, they are comfortable for wearing all day and they're easy to determine what size you need and get fit questions, fit and sizing questions answered and they're not made bespoke, so that keeps the price point much more within reach for more people. And Burnley and Trobridge, I get a lot of my fabrics and sewing notions from them and they are family-run business and just wonderful to deal with, very, very knowledgeable and helpful. Oh and on all of these I'll just mention all of these are strong vocal allies to the black indigenous and people of color groups who are needing their voices heard and are needing support from whites, people with white privilege, these are all customers who are doing their bit and not just sitting quietly. Name five YouTubers we should all check out. The costumer's community on YouTube is expanding, it's growing very, very quickly and it's a fairly recent phenomenon, I think they're a handful that have been around for a long time, but the rest of us are all kind of jumping on the bandwagon. I'm playing catch-up, I'm trying to find new people to listen to and watch and learn from. I'm going to name five that are new and I've kind of chosen that because they do good research, they are sharing solid information and they're also new to YouTube. They don't have big followings yet and I believe they deserve them. They really, really deserve a wider audience and so all the details for them will be in the description box below but I'm gonna just give a little shout out to them now. One is Sohn Company, that's Sarah Woodard. Number two would be Neil Hearst who's a historic tailor and a museum curator who knows his encyclopedic knowledge of clothing and material culture of the 18th century. Third would be the Welsh Viking. This is my friend, Jimmy Johnson. Highly entertaining as well as informative and a very motivating person to listen to. The fourth I'm going to mention is new. It's the beginner's guide to the 18th century which is a new channel for what is going to be a membership community to help people with historical costuming and interpreting and skills needs at beginner level. So that's quite exciting. And the fourth I'll mention is Lady of the Wilderness. Some of you will know Amber. She's been around for a little bit but she's new to YouTube and she's just a delight to learn from. Favorite color. Oh, I'm famous for it. It's red. Pearls are sparkles. I wear both different circumstances, different outfits. They mix it up a little bit. I'm wearing pearls today. Recommend both. Whatever suits you. There's no right or wrong on this. What is a costume trip you've dreamt of taking? I think the big one is Colonial Williamsburg and I've done that twice now and the second time was in March and I did take a lot of historical dress and costume and spent several days sort of living as immersively as possible. But I'd like to do more of that. I'd like to go back again. I'd like that opportunity to have historical clothing actually feel like clothing, everyday clothes you put on in the morning go off and do what you need to do. That would be nice. Favorite cocktail. I am so out of the LeBron cocktails. I think of my 20s. I was a Long Island iced tea drinker. These days, over 50. I like a good single malt whiskey. Who is a costume you'd like to meet? Oh my goodness, there are so many. For so many different reasons. I should have possibly given this a little bit more thought beforehand but the people who pop into mind right now are those who make incredible things to look at but that also really, really sound deep research and usually with the academic background too with published papers that we really can learn from that have shared that primary source research and can explain when they have fun with something, when they make a costume that is creative and fun point, fun buoyant and really just extra, extra special in so many different ways. They can explain exactly why they made things a certain way or made the choices they made and the fabrics they used or the colors or you know all different things. You can really ask them good detailed questions and get thoughtful answers. And I think number one for that I really, really would like to meet the motto mantra maker. She has not got a YouTube channel. She is on Instagram but that's Carolyn and Daudel, excuse me, Carolyn and Daudel, I'll say it right yet. I'm so sorry. Carolyn and Daudel, the motto mantra maker. Plain or patterned, my go-to gown is plain but otherwise I do wear a lot of pattern as you can see today. Use a pattern or make your own. This is tricky and it's something actually I want to talk a lot about in a video I'm planning to do. I think people come at this from different angles and different needs and different purposes. I struggle with paper patterns that are drafted using modern drafting techniques and then size grading for exactly the same reasons that I can't find off the rack clothing with stock sizes in stores that fit me correctly and comfortably everywhere. So I do like a bespoke approach to my clothing and the way that I make clothing as well. I have no training in modern draping. I'm not entirely sure how that's done. I've had some training and I am actively practicing and learning historical draping or what in the 18th century, the beginning really, the founding of any kind of thoughts on draping methods or cutting shapes on the body. That's what the mantua makers did then. I am fascinated by that and so far I find that the most effective for myself and on others that I have made clothing for, the most effective way of getting a really good fit that's comfortable with full mobility and that looks beautiful. So yeah, that's not called making your own. Well, yeah, if you're cutting shapes on a body, that's making your own. Definitely, okay. What is your favorite era to wear and favorite to make? Well, it's 18th century or the age of the mantua maker, the late 17th century, right up to nearly the end of the 18th century. That's the broadest if people want to split it into Georgian or that's it. Yeah, that's the period I'm most interested but then there's also you break it down and just like in our time, fashion has changed and sometimes quite quickly and quite dramatically, just look at all the things that happened in the 20th century in terms of fashion and style. The 18th century definitely had its revolutions in style and fashion as well, fast changes that happened and then lots of scope for variations. I do do a lot of 1770s and 1780s and I think that's, I love it. I love it and I love making it but I think it's also because of the communities and friends and social events and historic sites that you can visit in costume tend to focus around those time periods such as Colonial Williamsburg. So I have a pretty full wardrobe of that kind of thing. Having said that, I really, really want to make a lot more mid-century, 1740s and in the 1750s just a bit and I'm at the moment down a deep rabbit hole on those mansures around 1700, 1710. Yeah, yeah, definitely itching to get going on that. What is one thing you don't know about me? Hmm, I'm dual citizen UK and USA, born and raised in Oregon and I've lived in the UK for 20 years. I think you're probably gonna get to know me via my channel and but in terms of assumptions, yeah, my nationality comes up a bit from my very mixed hybrid accent that fluctuates a bit between American and English sounding and sometimes not really either of them and I do get some imaginative guesses as to where I might be from. So we'll set the record straight on that. I was born and raised in Oregon and lived in America for 30 years but I have now lived in the UK for 20 years and I'm a naturalized citizen here. Okay, I think I have actually covered all 20 questions. I don't know yet what my environmental challenges will be in dealing with making sure that you can hear and see this clearly when I upload this video. Meanwhile, I would like if I could just at the end one little note. Could I ask everyone please who does historical costuming to have a think beyond just the pretty dresses and think about the time period your clothing comes from, what era you represent and what life was like not just for wealthy whites but the other people in their household and other people who made the goods that they bought, used, enjoyed, consumed, everything that surrounded them, all of those skilled people and the unskilled laborer as well who produced the wealth that enabled those people to buy what they did and furnish beautiful homes and wear beautiful clothing. Just have a think about that. Can I point you to a video here on YouTube posted by Mary-Lise Thomas. Her YouTube channel is called Little Crocus and she did a little short piece to camera the other day about historical context, about just stopping, sitting back and thinking about the context of the beautiful things that you admire and if you enjoy wearing that clothing in that style of the era just be mindful of the context of that clothing. On that note, I hope you're all keeping well and happy and finding fulfilling ways to get through what will go down I think in history as a moment worthy of note. So, keep yourself safe and we'll see you soon.