Practically Perfect In Every Stitch

    A few weeks ago I shared a little bit about how I'm choreographing for the Mansfield Youth Theatre production of Mary Poppins, but a fun fact is that I also work on the costume crew. I grew up sewing for 4-H projects and originally planned on going to college to double major in fashion design and fashion merchandising. I've found a passion in getting to work on the costumes for the youth shows and using my creativity.

    I handled two large costume projects for Mary Poppins. Back in December, before the show was even cast, I created the white hats for "Jolly Holiday." They were white straw hats adorned with pink ribbon and red roses. I spent time cutting ribbon and gluing it to the hats. Then I disassembled the roses and arranged them on the hats. To fill the blank space, I added small curled pieces of pink ribbon. These hats ended up being adorable and were a joy to craft.

    My most recent project was making colorful bustles for “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” I had to cut three different sizes of fabric using pinking shears. In an effort to be sustainable and save money, I used thrifted and recycled fabrics. After cutting the pieces, I laid out each one to decide what patterns and colors to mix. After pinning the layers together, I sewed and gathered them into ruffles. Then I sewed them onto ribbons that matched each actor’s waist size. I love making ruffles, and these bustles were a fun way to play with colors, textures and patterns.

    One of my favorite parts of costuming for the shows is the long days spent organizing and testing out potential costumes. My mom has always volunteered alongside me on the costume crew. For Mary Poppins, we spent some long days with our director piecing together outfits. Sometimes we needed to see them on a body to know what pairs well, so naturally my mom or I modeled the outfits. We always take pictures for the behind-the-scenes costume folder, and it helps lighten the mood during the long days. From wearing little frilly dresses to modeling a men's suit jacket, you can catch me wearing just about everyone’s costumes.

    I'm an advocate for the idea that there’s something for everyone in the arts. Whether you enjoy being onstage or prefer working behind the scenes, it can be the perfect creative outlet for all. I love getting to dive back into the world of fashion and sewing with every show. See how you can support the arts today!