About Me

Sewing and other types of handwork have always been an interest to me throughout my life. My mom sewed a little bit and taught me the basics when I was very young. I made small things like simple doll clothes and pillows as a child. The older I got, the more complicated projects I started to tackle. I didn't really get into more complicated sewing projects until the age of 13 when I discovered a passion for living history. After getting heavily involved in re-enacting the mid-19th century and improving my skills in historical clothing production and sewing in general, I got the idea to start up my own business.

My goal is to reproduce historical garments as accurately as possible. This is very important when we, as 21st century people, are portraying our ancestors. When you are wearing a costume, you have to remember that "it's not just a costume." It's actually a piece of history! You may not realize it, but even if you don't speak one word, you're actually teaching those around you a portion of their own history. To say the clothing does not matter, is to say history does not matter. I can't stress enough how important accuracy is. Not only will an accurately made garment allow you to look the part, you'll actually FEEL the part. And when you feel the part, there's more of a chance that you will experience a portion of what our ancestors experienced over a hundred years ago.

To get a better understanding of the era, one must continually dive deep into history and never stop searching for more knowledge. I have a passion for clothing and spent the last ten years of my life researching garment construction from the 19th century. I don't pretend to be an expert, because I realize I will continue to learn new things every day. It's actually very exciting when you realize there is so much more left out there for you to discover! It's partly why, after this long, I am still as passionate, if not more so, about history.

If you have any questions or comments, you may contact me, Anna Allen, at gracefullady@gmail.com