The League of Adventurous Dressmakers: Superheroes Who Make Clothes

VISIT THE NEW-AND-IMPROVED LEAGUE SITE FOR 2019 AND BEYOND!

When I was in college, I was required by the School of Theatre to do a semester in the costume shop.  Most of the other kids groaned and whined and did whatever they could to get around the requirement.  My reaction was more along the lines of, “Don’t throw me in that there briar patch!”  It was magical, and it changed everything about how I sew.

IMG_5975

The lead in the shop was a woman by the name M. L. Baker.  She was about four-and-a-half feet tall, and she wore very quiet shoes.  She had a habit of sneaking up behind you and peering under your elbow to see what you were working on, and then abruptly interrupting in a loud voice: “David!  What on EARTH are you doing?  WHY would you do it that way??”  Poor David.  (It was always David.)

M.L. was a genius, and I adored her.  She was devoted to her craft.  These were costumes that would be worn on a stage at a minimum 60 feet from the nearest viewer, some of them by bit players in the back line of the chorus, and literally be visible for under 20 minutes.  And M.L. would hand-turn hems and make custom pattern pieces and dip-dye fabrics to make every piece perfection.  Each costume was placed in storage with a tag afterward, like an archaeological specimen, and her name was on every one, and she took very seriously her legacy to those who came after: each seam was crafted, each bead was stitched neatly in place.

M. L. (we all called her M. L. because “Ms. Baker” seemed so twee for a woman with her fortitude) was a genius in other ways.  She was a brilliant organizational specialist.  She was truly gifted when it came to economizing and efficiency.  Nothing–for reals, NOTHING–in that costume shop went wasted or was used in a spendthrift manner.  Every pin, every shear, every file, every pattern template was neatly in its place, and was always, always, always put back lest we face the wrath of this tiny woman with the big voice.  Her ability to clearly see the root of problems and to solve them in the most efficient way using the technology she had available to her translated to her teaching–she was, clearly, one of the toughest professors I have ever had the joy of working under, and the way she formatted her classes impacted me more deeply than I would truly recognize until many years later.

Learning to Sew in a Group

In M. L.’s core required class, Costume Construction Techniques, every student in the School of Theatre was required to learn to sew.  EVERY SINGLE STUDENT.  It didn’t matter if you were in the fancy dancy BFA program and your focus was musical theatre.  The School felt it was important for all students to understand how their costumes were made; to have a basic knowledge of how to create and repair them; and to gain an appreciation and respect for those who labored in the costume lab for the dozen-plus productions that were mounted every year.

Because each section of the class included about 30 students, M. L. knew the odds of ever getting one who’d even been in the same room as a sewing machine were pretty slim.  I was probably the only one in my year who had actually operated a machine, and David (poor David) was literally WOWed by that.  When we were learning the parts of the machine and the basic techniques of sewing darts and hems and trim, it would have been impossible for every one of 30 students to see the four-square-inches around the needle on the instructor’s sewing machine.  So M. L. did something that, in 1994, was flat-out revolutionary: she put her lessons on video.

Video Lessons

This was real video, people.  Like, VHS.  And it had NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.  There was practically no internet back then (I got my first email account the same year, and the entire university had TWO SERVERS, y’all), so this wasn’t streaming video.  This was a giant (cathode ray) TV on a rolling cart hooked up to a VHS player at the front of the room.  And it was BRILLIANT.  We could see every detail, every maneuver, every subtlety of what M. L. was working to achieve at the machine, and we could see it in 36″ of old-school glory.

What makes her teaching even more brilliant?  M. L. learned, before there was such a thing as Distance Learning, that she DIDN’T NEED TO BE IN THE ROOM.  Here’s how it worked: she would set the lesson, send her graduate assistant with a handout (pages and pages of detailed instructions), have him push the button on the video, and then arrive (in her quiet shoes) about halfway through the period when we were hard at work to give us critiques and rare praise.  She understood what the rest of us didn’t catch on to until 2010: exceptional instruction can happen through any medium, and it’s all in the planning rather than the geography.

league of dressmakers logo stripes

That’s my vision for The League of Adventurous Dressmakers.  A space where we can see exactly how to achieve exceptional results in our garment sewing, using the best techniques available, to build core skills that apply across a wide range of circumstances, in a community of support and discovery.

David came out of that video environment very confident–not in love with sewing, but since he hadn’t chosen it, his sense of accomplishment may have been even greater.  His seams?  Totally held after the “yank test” that M. L. performed, and his baby bonnet with lace trim was truly lovely.  Me? When M. L. snuck up behind me and pronounced my pintucks “excellent,” I nearly peed my pants.  That’s what I want for you: not the pants-peeing part, but the sense of real accomplishment, and the satisfaction that David and I had of having gone through something special together and come out the other side better for it.

The League of Adventurous Dressmakers is not boot camp.  It’s not sneaky shoes and tough criticism.  It’s careful, thoughtful instruction in core garment sewing techniques, designed intentionally and deliberately to lead you to better clothing construction.  Monthly up-close video lessons give you hi-def views of techniques and their variations, and a practice pattern with each lesson gives you a chance to apply what you’ve learned.  A printable technique guide (which can also be read on your tablet) gives you a permanent reference for each skill, and the private Facebook group provides a familiar space for connecting with other League members.  I’ll be there alongside you, researching and discovering and exulting in the joy of making garments we can be excited about and proud of.

When I named this club a “League,” I was thinking very Sherlock Holmes “Red-Headed League” and also the Superhero League, I was thinking of a group of individuals, strong and capable in their own right, who band together to form a corporate body capable of even greater things.  That’s my vision for this year: a club that gets together on a single topic each month, explores it in depth, and comes out the other side stronger.  We’re going to keep the world safe for better garment sewing, one project at a time.

Join us!  We need your strength and we want your companionship.  Learn more about the League here.  Registration opens next week.  Get in early, since spaces are limited!

 

You Might Also Like

  • Cherie
    December 31, 2015 at 5:15 pm

    Wow! Sounds wonderful. When does registration open and how much? You’ve really come up with a winner here.

    • Deborah
      January 1, 2016 at 10:49 am

      Oh, hooray!! I’m so glad you like the idea! Registration opens on next week and all the details will be available then. I can hardly wait to get started!

  • Patricia
    January 3, 2016 at 11:11 am

    This could not have come at a better time. I just took my first flat pattern making class, am presently practicing my skills with my middle daughter and youngest granddaughter (these two design outfit after gown on paper) and am honing their Muslins-to-sloper this week. I sewed for years from age 7-23, then had a decades-long break, playing with quilts for charities. I am ready to come home and learn.
    Thank you so much. I do enjoy Sherlock Holmes. I do email, but not the special groups on line.
    P.

    • Deborah
      January 3, 2016 at 4:34 pm

      How wonderful!! I’m so glad you’re going to be part of it, and it sounds like the perfect timing for you. Can’t wait to see more of what all three generations are making at your house!

  • Diane
    January 4, 2016 at 1:53 pm

    I cannot believe I never heard of this extraordinary instructor. She sounds amazing. From my experience with a local ballet company, I can attest to the need for superior construction in theater costumes. The strain they’re under! The stress! The (gulp!) SWEAT. I’m going to Google ML Baker and see what else I can learn about her. BTW, it’s not a coincidence that her surname is Baker, right?

  • Diane
    January 4, 2016 at 1:56 pm

    http://sightlines.usitt.org/archive/2012/07/MLBaker.asp

    Mae-Louise died in 2012. One of her former students echoed your comments on her organizational and management ability.

  • Jen
    January 5, 2016 at 6:29 pm

    I can’t wait for this! I’ve been stalking this page everyday waiting for registration to open!!!

    • Deborah
      January 6, 2016 at 8:54 am

      Haha! Yay, yay, yay!! I’m expecting it to open tomorrow, just tweaking the last shopping cart tech today!

  • Accacia
    January 6, 2016 at 2:30 pm

    What is the fee structure?

    • Deborah
      January 6, 2016 at 3:23 pm

      This is a monthly subscription club, and auto-bills to your account once a month. Registration opens tomorrow, pricing and details will be live then! 🙂

  • Now OPEN for Registration: The Murder Mystery Quilt & the League of Adventurous Dressmakers! | Whipstitch
    January 7, 2016 at 9:57 am

    […] The League of Adventurous Dressmakers is a monthly subscription club that focuses on in-depth technique lessons for better garment sewing.  As more and more of us seek to sew our own clothes, we want to be sure that we make clothes that are beautiful and well-constructed.  With the League of Adventurous Dressmakers by your side, you’ll do it in superhero style!  In this warm, communal environment, explore key garment-making techniques to making your hand-sewn clothing the best it can be, and get inspired by other dressmakers while you do!  Learn more about the League here! […]

  • How to Sew a Professional Hong Kong Seam Finish + GIVEAWAY | Sew Mama Sew | Outstanding sewing, quilting, and needlework tutorials since 2005.
    February 12, 2016 at 7:40 pm

    […] in all, with full video guidance and a printable technique guide for each one. Learn more about the background behind the club at Whipstitch, and sign up […]

  • The Murder Mystery Quilt and The League of Adventurous Dressmakers: Last Day to Join! | Whipstitch
    February 29, 2016 at 11:54 am

    […] We’ve just spent the month of February working on seams and seam finishes, learning the details and techniques to make every seam strong and clean.  What I was most interested in thinking about as I shot the video and did the research was how to reduce bulk in my garments, and make every one of them lie smooth over my curves when the garment is worn.  I feel so invested in the ladies who have joined the League this year, and dove DEEP on this subject, more so that I would have done in the past–plus, I got to indulge my passions for bias tape and French seams.  Which means that I’m learning a ton, answering all the little questions that I never took the time to look up before, and feel so much a PART of the League.  We are all in it together.  (You can read more about the birth of this group here.) […]

  • #aggressivelyambitious and the Handmade Wardrobe | Whipstitch
    August 16, 2016 at 12:24 pm

    […] about mastering the art of FIT.  It’s been a rejuvenation of sorts, largely inspired by the League of Adventurous Dressmakers and the lessons we’ve been exploring together this year.  I’ve been so inspired and […]

  • Make This The Year You Sew Your Own Wardrobe: The League of Adventurous Dressmakers | Whipstitch
    December 5, 2016 at 4:43 pm

    […] I launched the League last year as a place for all of us to become Sewing Superheroes, people who want to sew better clothing, period.  We want to make clothing to suit our individual style, our body size, our standard of quality.  And we want to do it with solid skills and the best results we can get.  We do that through focused lessons on specific sewing techniques, broken down to their core elements so they can be learned and applied in very practical ways, to projects we know we will use and love.  We are encouraged by one another when we share our projects and see what everyone else is working on.  And we’re motivated to keep sewing as we create a reference library of tools and skills that we can dip into again and again. […]