I explore sewing methods of the 18th and 19th centuries to better understand the people who lived and worked in those days, stitching new meanings into old methods. Although I utilize the materials, methods, and styles of centuries past, I do not support the ideals of those time periods. I do not recreate historical dress to cosplay as an 18th century queen, but to understand the work of her laborers. Sewing, despite its reputation as frivolous and feminine, is work. It is a crucial part of human existence. Clothing is a portal to the past, the physical presence of our ancestors, the way they carried themselves through the world. The ways of the past should not be forgotten- they are manifestations of centuries of problem solving and concentrated capsules of culture.
