Note: I'm wondering about this format; I'm hating the centered photos. Trying something new. So my sewing campaign started. And I made some dresses, even some with great success. Along the way, I figured out how to put in a zipper, top-stitch, pin-tuck and make an inset sleeve. I meticulously copied all the patterns so I could adjust them with ruining the original. My McCall's sewing book from the trash was the best resource for all my "huh?' questions, especially since old patterns are not printed with directions and come one size per package. I moved on to Boston. My boyfriend and I and some friends went to Vegas for Viva Las Vegas, a giant rockabilly event with bands. It's an extreme fashion show. I'm a huge fan of vintage stuff, but my oh my, it was over the top. Anyway, that particular year, one of the featured performances was a burlesque troupe. I had seen some burlesque shows in NYC and was interested in seeing the show in Vegas.

It was a weird show. Troubling. Awkward. Home-made outfits that weren't really working the way they were supposed to. I watched and thought "I bet I can do that better." I liked the idea of exploring a new kind of engineering that opposed the general engineering design of clothing, which is to go on the body and stay put. At the time, I didn't have much use for the new ideas and possibilities swirling in my brain, so I put it to rest for a while. The opportunity to make the ideas into reality didn't occur until I moved to Atlanta.