Since June 2011 I have volunteered at Beamish Open Air Museum, being in the department that brought me to my final decision of wanting to studying costume… the costume department!
While there I completed tasks such as alterations of already made costume, some pattern drafting, cutting fabric from patterns and constructing the garment (shirts, skirts, coats/jackets and acceessories) as well as some millinery. Equal to this I had the chance to use the equipment there, which was unavailable to me at school/collage for example industrial irons.
All costume items were made for onsite workers, their costumes being made to their individual measurements and being made according to their area of work. The museum has a number of time periods within the sites exhibitions, which is growing all the time, currently there are areas based on the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian eras. The staff members costumes are also made for the correct time period, which is greatly researched previous to the making.
Here are some of my made items for the museum:
I have also once taken the opportunity to be onsite in costume, this was for the children in need evening in 2011 when the museum hosted the charity event for the North East. It was quite a surreal experience!
CharlotteFayeRamsay 