Artist's Biography
Q. What got you started in sewing?
A. My grandmother. I remember spending some summers at her house. She gave me remnants of cloth to make clothes for dolls in the toy chest. I made a whole ensemble for my aunt's rag doll.
Q. When did you start sewing seriously?
A. Around 1992... I was a junior in high school. My dad bought me my very first sewing machine. It was a Singer. I started making Halloween costumes for myself and later for friends in school.
Through the early part of college I would audition for plays and most of my tech hours were spent helping the costume designer with alterations. It got to a point when she would tell me what style she wanted and have me make my own costume from scratch.
In 2000 I got started on cosplay. Since then I have made many costumes, enough to feel confident in what I do.
Q. What about the hats and the stuffed animals?
A. My first hat was the Gaiaonline inspired Hammi hat. I made it to wear at AnimeNorth 2004. People saw it and started requesting hats like it. I really didn't start out, intending for my sewing business to be based almost entirely on hats. But that's how things turned out. I consider myself a seamstress. The hats are a way to get people interested in my sewing.
With stuffed animals... I've always liked making them.
Q. Why do you call yourself a studio?
A. A studio has a variety of facets. My business also has a variety of facets. I sew costumes, hats and stuffed animals. I also create quilts and soft sculpture patterns. When thinking about starting a business, I thought I would only be doing pattern drafting and soft sculpture, but my husband suggested that I include seamstressing in with the business. What sort of name would describe the nature of my business? I went with "studio." Night Garden Studios encompasses both Night Garden Dolls and Night Garden Sewing.
Q. Are you in the market for an associate or an apprentice?
A. I don't know if I'm ready for an apprentice. It would be nice to teach someone the basics so they can help me fill orders. But I'll wait until my business is better established. And they would have to live in the San Francisco Bay Area.
I would be interested in an associate... especially if they have expertise in areas of costuming I don't have experience in, like armor and wigs.
Q. How about a quick non-sewing related bio?
A. I was born in 1975 in Berkeley, California. I've been a San Francisco Bay Area resident my entire life. I married my husband, Victor, when I was 20. I currently have 1.5 children (first born in 2002, second due August 4, 2005), a bachelors in Music Education and two cats.
--Gretchen ^^v
Gretchen Wilburn ~ Night Garden Studios © 2004-2005