Technology/Equipment Grant

Through the use of high quality sewing machine with features that will save time and effort over a basic sewing machine, my goal is to create detailed costumes more efficiently as well as historically accurately that will enhance an actor's interpretation of a character and an audience's enjoyment of a production visually. I also desire to positively impact actors' artistic development (particularly children and teens) through interacting with them in the process of fittings, historical accuracy, and workability of costumes and to further expand my artistic designing skills through the use of embroidery stitches and the ability to sew through multiple layers of fabric or bulky/thick fabrics quickly and efficiently. This will also help lessen the fibromyalgia pain I experience due to hunching over and fighting" with a basic sewing machine or resorting to hand sewing by pushing and pulling a needle laborious through thick fabrics -- and many times my fingers! I believe my creativity will be less limited with this machine, and I will be more efficient and productive due to the quality of the machine. Thus, I will be able to create more per show, rather than renting some of the costumes or spending excessive time searching for the supplies (trims, designs) I envision. I will be able to document this with the items I create using the machine."