Is anyone familiar with this seamstress ?

[Rowan MacD]

  Sorry for bumping this thread.   
  I just got my latest Renaissance magazine last week and I noted that Midnight Breeze is prominantly advertised in it; full page ads at that.   
  For some reason I thought she was out of business, or something.  Anybody doing business with her?  Is she getting better?

[Merlin the Elder]

I will say this: if you need a spectacular garb creator, and I say that in lieu of seamstress because she is so much more, Lady Kathleen is amazing.  Don't expect it to be cheap, or cheaply made. She's a pro.

As it turned out, I got my garb 3 or 4 months earlier than I had expected, although I think that was just my dumb luck (dumb luck is the only kind I get).  It will be seen in public for the first time this weekend at Sherwood Forest Faire.

[Rowan MacD]

  I too, am a customer of Lady Kathleen and I know what a fine job she does ,
 However, I am not currently in the market for a seamstress.  If I was, our own kind Lady would would most assuredly get the job!  I have recommended her many times.

  Regarding my original query:  I was just curious to know why the Midnight Breeze is still around and taking out full page ads in Renaissance magazine, since it seems she has (had) major issues filling the orders she does have.  Unless MB is getting her ads for free, business must be good which is a minor miracle considering the complaints I've read here.  

[Merlin the Elder]

...or perhaps lot of income with no outgo... that buys a lot of ad space...

[Captain Teague]

A lot of very poor merchants advertise in all sorts of curriculums. Sad but true that a lot of circulations let anyone with the money buy any ads they want. Only way to truly combat things like this is for a large number of customers to said magazines to write or call in and complain about a merchant. It takes effort, as full page ads are usually very expensive and it takes a lot to move an owner from losing a large sum of magazine income no matter what the situation.

[Rowan MacD]

  Per their website-Ren Mag charges 1K and up for a full page 4 color ad, for one issue.

  Business must be good...

[Captain Teague]

Business is always good if you take payment and do not deliver. 

Sorry if that is a bit facetious as I do not know this vendor, nor know anyone with direct dealings with them. But I have been there, done that, got two t shirts....so the above applies, at least IMO. And perhaps I am still a little sore around the edges personally as recently a vendor bowed out on me 2 months after making an order with them. Fortunately I didn't put any money down.

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

Some of the Midnight Breeze designs were listed in the current Wedding issue of Renaissance Magazine.

Also, our own Lady Kathleen of Olmsted was named under the Very Merry Seamstress wedding garb, because she made the nobleman's shirt.  A seller like VMS, owned by Heather, is the kind of business that the rest of the world should aspire to.  She makes promises and holds to them, the contact with the customer is ongoing, she stands behind her work, and she gives credit to others where credit is due.  She started out on Ebay many years ago - I bought my first cloak from her - around 11 or 12 years ago, and it was custom made for me and it still looks brand new.

For custom garb, I highly recommend Lady Kathleen.  She is another whose service is impeccable, and we never fail to receive compliments the entire day when we wear garb she has made.

[Rowan MacD]

  ^Ditto^.   I saw the ads for VMS too, and I expected those.  Love the wedding issue.
    The MB ad is on the facing page, I do believe.   

[Alerrick Afon Adou]

You have to do some research prior to having outfits made by someone you might never see! I wont buy from someone with out checking them out! I have three outfits made Lady Kathleen they are Fabulous. She kept in contact and posted pictures of progress. She is a Great seamstress. I Will have more outfits made by her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Huzzah

[Rowan MacD]

    And an excellent way to research is right here, on the faire photo pages! 
Frequently the captions name the person pictured and the seamstress who made the garb, if different from the wearer. 

[Kate XXXXXX]

I have taken a quick gander round the website...  First impressions are:

Looks like commercial patterns from the Big Four were used for all the garments.
Fabric choices look like budget options and furnishing fabric/curtain remnants...  Rather scrappy and 'flung together'.  Made out of what was on sale the day she went to the store.
Prices are good for what you see: budget garments for budget prices.  We charge this sort of price for our sample garments.

You can't see the finish, but the way the garment sections fit together isn't massively impressive.  They don't look like they were carefully pressed at each stage.  I strongly suspect inadequate boning in cheap plastic or cable ties (FINE if you are doing home-made on a budget: a big NO if you are making for customers!  We use plastic whalebone replacement therapy, but it is GOOD QUALITY stuff, even on our Bronze Finish kit), Vilene/Pellon interfacing where used, and horrible big shiny grommets rather than tidy neat little ones or stitched eyelets.

If you are buying as ready made garments, and what you see is what you get for the price, then I'd expect a fully machine made finish, and if they last a couple of seasons, you've done well for the price.  As bespoke garments, they are miles off.  They really don't match up to 'made to measure' either.

Looks like the skirts are not properly supported on commercial wedding dress hooped petticoats rather than proper farthingales: big give-away is that ridge above the hem where the hoop is...  Tut-tut!

Commercial patterns are fine.  You see something you like, you buy it, you take it and the fabrics along to a dressmaker and pay them to make it up.  It fits nicely and is properly finished.  It costs you a neat packet, and lasts a good three to five years, if you made good fabric choices.  Lady K and I can do that for you, but we prefer to do proper Bespoke stuff...  Given you size and shape and fabric choices won't be exactly the same as the pattern company used, you should get a reasonable and nicely finished version of the pattern envelope photo.

Bespoke is what Lady K and I and others really love: research the time period meticulously, get samples of the fabrics for you to choose from, hunt up fab trims and buttons, cut a pattern to YOUR measurements, do several fittings, incorporate YOUR ideas and changes of mind (we do limit those!    ), and make you something hand finished, pressed to perfection, and that will probably get taken up/in some years down the line for your grandchild as a teenager!

Heh...  Right now I have just ordered a set of RAF uniform buttons for a Space Ranger LARP uniform...  It'll be made from an all wool dress barathea.  Yum!

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

After going thru my mail after a 2 week trip out to Reno, Nevada, I paged through the newest issue of RENAISSANCE magazine. I was totally stunned to see my name in print.

I also want to say that it is an HONOR to work with Heather of Very Merry Seamstress. I have admired her work for many years prior to her approaching me via this community to add my talents to her line. The feedbacks she recieves from items I have done for her clients been positive, that she keeps me busy with orders when they come in.