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Hi, I’m Denise Hendrick, lover of historic clothing and textiles, and the creative force behind Romantic Recollections. Since I was a child, I’ve been entranced by Anne of Green Gable’s puffed sleeves, and eventually that love grew into a passion for recreating and wearing those same fashions. To this day, the leg-of-mutton sleeves, full skirts, and nipped-in waists of 1895 remain some of my favorite styles, although every year I add new eras to my list of favorites. Eventually I realized it wasn’t enough to just make pretty things for myself, and that I wanted to use my skills and knowledge to help make costuming dreams come true for others. I entered the Apparel Design and Services program at Seattle Central Community College, where I learned about patterning, fine finishing, tailoring, and other techniques that are perfectly suited to period fashion, and had the opportunity to intern with several local costumers and corset makers. Armed with a degree and a greatly expanded skill set, I launched Romantic Recollections in 2005.

Every outfit starts when a client brings me an idea and together we figure out the best way to bring that vision to life, whether it is a meticulously researched reproduction piece or a fanciful, historically-inspired costume. I aim to balance machine sewing and embroidery with period construction techniques and the professional workmanship of hand finishing, so I can provide the best combination of quality and speed to each client.

In 2011, I began exploring ways to use machine embroidery to enhance the garments I was creating, but quickly discovered that there were few historically-accurate designs on the market. Realizing that I couldn’t be the only one frustrated by a lack of options, I began work on a line of embroidery based on extant garments and period publications and paintings. My goal is to bring the beauty of period embroidery to your projects as well as my own, in a format that is faster than hand work without sacrificing historical accuracy. I hope you enjoy using and wearing these designs as much as I’ve enjoyed creating them.

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