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 Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 3:03 pm
Glamour is what makes a man ask for your telephone number.
But it also is what makes a woman ask for the name of your dressmaker.
- Lilly Dache
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 3:04 pm
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 3:12 pm
Name: Joanne Bard
Nicknames: Jo or Anna- online pseudonyms. Despite their total obviousness, she will freak out if you call her either one (especially the latter).
Gender: Female
Age: 15 (Freshman Year)
Fav. Food: Cheddar cheese popcorn. Or cheddar cheese pita chips. Really, anything that combines a crunchy food with cheddar cheese.
Hated Food: Broccoli (unless it's smothered with cheese) and fruits not ending in "berry."
Hobbies:
Sewing: Joanne has loved to sew since her grandmother started teaching her when she was little. Even if she doesn't have a commission to complete, she's usually working on a project. Some of these are for her other hobbies (see below), but many are made just to see if she's able to. A fun challenge for Joanne is to take a random picture out of a magazine and try to recreate the outfit completely. These random projects of hers pile up, and every few months she has a sale on her website for the clothing they generate.
Cosplay: What's the use of a tailor who can't design clothing? One excellent use is cosplay! Many people who commission Joanne do so for complex costumes, for parties or plays or conventions. The first time someone commissioned Joanne for such a costume, she didn't have a website and needed to deliver it in person. This was Joanne's first exposure to the world of cosplay. To be able to temporarily be someone else, through the power of something she made, was an amazing thought. When she goes to cosplay events, Joanne (known in those circles as "Anna") wears amazingly elaborate costumes, complete with wigs and color contacts. She acts in the role of the character she's cosplaying, and it's only in these settings that she can speak without anxiety.
Internet: When not sewing, Joanne is something of an internet junkie. Rather than work with someone else, she learned about website design and maintenance from books and is the only mind behind "Jo Sews," which is a pretty simple site as a result. She updates it frequently with pictures of her work and mini sewing lessons, complete with pictures. Aside from her website, Joanne loves looking at random message boards, particularly anonymous ones (4chan anyone?) where she can post without worry. Not that she posts often; for the most part, Joanne likes to read what other people post and let herself think that counts as human interaction.
Animals: The only other kind of interaction Joanne gets is with animals she comes across. She tries to hide stray cats in her room, she has a bag of birdseed for the feathered friends on campus, and she refuses to participate in dissection exercises on moral grounds. Joanne doesn't have any special gift with animals, though because she's always willing to feed and pet and love them, many like her in return.
Virtues:
Compassionate: This doesn't often make itself apparent, since Joanne's number one goal is to stay unnoticed. But when she's with people she trusts, or she thinks no one is watching, she is kind and considerate. Joanne's the kind of girl who's always up to her ears in stray cats, who leaves lunch in desks of students she thinks don't eat enough, whose prices are lower than they should be because she doesn't feel comfortable taking people's money. She wants the best for everyone, and wants to help, provided nobody knows she's helping.
Patient: Good things come to those who wait. Joanne is never in a rush, and is willing to take her time doing things properly, rather than hurrying and making mistakes. She does all the prep work needed ahead of time, and makes sure to take things step by step. While this means that those who order from her have a wait in store, for the quality she puts out, it's worth it. Likewise, Joanne is willing to wait for things to come to her.
Flaws:
Shy: If she doesn't know someone who tries to speak to her, Joanne will try to hide behind the nearest piece of furniture. She has difficulty bringing herself to speak to strangers for any reason. If it's public speaking we're talking about, forget it. Some soft-spoken individuals can work their way around this if they're patient, but for the most part, people are just too noisy and complicated for Joanne to be able to deal with.
Boring: Not a great trait for someone who works in the world of fashion to have. Joanne puts no effort into her appearance whatsoever. Her clothes, while not shapeless, do nothing to flatter her figure. Her hair is worn plainly, she doesn't wear jewelry, and she doesn't try new things. This is mostly done in hopes of staying under the radar, with mixed success. While some are sufficiently put off by her lackluster appearance, the extreme lack of effort on her part makes some people even more likely to try talking to her.
Fussy: Joanne won't let a garment out of her hands until it's perfect. She won't accept a bolt of cloth or a spool of thread unless it's perfect either. If it's one shade off, or one fiber is out of place, she will know, and she will bring it up. Usually in a completely roundabout way that she hopes won't offend the seller but makes things worse for all involved. Most of her dealings are with e-tailers for this reason, but if things aren't just so in her day to day life- at a restaurant, say- Joanne will struggle with bringing it up and probably annoy everyone around her in the process.
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 3:14 pm
Life at Barren Pines
Gift: Tailor: Not a designer, because Joanne's sense of fashion is terrible. She is excellent, however, at doing anything that requires a needle and thread. The clothes she makes or alters fit the person they're made for perfectly, and something about her technique makes the designs themselves look even better. Her sense for sewing is great; if given a picture of a garment she can construct it, and she can make decently fitting clothing by just looking at the person she's sewing for (though her "perfect fit" requires a slew of measurements). Joanne has a website called "Jo Sews," where she offers advice and takes commissions.
Student ID: BAR-61
Room Number: 61 (Second Floor, corner room by the stairs)
Home Group: Leprosy House
Grade Point Average: 3.2 (B+)
Best Subject: Home Economics
Worst Subject: Gym
Club Affiliations: Drama Club (costume department)
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 8:17 pm
Student Roster
Ezekial "Zeke" Martin - [aaaawkward rp in progress]
Kimberley Bennett - Fashion-savvy, star cheerleader. [rp in progress]
Azzo Wolf Crowley - Joanne's upperclassman in Leprosy House, who helped her out of a pinch in gym class. He seems to know more about the rash of meningitis deaths than she does, but she doesn't quite know what to think about him or what he may know. Still, she appreciates the fact that he tried to help.
Abeline Froust - Joanne's dorm neighbor, an icy girl with whom she exchanged words with a few times. Despite the fact that they barely spoke, Joanne is deeply upset by her death.
Grayson Graves - A fire spinner who ordered a costume from her- or rather, from Jo Sews. He discovered her "secret" and encouraged her, something she did not expect. Joanne is stunned and saddened by his death.
Yvette Weaver - Someone as quiet as Joanne herself. While they have similar gifts, Yvette is also a gifted designer, a talent that Joanne lacks. She's certain she offended the older girl somehow.
Evelyn Esther - A nice girl who found Joanne hiding in a broom closet and helped her join the survivor group. Joanne would have liked to thank her, but instead had to watch as she was killed by a zombie.
Team Tallahassee - A bunch of survivors. Aside from Evie, Joanne doesn't know their names, but is grateful to them for taking her in and feeding her.
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 8:59 pm
Family Tree
Name: Jacob Bard
Relation: Father
Age: 44
Occupation: Lawyer
Status: Adjusting to life without his daughter
Name: Josephine Lauren Bard (nee DeVries)
Relation: Mother
Age: N/A
Occupation: N/A (formerly a stenographer)
Status: Deceased at 25, complications from childbirth
Name: Elsa Marie DeVries (nee Findlay)
Relation: Grandmother (maternal)
Age: 60
Occupation: N/A (formerly a seamstress)
Status: Retired, taking care of her son-in-law
Name: Anne Bard
Relation: Aunt (paternal)
Age: N/A
Occupation: N/A (formerly a pharmacist)
Status: Deceased at 30, stab wounds from a botched mugging
Name: Itsy and Bitsy
Relation: Pet Mice
Age: Seven Months
Occupation: N/A (formerly dissection subjects)
Status: At home with Father and Grandmother
Jacob Bard met Josephine DeVries in court. Jacob had just started at his father's law firm, while Josephine (known then as Josie) had just started as a stenographer. Their eyes met over the head of a man being tried for auto theft, and they met after the trial for coffee. Coffee turned into dinner, and it wasn't long before they were seeing each other seriously. Jacob was even planning to propose... but when Josie found that she was pregnant, the wedding was hurried along.
Despite the quick pace of their relationship, Jacob and Josie were truly in love, and eagerly awaiting their first child. So it came as a blow when they discovered that there were problems with their unborn child. Despite doctors warning her about the risks, Josie went ahead with a premature c-section in order to save her child's life. While the baby was saved, Josie suffered massive internal bleeding that the doctors couldn't repair.
Jacob was devastated. A single father at 29, he had no idea what to do. Help came in the form of Josie's mother, Elsa, who offered to move in with them. Taking care of her daughter's family gave Elsa a way to channel her grief, and Jacob was willing to take any help he could get. The two named the baby girl Joanne, after her mother and Jacob's sister, Anne, who had passed away some years previous.
While Jacob did his best to balance his home life, which was almost unbearable, and his work life, which was little better, Elsa was the parent Joanne knew as a child. She taught Joanne how to sew from a young age, as well as teaching her etiquette and manners. Joanne strived to be a proper young lady, in hopes that her father would stop looking so sad whenever they were together. It never worked, but that didn't stop her from trying.
A naturally quiet child, Joanne regardless had a mostly happy childhood. While not outgoing, she had a circle of friends and enjoyed going out and doing fun things like skating and dancing. This changed when she turned eleven, shortly after she entered junior high. During a history project on family trees, Joanne was forced to explain why she lived with her father and grandfather. Just as she was saying how her mother became an angel, a classmate interrupted her- "Does that mean you killed your mom?"
The classmate was chided, but the damage was done. Joanne had thought about such things before, but her father and grandmother always assured her that her mother wanted her to have a good life. But hearing it spoken so frankly by someone she barely knew served to confirm her deepest fears. From then on, Joanne became increasingly anxious around other people, afraid they would somehow know what she had done- or worse, that she would somehow hurt someone else. She puts on a brave front for her family, but outside her home, Joanne is a bundle of nerves too scared to even speak to others.
But she didn't stop sewing. With more time spent alone, Joanne had a lot of practice sewing, and refined her skills. She even set up a website, "Jo Sews," where she could help people without coming face to face with them. In the process, she found cosplay, and used it as another outlet for interacting with people without actually interacting with people. Her skills gained attention from a number of sources, including the prestigious school known as Barren Pines.
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:05 pm
Sewing Box
Sewing Machines: That's right, plural. Joanne has two sewing machines: an old sewing machine she inherited from her grandmother, and a fancy new one that was a gift from her father when she left home for Barren Pines. She mostly uses the new one, since it makes her life easier. The old one is rather finicky and very loud, but Joanne pulls it out when she's feeling particularly unsettled.
Embroidery Hoops: Joanne has enough embroidery hoops for a school-wide game of ring toss. Big ones, small ones, wooden ones, plastic ones. She enjoys embroidery and beading, and is learning how to reweave fabrics. When she can't bring a whole project with her, Joanne will probably tuck a small embroidery hoop into her bag so she has something to work on in a pinch.
Pins and Needles: Galore. All shapes and all sizes, if it's a pin or a needle, she's got it. Joanne also has a number of pincushions, including a big tomato, a strawberry, and a small homemade wrist pincushion. Furthermore, she has a selection of magnets in her sewing kit, and uses them to retrieve dropped pins.
Fabric and Notions: Joanne goes through fabric constantly, but keeps what she's using in a large chest in the corner of her room. The topmost drawer of this chest also contains Joanne's notions: buttons, zippers, elastic, sequins, beads, as well as thread and embroidery floss.
Computer: A big, clunky desktop PC. It's about five years old and runs more slowly than it used to, but Joanne loves it. Since she has a small, sturdy table for her sewing machines, the computer is the sole focus of her Barren Pines-issued desk, and if she's not sewing, she's probably using it. Her wallpaper is a picture of herself with her father and grandmother, taken shortly before her acceptance into Barren Pines.
Garment Bags: For transporting garments. In addition, Joanne has a collection of bags that always appear to be full- these hide the costumes that she personally wears. Since it's not uncommon for her to cart around a garment bag, who would ever find out it was holding her cosplay?
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:06 pm
Timeline
Being Catty 101 - Joanne bumps into Kimberley at a hip clothing store. This won't end well.
Early Birds - and a boy too! - Breakfast as usual at Barren Pines.
Nia, Princess of Love (Auditions) - Joanne watches auditions and submits her application to work on costumes.
The Sunlit Garden - [in progress, Zeke/Joanne]
Nothing But Blue Skies - Joanne fails at gym, but fortunately, Azzo's there to help.
Special Delivery - Joanne tries to be sneaky with a costume, with little success.
Battle over Interwebs - The first round of an online Battleship competition, against a girl named Louisa from Meadowview.
THE ROOF IS ON FIRE [SD] - When the dorms catch fire, Joanne realizes how important her life really is to her, and manages to escape.
The Best Laid Plans - Joanne reacts to the zombie onslaught the same way she reacts to everything- by hiding.
Team Tallahassee: Raidin Yer Broom Closets - After several days spent in hiding, Joanne is discovered by Evie, another survivor.
Operation Meatgrinder - Clumsily assimilated into the survivor group, Joanne helps defend the home front from oncoming zombies.
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:07 pm
Jo Sews
Jo Sews for You!
So, you need me to make something for you? If it's sewing you need, Jo's on the job!
I can only take a couple of commissions at a time. If you want me to make something for you, fill out the form below and email it to commissions@jo-sews.com and I'll contact you for payment details if you get one of my slots!
[b]E-mail Address:[/b] (If not the address you're emailing from, one where you can be reached.)
[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Request:[/b] (Be as specific as possible. Include colors, fabrics, and any special details. If you have reference images, attach them to the message. Jo Sews does not take responsibility for requests with incomplete information.)
[b]Measurements:[/b] (Whatever's required for the piece. Generally, waist, hips, bust, arm, inseam, and height. If I need further measurements from you, I'll contact you before I start sewing.)
[b]Deadline:[/b] (If applicable. If you don't give one, keep in mind it may take several weeks to get your order.)
[b]Other Information:[/b] (Anything else you think I should know!)
Current Slots:
1. Open!
2. Open!
[OOC Information: If your character wants a garment or alterations ICly, and there's an open slot, post a form in this thread and Jo will get working! This is for IC purposes only- you guys do NOT want me to try arting this stuff. As a reminder, Jo Sews should not be connected with Joanne Bard (unless you want to plot, PM me) but there's probably a flyer for the site on the bulletin board for advertising. Feel free to PM with questions!]
Jo Sews Advice: 11/9
This week, I'm taking the opportunity to talk about the proper care of clothing. A lot of people buy fashionable clothes with special needs- wash cycles, dry cleaning, or certain temperatures to name a few- and then ignore the labels. A lot of my work comes from people who hang their clothes on the wrong kind of hangers and end up with stretching. So for those of you who don't read individual labels, here's a few rules of thumb.
Washing: You don't necessarily need to hand wash all your clothes to preserve them! The first thing to note is the fabric. Most durable fabrics- polyester, for example, or cotton- are forgiving and can be washed by machine. Delicate blends should have their labels examined, since they'll probably need to be washed by hand or dry cleaned. Don't ever put silk or wool in the washing machine, unless you want to ruin it.
Next, sort your clothes by color. Whites want hot water, while colors will want warm. Delicates should be washed in cold water. If you have a new garment, wash it by itself to prevent the dye from staining other clothing. Even with old clothes, it's advisable to separate whites from colors.
Also, be careful not to overload your machine, since you risk technical failure as well as dirty clothes. Don't use too much detergent, or you might end up with a soapy film on your clothing. Bleach and fabric softener have their own rules, so read the bottles carefully before using them!
Drying: Ever put something in the dryer to have it come out three sizes smaller? There's a number of ways to prevent that! First, consider air-drying any shrinkable fabrics like cotton and denim. If you absolutely can't, put your dryer on the lowest heat setting. A compromise is to partially air-dry something and toss it in the dryer to finish it up. Generally, the less heat you apply, the lower the chance of shrinkage. Remember to read the garment's label if you're unsure, and never, never, NEVER put wool in the dryer.
Storage: Most natural and synthetic fibers are flexible and can be stored just about anywhere. If you have any leather, suede, or fur, make sure to keep it in a cool, dry place. Linen shouldn't be folded, as it creases the fabric. Hanging is okay, but the best way to store it is rolling it between plastic dry cleaning bags to keep wrinkles at bay. Wool should also wrapped, but in tissue paper, and consider investing in mothballs.
At the risk of quoting Mommie Dearest: "No wire hangers ever!" They bend and do virtually nothing to support your clothes. Padded hangers are best, but if you can't get those, plastic hangers will do. Make sure to hang skirts and pants from clip hangers. Strappy dresses, or any dresses with support straps, should have hangers with hooks so they don't fall off. If you have any beaded or otherwise heavy garments, consider folding it to avoid stretching. Don't overstuff your closet, or your clothes won't be able to breathe, and don't ever put away dirty clothing, or bugs and bacteria may get into it!
Follow these simple guidelines and your clothes will thank you for it by looking good longer- and making you look good longer!
- Jo
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:09 pm
Photo AlbumAdorable pixel!Joanne! Thank you, LittleDream! Another adorable pixel!Joanne! Thank you, lizbot!
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:18 pm
Off the Rack
Stuff about the clothing Joanne has/makes goes here!
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:23 pm
Reserved
For something. Maybe.
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:24 pm
Reserved
For something. Maybe.
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:25 pm
Rules of the Game
Don't post unless you're:
- DivineSaturn
- ItNotM Staff/Event Staff
- Ordering from Jo Sews (only if there's an open slot!)
- Someone who's asked for permission
Contact DS:
- through PM
- through AIM (purplpalmtree)
Please note that DS is both shy and forgetful and bad at approaching others, but loves to be poked about all things RP. Poke her mercilessly!
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:27 pm
Words of Thanks
In the Name of the Moon! Shop is property of rosemilk and Natsube.
Joanne's student art is done by Natsube and LizzyMoo
Joanne's profile is by DivineSaturn
Inspiration and Encouragement are from Pyry, who rocks my socks
Thanks to everyone, and enjoy!
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