Needle and thread

It all starts with a knock at my door. Or more accurately my door bell. I stand up and make my way stiffly to the door, I’ve been working on a petticoat all day and my body is aching for a break. 

I open the door to find a young woman who is probably in her early twenties. Her hair is in a messy top knot and she is dressed in a baggy sweater and yoga pants. Definitely not my style. 

“Are you Maude Collins?” The woman asks. 

“Yes, I am. How may I be of service to you?” I ask. 

“Wow, you really are old fashioned.” She murmurs.  

I roll my eyes slightly. 

“Anyways, my name is Ashley.” She says extending her hand to me. 

I take it and wait for her to continue. 

“I um, heard you make historical dresses and stuff, and I really need a pride and prejudice dress.” She says finally. 

“You mean a regency era dress?” I ask. 

“Yeah, I guess... could I buy one from you?” 

“Come in,” I say, this seems like it will take a while and it’s freezing outside.

I bring her to my living room and invite her to sit down. 

“What do you need this dress for?” I ask. 

“A historical ball.” She says. 

“You just called it a “pride and prejudice dress” and you expect me to believe you are going to a ball.” I say sceptically. 

Her lips purse and her eyes dart away from me. 

“What do you actually need it for?”

“I work for the T.T.A.” She admits “I have a mission.” 

The time travellers association! My head starts spinning with possibilities but I try to stay calm. I’ve spent a lot of my life trying to remake the past but it’s never quite the same.  

“Don’t you have someone to make clothes for you?” I ask. 

“Yes, but she was kidnapped and I’m being sent to find her.” Ashley says quickly, “Can you help me or not?”

“Yes, I think I can. But first I need more information.”

The next hour is a bit of a whirlwind as Ashley tells me her story. She knows the names of the whole royal court and pretty much every piece of etiquette but she doesn’t know the first thing about the fashion. This is also her first assignment and I can tell she’s nervous. 

She needs at least two dresses, she doesn’t know how long she’ll be gone, and she needs to leave today. 

When she finishes I’ve already made up my mind to help her. I try to appear reluctant but I’m having a hard time containing my excitement. 

“Come to my sewing room,” I say “I think I might have something that will fit you.”

She is about my height but thinner than me and I will need to make some adjustments. I dig up a light pink evening gown and a dark green day dress out of the chest in the corner. 

First I hand her a shift, a light corset with almost no boning, and a petticoat. I can’t size anything on her until I see how the undergarments fit. 

“Put these on and then I’ll see what I can do.” I say. 

She stares at the things in confusion and almost horror. 

“What?” 

“I don’t know how to put any of that on.” She admits. 

“I’ll help.” I smile. 

I send her into the bathroom to put on the shift and then help her lace the corset. 

“Oh, this is actually comfortable.” Ashley says. 

I laugh “They generally are, they don’t cut you in half like in movies.” 

I quickly explain to her how she can put it on herself, I’m guessing she won’t have a personal maid. 

“It is a little harder without help but I think you’ll manage.” I say. 

She puts on the petticoat and then I size the two dresses for her. I pull out a needle and cut a length of thread to take in the waist a little. 

“Wait, you don’t use a sewing machine?” Ashley asks. 

“If the sewing machine wasn’t invented in the era of the dress I’m making I don’t use it.” I say. 

“That’s interesting.” She sounds impressed. 

When I’ve finished up the dress I give her a pair of stockings and shoes. 

“You can wear tights if they’re more comfortable, they’re not accurate but I don’t think anyone will notice.” I say. 

“Thank you so much, I’ll bring everything back if I can.” She says.  

“Do you have someone to do your hair?” I ask. 

“Yeah, only the seamstress was kidnapped.” She smirks. 

I give her three pairs of gloves and a spare bonnet before she leaves. 

“I’ll e-transfer you money.” She says as she steps out the door. 

“It’s alright, I wasn’t using those right now anyways. But if you happen to find a pair of gloves or a bonnet that you could bring me that would be amazing.” I say. 

She drives away as my husband pulls in the driveway. 

“Who was that?” He asks giving me a kiss. 

“A girl who needed a dress.” I say. 

“Hmm, I guess your hobby is paying off.”

“Well not quite paying, but it’s helping someone.”

For a a while everything is back to normal, I work and play and wonder. 

Then a week later Ashley comes back. I open the door to find her standing on the steps, looking around nervously. She’s wearing jean overalls this time, hair in a high ponytail. 

She has a bag with her and gives it to me. 

“They got a little ripped, but I got what you wanted. Do you mind if I come in?” She asks with another glance over her shoulder. 

I bring her back to my sewing room and take the things out of the bag. A gorgeous bonnet and a shawl are with the things that were already mine. 

“These are amazing.” I whisper. 

I can feel my face glowing. 

“Good,” Ashley says biting her lip, “because I need your help again.”

“Did you not get your seamstress back?” I ask. 

“We did. But she’s in a coma and the person they hired as her replacement is awful.” She sounds a little whiny. 

“Where are you going this time?” I ask. 

“America. 1770s.” She says. 

“The revolution.” 

“Yep.” 

“This one will take a little more time.” I say. 

“That’s fine. I leave the day after tomorrow.” She says with a relieved smile. 

“Mind if I ask what your mission is this time?” I ask. 

“Well, it’s pretty much just reconnaissance  for now.” She says. 

“Okay. Let’s see if I have something that fits you. I have a 1750s dress that I can adjust.” 

She leaves after I’ve given her everything she’ll need. 

“I’ll be back in two weeks.” She says with a wave. 

I close the door behind her and take the dresses I lent her out of the bag. The evening gown has a cut down the front and multiple tears in the skirt. I feel angry tears well up in my eyes. But then I see the bonnet and shawl again. I can make a new dress but I’ll never be able to replace those. 

Still, I wonder what happened to damage it so badly.