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Cheri
Fry
Cheri attended college at Western Illinois University, and
graduated with a degree in Industrial Technology and Telecommunications
specializing in Photography and Graphic Design. After graduating she moved
to Springfield, IL. She worked for the Illinois State Senate and the
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, but felt living in the capital
city was not for her. In 1997 she changed jobs and moved back to the same
small town where she was raised. Cheri currently works at Bound To
Stay Bound Books in Jacksonville, IL where she is a Graphic
Designer/Marketing person. She is one of those fortunate people who
likes what she does for a living, and can see herself remaining at this
job indefinitely. Seriously, how would someone not LOVE making children's
books... In April 2008 she bought a house in Jacksonville to be closer to
her job. She decided that after 10 years it was time to put some roots
down in the town where she works, and does volunteer work. (Not to mention
the money she's saving on gas traveling back and forth!)
Cheri has
always shown an interest in sewing and designing clothing. From the flashy
clogging outfits she wore as a child to theatre class sewing projects, she
was always interested in the clothing. Cheri is a born multi-tasker and
has never been one to have just one project open at a time, there's
usually two open with at least five or six more on the drawing
board.
Cheri's first attempt at
historical reenacting was in 1996. She became involved with Indian
PowWows. After attending her first to check it out, she decided to
try being a "Fancy Shawl Dancer". She had others help her to know how to
design her regalia and made her first costume. At the next PowWow
she joined in the fun of dancing outdoors to drums and flute music. Cheri
went to a few PowWows in the Central Illinois area, but felt something was
missing.
In 1997 Cheri met three men who changed
her life. They introduced her to "The Tombstone Way of Life". Wild West
reenactments in Tombstone, Arizona. 1880s to be exact. (Wyatt Earp
and Doc Holiday, etc.) They saw that spark of something special in
her, and viola! "KATE" was born. (Kate was Doc Holiday's
girlfriend). Her first trip to Tombstone was unforgettable.
She finally had found that piece that had been missing. Creating
dresses was fun, but to be completely immersed in the time was exactly
what she had been looking for. Cheri creates unique Victorian bustle
dresses and takes pride in her appearance. She makes sure to have
something new at each event, taking care that no one else will have a
dress that looks like hers. Staying within Victorian standards with
that special touch of the wild west, she takes pride in recreating two
characters; Big Nose Kate as well as Miss Lillian Russell. Everyone
in Tombstone calls her "KATE". If you're ever in Tombstone, check
out "Big Nose Kate's Saloon" you'll find several photos of her hanging on
the walls.
Cheri started researching Civil War
Reenacting in 2003. She found the difference between a proper young
single lady from the East and her wild west characters astonishing.
Going back 15-20 years made a huge difference in dress designs too, and
she decided she was up for a new challenge. No more low necklines or
Victorian bustles and trains. Hello hoop skirts and high necklines.
She researched the era and dresses for a year before ever making her first
dress. Many books and CDVs later, she started to pick up on repeating
patterns and fabric choices. Her biggest problem was that there was
so much information out there, everyone had their own opinions, and
opinions varied from book to book. She attended a few Civil War
Reenactments, but after a few fashion shows found that even the reenactors
had several opinions of their own. No two fashion shows gave the same
information, and she became more confused than ever. Her luck
changed when she picked up a copy of Who Wore What by Juanita Leish.
Who Wore What had gathered all the information she was trying to do on her
own, but Juanita's research was much more thorough. She put away all
the other books and only kept that one out as a reference guide, and
that's when the real fun started because she now had answers to her
questions about "the look." She just had to focus on the "how to properly
put it all together" and remain true to the time period to the best
of her ability. Her impression and sewing techniques are ever improving,
and ever changing as she continues to sew dress after
dress.
Cheri has not picked a first person
character to portray at the Civil War events, although Antonia Ford, and
Kate Chase are all being researched for their intriguing characters. And
she is also researching sporting houses.
Clothing wise you may see her in a wide array from a simple cotton
work dress to a silk day dress with all the trimmings. But her love
will always remain in the intricacies of Ball Gowns. Period correct
hairstyles are also close to her heart. Even though it takes more time,
she puts forth the effort to put in banana curls for a ball using pomade
and her own hair. In the end she finds it's all well worth the extra
effort.
Cheri attends 8-10 Civil War events per
year. Her event circle goes from Jacksonville, IL, to Fort Wayne,
IN, to Greenbush, WI, to Keokuk, IA. And she still flies to
Arizona to continue her Tombstone ways.
Cheri
is the mastermind behind "What to Sew and What NOT to Sew" Pattern Reviews
for Citizen's Companion. The first review was printed in the March
2008 issue, and article #13 will be coming out shortly. Cheri
started these reviews to help new reenactors find the best patterns
available, so that no one has to go through what she did in trying to find
her way. So pick up a copy of Citizens' Companion and let her
pattern reviews help you discover the best patterns out there for
reenactors, and some special sewing tips and techniques along the way.
Sewing is her passion, and stress reliever, and
her wardrobe will remain ever growing, or at least until her closet
completely explodes.
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