October is full of spooky things like witches and costumes. Martha Coates Donahoo, owner of Hag and Company, is a fan of both. She’s aware of its negative connotation, but she’s reclaiming the word hag, as well as fabric, to create magically magnificent one-of-a-kind garments.
So, tell me about Hag and Company.
I am really interested in traditional crafting, and make clothing inspired by folk garments using recycled materials. My focus is on imitating the working-class functional garments from pre-industrial times, specifically corsets but also bloomers and petticoats. I’m not interested in court clothing or dressing the queen, but more in dressing a laborer, like a harvester. I focus on patterns meant to be comfortable for a whole day’s physical work but also to look amazing. These garments are washable and can be worn in everyday life.
How did this business start?
This whole project started because my mother gave me a bunch of embroidery and quilt squares from my great aunt, who had recently passed away. I wanted them to have a life and not be tucked in a linen closet. I made stays, the word for corset in the 18th century, with these fabric pieces to highlight their beauty. Because I make such specific corset patterns, those also interested found me on Instagram by search terms like “historical sewing” and “18th century stays.” I didn’t intend to start a business, but I started to be really busy taking orders and it grew organically.
Are you a seamstress?
I consider myself more of an artist than a seamstress. I get inspired by themes and create collections. Each garment is a one of a kind, made from found or gifted vintage textiles. I’m also proud of my hand-drafted patterns which allow me to share and disseminate the work in a way that making an individual garment does not. These are limited editions, and only available through pre-order on my website.
What do you mean by recycled fabric being used in all of your pieces?
For quality control, the cotton lining, boning and hardware in all of my stays are purchased new. The outside is composed of sourced materials like tablecloths and bedsheets that I find at thrift stores around the city. I find unique linens that should be remembered and restored but are on the verge of being thrown away. I have only lived in OKC five years, but it makes me feel connected to the community and to those who lived here before. Making new things out of them honors our ancestors and our future by preserving what we have, and [ensuring] that the time we spent on something matters.
Where can people find you?
My website is hag-company.myshopify.com, and you can follow @HagAndCompany on Instagram. I also teach historical sewing using my own patterns, recycled sewing and a mask-making class at the Contemporary Studio School year-round.
Sidebar
A Hag’s Advice: “My grandmother made each grandchild a quilt and told me that she was so proud when my cousin had used his so much that the border had shredded. It made her so happy that she had to re-bind it. When people have something really fancy or special, they tend to put it away and save it for a special occasion. We shouldn’t save items for a time that may never come; the true honor is to incorporate these things into your life. Use them. Enjoy them.”
