Lawrence University senior Jordan Wallin-Swanson grew up in a family of creators. So, when she received her first sewing machine before the age of 10, it seemed inevitable that she would explore her own creativity.
“I have a big world of people that sew in my life,” said Wallin-Swanson, who is majoring in business and entrepreneurship and theatre arts. “My grandma does a lot of quilting. My mom would make me costumes and pajamas and really likes to make curtains. I always have someone around me that’s crafting or creating.”
For the last 10 years, Wallin-Swanson, a native of Georgetown, Kentucky, honed her craft at her sewing machine. One of her first projects was making whale plushies with a pattern made by her dad.
Her passion for sewing took a turn in high school when she got involved with theater productions. As a senior in high school, she designed costumes for their production of Beauty and the Beast JR. At a relatively new school, Wallin-Swanson had to figure out her process along the way.
“It was a lot of Googling,” Wallin-Swanson said. “How do you costume design? What does this look like? How do you put together a budget? That was a really good start for me, because when you have to figure it out like that, you remember it.”
Although she had been sewing for the past 10 years, coming to Lawrence offered Wallin-Swanson her first opportunity to receive formal training in sewing and costuming.
One of her first classes at Lawrence, Costume Crafts and Technology, allowed Wallin-Swanson to explore new sewing techniques. The course was taught by Kärin Kopischke, instructor of theatre arts and costume shop supervisor, who also helped Wallin-Swanson on her path to working in the Lawrence costume shop.
“I came in knowing how to sew, but she (Kopischke) will meet you where you’re at,” Wallin-Swanson said. “We have plenty of people that come into the costume shop and don’t know how to sew but want to learn. By the time they leave, they’re fluent and efficient in the costume shop, and it’s really fun to watch them learn.”
Most recently, Wallin-Swanson worked in the shop as costume designer and shop supervisor for the fall 2024 musical, Working. She designed the costumes for three of the characters; in addition, she assisted everyone else in constructing costume pieces.
Working presented a challenge as it “defied time and place.” The musical, based on the 1974 book by Studs Terkel of the same name, follows 26 professionals in their daily lives. A revised version of the musical was put out in 2012, offering a look at how professions may change but hopes and fears around careers do not.
“Each of these stories are intertwined and map together, and it’s really pretty to see that happen,” Wallin-Swanson said. “We have people that are dressed to period in the ‘70s, and we have people who are modern day. We need to make sure that the person in the ‘70s doesn’t feel too distant that we can’t hold onto their story anymore.”
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Wallin-Swanson's involvement in the theater department also showed her what life after college could be like. When she first arrived at Lawrence, she planned on becoming a high school librarian.
“I really enjoyed sewing, I really enjoyed theater, but I didn’t feel like there were job opportunities out there for it,” Wallin-Swanson said. “I got here, and I met Kärin and some of the other folks here in the theater department, and I was like, this is something I could make work.”
Now in her senior year at Lawrence, Wallin-Swanson is gearing up for her senior project, which will be a “bible of bibles” for costume shops. Every costume shop has a “bible” for each show, which includes the script, the cast’s measurements, the designs, and anything else the costume department might need for the show. She will also be looking at how those “bibles” may look in different parts of the world.
Wallin-Swanson also credits Kopischke with helping her get her first job in the wardrobe world, working over the summer as the wardrobe supervisor at Northern Sky Theater in Door County.
“It starts out as a professional relationship, and it turns into one that you really want to foster,” Wallin-Swanson said of her relationship with Kopischke.
At Northern Sky, Wallin-Swanson gained experience running her own department.
“I felt very underprepared going in, and when I got there, I realized I actually have all of the skills needed to do this,” Wallin-Swanson said. “I’ve been prepared for this.”
Deanna Kolell
Deanna Kolell is the assistant director of social media at Lawrence University.
