Period House Party 2014!

Coopershill House

Next March I have an event coming up which is very exciting! A whole weekend away staying in a beautiful 18th century country house (Coopershill in Sligo) with 12 other crazy costumers! We have booked the whole house out and are having our very own, fully costumed, period weekend house party!

It's all candlelit four course dinners, log fires, canopied beds, afternoon tea and croquet on the lawn :) Obviously one needs some splediferous new clothes to wear for such an event! *Technically* I guess I have enough outfits to keep me decent at it as it is but of course I want one or two new things :) At least this way if my ambitious plans don't come to fruition I still have other outfits to fall back on. Stressful deadlines are not to be had for this!

My room!

I'm planning on having two evening outfits and one day outfit, that is we arrive on the Friday evening and have dinner, then there is Saturday day time where I want something walking length and practical-ish, and then Saturday evening we'll be having our main evening event of dinner with music and (hopefully) a little dancing! Then there is Sunday morning, but I am less concerned with that.

Another of the beautiful bedrooms

The two evening oufits I more or less already have. On Friday I am planning on wearing my blue silk early bustle with the evening bodice. Everything is already made however the bodice needs some modification (major shrinking bodice syndrome, this was one of the first bodices I had ever made and I used a way too thick modern interlining, never again!) and lots of trim, but I think I can manage that.

On Saturday I am planning on wearing my mink natural form gown with an evening bodice that is yet to be made. But again, totally manageable! Also I am definitely going to acquire a tiara for this! Saturday night I have decided I am a pretty pretty princess!

Saturday day time I am undecided. I don't want anything with a train and I want to be able to move and be relatively comfortable for the day and our activities. I'm going to go with either a hooped dress c1850s - 1860s, an early bustle walking length polonaise or a late bustle outfit. I also want to make some outer wear like a mantle or coat to go with it and of course headwear. It is going to be March and fairly chilly. Other things I would like to make include another chemise/drawer set and ideally a new corset. Plus I want to make something for a friend who is going. Hmm.. well the imagining is always fun!

Natural Form Era Skirt and Petticoat Train

Once again life has taken over the last few weeks and I have neglected the blog! I got a last minute commission from Dublin Castle to make costumes for their Christmas programme which took over three weeks of my life but was immensely enjoyable and satisfying :) Expect a post about that soon!

In the mean time I have made the skirt for the mink silk natural form outfit and the petticoat train finally got buttons so I can show you that too.

Natural Form Petticoat with Button-on Train

This is the new TV 125 NF petticoat pattern. I think I actually love the petticoat and train more than that actual skirt! It's all those ruffles and lace..

Also effective for sweeping floors and amusing cats!

Tiger is very pleased with his new cat toy

So far I have left the skirt plain although I may change that, I'm not sure. Was going to layer a few ruffles onto it but will wait until I have the over-skirt done to see if it needs it. I quite like the simpler look, although that might be my 21st century sensibilities taking over!

I have also pretty much made the bodice, and remade it several times as right at the end I decided I needed tiny piping! I love tiny piping :) All of which meant that by the time of the event it was due for, an afternoon tea at the lovely Victorian Royal Marine Hotel, I was literally sewn into my bodice! No time for buttons! And I am actually going to open up the lining again and redo the centre front as despite my best efforts it has a definite case of the "shrinking bodice" effect, probably due to all the interlining. So please excuse the terrible pull lines, lack of an over-skirt and *gasp* even worse, lack of a hat! More on the bodice later :)

It was a very fun event with the lovely Debbie of Artisan Alchemy and Andrea of Aphrodite's Trousseau and all our costuming group friends. Everyone looked beautiful!