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!

Currently on the table..

I originally started this blog for the Your Wardrobe Unlockd double pattern project competition, I didn't really intend to go on with it. I'm thinking however that I might try to update with some of the current projects I'm working on for anyone that may or may not be interested and for my own sake, to keep me moving on things!

Currently I have two commissions on the go, hopefully to get done by the start and end of September.
The first is for a black leather victorian corset with some pretty purple stitching detail. I've fitted one or two mockups so far and am happy with how it's coming along.

The second corset is also in leather but a little more detailed. We're including straps and buckles, a halterneck strap and some equestrian metalware! It'll be the first time I've made something with these details so I'll be doing a little figuring out as I go along but I'm doing my research and hoping it'll turn out well!

The third project is a white silk version of the blue Georgian stays I made for the competition. This is going to be for a local bridal boutique. There will be some modifications, I won't be using reed, I'll probably use artifical whalebone as that much steel would be really heavy but will be doing some experiments first as I'm not sure how much support it will give. A good friend who does *amazing* embroidery is going to be offering her services should a bride want that but this one will be plain. I really need it to be finished by the end of the month if possible so I have plenty to be doing!

I'll try and update regularly as I go along with these three projects and anything else that crops up! Meanwhile seeing as I don't have any interesting pics to share yet, I'll leave you with a taster of a post I'll be doing on a photoshoot I had recently of my clothing and corsets!