Snowshill Costume Collection

I have organised a small costume study tour to the Snowshill Costume Collection with Althea MacKenzie on Thursday 19 September 2013 and have room for a few more to join us. Once your name is on our list, please let me know if there are any items you particularly want to see in the collection at Berrington Hall in Leominster, UK.

I have found a few items online at http://historicalcostume.wordpress.com/ and there are more in the book, Costume in Detail.
Registration for the tour is by paypal to garden@earthlydelights.com.au - £45 pounds pays for private transport but does not include entry or refreshments. We leave Bath at 8.30am and aim to return by 5pm, traffic allowing.

Costume Research - where is it taking me?

Where do you go to learn about historical costumes? Does it fill your life the way it does mine? When I am not minding the family, tending my garden and pets, organising dances and festivals and working my part time job at the local University - I am always thinking/dreaming/planning about historical clothing. Wondering how certain garments were made, how that trim was created, where to get that fabric. Late at night when I am not sewing I am scanning in patterns and blowing up to size, using my technique documented here or browsing other costumers' diaries in google reader and live journal. In 2009 and 2011 I travelled overseas to attend costume conferences and study tours, and am already planning another study tour in 2013. I've taken copious photos that I am able to use in further research.
With all this knowledge filling my head I want to make and share. I want to make all these lovely gowns and I want to share my love of historical costumes with others. I have set up my studio to teach small workshops of 4-6 people and am putting together a calendar for 2012 and am teaching a variety of workshops at Jane Austen Festival Australia in April. My biggest problem is working out what people want to learn in the workshops - what I want to share is not necessarily what they are interested in. So, I ask here, what would you like to do in a 2-day weekend workshop?

Example of a bonnet I'll be teaching you to make in a short workshop at JAFA 2012

Dressing the Stars: British Costume Design at the Academy Awards July 2011

We went to see the Assembly Rooms in Bath today and stumbled across some pretty amazing costumes. I was only told off once for getting too close, trying to photograph the back of one of the gowns from the Duchess movie.
They were gorgeous up close, and I took many photos until the camera battery ran flat. Oh well, the iphone came to the rescue but the photos are not so good towards the end. See http://www.fashionmuseum.co.uk/whats_on/press_releases/2011/dressing_the_stars-1.aspx for more information.