Welcome get-together (Friday 2 October 2009)

An ideal opportunity, over light refreshments and a glass of wine, to meet up with old friends or make some new ones particularly if this is your first festival.

The festival continues throughout the long weekend with workshops, displays, teas, suppers, outdoor activities, dances, balls and much much more.

The Festival is hosted by John & Aylwen Gardiner-Garden and the Earthly Delights Historic Dance Academy.

Events planned so far:

- Beginner Dance Workshops
- Advanced Dance Workshops
- Ettiquette
- Variety nights in the evenings
- Improv. Theatre on Sunday night
- Bonnet making workshop (early-victorian)
- Handsewing Workshop (mid-victorian, Godeys pattern)
- 1840s bonnet workshop
- 1860s needlework case workshop
- 1890s torque (small hat) workshop (late-victorian)
- Dickens and Steampunk Readings
- Victorian hair styling demonstrations (short & long hair)
- Antique Clothing Displays (different displays each day)
- Language of Flowers & Fans
- Steampunk - what is it?



Thursday, September 24, 2009

Sewing Workshops - Materials Lists

Sewing Workshops
Victorian Festival, 2009
www.earthlydelights.com.au
Earthly Delights Historic Dance Academy, Canberra, Australia

We will be putting you into classes of ten people according to your dance skills.
Advanced dancers will do the morning workshops, Beginner dancers will do the later workshops. Please let us know if you do not intend to dance.
IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO DO THESE WORKSHOPS PLEASE CONTACT US NOW SO WE CAN MAKE YOUR PLACE AVAILABLE.
If you have friends who have not bought their festival tickets please tell them to do so now so we can finalise catering arrangements.
If you are unable to find materials please contact garden@netspeed.com.au .

1840s Bonnet with Lynne Cook
Saturday 3 October 2009
Venue: 87 Schlich Street, Yarralumla ACT 2600
(Transport will be arranged if you have difficulty - we have moved all of the Saturday "daytime" activities to this address. Email us on garden@earthlydelights.com.au if you need travel assistance)

Kit to purchase on the day - $15
Includes Pattern, Instructions, Buckram bonnet base, PellonTM and Covered Wire.

You need to bring:

  • 70cm Outer fabric [Silk for those who wish to be period correct, but otherwise any (plain) fabric is fine, however natural fibres (cotton, linen, rayon etc) are definitely easier to work with than synthetics (polyester, acetate etc).]
  • 70cm Lining fabric [as aboveit can be a contrast fabric or the same colour, but it should be a shade that flatters your colouring]
  • 1.5m x 5cm (2”) wide Ribbons for the ties [It can be hard to get in this width, and ideally they would be silk too. 3.5cm (1½") will do, but 5cm is better if you can get it. Again it can be toning or contrasting in colour, and tartan & stripes were popular. You might find something suitable in the wired ribbon section - you can always remove the wire.]
  • Trimmings [flowers, feathers, ribbon, lace etc]
  • Sewing machine, matching thread, hand sewing needles, scissors, pins etc. [All the items you normally use for sewing].


1860s needlebag with Aylwen Gardiner-Garden
Sunday 4 October 2009
Venue: St Johns Church Hall, Constitution Ave, Reid ACT
This will be copying an extant English 1860s needlebag that Aylwen has in her collection. All sewing is done by hand.

To be supplied:
  • Pattern and instructions
  • Sewing needles


You need to bring:

  • 40cm white or off-white cotton or linen fabric, sturdy weight like canvas or calico. Please pre-wash and iron the fabric beforehand.
  • thin cotton cording/braiding in the same colour as fabric, approx. 5m
  • cotton lace edging, again, the same colour as the base fabric. 2m.
  • sewing cotton same colour to match
  • transfer pencil to transfer pattern onto fabric (make sure it can be washed out afterwards)
  • one button, 1cm diameter.
  • Scissors, pins, unpicker etc,[all the stuff you normally use for sewing].


1890s Small Victorian Torque with Sharon Doig
Monday 5 October 2009

Venue: St Johns Church Hall, Constitution Ave, Reid ACT

To be supplied:
  • Instruction Booklet

You need to bring:

Materials to make 1 hat to fit a 55cm head. Allow extra wire and ribbon if your fitting is larger than this.
  • 2 Lady Jane slide combs or similar

  • 1 reel of black 26 gage jewellery wire from bead/craft store

  • 2.5 m of Black cotton covered millinery wire [18 guage]

  • 4.50 m Navy/black Velvet Ribbon x 3.4cm wide

  • Thread matching your ribbon colour [black sewing thread]

  • 5 to 7 small bunches of silk flowers with leaves attached.

  • 4 silk oak leaves

  • sewing needles & milliner's straw needle
  • Pins
  • Wire Cutters
  • Small flat nosed pliers
  • Tape measure
  • Embroidery Scissors
  • Small clothes pegs [optional]

Some Suppliers:


  1. DeLew Designs - http://delew.com.au
  2. Bead Street - http://www.beadstreat.com.au
  3. Mimi Millinery - http://mimimillinery.com
  4. Silkflowers - http://www.silkflowers.com
  5. Age of Elegence - http://stores.shop.ebay.com.au/Age-Of-Elegance

  6. Julie Flemming -http://stores.shop.ebay.com.au/Julie-Fleming-Melbourne-Est-1989











Wednesday, September 23, 2009

There are a few tickets left.....

You can purchase tickets for the Victorian Era Festival HERE. There are a few tickets left so don't leave it to the last minute.