This weekend I attended my first Burnley and Trowbridge workshop with the Colonial Williamsburg tailors.
Burnley and Trowbridge offer historical sewing workshops throughout the year as well as period supplies.
Even though I had successfully sewn a few pairs of breeches for my son, I wanted to improve my technique.
I learned a lot!
My table partner was Ashley, from A Fashionable Frolick.
She, her sister Rebecca, and my family all stayed in the same hotel.
Resuming our past adventures, Rebecca, Ashley, and I stitched together at night in the lobby (there was lots of stitching homework!), and then Ashley drove me to and from the classes where we sat next to each other.
What fun! Many thanks Ashley for driving me down those gorgeous streets!
AUTUMNAL TIME OF YEAR
Oh, the gorgeous autumnal drive to the workshop abounded in golds, oranges, and scarlets at every turn, replicating the exact color I enjoyed during my quick morning jaunt in Colonial Williamsburg before the workshop.
Williamsburg wins first prize in the autumnal color department, based on my trips throughout Virginia, so far.
Sigh, someday to live there….
KINDRED SPIRITS
Even though I’m a quiet introvert, aided by a good friend by my side in this new experience, part of the fun was meeting a whole new group of people in the workshop, some of whom are from my part of Virginia.
Who knew there were 18th century types in totally modern Northern Virginia?
When I first moved to NoVA two years ago, I asked but was repeatedly told that no one around here is interested in “that 18th century stuff.”
I’ve been told the 18th century stuff can only be found in Colonial Williamsburg and states to the north of us because the focus around here is only Civil War.
We instantly connected due to our interest in history and learning historical sewing.
Coming from a variety of backgrounds from museum curators to reenactors to geeked out guests (like me with kids to play 18th century with), we came with a variety of sewing skill sets, knowing the basics but some speedier than others.
This three-day event begins on Friday afternoon, continuing all day Saturday, then resuming Sunday morning, culminating by early afternoon.
With our projects at various stages of completion, we all received a massive new data bank of information.
CLASS TAUGHT BY COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG TAILORS
Led by the tailors of Colonial Williamsburg, they present the history, photographic evidence, and provenance of our project.
They bring samples galore of historical clothing they’ve sewn for us to peruse.
And we get down to business with the instruction booklets they give us.
Meanwhile the tailors nudge us along with a demonstration of the next technique.
While they laugh, chatter, and oversee, they even look over our shoulders to assess our stitches, teaching us the needed course corrections to improve our technique.
We even made buckram, 18th century style interfacing, in the historically accurate way.
With twelve of us as students, and two of the tailors, we keep a busy workshop of happiness as needles flurry through historic fabric.
BREECHES HOMEWORK
When I arrived home, I had a recognizable object of breeches, sized for a small boy, based on one in the Colonial Williamsburg collection.
Along with the breeches are the collection of buttons that I began making, some fabric covered, and another thread wrapped, with another that I began before I started cutting my pattern and fabric, which stitched away. (see header photo)
My son’s current breeches, though patched, split some more this weekend while I was learning how to sew a snazzier new pair of 18th century breeches for him! He can’t wait!
