Win a Regency Gentleman's Top Hat

“My idea of good company...is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company.'  

'You are mistaken,' said he gently, 'that is not good company, that is the best.”

Dear Friends,

We are running a competition on our Jane Austen Festival Facebook Page where ticket holders can win a Gentleman's Regency Top Hat. Other competitions are planned so do subscribe to the page for notifications. To enter just go to https://contest.fbapp.io/your-chance-to-win-a-regency-gentleman-s-top-hat or https://www.facebook.com/JaneAustenFestival/ It closes on the 31 October 2017.

Discount earlybird & volunteer tickets are still on sale for 4 days and nights at the Albert Hall from 12-15 April 2018. New in 2018 will be a buffet roast dinner on our Thursday Opening Night, together with pleasant entertainments to welcome you to the festival. Please invite friends and family members to join you - we are organising extra events for men and children in 2018. Also on the JAFA ticket page are tickets to other events we have organised this year, including a Regency Bonnet Workshop on Jane Austen's Birthday and our family-friendly Christmas Carol Ball in December. Join us for both!

Our soldiers will be returning next year - so polish your shoes, brush your hats and keep an eye on your sons and daughters! There are new workshops on the program as we celebrate 200 years since the publication of many people's favourite Jane Austen novel, Persuasion. A favourite quote from this novel is below:

“I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone forever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone, I think and plan. Have you not seen this? Can you fail to have understood my wishes? I had not waited even these ten days, could I have read your feelings, as I think you must have penetrated mine. I can hardly write. I am every instant hearing something which overpowers me. You sink your voice, but I can distinguish the tones of that voice when they would be lost on others. Too good, too excellent creature! You do us justice, indeed. You do believe that there is true attachment and constancy among men. Believe it to be most fervent, most undeviating, in F. W.

I must go, uncertain of my fate; but I shall return hither, or follow your party, as soon as possible. A word, a look, will be enough to decide whether I enter your father's house this evening or never.”

Looking forward to seeing you all again,


Aylwen Gardiner-Garden

Jane Austen Festival Australia Picnic. Photo by Steve Bittinger, April 2017.

Regency Bonnet Workshop - 24-26 September 2016

You are invited to join our 3-day Regency Bonnet Workshop this September in Canberra, Australia. Contact Jane Austen Festival Australia for more information.

Kits containing buckram, taping, wire and mull will be provided and a salad buffet lunch will be offered.

Please bring:

• 1 metre of silk taffeta or dupion
• 50cm of your underbrim fabric - white or cream silk
• any ribbons, feathers and flowers you wish to decorate with
• Sewing Kit with large sharp fabric scissors, seam ripper, seam gauge or tape measure, machine & hand needles, craft scissors (for cutting buckram and paper), straight pins, clear ruler, pencils, eraser, coordinating thread to match your fashion fabric.

Registration: $150 

If you are unable to attend and wish for Aylwen to visit you to teach a workshop to your local group, please contact Jane Austen Festival Australia to make arrangements. Generally the fee is $250 day per group (plus $50 materials per person), the cost of return Qantas airfare to Canberra, hire car if a distance from airline hub, accommodation and meals. Aylwen is happy to accept billet accommodation and share meals in a non-smoking household. A series of workshops organised with several groups might enable you to share around and reduce the travel price. 

Example of buckram bonnet we'll be making

We'll make a buckram base that looks exactly like this.

You get to cover it with silk and make it look like one of these.

Teacher: Aylwen Gardiner-Garden

Pre-Festival Historic Fashion Workshops bookings open

For the first time Jane Austen Festival Australia is offering classes leading up to the festival so that you can put together your wardrobe in advance. Last night Aylwen started teaching a beginner sewing class so that people knew enough to join some of the historic fashion classes. It was a lot of fun - and so useful to start at the very beginning.

The workshops listed below are special add-on limited attendance workshops for Jane Austen Festival Australia ticket holders. Attendees need to have prior sewing knowledge and bring a sewing kit and working sewing machine with them as the intention is to finish the item by the end of the workshop. Please check workshop description for pre-requisites.

---

Make your own regency short stays

Teacher: Aylwen Gardiner-Garden, ACT

Date: 12-14 March 2016 

Venue: The Garden Cottage, Yarralumla

This is a full 3-day workshop using the new Laughing Moon short stays pattern. The corset is made of a sturdy cotton or linen and edged with white bias tape. It laces together in front and is stiffened in front with flexible boning. For fuller busts, gussets are added to give the proper lift needed for this period. Kits will include your pattern, mockup material, boning and instructions. Please bring: fabric to make your corset (advised below), a regency chemise, a recently serviced sewing machine, and the usual sewing equipment (pins, scissors, tape measure, sewing cotton etc)

• For outer layer: 1m white silk, linen, or cotton.
• For interlining: 1m white coutil, linen or cotton canvas or cotton duck.
• For lining: 1m white linen or cotton.

The corset is made of a sturdy cotton or linen and edged with white bias tape. It laces together in front and is stiffened in front with flexible washable boning. For fuller busts, gussets are added to give the proper lift needed for this period. The short corset was used to display the various progressions of the Empire waist gowns, which were popular from 1790s to about the 1820s. This corset can also be covered in white cotton or linen if desired.

About your teacher: Aylwen Gardiner-Garden is a historical costume researcher, maker and teacher from Canberra, where she also organises historical dance and costume events, as well as being the Director of Jane Austen Festival Australia since 2008. In 2015 she taught historic costume workshops, did further research on historic clothing in the US and attended Costume College in LA as a scholarship recipient and looks forward to sharing her experience with you in 2016.  

Please note: only choose the "without pattern" if you already have a copy of the pattern and can bring it with you. If you attend the workshop without a pattern you will have to purchase a new pattern for an extra $35.  If you are attending from interstate and forget your fabric you can purchase from Addicted to Fabric (Phillip, ACT), Lincraft (DFO, Fyshwick or Woden, ACT) or Spotlight (Queanbeyan, NSW). Coutil is best purchased online, allowing plenty of time for shipping, whilst cotton duck can often (but not always) be found in the upholstery/curtain section of a fabric store. Workshop fees are non-refundable for any reason but are transferable up to two weeks before the workshop.

---

1816 Silk-covered Buckram Bonnet Workshop (two options)

Teacher: Aylwen Gardiner-Garden, ACT 14 April ~ 1-day Workshop: Silk Covered Bonnet $60 

Kits containing buckram, taping, wire, mull, needles, hat box, bag and an instruction book will be provided. Please bring:

• 1 metre of silk taffeta
• 50cm of your brim fabric
• any ribbons, feathers and flowers you wish to decorate with
• recently purchased or serviced sewing machine
• Sewing Kit with large sharp fabric scissors, seam ripper, seam gauge or tape measure, machine & hand needles,  craft scissors (for cutting buckram and paper), straight pins, clear ruler, pencils, eraser, paper (if you choose to copy the original pattern), coordinating thread to match your fashion fabric.
• protective safety glasses

       

Close-up of the inside of a shirred bonnet.

About your teacher: Aylwen Gardiner-Garden is a historical costume researcher, maker and teacher from Canberra, where she also organises historical dance and costume events, as well as being the Director of Jane Austen Festival Australia since 2008. In 2015 she taught historic costume workshops, did further research on historic clothing in the US and attended Costume College in LA as a scholarship recipient and looks forward to sharing her experience with you in 2016.     Please note: If you are attending from interstate and forget your fabric you can purchase from Addicted to Fabric (Phillip, ACT), Lincraft (DFO, Fyshwick or Woden, ACT) or Spotlight (Queanbeyan, NSW). Workshop fees are non-refundable for any reason but are transferable up to two weeks before the workshop.

---

Laughing Moon Bib Front Dress Workshop

 

Teacher: Adrienne Unger, NSW Date: Thursday 14 April 2016 Venue: Hyatt Hotel, Commonwealth Ave, Yarralumla.

Pre-requisite: It’s a good idea to come prepared wearing whatever underpinnings you will be using for the dress. Best is shift and stays, (check with Aylwen for resources) or a good, push-up wide strap bra, and a petticoat! The Laughing Moon 126 Bib Front dress has taken the Regency dressing community by storm. It is well researched, with a full range of sizing. It has a range of sleeves, and can be made up to suit from work dresses, to promenade to ball gowns. The instructions are very clearly presented, and it is a dress that has some ‘forgiveness’ built in with its tie and pin fastenings. For those of you with dressmaking experience, it will be a straight forward sewing task, though there are some parts of the instructions that do skim over assumed knowledge. Together let us make you a gown in a day! There will be hand sewing only for visible hems, so you will need to bring your machine, and overlocker if you use one, and all you regular sewing kit, fabric and lining needs and the ‘notions’.  Three weeks before the workshop we will send you your pattern so that Adrienne can individually guide you through pattern tracing for your measurements before you get together. Lunch and refreshments are not provided with this workshop as there is a cafe at the Hyatt you can purchase from.
      About your teacher: Adrienne Unger began sewing in her early teens, and has never stopped. With small children at home, she made wedding and bridesmaid dresses and sewed for her family. Later, dancing at Colonial balls inspired her to make her own period gowns, and, keen to learn more, led to her discovery of the TAFE Diploma of Theatre Costume -a four year vocational training course in costume design and construction - from which she graduated with Distinction. Adrienne now runs a small costume business from her home, mostly but not exclusively making Regency wear. Dancing and dressing the part continue to be her great pleasures.   Please note: only choose the "without pattern" if you already have a copy of the pattern and can bring it with you. If you attend the workshop without a pattern you will have to purchase a new pattern for an extra $35.  If you are attending from interstate and need some fabric you can purchase from Addicted to Fabric (Phillip, ACT), Lincraft (DFO, Fyshwick or Woden, ACT) or Spotlight (Queanbeyan, NSW).  Workshop fees are non-refundable for any reason but are transferable up to four weeks before the workshop.

Lynne Cook's 1800 Regency Bonnet Pattern

This bonnet is based on an early regency style that was popular from the late 1700's to the very early 1800's.  The bonnet has a velvet band over the head, with a heavy-satin pleated bag for the crown.  There is a pleated trim of the same satin at the front edge of the bonnet, and the neck curtain is the same material.  This bonnet can also be trimmed with ribbon or small flowers, or left plain like this one.

Materials lists:

• 60cm heavy Satin (eg. "Duchess Satin" or "Bridal Satin" - NOT lingerie satin)
• 20cm Velvet in a toning colour
• 20cm lining fabric in a toning colour (matt, not shiny, is best)
• 1.5m taffeta ribbon in a toning colour
• Bias binding in a toning colour
• 15cm Buckram
• 2m millinery wire
• 20cm Pellon(TM)
• Matching thread
• Decoration as required (small flowers, ribbon or braid).

Other items:

• Sewing machine that can do zigzag (and if possible, a foot that you use to guide cording)
• Pliers
• Handsewing needles
• Spray glue

This is a simple bonnet of the earlier regency period, and is generally all the one colour, so try and get a least toning/similar colours for all your fabrics.  The original would have been in silk and this is prefered if you can find it, but the sample I have made is completely in polyester (it's just a bit more work to get it do the same thing).  Taffeta ribbon is increasingly hard to find so if you have to buy (polyester) satin ribbon, try to get single sided, not 'double sided', so it's matt on one side - double satin ribbons simply won't stay tied.  If you can't find millinery wire (thread wrapped), florists wire (plastic coated) is acceptable, you just need wire that is covered. Bunnings have a thin white plastic coated wire in their electrical section.

The e-pattern and instructions for this bonnet can be purchased online through paypal for $5.00 AUD

Lynne Cook's Regency Bonnet Pattern

This bonnet is based on an early regency style that was popular from the late 1700's to the very early 1800's.  The bonnet has a velvet band over the head, with a heavy-satin pleated bag for the crown.  There is a pleated trim of the same satin at the front edge of the bonnet, and the neck curtain is the same material.  This bonnet can also be trimmed with ribbon or small flowers, or left plain like this one.

Materials lists:

• 60cm heavy Satin (eg. "Duchess Satin" or "Bridal Satin" - NOT lingerie satin)
• 20cm Velvet in a toning colour
• 20cm lining fabric in a toning colour (matt, not shiny, is best)
• 1.5m taffeta ribbon in a toning colour
• Bias binding in a toning colour
• 15cm Buckram
• 2m millinery wire
• 20cm Pellon(TM)
• Matching thread
• Decoration as required (small flowers, ribbon or braid).

Other items:

• Sewing machine that can do zigzag (and if possible, a foot that you use to guide cording)
• Pliers
• Handsewing needles
• Spray glue

This is a simple bonnet of the earlier regency period, and is generally all the one colour, so try and get a least toning/similar colours for all your fabrics.  The original would have been in silk and this is prefered if you can find it, but the sample I have made is completely in polyester (it's just a bit more work to get it do the same thing).  Taffeta ribbon is increasingly hard to find so if you have to buy (polyester) satin ribbon, try to get single sided, not 'double sided', so it's matt on one side - double satin ribbons simply won't stay tied.  If you can't find millinery wire (thread wrapped), florists wire (plastic coated) is acceptable, you just need wire that is covered. Bunnings have a thin white plastic coated wire in their electrical section.

The e-pattern and instructions for this bonnet can be purchased online through paypal for $5.00 AUD

Limited-attendance sewing workshops at JAFA 2012 - a quick peep

Just added: Four limited attendance workshops for 2012 - they'll be added as we approve applications, so if you have a workshop you wish to present, make sure you contact us by the 29 August 2011.

Beginning Embroidery – Regency Reticule (limited to 15) Students will learn the basics of surface embroidery while making a regency-era monogrammed reticule. We will cover backstitch, whipped backstitch, chain stitch, detached chain (lazy daisy) and outline stitch. Do the embroidery in class and make up the reticule at home.
Make a Regency Dolls Dress (limited to 15) Cut out and start sewing your own regency doll's dress.
The Cure for "Gaposis" - Methods for closing the back of your regency gown (limited to 15) Frustrated with trying to figure out how to close your bodice? Students will learn a method for installing and will hand sew an example to take home with them.
Pre-festival Regency Bonnet Workshop (limited to 15, 11-12 April 2012.) A two-day workshop featuring a sewing demonstration by a historic costume maker, followed by the opportunity to make a bonnet using Regency sewing techniques. Cost for class & materials $150 (This class is not included in the Jane Austen Festival Australia Season Ticket) BOOK HERE Corded Stays - Close-up Analysis & Demonstration - (limited to 15) Regency corsets were not as restrictive as their Georgian and Victorian relations, and many featured corded supports. Have a look at an antique full-length corded corset from the late regency period and see how it was made. Learn how you can make your own modern reproductions of full length or short stays and make a cording sampler to take away with you. Quilted Regency Coats - (limited to 15) Regency coats were worn to keep the wearer both warm and dry. Stitching patterns were used to hold the wadding in place, and often these stitches were just as beautiful a design as the garment itself. See an antique regency coat up close and study how it was put together. Workshop participants will then make a copy of its collar. Pre-festival Regency Dress Making Workshops - (limited to 6)  BOOK HERE Under the eye of historical costumer, Aylwen Gardiner-Garden in her Canberra studio, make your own regency gown to wear to Jane Austen Festival in April. 26-27 November 2011 28-29 January 2012 24-25 March 2012