Civil
War Sewing Day at Cleydael
Sunday,
March 2, 2003
A Living
History Presented by the Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid
Society
Participation:
By invitation
only. This is a small event at a private home
Time and place:
Cleydael, King George County Virginia, March 1862
Scenario: Mrs Dr.
Richard Stuart (nee Julia Calvert) is hosting a sewing circle for
friends, consisting both of local ladies from King George County
and friends from further afield visiting Cleydael as guests. The
topic of conversation is forming a Soldier's Aid Society for King
George County and what that organization might usefully do to
support "our boys" in the field.
What We'll be
Doing: Interacting in first person, working on various sewing
/ handicraft projects, hoping to do a bit of gentle "time travel".
Morning coffee, luncheon and afternoon tea will be served. (Period
food on period china, but alas NOT prepared in a period kitchen
(hey, anybody want to help me build an external summer kitchen
sometime?)
Spectators: We
might have a couple, but not a distracting number. Jeff and I are
constantly doing history outreach among our neighbors and the
local history community. We have therefore invited our immediate
neighbors in the Cleydael subdivision and the officers of the King
George Historical Society to drop by for a tour if they wish. Jeff
Smith will act as a third person docent and conduct these tours if
anyone shows up, using the "third wall" technique (e.g. we can't
see the spectators as they're in the future, etc)
Event Hours: Core
first person hours will be Sunday from 11 am to 5 p.m. If
you want to come earlier on Sunday, or Saturday night, you are be
very welcome to do so.
Event Schedule:
Click
HERE
Overnight
Accommodation on Saturday: If you want to come on Saturday
night and sleep over, you would be very welcome (warn me in
advance!) Accommodation will be dormitory style -- depending on
how many people want to stay, I might have to ask you to bring a
sleeping bag! (got 4 guest beds, one of which is a double and 2
cots -- beyond that, it's "grab a floor" . I have a meeting in
Northern Virginia on Saturday, so don't come any earlier than 7
p.m. Saturday night.
What to Bring for the
Mini-Immersion: Bring any sewing or other handicraft projects
you can do with period materials in a period context -- sewing
(hand work), knitting, embroidery, quilting, milllinery, whatever.
If you don't sew you can bring a (period) sketch book to draw in,
or a (period) book to read, or anything else to occupy your hands
while engaging in first person chat.
Other things to
bring: originals you might want to display on Saturday night,
your period clothes to change into, your camera if you want (no
photography DURING firper periods). And, if you want to be helpful
and bring something to eat, some sort of period-documented cakes
or other goodies to consume with tea would be very welcome. (*let
me know what you're bringing)
Things to Do on
Saturday if You're in the Area: If you find yourself in
the area before then, you can phone to see if we got back early
(540 775-1228). Failing that, I highly recommend the antique shops
of Old Town Fredericksburg and the White Oak Museum (amazing
repros of CW winter quarters!) which is just 18 miles up the road.
Click here for directions and links of other stuff to do in the
area: Local
attractions
Clothing: If
you're stuck and need loaner gear, let me know so we can see if
anything can be worked out.
Men and children --
are always welcome, in period mode. (if they can stand a
gaggle of chicks hanging out talking about sewing stuff!) I need
to know if any guys are coming as this will affect sleeping
arrangements. If any guys are coming and don't want to do firper,
Jeff (who is "Dr Richard Stuart when he's in the house on Sunday)
can organize a field trip to the White Oak Museum.
Impression
Guidelines: Click HERE for impression
guidelines / ideas for portrayals and historical
background
RSVP -- Please
email me at ms4tune@aol.com
to let me know if you're able to come, and when you expect to
arrive and whether you want to stay over on Saturday.
Cleydael
is a private home. please respect our privacy and
do not visit without an invitation.
(Unless, of course, you're somebody we
know, in which case y'all come!!
-- but phone first and give us a heads up and be
expected to be handed a paint brush!)
Cleydael's
History:
History
& Owners
| Architecture
| The
Stuarts
| What's
in a Name? | |
Calverts & Stiers
Lee
Connections| |
Other Relations | African Americans |
Booth
at Cleydael
Jo-Anne
Coe: In
Memoriam
Photo
Album
| Location
| Links
Home
Contact
us: Cleydael@aol.com
