In Virginia there are many Historic Sites and museum houses. Our lace group
has always focused on education and we have many opportunities to
demonstrate at events connected with these historic sites. We also
demonstrate at some spring and fall festivals that have craftsmen/women
selling so , as we do not sell, costumes set us aside from them
I do not do reenactments, so my costumes are not actually authentic to any
period and, like Mark, the Tatman, my display is not specific to any time or
place. Most people who are not into reenactment don't know the difference
anyhow. My main costume is early 1700s. I copied design from cover of
Lacemaker catalog (Tracy in Ohio) It is shift with full skirt and tight,
low neck laced bodice and mob cap. For most viewers, a long skirt and a mob
cap is all that is needed to set the scene
Our area, the piedmont, was the frontier up to American Revolution
(1775-1781), so not many sites of that period. Mr. Thomas Jefferson's
mountain retreat, Poplar Forest, is my favorite place to demonstrate. They
have big festival on July 4th, our Independence Day. But this house was
built in his old age (c.1820). He was still wearing old fashioned knee
pants and lace, but his daughters wore the new Empire style. As Virginia is
very hot and humid in July, that style is cooler and I have a Summer Empire
type costume.
Most sites in my area are from American Civil War (War of Northern
Aggression) period. Appomattox Surrender Ground is about 30 minutes from
here and most of the museum houses are from that period. I always carry
tatting and tell viewers that Bobbin lace is not authentic to the period.
Only if it is a reenactment event do I wear a hoop and bonnet with my
grandmother's dress (from 1900) to better blend in.
In my display I have several kinds of needlelace as well as tatted, crochet
and knitted lace along with my , mostly English, bobbin lace. My
demonstration pillows are whatever I am working on at the time. At present,
it is a Beds collar on block pillow and a Bucks edging on roller Travel
pillow.
Demonstration is not only good for education the masses ;-) but also for
recruitment for new lacemakers.
Louise in Central Virginia
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