CGW, Inc. hosts many types of events throughout the year, including literary presentations, live action role playing games, ice skating, private museum tours, as well as Japanese and English teas. Each event is hosted by a CGW member and most are an opportunity to show off your recent historical, sci-fi, or fantasy ensemble.
18th Century Mitts
Burrrr…it’s a bit cold even for SoCal Learn the construction of a pair of white linen mitts with silk accent using the mitts pattern from “Costume Closeup, Clothing Construction and Pattern 1750-1790” by Linda Baumgarten and John Watson with Florentine Carr. The workshop will be taught by Emily Frank. Students will receive the mitts pattern, cut out, the linen, cut out, will be taught how to do the fagotting stitch across the wrist slit, sew on the mitt tip, and receive instruction on...
read moreCGW Goes to The Great Dickens Christmas Fair
The Great Dickens Christmas Fair is a one-of-a-kind holiday adventure into Victorian London – an elaborate party with hundreds of costumed players performing and interacting with patrons in over 120,000 square feet of theatrically-lit music halls, pubs, dance floors, and Christmas shops. It’s a twilight evening in Charles Dickens’ London Town – a city of winding lanes filled with colorful characters from both literature and history. Enticing aromas of roasted chestnuts and hearty foods fill the air. Cries of street vendors hawking...
read moreCGW Holiday Tea ☕️
Join CGW for a Holiday tea to span a century! CGW would like to treat the members by contributing to your tea ticket. Tea tickets are at a reduced price of $12.50 (which includes 18% gratuity). Costumes are not mandatory but always fun! 19th Century. (Hoops are discouraged due to space). Date: December 2, 2018 Time: 11:00am – 2:00pm Venue: The Tea Rose Garden, 70 North Raymond Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91103; (626) 578-1144 Tickets: $12.50 per CGW Member; $42.50 for non-members. Available here. Parking: There is street...
read more2018 CGW Annual Meeting
Costumer’s Guild West Annual Meeting Date: Saturday, October 6, 2017 Location: Calvary Church of Eastwood 2103 Batson Ave., Rowland Heights, CA 91748 Parking is in the lot next to the church, or along Batson Ave. Tickets: Get your ticket here! Tickets are free, but they are important, to make sure we have an accurate count for lunch. Time: 11:00am-4:30pm The annual meeting is open to all members of the CGW and all those interested in the CGW. The rough schedule is as follows: 11am – Free lunch and social time + exhibit...
read more18th Century Pocket Embroidery
Where do I put all my stuff? 18th Century pockets were not sewn into women’s gowns as they are often sewn into garments these days. Instead women had a pair of pockets – or a single pocket – attached to some ribbon or tape, which was tied around their waist. The pockets were rather voluminous and were reached through a hole in the side of the skirts of the dress. Ladies often practiced their embroidery skills on decorating their pockets. Students will be given “pocket kits” that contain pre-cut, pre-stenciled pockets, embroidery...
read moreCGW Goes to a Jewelry Auction Preview 📿💎💍
Would you like to view up close and try on fabulous jewelry? Bonham’s auction house lets you view and try on jewelry at auction previews. There will be pre-viewing of a jewelry auction on Dec. 9th through 11th at Bonham’s LA for an auction on Dec 12th. No requirement to sign up for auction or to bid! No cost! When: CGW Goes To the Preview on Saturday December 9th, at 1 p.m. Where: Bonham’s is located at 7601 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. Free parking behind the building. Tickets: Event is free. Please let me...
read moreCGW Goes to FIDM Museum & Galleries – Luncheon & Lectures
Please Join CGW at the Thierry Mugler Alien to Angel Luncheon & Lecture. When: Saturday, December 9, 2017; 12:30 pm – 4:00 pm. Where: FIDM Orange County Campus 17590 Gillette Ave., Irvine, CA 92614. Speakers: Joanna Abijaoude, Museum Associate, FIDM Museum; Kimberly Truhler, Film + Fashion Historian, GlamAmor; Christina Johnson, Associate Curator, FIDM Museum. Ticket Price: $95.00. Tickets available: here. CGW will be presenting a check for the adoption of Queen Victoria’s Mantle. For more information email Mima Ransom at...
read moreCGW Goes to the Great Dickens Christmas Fair
The Great Dickens Christmas Fair is a one-of-a-kind holiday adventure into Victorian London – an elaborate party with hundreds of costumed players performing and interacting with patrons in over 120,000 square feet of theatrically-lit music halls, pubs, dance floors, and Christmas shops. It’s a twilight evening in Charles Dickens’ London Town – a city of winding lanes filled with colorful characters from both literature and history. Enticing aromas of roasted chestnuts and hearty foods fill the air. Cries of street...
read moreCGW Workshop Series: 18th Century English Gown
We will be using the Larking & Smith English Gown pattern c. 1760’s-1770’s which includes a stomacher front & en fourreau back. Drafted from an original 18th c gown, this pattern gives elaborately illustrated step-by-step instructions. Designed to be assembled and completed by hand it also offers variations for middling and working class gowns. Taking the skill of draping a gown in the mantua maker’s way and combining it with modern pattern elements, this gown will give you the results of a draped gown. Teacher: ...
read moreCGW Goes to Messiah Sing-along
Mark your calendars to join us on Sunday, November 26, 2017, as the Yorba Linda Arts Alliance puts on their annual Messiah Sing Along at the Nixon Library. This is a very festive way to begin the holiday season. Admission is free, and donations are gratefully accepted. Thank you for being generous. Period attire of the Georgian era is welcome. (If you don’t have any, Regency or early Victorian is fine.) For those who prefer to wear modern clothes, dressy attire is fine. The performance times are 10:00am and noon, as there is a...
read moreCGW Goes To Trafalgar Day 2017
This is the Sixth Year Anniversary of our Picnic and great effort will be expended to ensure that this will indeed be a memorable occasion. Badminton, Skittles, & Archery are available for our afternoon amusement. There will be dancing on the green. They will provide ale and non-alcoholic punch. It’s the perfect spot to bring a picnic basket and a blanket for your Regency family picnic. Alcohol is permitted and encouraged. BYOB. Regimentals or Regency attire required. Shipmates, The Senior Service, the Army, Lords & Ladies,...
read moreCGW Goes to Dressed to the 9 3/4 Day – Wizarding World of Harry Potter L.A.
Witches put on your vintage and pin-up style dresses; Wizards put on your classic threads and join us for the 2nd Annual Dressed to the 9 ¾ day at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter located inside Universal Studios Hollywood! Enjoy a day full of old-timey fun at Hogsmeade Village with your fellow dapper Witches and Wizards with group photos, rides, Instagram contest and more! Date/Time (start & finish): November 12, 2017 10:00 am- 6:00 pm Location: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, Hollywood Ticket...
read moreCGW Event: Titanic Tour & White Star Line Tea
Tickets now available: (Ticket sales will end October 29, or when seating for the tea is full. Limited space is available!) Click here to buy tickets Join CGW on a tour of the Ronald Reagan Library’s Titanic exhibit. Titanic at the Reagan Library is a fascinating look at Titanic, combining real artifacts with the real stories of the people onboard the ill-fated ship. This new exhibit tells the story of the unsinkable ship in a way no museum has done before. Artifacts from passengers, dispersed over time, will be reunited in this exhibit for...
read moreCGW Workshop Series: 18th Century Pocket Hoops
18th century pocket hoops are the most packable side hoops available today when traveling. You can also carry your fan, car keys, and even a cell phone with no one knowing. They consist of two linen shapes held out with bone or cane and tie about the waist. Students will make their own sized pocket hoops proportionate to their measurements. You will make a pair to wear under all but your largest 18th century court gowns. Atelier Mela has sewing machines, cutting tables and irons, so all you will need is your basic sewing kit of fabric...
read more2017 CGW Annual Meeting
Costumer’s Guild West Annual Meeting Date: October 7, 2017 Location: Masonic Lodge (This is the same location as the 2016 CGW Annual Meeting) 5155 East Pacific Coast Hwy, Long Beach CA 90804 Parking is behind the building and the back door by the parking lot will be open Time: 11:00-3:00 Project Challenge: UFO CHALLENGE Finish one or more of your UFOs (Unfinished Objects) that every costumer seems to have and share it with us. More details are in the August/September 2017 issue of Squeals (page 9) Lunch will be provided, so please...
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