CGW Lectures & Workshops: Current

Upcoming Events

  • CGW Goes To: Meet Me in St. Louis (in Person) - Sunday, December 7, 2025 Click here for more information!
  • 1950s Juliet Cap with Veil Workshop (via Zoom) - Saturday, December 13, 2025 Click Here for more information!
  • Regency Hairpiece Styling Workshop (via Zoom) - Saturday, January 17, 2026 Save the date!
  • 18th Century Stays Workshop (in Person) - Sat, Jan 31 & Sun, Feb 1, 2026 Click Here for more information! 
  • Zoom Workshop with Kenneth D. King (January) More information coming soon!
  • Pata de Cabra Lace workshop (January) More information coming soon!
  • Glove Making with Mela Hoyt-Heydon (February) More information coming soon!
  • Haslam System lecture with Mrs. Depew (tbd) More information coming soon!
  • Make a Duct Tape Dressform (March) More information coming soon!

 

Past Events


cartoon

Dressed in Diamonds: American Princesses & Gilded Age Fashion
with Kevin Jones of ASU-FIDM
a Zoom Lecture

Wednesday, December 3rd
7 - 9 PM PDT
The time period between the end of the Civil War in 1865 and the beginning of World War I in 1914 is known as “The Gilded Age,” a term popularized by prolific writer and social commentator Mark Twain. Twain’s visionary insight revealed that America’s desire for all things modern and industrial was at odds with its undemocratic nostalgia for class hierarchy and aristocratic bearing.
Social distinctions between the ‘Old World’ and the ‘New’ were lessened by those few who were able to harness this fierce industrial era in which an uneducated nobody could become a respected somebody through sheer hard work, luck, and a “public-be-damned” attitude. The veneer that separated Yankee worker from European gentleman was thin, but the Industrial Revolution’s greatest asset—money—helped to gild American society and re-gild European society. And, for the most part, this highly reflective gloss was applied with layers of elaborate dresses and overlapping jewels worn by the ‘Dollar Princess’ daughters of these ‘Robber Barons’, five of whom are discussed in this lecture: Jennie Jerome, Consuelo Yznaga, Consuelo Vanderbilt, Helena Zimmerman, and May Goelet.

 


 

Regency Bandeau Headdressdrawing of regency era ladies
with Mela Hoyt-Heydon
an in-person workshop
at Sewing Machine Warehouse
16214 Nordhoff St, North Hills, CA 91343
Saturday, August 30th
1 - 4 PM PT
 

Create a beautiful, packable headpiece for your next Jane Austen ball! Mela will guide you in designing a bandeau headpiece suitable for all hairstyles. Choose from a single, wide band accented with pearls or jewels, a narrower, double-band adorned with ostrich plumes, or a triple-strand “Grecian” style. Learn how to curl feathers along with several ways to fasten them to your headpiece. Samples will be available for you to try on before choosing. 


 

passamenterie example

Passementerie: A Live Online Class

with Kenneth D. King

 Saturday, April 5th

12 - 3 PM PST

  Join us as Kenneth teaches how to make passementerie embellishments with cords and other decorative elements. Learn how to manipulate the trims to create a sample of the work, all hands-on! 

 

 


 

Ribbon Work and Trimmings Series

with Mela Hoyt-Heydon

Join Mela Hoyt-Heydon the first Saturdays of April, May, and June for three different Zoom workshops using ribbon and fabric to create vintage trimmings, a variety of bows and sweet ribbon flowers. Each workshop is from 1:00-4:00 pm Pacific Standard Time.

Click the links below for more information on each workshop, plus the materials list for each.
Ribbon Workshop Series with Mela

Saturday, April 6, 2024
 
Saturday, May 4, 2024
1-4pm PST
Floribunda
 
Saturday, June 1, 2024
1-4pm PST
  

Sign up for all three of Mela's ribbon work classes at once and receive a discounted price on the full series!

The Zoom links for each class will be emailed to registered participants on the evening before the class, by 9pm PST. Please ensure that you will be available for all THREE classes before registering for this series. If you are not sure of your schedule, each of these classes will be available to register for individually.

Each class is $30 for members, $35 for non-members, or $75/95 for the full series.

 


 

Sarah Veblen - Online Fitting Class

Tips on Fitting Yourself: Online Class

with Sarah Veblen

Saturday, February 10, 2024
1:00pm to 2:30pm (PT)

 

Join us for an online class as Sarah Veblen of Sarah Veblen Clothing Originals shows us tips and tricks for fitting garments on yourself to make your creations suit your body to a tee!
 
Sarah’s extensive knowledge of fit and garment making comes from several decades of creating custom clothing for her clientele. Based in the Baltimore metropolitan area, she teaches in her home studio as well as across the country at conferences and workshops. Her articles, books, and online courses make her accessible to students everywhere.
 
Registration fee: $30 for CGW Members or $35 for non-members.  Zoom links to classes will be emailed to students on February 9, 2024, after 5pm PT.

 

Wood Swing thread spool hodler with different color spools of thread


 

Online Workshop

"Build a Spool Holder"

With Brittany Joyner

 

Saturday, June 17, 2023 at 12:30pm (PT)

 

 


 

Vintage advertisement of shoes, boots with spatterdashes

 

 Online Lecture

"Spatterdashes"

With Haleh Risdana
Sunday March 26, 2023 at 12:00pm (PST)