At recent get togethers I've been engaged in conversations on everything civilian, from hairstyles and jewelery to occupying children at events. So I got to thinking. There are currently ten ladies registered on the board. But with few exceptions, we rarely see posts from them. I remember my own start on here and how intimidating some of the forums and topics seemed. So I thought I would put this out to the board. Would it be possible to create a new forum for strictly civilian topics? So that ladies could come forward with questions and suggestions that can help improve our impressions? Not to offend the military. I love you boys but some of you don't know a corsett lace from a musket strap. There's a wealth of information to access, we just need a way to get there.
~Miss Patti
School of the Civilian
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A CAPITAL IDEA!
nuff said.
"it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifing......nothing"
MacBeth
I agree it is a good idea,
I agree it is a good idea, maybe a special topic for Civilian's will entice of of those registered to post.
Cpl Marc Averill
29thGA
As Usual...
Miss Patti,
You have the best ideas! I would find a civilian area a valuable tool for me to learn more, since I am a complete amateur.
Thanks Miss Patti!
The Missus
It is done
As Miss Patti shall request, I shall make it come to pass...
http://mainemilitia.com/forum/54
Do the ladies require an off topic area similar to the Campfire Chatter as well? Perhaps the Parlor? :)
--
Michael P. Johnson Jr.
Admin & Owner
.........
BRILLIANT!!
Pvt.J.Thurlow
Expand a GREAT idea
Greetings Dear Ladies, Men divert your eyes!
Ladies of hope for this peculiar hobby. I am hoping
to encourage the Ladies to gather (Oh,
my...) and consider forming a Homespun Living History
Guild that could meet during encampments to educate
the public and possibly recruit for our different
units.
The Homespun Living History Guild could present
civilian demonstrations. Activities may include an
assortment of every day crafts from the 1850-1860s
era, including sewing, spinning, cooking with
discussions of period foods and food preparation, rug
hooking, and much more. The Guild could furnish a large
tent with items contemporary to the Civil War period.
This is only an idea... I would never presume to give
direction to our Ladies of hope... GRIN.
Your Obedient Servant,
Pvt Young
Pvt/Lt Craig Young
3rd Maine, Company A
29th Georgia/7th Maine
Lambh Deargh Erin Abu!
Most importantly we are free. Free in thought, body, and soul.
It is no longer the blood, but the spirit that makes us what we are.
We are Celts!
Thank you Mike!
I would kiss your brogans but I can't really bend in my corsett.:-)
Hopefully this new forum will get a great deal of use by all the ladies as well as some gents.
~Miss Patti
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind~Dr. Seuss
dont I get some credit for
dont I get some credit for my persuasive arguements?
Seamus
"it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifing......nothing"
MacBeth
civilian school
Bet all you guys thought I had been captured by a band of Yankees and held until release was sought. Nope I am alive and well in my cave of satin lace and wool. Great idea Patti as always you are the number one with me. CopperHeadAnnie
Finally!
I thought this would drag you out into the open. Welcome back!
Seamus, I most humbly apologize. I had no idea you were lending that Irish persuasion to the cause of a civilian forum. I kiss your Captain's boots. MWAH,MWAH.
~Miss Patti
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind~Dr. Seuss
Where do I sign up!!!????
QUOTE:
"The Homespun Living History Guild could present
civilian demonstrations. Activities may include an
assortment of every day crafts from the 1850-1860s
era, including sewing, spinning, cooking with
discussions of period foods and food preparation, rug
hooking, and much more. The Guild could furnish a large
tent with items contemporary to the Civil War period."
Where do I sign up!!!???? :)
And This Civilian School what an awesome idea! Now I know where to bring some of my questions...hee hee...you may all come to regret it!
Rhonda Elvin
John 3:16
Marvelous!
Hello, everyone! This is my first post, and what a nice surprise to find this topic so fitted to my needs. :)
I have been interested in re-enacting for years but have never done it and after moving to this area of Maine I find it difficult to connect with groups. Are any of you around the Washington and/or Penobscot counties?
I have plenty of questions. :) What are the options that a woman has in re-enacting, besides soldiering? I must say that the Homespun Living History Guild sounds just wonderful! I love old-fashioned crafts and skills... and fashion. :)
One more thing! I noticed that everyone seems to be travelling to do their re-enacting. Are there any events here in Maine?
Thank-you so much and I am so glad to meet all of you.
Welcome to the board Miss Eve
It's so nice to have another lady posting. No offense gentlemen but I really can't discus bonnets & hairstyles with ya'll. :-)
To answer some of your questions yes there are several groups & events here in Maine. This weekend (the 19-20) there is a re-enactment at Fort Knox in Prospect. Then the 1st weekend of September will be Conway days in Camden. Those are the closet upcoming.
As for groups, are you looking for Confederate or Federal? In your area you'd be looking at the 29th Georgia (confederate) or the 20th Maine(federal). If you have the oppourtunity to attend Ft. Knox or Conway Days you'll get to meet representatives of most of the groups.
As for what options a lady has for re-enacting, it's a very broad spectrum of choices. Especially in the Confederacy. The southern ladies lived on the front lines of the war. They fed the troops, clothed them, nursed them & mourned their passing. When the men marched off to war they left the women behind to care for the farms & plantations. Women took over for their husbands in running the businesses. Which makes impressions for ladies much more than dressing as soldiers. I've seen seamstresses, nurses, nuns & post mistresses. There are laundresses & vivadeers, political wives & suffragettes. And yes there are those of us working towards a ladies home guard impression. Imagine wearing a homespun dress & carrying a musket. It's a fascinating area of the hobby & I find for every new thing I learn there are a dozen different possibilities for what I can do with the impression.
I hope you get the chance to come out to some of the local events & meet us all. Take your time, meet some folks & find the group thats the right fit for you.
Good luck!~Miss Patti
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind~Dr. Seuss
Thank-you!
I do appreciate your helpfulness, Miss Patti! Forgive me for not acknowledging it sooner. I wish I could attend the two upcoming events, but for various reasons I won't be able to actually begin re-enacting until next spring. :(
I plan to learn a lot about it over the winter, get prepared (make several outfits!), and do some planning during the time I have to wait. So, Miss Pattie, I would love to be "discussing bonnets and hairstyles" with you!
I think I will be joining the 29th Georgia. I am surprised, though, to see the abundance of Confederate re-enactors here in Maine! I would have expected the majority to portray Yankees. :) Will it matter that I haven't a bit of a southern accent? I'm good at imitating them, though -- we are southern on my mother's side, and I grew up in Pennsylvania.
Am I correct that both hoopskirt outfits and non-hoop skirts are authentic to the fashion of the Civil War? Where do you buy your costumes or what is your advice in making them?
I hope you don't mind all the questions! :) Thank-you again!
I'm happy to help...
If I don't know the answer I'll do my best to find it.
Yes there are quite a few confederates in the state which does make some sense. There were men who went to fight for the south even though they were from Maine. We even had 3 Confederate generals who were born in Maine. And there are 6 Confederates buried in the state. You'd have to ask the reenactors for their individual reasons but most have family connections to the south.
What part of Pennslyvainia are you from? I ask because I'm from the Pittsburgh region myself.
Dresses were worn with or without hoops. It depended on your financial status as well as age. Older, less fashion concious ladies dispensed with hoops and poor lower class women just couldn't afford them.
As far as your own dresses, if you sew you can find easy to make patterns to start out with. I'd do something simple, a working dress or camp dress. Don't get fancy right off the bat. Cotton is best. It's comfortable & breathes well. If you don't sew there are alot of seamstresses around. CopperHead Annie from the board is a wonderful seamstress although she is living in Texas.
Hope this helps. Any other questions I and the rest of the board are here.
~Miss Patti
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind~Dr. Seuss