Maria Edgeworth Festival
of Literature & Arts

Event Details

Create Your Own Georgian Petticoat

Friday, 9th May 2025

Date & Time

09May2025

Stitching the Past: a Hands-On Guide

Sew like an 18th-century dressmaker!

From 2.00pm until 4.00pm

€20

There are 10 places available.

Venue

The Maria Edgeworth Centre, Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford, N39 E3C8

About the Event

 2 hours

Sewing Through Time: Hand-Stitch Your Own 18th-Century Petticoat

Step into the past and master the art of 18th-century hand-sewing! This hands-on workshop will teach you how to create a beautifully authentic petticoat—entirely stitched by hand, just as it was done centuries ago.

Under expert guidance, you’ll learn how to cut the precise shapes needed for a classic Georgian petticoat (skirt) and practise the stitches used by dressmakers of the era. Bring your own fabric and materials, and begin constructing your petticoat during the session. You’ll leave with the skills and knowledge to complete it at home, ensuring an authentic, hand-crafted piece of history.

Join us for this unique opportunity to sew like an 18th-century dressmaker and bring history to life—one stitch at a time!

Melissa Shiels dressed in a 18th Century Petticoat

What do I need to bring?

What do I need to bring?

  • Fabric (pre-ironed for clean cuts), can be curtain material or a bedsheet
  • Hand-sewing needles
  • Thread
  • Scissors
  • Pins 
  • Thimble
  • Measuring tape or ruler

Tickets

  • €20
  • Spaces are limited
  • Pre booking necessary

Facilitator

Melissa Shiels

Melissa Shiels is a recent doctoral candidate, awarded her PhD from UCC in 16th-century Irish history, focusing on gift exchange and material culture. She has been making historical clothing since 2002, recreating clothing from the Viking, Medieval, Tudor/Elizabethan, Georgian, Regency, and Victorian periods. Melissa gives costumed talks for a wide range of audiences, both academic and non-academic, speaking in museums, libraries, schools, literary festivals, as well as university lectures.