Crikey Aphrodite

Hi everyone,
Alison (Crikey Aphrodite) here.
Just to let you all know I have a Victorian corset class on at beautiful Gartmore House on May 5th 2024. 5 days in a lovely, historic Manor House being fed until you burst and sewing all day.

Gartmore is run as a charity and your fun course also helps support their group trips for kids with various disabilities and additional needs in their estate activity centre.

They look after us really well. You'll be very well fed and encouraged to treat this beautiful old house as home. There's also a lovely camaraderie between the groups and a lot of visits to peek at what watercolour or embroidery, or whatever the others there are doing. Everyone leaves as friends at the end of the 5 days.

There's usually a talk one evening on the history of the house which is long and colourful and tied in to some important political events.

The exterior of the house is an ongoing project as its a big place. There are big plans to get it back to it's best. The interior is lovely with some lovely art nouveau additions and the grounds are huge with the ruins of an older castle, woodland walks, and paths to the nearby village where there's a community run pub and shop.

You're right at the start of the Highlands with some spectacular scenery to see from the Dukes pass behind Aberfoyle. Lots of walking opportunities and not far from Doune, Stirling and Loch Lomond. .

As for the class of course... The additional time on this course really let's us treat the subject thoroughly. I'll provide the basic materials and you bring the outer fabric, thread and binding. We've been doing victorian in spring and stays in autumn.

We have some bookings already and I'd love if more of you could come along and experience the magic of Gartmore.

Any questions just ask in the comments or DM me. All booking info is under the link below with prices for 5 nights full board and accommodation (some variations for different rooms). Tuition and most materials included as is transfer by mini bus. Booking is direct with Gartmore.

Getting there is easy. It's about a half hour drive from Glasgow. Or there's a mainline train to Stirling where you'll be collected by mini bus. Some guests work an overnight in there as there's so much to see in Stirling.

Arrive Sunday in time for welcome and dinner then tuition starts the next morning after a full breakfast. There are class hours but you're free to sew as long as you want.

Accessibility: there's a lift to all floors and a ramp at the front door. The teaching areas are one level. Accessible rooms available and the staff bend over backwards to help.

https://www.gartmorehouse.com/craft-courses/corset-making-courses-near-me/

Introduction to 18th century stays
5 day, full board residential course at Gartmore House with tutor Alison Campbell of Crikey Aphrodite & the Corset Curriculum
25th September 2022

Book via Gartmore House at: https://www.gartmorehouse.com/craft-courses/corset-making-courses-near-me/

Gartmore House is an historic 18th century Manor House on an estate near Aberfoyle at the gateway to the beautiful Scottish Highlands.
The course will walk you through making 18th century stays. Time constraints mean we won't be totally historically accurate but we'll discuss methods at every stage.
Alison is an experienced Scottish corsetiere who has taught corsetry around the uk, including at the Oxford conference of Corsetry of which she was part of the organising team.

If anyone has a weekend free in July and fancies a weekend in idyllic scenery learning how to make a corset. Come and join us.