Events

~Upcoming Events~

(be sure to scroll down to see details as we add them to the events) 

WRS Annual Twelfth Night Ball

January 4, 2025

Wells Hall, Tacoma

The hall is reserved, we are still planning the rest of the details.

 

WRS Retreat to Seabeck

February 27 to March 2, 2025

The Washington Regency Society requests the honor of your presence in picturesque Seabeck Washington for an early Spring Retreat!
We will converge February 27th (Thursday) until March 2nd (Sunday). Two night or 3 night options will be available. Room & meals provided. Pricing TBD…
We invite you to join Friends/like-minded people for walks in nature, sewing projects, rest/ relaxation, workshops & Regency costumes.

Pricing and other details are still being negotiated with the Seabeck Conference Center – but we have locked in the dates!

Future Library Sewing Meet Ups

Free !  Dress up, bring your sewing project and commune with WRS members.

Please limit snacks

Before the pandemic these things were planned…

We hope to re-schedule these events listed below

 Costume Workshop & Sari Safari !

2 dates to be arranged

At the first date, we will host a Costume Workshop where we will learn about putting together a Regency outfit, from corsets to Spencer jackets. Tips on making costumes from found clothing, sari’s, and other fabric options will be discussed.

At a 2nd date, using the information we gained from the costume workshop, we will get together for a Sari Safari and shop till we drop!
Sara is working on this event and the location will be in a library meeting room.

 A Blessing of the Hounds

(No kill) Regency Hunt and A Hunt Breakfast

some autumn day post pandemic – perhaps late 2023

 with the Woodbrook Hunt Club in Lakewood

Brothers Grimm Evening

October 202?

Cards, fun costumes, snacks, and a Regency swap meet

Regency Educational Day

and

Jane Austen inspired Christmas Tea

at a public library or similar location?

Stay tuned for more….Group Sewing Days

Join us for a sewing day!

We have had a lot of fun and made a lot of progress on projects when we meet up and help each other with our costuming.  We are negotiating with spaces and plan more of these “sewing days” this year — follow this space for more information soon!

 

Past Events

Regency Evening Stroll in the Rose Garden

August 17, 2024
5 pm to ~ 8 pm

(the Rose Garden closes at Dusk)

We all wish we could jump into a Garden Party scene like in the Bridgerton Series or a Jane Austen inspired film! We have not been able to recreate that yet but there is a lovely Woodland Park Rose Garden in Seattle at Fremont Ave N. and 50th Street – the south end of the Woodland Park Zoo.

 

 

WRS Summer Picnic

July 21, 2024
11am – 4pm

Starting at 11:00 we met at Squaxin Park (formerly Priest Point Park) which is just a short drive up Eastlake Drive NE on the southern most point of Puget Sound. We reserved a picnic shelter there with ample picnic tables.

 

Spring Tea

Sunday  May 19, 2024

Tea was enjoyed at the  Olive Branch Tea Room in Tacoma at 1:15 pm.

Regency Era costumes were admired but not required!
2501 East D St.
Tacoma, WA 98421
West End Of Freighthouse Square

 

Twelfth Night Ball

January 6, 2024

Wells Hall, Tacoma

Here is a link to our CHARACTER INSPIRATION PAGE 

September 8-10,2023

Retreat at Camp Casey

September 8 thru 10, 2023

A weekend getaway with other Regency enthusiasts at a scenic location!

Coffee and Behind the Scenes at Lakewold Gardens

July 16, 2023

Coffee in the Garden

Sunday, July 16, 2023

11 am

Jane Austen Society of North America – Puget Sound Region

Regency House Party was

June 10, 2023

Regency House Party – June 10, 2023

Our friends at Puget Sound JASNA  held a Regency House Party on June 10th at the Women’s University Club in Downtown Seattle with a fashion show (starring WRS Members), presentations, games, dinner and a ball in the evening!

SPRING TEA at WILLOWBROOK MANOR DURING the

SKAGIT VALLEY TULIP FESTIVAL

was Saturday, April 22, 2023

Many enjoyed looking at tulips and shopping before the tea.

Library Sewing Meet-Up
Saturday, April 1, 2023
[this is not a joke]
12:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Fern Hill Library
765 S 84th St, Tacoma, WA 98444

Library Sewing Meet-Up
Saturday, March 18, 2023
1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Federal Way Library
34200 1st Way South
Federal Way, WA 98003

Sari Shopping Day WAS March 4, 2023

WRS Members-Only Sari Safari – in Renton/Kent!

Frustrated with thick, modern quilting cottons when you are trying to make a diaphanous
Regency gown? Looking for metallic trims to sparkle in candlelight? That perfect shawl?
Join the Washington Regency Society on a Sari Safari!

Sari/saree cotton is similar to the thin, hand woven cotton available in the Regency era
and members have made a number of gowns from fabrics from these shops.

We met at a WRS member’s house in Renton (near IKEA) and carpooled a few
minutes away to Kent where a number of sari shops are located. We provided tips
and tricks for shopping – such as which shops have more trims, shawls or fabric – and
rendezvous after for show and share with tea.

 

Return of the Twelfth Night Ball! 

It happened on January 7, 2023

A Masked Ball

Regency Dance lesson from 3-4:30

Dancing led by Regency Dance Caller Alan Winston

with Music provided by Anita Anderson, Sande Gillette and Betsy Cooper

Dessert bar including traditional Twelfth Night Cakes

more dancing

Dance ended at 10 with final waltz

Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 10 a.m. Pacific

Shared projects, happenings, “show and tell” from attendees

Discussed of upcoming WRS Events
THE MASKED BALL – Jan 7, 2023
RETREAT at Camp Casey – Sep 8, 2023

Stroll in the Rose Garden

Sunday August 21, 2022

gathered at 2:00 p.m. then strolled at 3:00 p.m. Pacific

south end of the Woodland Park Zoo at the corner of Fremont Ave N. and N. 50th St.  in Seattle

The stroll was in a public garden

Strolling in Kubota Gardens

 Sunday May 22, 2022

11 am Pacific — in person!

This distinctive Northwest/Japanese 20 acre Garden is alive with blooms around this time of year.

WRS Promenade Kubota Garden !
The trails are hard packed gravel so wear appropriate outdoor shoes.

There are only port-o-potties for bathrooms.

Wear your best Regency walking outfit, sturdy walking shoes for gravel paths, parasols and bonnets!

FREE ! (There is no admission fee for this garden, it is a public park.) No need to sign up – see you there!!!

Here is a link to more information about the Kubota Garden.

Saturday, April 23, 2022

1-3 pm Pacific

Focus on the Fichu

Another virtual gathering with time to connect with one another and catch up on members sewing projects.

There will be a brief look at the frippery known as a FICHU.

Sandra will present some information and pictures of the Regency period fichu and how it was worn.

Some fichus were embroidered so an example of that type of work will be reviewed including how to make one for yourself.

sign up here to receive the link to the Focusing on the Fichu virtual meeting

 

Sunday, March 20, 2022

11 am – 1 pm Pacific

Repurposing to Regency

Cynthia showed us Regency appropriate fabrics, shoes & accessories all from the thrift stores!
She gave us yardages for items to hone your shopping and showed actual items made from thrift store find– including fabrics, gowns , hat forms, shoes & shawls.

Saturday, February 12, 2021

Valentine Theme Stitch-In

Ruth Haring shared a fascinating presentation on Regency Valentines.  Information on practices during the Regency as well as showed examples of antique Valentine cards.

There were no boxed sets of Valentines back then, so each card was unique and sometimes even quite elaborate.

 

December 11, 2021

A WRS ZOOM STITCH-IN

A HOLIDAY DOLL’S TEA PARTY

December 11, 2021

          Ruth’s dolls were excited to invite you and your dolls  to participate in a Holiday tea party and stitch-in! Dolls were popular during the Regency. Ruth gave a short slide show on dolls of the period.

In the picture above, Cora, Eliza, Georgiana, Isobel, and Jane (left to right), are ready to share a cup of tea and they have their work table all ready to go.  These dolls are contemporary recreations designed by doll artist Gail Wilson.  The doll in the middle represents a Georgian doll, while the others are recreations of the Hitty and Izannah Walker from later periods.

The dolls of the Regency Period were primarily made of wood.  These are known today as Peg Wooden dolls.  Ruth showed slides of a few examples of these dolls as well as the more elaborate Georgian dolls which preceded them, and the dolls which Queen Victoria played with at Kensington Palace.  After the slide show, there was plenty of work time as well as Show and Tell and sharing what everyone is working on.

 

BLESSING OF THE HOUNDS

December 11, 2021 at 11 am

The Woodbrook Hunt invited us back to attend the Blessing of the Hounds event on December 11^th, 2021 11 am at their club house near Joint Base Lewis-McCord (JBLM).

Past Stitch-Ins for 2021

Your Leadership Board has offered a monthly sewing get together.  These virtual get togethers were excellent for learning new skills, being inspired by others work and ideas, and for meeting likeminded people.

Stitch – in (virtual meetups during the pandemic)

Sunday, February 7, 2021 Hosted by Ruth Haring

Sunday, Feb 28, 2021, 10 am Hosted by Cynthia Nordlund

Theme was completing the Soft Topped bonnet.

Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 1 pm Hosted by Sandra Slover

Included a presentation about White on White Embroidery

Sunday, April 25, 2021 at 1 pm — Hosted by Sara P

Saturday, May 22, 2021 at 1 pm– Hosted by Sandra Slover

Sunday, June 27, 2021  at 10 am — Hosted by Cynthia Nordlund

— summer break —

Sunday, September 12, 2021 at 1 pm — Hosted by Sara P

Sunday, October 10, 2021 at  10 am — Hosted by Cynthia Nordlund

Saturday, November 13, 2021  1-3 p.m.  — hosted by Sandra Slover

 Sandra gave us information on historical pocketbooks!

Saturday, December 11, 2021

A Doll’s Tea Party — hosted by Ruth

Our first “In Person” event since the Pandemic started was the

SUNDAY, JULY 25, 2021 AT 11 AM – 2 PM

We gathered (appropriately socially distanced and wearing masks) at the Highline Botanical Garden and enjoyed the beauty of the garden.  Individual family groupings had picnics while others chose to just promenade and repair elsewhere for refreshments.  It was a delightful, and safe, outing.

 Soft-top Bonnet Workshop

January 24, 2021

via Zoom

Ruth Haring showed us how to complete a soft topped bonnet with a straw brim. Ruth has been making these for herself and her daughters for years and will share some of her newest tips.

 

General Membership Meeting

and

Chemisette Presentation

November 8, 2020 via Zoom

 

We virtually gathered to look back on our year,  vote for officers for the next year.  and have a brief presentation about Chemisettes and “show and tell” about chemisette patterns and construction by members.

 

Reticule Presentation and Workshop

Sunday, October 18, 2020 1-3 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time

Via Zoom

Click through the images above to get more information.

Virtual Tea Party

Saturday September 19, 2020

1-3 p.m. 

Gather via Zoom in your own safe space for tea, talk and maybe a little hand sewing – it’s up to you how far you take the fun.  As always, Regency costume is admired but not required.

 

Tall Ships

August 2020

POSTPONED AS THE LADY WASHINGTON IS NOT SAILING OUTSIDE OF HER HOME HARBOR THIS YEAR

Summer Picnic and Performances

July 25, 2020  virtual

Washington Regency Society’s Summer Virtual Picnic

We all take to our own gardens with our own picnics, where we will meet virtually Via ZOOM !

Set up your tea table, don your Regency Sunday best, re-trim your bonnet! ~ Of course Costumes admired but not required!

 Sewing Morning in Dishabille

Sunday morning June, 28, 2020 

10 am to 1 pm

Washington Regency Society presents:

Sewing at home together – mixing the Regency sewing circle with modern technology

We can gather in our Morning dress or “dishabille” (or not in costume if you prefer but please keep it “G rated”.)  Bring along your hand sewing or set up your computer next to your sewing machine – there are no rules other than our standing rule “Be excellent to each other”.

Sewing Day

February 2, 2020

Federal Way Library

 

Twelfth Night Supper and Ball 2020

Saturday, January 4, 2020

 

 

Seaside Assembly 2019

WRS returned to Tokeland! 

November 8-10, 2019

The Washington Regency Society gathered at The Tokeland Hotel on Willapa Bay, for a Retreat from the modern world,

Buckram Bonnet Workshop – part 2

September 15, 2019

Buckram Bonnet Workshop

Saturday,  August 24, 2019

You may click here to see some more of our past events.

WRS REFUND POLICY 

(This policy was adopted on 5/7/17) 

• Deposits or full amount must be received by the published deadline which is 30 days prior to the event unless otherwise specified.

• If the minimum number of people do not sign up by the deadline, the event will be canceled, and money refunded.

• If an attendee cancels after the published deadline, no refund will be made.

• Attendance is transferable but the purchaser is responsible for finding a substitute.