Dressed in hoopskirts, a group of women practiced sewing Saturday at Historic Jefferson College in Washington.

But these women had not traveled through time to 2001. They are modern women learning how to better recreate the Civil War era.

&uot;As soon as you put on the dress … you feel like an entirely different person,&uot; said Natchez resident Genevieve Tharp. &uot;And most of us feel like were born in the wrong era anyway.&uot;

These women were taking part in a weekend class called the School of the Lady.&160;The class teaches women how to better recreate history during Civil War reenactments.

About 25 women, two from Natchez and others from as far as Missouri and Texas, came to&160;Washington to take the class. To add to the experience, many of them also camped outside on the college grounds in 1800s style.

Local historian Clark Burkett said the ambiance of Historic Jefferson College is the reason the women travel to Natchez.

&uot;It just gives you the feeling of being back in the time of the Civil War,&uot; Burkett said.

During the class, the women learn such crafts as quilting, sewing and calligraphy and they are also judged on the accuracy of their presentation.

Class instructor Vanda Kirtley said the goal is for reenacters to not feel as if they are wearing costumes or unusual clothes.

What they are doing is to become a part of who they are, she said.

&uot;We’re here as educators – as a window to the past,&uot; she said. &uot;And if we don’t do it well the public doesn’t see anything but a bunch of middle-aged women dressed up in funny costumes,&uot; she said.