It actually worked yesterday.
As suspected: bling is the most difficult to manage!

Recipe for success:

1) post a list of dates/times, and have players add their psnID to all times they can manage (http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/genme...3762212&page=3). As soon as a date has 8 players (or preferably more as at least 1/3 will not turn up), you try that day/time. Befriend everyone on the list and make an invite-game.
Should you be missing a few players, you can try and go public, but have everyone wear the same skin: random players may get the hint when they see six Feisar players.
Yesterday we all had Feisar, and messaged random players to change skin, but I think they actually got the hint.

2) It is essential to have a chat-room set up on the web for staying in contact during the looong wait, for messages like "shall we try to go public?", "argh, send new invite!" etc. etc.

3) much patience!