HATS!

13th century Pleated Fillet

13th century Piecrust Fillet

As you can see, I did a little hat making over the last couple of days.

I am now making upgrades to a mustard-yellow tunic, adding a chocolate brown panel at the bottom and finishing the seams.  I will need to make a few more tunics in upcoming weeks, should the Baronial coronets be offered to us.  More waiting...

Costume Repairs & Plans

After attending May Crown a couple weeks ago, it came to my attention that a few of my garments needed some repairs and upgrades.  One shift needed a longer neckline--it was cutting me off at the throat.  One shift had a couple of seams that had popped--one on the arm and one in the armpit.  Then the apron dress...linen...gorgeous color...entirely sewn by hand...and the thread was not strong enough, so it snapped in a couple places.

After making all those repairs, I decided to beef up my 12th century outfit, just in case I have occasion to wear it in the near future.  I usually do something in the Viking sphere or something a little later period, like Flemish peasant.  Since we just finished the polling two days ago, and my coronet candidate partner is 12th century, I am trying to keep a positive attitude for the outcome and be prepared for the season.  I wanted us to dress in matching eras, although my garments might lean a little toward the 13th century instead of 12th.

I took the mustard-yellow gown that I made a couple years ago.  It had shrunk horribly in the wash, so what was a floor-length gown was suddenly...very short.  After a short debate, I decided to add gores to the front and back to add fullness.  Then I added 8" of brown fabric to the bottom...I may add some embroidery at some point, although that may be some time from now.

Here are a couple things that I want to aim for.  The overgown is a sideless surcoat that can cover up all manner of sins.  Especially a love for second helpings and dessert.  I also love the hats....



And more hats:

I have several bits of linen scraps that I can use to make some of these hats.  I'm not sure I agree with the shape of the "barbette", the layer under the hat and chin strap; I think it might have simply been a coif.  I'll have to make some pieces and see how it looks.

I also want to learn how to make netting for a snood, like the lady in the purple on the far right.  It reminds me of some of the hairnets that were in fashion off an on through the 1950s...but I need to make a barbette to go with it.  By the way, if you Google "Barbette" you come up with a drag queen from the 1920s.  Just...FYI.

End of January Stuffs

The end of January is nigh upon us and I have several things to show...at least in beads and a bit of weaving.

First, there's me...I set up a table at Ursulmas where I made beads for the weekend.  While there was a demo display booth contest, there were significant limitations as to what I could do given that I was going to be actively demonstrating beadmaking.  Where the booth was located (unknown prior to set-up)?  What I can display that isn't flammable?  Is there a banner and how do I hang it?  I can't bring a tent or pop-up with a roof, so what can I bring for ambiance?  So many questions.  I brought the color copies of Callmer's beads and brought all the old beads I could find that I store in a small treasure box.  Unfortunately, there's a lot of old & ugly beads from my first months of bead making; I had strung them on dental floss and hung them over the treasure chest on the table.  I need to pull those aside and keep them somewhere else...like decorating the garden or something.  Some of my later beads were loose in the box, and the newest ones were strung on mandrils on the table.

I was told there was a banner for the Kingdom Lampworkers Guild, and it would be delivered Saturday morning.  I found the current banner design posted on the Lampworker's web site; the banner was made for a previous event, but the design was not fully vetted by the Heralds, so it is currently an unofficial banner (not passable, apparently).  Since the Lampworker's Guild does not have a device registered with the College of Heralds, I had some discussions with a couple of them at the event to come up with a new passable design.  In any case, the banner might not be understood by the public, so just to make it clear to passers-by, I made a lettered banner that simply reads:  "Lampworkers Guild" in a font called King Harold, matching the lettering from the Bayeux Tapestry.  I hung it using the packaging tape I had with me on the exposed pipes in the frigid hall.  It ended up being the only banner, as the Lampworker's banner ended up not arriving after all.

Although I didn't mean to be the exclusive lampworker working the booth, I was the only one there for more than half of the weekend; Aenor joined me for a while on Sunday, making a few beads in the frigid hall.  It was so cold on Sunday that the bead release was not drying and we walked around with our plastic buckets of vermiculite looking for a heat source.  The portable heaters outside were turned off to save fuel; they said they were only heating the building at night (which didn't make any sense--no one was in the building at night).  I dipped the mandrils and more than 90 minutes later, the bead release was still wet.  If you heat them using the flame, the stuff dries too quickly and either cracks or explodes off the mandril.

Because I had more than 16 hours of uninterrupted time to make beads, I was able to finish almost 40 beads over the weekend, using just under two tanks of propane--I was able to make several more after returning home.  I finished all the beads I needed for the Kingdom gifts to Caid and Glen Abhann--they're not due until July Coronation, so I got the Gold Star from the Guild head. :)  There are more than I need here, so I will send on the best 20 of each colorway.

Here are a few that I made over the weekend, in addition to the Caid and Glen Abhann beads...the four on the lower left were made as part of a commission for Jadwiga.  She chose six others that I failed to photograph before she came to pick them up.



I am also doing a little card weaving. I finished the weaving for Tyrssen of Middle Kingdom and warped up a new one on the loom.

I brought the loom with me to the event, but didn't do any during the weekend.  The booth next to mine was occupied by Demo Winners, Emma and Nigel, who covered their table with weaving and leatherworking items.  I placed my loom on the edge of the table, next to hers, to add to her display.  This one is strung up with Perle cotton, using just over four balls of strings--one yellow, one black, and two red--in #8 floss.  I had quite a time finding extra red floss, and ended up having to replace it with a readily-available color.  Red 666 was available during the holidays, apparently, but not later, but everyone was carrying Red 321.  I had to un-warp six cards, and I'll use those threads in a later project, I suppose.  While this is more expensive than using the cotton warp, the cost of materials is still under $20, it comes out lovely and shiny, and the cards turn smoothly.  I have a couple other projects in mind that I might try, using these threads as a substitute for silk.

I made a deal with a local lady to buy some roving from her that I will be turning into a sheep-to-shawl project.  I don't know what I'll be doing with the fabric or how much fabric the spinning will create, but I'll figure it out in a bit.  Probably more than a hat.  Maybe enough for sleeves or maybe an apron dress.  I'd love to try to make a warp-weighted loom, but somehow I don't think that'll get done this year.  Although....

More to come!

Journeyman's Challenge

I've been spending the last few days finishing up the paperwork on the Costumer's Guild Journeyman's challenge.  I had to start from scratch since the records from the Junior and Senior levels were lost somewhere.  I received the gems in the mail for having achieved them, but when I went back to do my Journeyman stuff, they were not able to locate it.  Then I couldn't remember exactly what it was that I had entered, so I wasn't sure what I could enter for Journeyman.  It was a fiasco.  In short, I decided I'd just start over.

For the Junior level, you just have to prove that you have made a garment or taken a costuming class.  Easy enough.  Do you know how many costuming credits I've earned?  Lots.  I chose Basic Rectangular Construction, a class I took in 1996.  Done.

Senior level is a bit more complicated.  You need to make a garment, make an accessory, and two of the following:  take a class, enter a contest, provide service to the guild, teach a class, or write an article for the guild newsletter.  Then, you have a choice of any of the previously mentioned items.  I chose:
* Garment:  14th century Tunic (child size)
* 14th century Liripipe hood (also child size)
* Class:  Costume History (1993)
* Taught:  Making a Bocksten Bog style tunic (2009)
* Article for newsletter:  Turkish Women's Clothing article

So that's all done.  Now for the tough part.  The Journeyman's level.  This is a mixed bag of requirements that took more than a few minutes to wrap my head around.

First, there's a written test.  I haven't taken it yet, but I'm supposedly allowed to take a gander at some sample questions prior, but I may just go ahead and take it.  Hopefully that can be accommodated.

Then, there are 10 requirements.  Now, the time frame that the SCA operates in is from approximately 600 AD to 1650 AD.  These time frames are broken down into 8 time ranges on the X axis of the chart:  pre-600; 600-899; 900-1199; 1200-1399; 1400-1499; 1500-1549; 1550-1599; and 1600-1650.  No more than two entries can be in any one of these time frames.  So you can have three different tunics, but only 2 can be from the 14th century, and the third has to be from another time period.  OK.  Easy enough.

Now, here's the curve ball.  The chart is then broken down into 10 categories on the Y axis.  You've got British Isles; France & the Low Countries; Germanic Cultures; Iberian Peninsula; Italian Peninsula; Middle Eastern/North African/Greece; Scandinavia; Slavic Cultures/Eastern Europe/Russia; Eastern Asia & Nomadic; and None of the Above.  Each of those categories falls under the same guideline:  no more than two items can fall into any one of those categories.  Again, three tunics:  two can be Scandinavian, but the third must be from somewhere else.

Ready for the kicker?  You need two garments, two accessories, two teaching/writing, two classes/contests/services/judging, and two items of the challenger's choice.  So you can do four tunics...but then you have to make other stuff and stuff.  Are you as exhausted as I am?  Good.  I hate feeling this way alone.

So...after much agonizing, re-arranging, and a little bit of cursing as I agonized and re-arranged some more...I came up with this:
Garments:  14th century Middle Eastern chemise; 16th century Flemish Gown
Accessories:  16th century Elizabethan ruff; 15th century Pilgrim bag (counts as French, I think)
Teaching/writing:  Pre-600 "Bog Coat" article (ready for publication); Pattern Drafting (taught 2012)
Other: Medieval Underwear (class, 2003), Shirts & Smocks (class, 2003)
Challenger's choice:  11th century Egyptian socks; Picture Parsing (class, 2003)
And for the bonus, just in case something is thrown out:  14th century Italian Ren Chemise (class 1993)

I have gathered up all my pieces, written up my documentation, printed and put it into a binder, and now have to pack it into a suitcase, clean out the car, get the oil changed, finish this week's chaos and mayhem, and then I can head down to the event. 

In the meantime, I'm finishing up on the Turkish entari I made last week by making woven buttons to put on it. I have 3 finished, one in process, and I figure if I make six or eight, that should be enough to decorate the coat.  I was really excited to see this--it's fairly quick, easy and inexpensive, and it looks sharp!  The wooden beads show through more with the flash than they do in average sunlight. I can't wait to see what it looks like on my new coat!

Last Few Months of Stuff

It's been quite a while since I posted anything, but I actually have been working on a few things.  This month I'm doing the "Costuming Olympics"...an event I made up modeled after the Knitting Olympics that are held during the Winter Olympics.  I really needed to update my SCA wardrobe and this was the perfect opportunity to do so...by creating an incentive!  My plan is to make garments for my family to wear at September Crown.  The rules are that they don't have to be FANCY or SHOW QUALITY, but finished & wearable.

Since I noticed a distinct lack, I decided to start with some base garments for everyone.

Making Salwar pants for SCA undergarments.  I have two new ones for myself, a pair for my husband, and a pair for each of two kids.  The third kid will have to get some made from another material...I ran out.

After that, I have fabric to make a few lightweight tunics and a couple of warm surcoats for the men in my life--husband Kellach and son Benno, and I've been promising to make a pretty dress for the big girl, Ophelia, who wants something 15th century.  Lottie got a couple of tunics made last year, but I think she wants to have a pretty overdress that laces up as well.

Coif made for Tyrssen to go with his newest tunic.  I will have to make this more rounded at the top of the head...it was a little pointy.  Ah well.

Tyrssen's Salmon tunic...hanging next to a RED tiny tunic for an American Girl Doll.  I need to finish the red one yet.  The pink washcloth on the left was just to show that the tunic wasn't pink... :)

All seams were hand finished and was sent out to Tyrssen's work place in Ohio in preparation for his trip to Pennsic.  He was so excited to get them that he put them on at work.

Did I show this before?  The Pile o Yurt.  I'll have to build up my Turkish clothes a bit to go with the Turkish kinda ger.  I also need to make a blue tono cover...

 Beads made for Pennsic for Northshield and Middle Kingdoms.  I got a new hot head to make these beads and the scorching problem pretty much went away.  I may try to wash the old torch to see if I can remove some sediment that may be causing the problem.