Month: June 2007

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Gored kirtle frustration

Greet Gijsberts

I’m struggling along through Drea Leed’s Elizabethan Corset/Bodice/Kirtle instructions. I’ve gotten as far as the bodice – which fits fine, though I really wish I had someone here to help me get in and out of the back lacing.  Good thing (1) I’ve got Civil War corset experience; (2) I’m up on my yoga practice.  Otherwise I might strain something, and it wouldn’t be the damn sloper. Now.  How on earth do you get from "cut up your bodice pattern like so" and "measure from your waist to your ankle (40")" to the following curvy pattern pieces??? I suppose this … Continue reading Gored kirtle frustration

Research1 Comment

Anti-fungal stuff

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I offer these recipes in altruism, and will not engage in any further context.  TMI.  It’s all from the Yahoo SCA-Herbalist list. Keeping his feet clean and dry will help. Wearing open toe sandals without socks should help as well as wearing socks  made of natural fibers that breathe as opposed to synthetics. Here’s a recipe for a vinegar foot soak that’s anti-fungal. Soak the feet in vinegar/water solution for 20 minutes. Foot Vinegar 1-pint orgainc apple cider vinegar 1-teaspoon lavender flowers 1-teaspoon oregano Allow it to macerate for 2 weeks. Dilute this with water for the soak.    Also … Continue reading Anti-fungal stuff

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Wheel restoration

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I’ve been spinning with a drop spindle more than Maude these days, but TJ sent me the following advice to keep Maude healthy: Can anyone give me some good ideas on helping remoisturize and refinish a very very dry old wheel that’s obviously been sitting in a very very hot dry old barn? Lots of small separations and splits but nothing unsurmountable functionally speaking. Not sure of the wood type, some finish still showing on spokes and very slightly-cracked hub. Pretty sure it’s still sound, but want some advice before I go scrubbing it down or oiling stuff up. For … Continue reading Wheel restoration

Events4 Comments

Meridies Regalia

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For anyone else who is frustrated by the lack of Geocities bandwidth assigned to the Meridies Bagatelle Pursuivant page (I find I can only click on a few links before the whole section rolls over and plays dead), here are the various regalia, organized by construction type. (I did this for my own sanity; do double-check any instructions with the official site linked above to maintain authenticity.) Fiber construction (I favor applique/embroidery over painting, but…): Download ArgentLancePennons.pdf – Black trigger fabric Download ArgentLily.pdf – Embroidered lily on black token sash Download CompanionateoftheBard.pdf – Painted design on black token sash Download … Continue reading Meridies Regalia

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Update

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I’ve been really busy – but I don’t have any good new pictures to show for it. I’ve done more flax spinning. I’ve done more tabby linsey-woolsey weaving with Midnight’s alpaca.  The first piece is nearly ready to come off the loom.  I’m really curious to see how it stands up to washing – if the alpaca ‘woolsey’ warp blooms within the linen warp, as I’ve heard can happen with loosely woven fabrics. I’ve done a bunch of knitting – one French Market bag is in the wash, felting, and the other just needs handles.  (The purpose of these is … Continue reading Update

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Smocking the Hemd

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I find it interesting that not until today, when I’m frantically trying to finish the Hemd to wear to Grub and Garb tomorrow, that I finally found both period and technical smocking resources. Here’s a good site on how to actually do it. Here’s a great SCA site and paper with details of portraits, discussion, and some technique. And here’s my first attempt.  Notice how it looks like the Ambrosus Holbein, 1518, in the paper?  Very pleased with myself. It’s much more elastic than I expected.  I wish I was done with this Photoshop project (it’s Parade of Homes this … Continue reading Smocking the Hemd

Clothing and Equipment2 Comments

Pumpkin Dress

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My friend Lavena (newest Companion of the Velvet Owl – huzzah!), just finished her Pumpkin Dress in time for Kingdom A&S.  (She swears there’s a list of these dresses named after vegetables – I told her to let me know when she gets to Asparagus.)  It’s actually a copy of a dress in a Lorenzo Lotto painting. Doesn’t she look wonderful!!  Here it is full length: She says she has 70 hours in the dress.  I believe it.  I frequently put at least that many hours into my projects – but I don’t keep track of them.  Learning to Weave … Continue reading Pumpkin Dress

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Spinning Flax with a drop spindle

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I was scheduled to teach a drop spindle class at Kingdom A&S, but no-one signed up for it, because it was originally scheduled in conflict with the Performing Arts competition, and frankly, I think most people are content to buy yarn and thread.  Fine. I set up my Fiber’s Not Just For Eating stuff anyway, to contribute to the general ambience of the class porch, and sat in on a storytelling class while I worked on my flax spinning, which I’ve been meaning to do.  Here’s the results of an hour spinning. I tried walking around a bit at the … Continue reading Spinning Flax with a drop spindle

Events13 Comments

Back from Kingdom A&S

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I went to Kingdom A&S with Lavena and Melbrigda this past weekend. Yet again, I took no pictures.  (I’ve got to get over this ‘must not look like a geek with a camera’ thing I have – y’all are missing a lot.) It was Very Interesting.  Not just for the Arts and Sciences, which were fascinating in and of themselves (homemade warp-weighted loom, bowstrings twisted out of flax, lovely singing and bardic recitations, etc) but for what I’m learning about how the Society works. Up until now, my interest in all things working-class was getting in the way of my … Continue reading Back from Kingdom A&S