Author: Greet Gijsberts

Greet Gijsberts is a persona created to play in the Society for Creative Anachronism. She authors this blog in order to document her projects and adventures, and share them with a wider audience.
Clothing and Equipment5 Comments

Oil lamps, 0.1

Greet Gijsberts

So I got it into my head somehow that it'd be cool to have some oil lamps.  Or cool to take Lady Kerstyn Gartenier's pinchpot class at Lusty.  I did a teensy amount of research (and here's a very basic timeline, look for the Oil Lamp page), and decided I might be able to bring off an Iron Age lamp. (Interesting historical tidbit I hadn't thought about yet – the Iron Age is later in Britain than other places, but the lamp type is the same.  This mushed shallow bowl is an IA lamp, whether it's found in the Mediterranean … Continue reading Oil lamps, 0.1

Research3 Comments

The genius at work – Elizabeth Gilbert’s TED talk

Greet Gijsberts

I don't think of myself as an artist. A creative person, sure.  I have creative skills, and I solve problems with creative thinking.  I think of myself on the craft side of the craft vs. art continuum, and that's okay.  My work doesn't make any sweeping statements about the human condition in this place and time, it just tries to bring useful and attractive objects and places into being, that weren't there before.  I draw and paint and weave and embroider and sew and knit and write and calculate and imagine…and all these skills come together into objects that are … Continue reading The genius at work – Elizabeth Gilbert’s TED talk

Clothing and Equipment, Research4 Comments

Non-SCA early period fora, furniture and oil lamps

Greet Gijsberts

My buddy Cynred introduced me to Roman Army Talk, which I've been finding a terrific resource for my Coptic interest. Today, I stumbled on Kelticos, which has lots of lovely (and new to me) archeological directions, as well as people who are very focused on late Iron Age Europe. I was actually looking for some guidance on a ceramic oil lamp, because this weekend I can play with dirt under the guidance of Kerstyn Gartenier, but of course, I got sidetracked.  Here's an illustrative exchange about Celtic household furnishings: Joan Liversidge is an expert on furniture from Roman Britain. She … Continue reading Non-SCA early period fora, furniture and oil lamps

Clothing and Equipment1 Comment

Bronze Bog dresses, skirt 2.0

Greet Gijsberts

While making the first version of my Borum Eshoj dress, I knew I wasn't cutting the skirt as accurately to the drawing as I could have been.  I admit I was thinking first about my mundane notions of vanity – which normally I really try not to do, because I think a big part of my historical recreation is setting my modern self aside.  The modern self that is proud of my long thick shiny hair, my fit figure…cover your hair and put on the poofy full skirt, Greet, and see how it goes.  It's just an experimental game. So, … Continue reading Bronze Bog dresses, skirt 2.0

Clothing and Equipment3 Comments

Bronze Bog dresses, version 1.0

Greet Gijsberts

or more properly, Dress after the Borum Eshoj Woman. CA CONTEXT At GW, Gwen and Glenna both wore versions of what they called the Bronze Age bog dress (though Glenna's was more of a 'bog bikini'…she's very cute), and since it looked wonderfully comfortable and easy to wear in warm weather, I decided I wanted one.  Or three.  Here's what they looked like…Gwen's is normal skirt length.  (Gwen's image removed by request; sorry for confusion.) Carl Kohler's book, of which I have the 1924 translation in Dover edition, shows a partial image of this drawing… I decided I liked the … Continue reading Bronze Bog dresses, version 1.0

Clothing and Equipment1 Comment

North Indian Hindu – Project Runway style

Greet Gijsberts

My apprentice brother Khalil asked me, the Thursday before Crown List, if I could possibly walk as part of his entourage and wear a sari. I've had an interest in Indian, because I wanted to support my 10+ year yoga practice with clothes and more culture knowledge, but felt I needed lots of gaps filled.  For example, I studied Middle Eastern garden design in college, but how those philosophies bridge to what little of the mythology I know and then to clothing…I have a lot more reading to do before I feel I can represent Indian in any way, shape … Continue reading North Indian Hindu – Project Runway style

Research2 Comments

Millefiori glass bowl

Greet Gijsberts

We're all atwitter over the new find in London, a Roman millefiore bowl of impressive size, and unfortunately just-lost color.  (This contemporary bowl using the same technique, is for sale, here.  It's not as big as the lovely one just found, only 11cm dia x 3 cm height.  But I'd be happy with it.  If it was red.) I had not known that millefiore – fabulous glasswork now associated with the island of Murano, in Venice, called "thousand flowers" – was so old.  I'm very glad, as I've loved it since I first spent more than I ought on some … Continue reading Millefiori glass bowl

Clothing and Equipment2 Comments

Nalbinding

Greet Gijsberts

My mother is gravitating towards SCAdian participation.  She mostly wants to tag along after me, having no time to do her own research.  So we're plunging into the Dark together.  (I have promised that I will garb her.)  Since she's a knitter, I suggested that she also check out nalbinding. Nalbinding is cool because: It's earlier than knitting.  Knitted structures seem to follow the historical ability to make knitting needles – dowels or rods consistent in size.  See Richard Rutt's History on Knitting for a dedicated amateur's Brit-centric introduction. It's unusual.  I do know several people who can do it, … Continue reading Nalbinding