Back from Gatalop!

I had a wonderful time, and took not one useful picture, except three bad twilight ones of Gefroi, getting his AoA.  (Gefroi, if you’re reading this, I’ll get those to you this week.)  I am a bad blogger. However, I know ones were taken of me, so hopefully Gail (sp?) and Alicia will share.  It was a fabulous sunny and windy day, so they should be pretty. (Though of course, I flouted the sunscreen and paid handsomely for my foolishness with a red face.  I’ve got to get in the habit of putting some on everyday, no matter what.) Staying … Continue reading Back from Gatalop!

Beginner’s semicircular mantle

I seem to be in a moon of ‘work smart, not hard.’  How odd for me. I’m worried about freezing in the wind at Gatalop.  I have started the Treble Fib Shawl in order to address cold weather, but there’s no way I’m going to finish by Friday, and I don’t want to rush.  So I remembered that I’d discussed making a semicircular mantle to go with the 1350 Gothic Fitted Dress, per Lyonet’s suggestion, and decided to see what I could find. Fortunately, Joann puts fabric on sale for Halloween, and I came home with 3.5 yards of 59" … Continue reading Beginner’s semicircular mantle

Panhandle Skirmishes

Mom and I went to Panhandle Skirmishes, which is hosted by the Barony of Oldenfeld.  Mom borrowed my new Viking garb.  She likes to call herself the Viking Crone. (The Viking Crone takes the WonderPooch out for a bathroom.) Her garb was complimented several times, particularly after she figured out how to make my husband’s country western belt buckles work as Viking brooches.  They’re sized perfectly, and were also complimented.  Hee. Panhandle was interesting – lots of good fighting, though I didn’t watch much.  I did admire some helmet brushes, and thought Theadora was adorable as the World’s Smallest Archer.  … Continue reading Panhandle Skirmishes

A couple fewer projects…

I’m not even going to summarize where the UFOs (unfinished objects) stand these days, it’s so demoralizing. But I made the list a little shorter tonight, by shopping my way out of a creative need.  Joann’s has some luggage that the store sells as sewing machine luggage. (Who knew?  My sewing machine has a lovely handle, and hard case, and lugs around quite nicely as is.  I guess these are intended for those who don’t do their daily pushups.) These are the solution to the SoftTrunk project.  I know, I know, I was going to MAKE something, and something flyable, … Continue reading A couple fewer projects…

Linen class: ‘Seed to Shirt’ – notes done!

Whew!  You know, it’s one thing to mosey around the Web, collecting sites and bookmarks, and it’s quite another to sculpt and mash them all together into a cohesive presentation. I am too old (just barely) to have used Powerpoint in school – but gosh darn it’s handy.  I’ve now got ~20 slides with ~25 illustrations, a gracious plenty of side notes, a list of Stuff To Bring and Show in Person, a nice bibliography with most books available in the paper.  I think I’m ready. Download linen_seed_to_shirt.ppt . Continue reading Linen class: ‘Seed to Shirt’ – notes done!

A&S Summary, third quarter 2007

Acquired 4-harness treadled loom and learned how to operate Researched double-weaving in period Researched meanings and prevalence of stripe patterns in period Began a double-woven striped shawl Carded and spun more wool for shawl project with antique spinning wheel Researched natural dyes using found materials – goldenrod, acorn ink, mushroom dyes Gathered and stored materials for dyes Acquired copy of Frances Pritchard’s "Clothing Culture: Egyptian Textiles of the First Millennium" Began researching Coptic weaving techniques Volunteered to teach class at Gatalop: "Linen: Seed to Shirt" Researched and assembled class notes (20 powerpoint slides, ~25 illustrations, 6 sources) Acquired and read … Continue reading A&S Summary, third quarter 2007

Getting ready for Gatalop

New cot! (Mem says that it’s his turn for blog fame now that Squeek is famous.) (Of course, Squeek tried out the cot first, and had a blast pouncing on my fingers tapping from underneath.  Mem doesn’t fall for these games; he’ll watch and watch and watch…and then chomp your shoulder.) I need a cot for Gatalop, because I’m sleeping in the bastion, and apparently there are crabs. Fort Gaines is an island off the coast of Mobile, Alabama.  I have heard it can be cold and windy, or hot and muggy, but definitely crabby.  I have my wooden shoes, … Continue reading Getting ready for Gatalop

Treble Fib Shawl

Okay, here’s how it’s going, after a weekend FILLED with learning experiences. Friday night I took Frances the Dorset loom to project night, with my measured warp.  This is how I measured my warp: That’s 5.5 yards of warp, in the lavender that I decided not to include.  The colors I did use are on the right, ready to sley on. (Sley = thread through the slots in the reed, which is what you beat the weft into place with.  I know, vocabulary.) I only got through the sleying and the heddle threading on Friday night. This is mostly because … Continue reading Treble Fib Shawl

Gifted wool shawl – warping on

After you all glazed over due to arithmetic overload in the last post, I redid my color test.  I like this one better – it has no lavender, though the rose looks sort of mauvey in this scan. Question:  What was the attitude in period towards randomization of color design?  In Arch History 2022, I learned that during the High Gothic/Renaissance, the ideal was Mathematical Perfection, so I would extrapolate from that towards repetitive stripes, rather than randomized ones.  But I’m willing to be wrong. – Does anyone know about extant fabrics with uneven and non-repeating stripes?  My modern mind … Continue reading Gifted wool shawl – warping on