This is the sort of spindle wheel that Europe imported from Persia/India around 1300.  I don’t think the voluminous folds of the houpelande (c. 1400) would have been as affordable without it.  Here’s a PDF of how to make one out of a cigar box. OFFER: If any woodworking person would make me such a functioning device, I will happily make them a knit garment, such as the Hooded Mantle pattern, in the color of his/her choice.  Or how about a t-tunic?  (Realize I’m not up to cambric shirts, yet, folks.) I want one of these for all future spinning … Continue reading Charkha spinning wheel

I bought a set of 25 cards at the Destin Spin-In for card weaving, mostly because, when I said that I was interested in historical renactment, everyone seemed to say, "So you card weave?"  It’s also apparently called tablet weaving. Here’s some instructions I might follow, from Earth Knack: Stone Age Skills for the 21st Century. Here’s a software pattern generator. With a pattern gallery: Here’s a page about it, with very nice photos. Here’s more, with photos of looms that hold the warp. Here’s a String Page. Continue reading Card Weaving

Per the posts on SCA-Herbalism Yahoo!Group, places to get small glass bottles: American Science and Surplussks-bottle.comwww.the-sage.commountainrose.com Continue reading Herbalism Supply Places

Treehugger featured a great post on a neat place today. Guests at Oasi San Benedetto are invited to participate in a number of activities, but the ecological guest ranch specializes in the history, production and use of natural dyes and offers a series of related courses. San Benedetto is home to the small but well curated Museo dei Colori Naturali where one can discover ancient and modern techniques for making dyes from herbs, flowers and other natural materials. These colors look just like those in so many frescoes I saw in Florence.  They have packages of dye, pigments for paint … Continue reading Museum of Natural Colors