(Excerpted from the Gijsberts Family Yule Letter, draft copy – with permission from Daan.) Cat fur, angora, sheep wool type stuff My house is full of all kinds of fluff! My wife is a crafty for the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) It’s such fun, she wouldn’t have it any other way. She gets to dress up, play princess and peasant At feast she dines on meatloaf hedgehogs and pheasant She dances and drinks, generally makes merry; She meets characters with names like The Duke of Castleberry; She’s immersed in medieval, a connoisseur of the past. And why not? Why … Continue reading The Old Man, poet.

Wow. I had great conversations with so many wonderful people. (runs to get yellow note sack) (please forgive mis-spellings or bits of name omission – I am cross-referencing the Laurels page, but it’s not very complete.) Angharad.  Madhavi.  Maestra Lucia Domenica Farnese.  Mistress Maysun.  Master (latin guy).  Mistress Calleja.  Gabrielle.  Mistress Ciarra.  Mistress Rosamonde. And got to talk again with lots of other wonderful people I’ve met previously. HMQ Lethrenn (delivered the footlets I made her – whew!).   Mistress Jadi.  Mistress Asta.  Mistress Bianca.  Mistress Una.  Rodoald.  Lorenzo.  Andreva.  And of course, MY laurel, Mistress Maudeleyn Taillour! My new apprentice … Continue reading Magna Fair 2007

I had a wonderful and exciting time at Magna Faire this weekend, and will post a bit later all the details with some pictures of goodies brought home. Housekeeping first: For all those interested in hooking up via LJ, my username is greetpg.  Warning: I never post there…I post here!  Perhaps, if some Organized Mind Fairy decides to grant me a boon, I shall learn to post there, that I’ve updated here, or perhaps there’s a widget for that, but I am Not That Good yet. Continue reading Magna Faire 2007: Housekeeping

Everyone knows this, right?  Geoff was recently inspired by the Writer’s Strike: Yf ye wonder, lordinges and ladyes, wher Galfridus Chaucer hath been synce September, the answer is: in a verray purgatorie of busynesse. It pleseth me litel to labour as clerk of the kinges werkes, and yet labor ich muste, for Philippa forever addeth to our hous yn Kent and litel Lowys is beginning to speke of applyinge to Universitee next yeere (the whiche surpriseth me gretely – paraventure it is the ale of Oxford that lureth hym, not the bookes). My lord Kyng Richard is a man of … Continue reading Geoffrey Chaucer Hath A Blog

So we all know what I’m making myself for 14thc garb.  But what about Daan? He’s not already committed to Other Mundane Things for Gulf Wars in March – I would LURVE to get him there, so he can see my madness in context (of 4,000 other mad people).  After all, I’ve only been to about a hundred swim meets. He needs clothes to wear.  His criteria:  That he not be hot, or too girly.  That his clothes be fitted to his athletic body, so he can show off.  My criteria: That they be documentable. Historic Enterprises to the rescue!  … Continue reading Daan’s 14thc garb

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…

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

Not mine, but pics of many of my compadres can be found here. Pics of Phoenix Glade members supporting Lord Gunnar Snaebjorn in his competition at Fall Crown List, 2007 Continue reading Crown List Pictures