Productive failure

I've spent a good portion of the day testing an experimental dye I boiled out of althea blooms.  The dye turned out a slightly-darker-than-storebought-honey color, so I figured it would take a long soak for any textile to show much of a change.  I soaked some scraps of unbleached muslin, slightly off-white linen and white fisherman's wool in an alum solution last night, since flower pigments are supposed to be rubbish on unmordanted fabric.

In my own backyard

Last year I was reminded that I have pecan trees in my yard.  Several of them.  And they're very mature and very productive, by the look of things.  I picked up a nut that had been prematurely knocked off the branch, hull and all, and started to play with it.  In the process I got quite a bit of hull juice on my hands, and I later discovered it is not an easy stain to remove.  Thus began my mild fascination with dyes that can be made from materials that can be found in the garden (or the grocery store, for cheats) at little to no cost.

Need my fix!

It's been nearly a week since I've done any work on a non-test garment ... and I'm getting twitchy.  Popped the off-white linen into the wash today and am quite pleased with its new texture.  Nice and soft with a tight weave and few (if any) slubs.  It will make a very comfy knee-length chemise.

I've got the day off tomorrow, but, alas, much of that time must be devoted to cleaning the house ... or, at the very least, the front hallway and the living room.  And I need to run some make-shift curtains through the sewing machine.

Goals?

I'm officially addicted to hand-sewing.  Especially when I'm using more period-correct materials.  This is going to make my life interesting.

In progress:

Embroidery for Maciejowski gown

Red wool (blend?) open hood

Rust/orange angel-sleeve gown with buttoned front

Dark blue cotton tunic [we'll call it "Norman"]

Turns out I DO have a workable under-tunic

Turns out I'm built EXACTLY like the Maciejowski women

Pretend this doesn't look ridiculous.  I needed an "action" shot!

Green means GO!

The end is in sight for Macie!  Thanks to a kindly challenge from Jean, I finally got around to trimming and hemming the skirt with some temporary whip stitches in a lovely neon green polyester thread.  As I may have mentioned in an earlier post [too lazy to go look it up], I'm embellishing the collar, cuffs, and probably hem with a simple line of chain stitch in gold silk.  Gold, as in "rich yellow," not "metallic."  I'm pretty happy with the nearly-finished product, but I won't get to wear it to Crown List this weekend due to lack of undergarments that meet my oh, so demanding standards.  Translation: my early-period under-tunic shows at the neckline and it looks funny.  Oh, well.  I already have some off-white linen waiting to be transformed into a chemise or under-tunic.  With a bit of conservative cutting there's probably enough to get a Cheater Birgitta out of it, too.

I need to figure out where my new camera's timer is so I don't have to waste time waiting for a bad photographer.

Braies, day 1

I've been researching medieval braies for an A&S class - materials, design theories, how to wear them properly.  Last night I did a quick design sketch and took my own measurements.  The design is not much more than two rectangles sewn into tubes for the legs, a square crotch gusset, and some drawstrings for the waist and knees.

Today I cut a yard off the end of my massive cotton/linen yardage, folded over and whipped the raw edges, and threw it into a hot wash cycle to knock off some of the sizing.

Stay tuned ...

The Scalded Lobster Shuffle

It's the weekend again!  Which means nothing, really, as I just got home from work and will be working tomorrow as well.  Monday is my weekend.  Yech.

I was out of town last weekend, and I enjoyed my mini-vacation right up to the part where I realized that my husband is the worst spray sunscreen apply-er in the world.  Thankfully I wore a shirt while sitting around on the beach, otherwise I'd be recovering from sun poisoning at the hospital.  My legs are a wreck, though, even six days after noticing the first signs of sunburn.

I am making noticeable progress - I can sit upright in a chair for as long as I care to stay in one place, and I can walk in a nearly-normal fashion once all the muscles and tendons get on the same page.  I can't stand still for more than a few seconds before my shins begin to feel like they're about to shatter, so I avoid doing so as much as possible.

I guess it's pretty safe to assume that some of my readers (you are plural, I hope) are beginning to suspect that the metaphorical cake is a lie, but sooner or later it will arrive, and it will be real enough.  And by "cake," I am, of course, talking about completed projects and pictures thereof.

But until then ...

I give you a jellyfish.

Bilge rat

I made it out to P&P yesterday!  I was quite pleased with my navigation skills, as I managed to arrive on site well within the estimated travel time and without getting lost once.  (Their Majesties apparently did not manage so well, even with a local guide ... )  The schedule was on and off the entire day, but it was very nice out, so I really didn't mind all the down time.  It gave me a chance to catch up with my local friends and make a few new SCA contacts.  Sir Caillin won the Laurel Defender tourney, Lord Gwynn received the Combattant Ram award, and the Laurels gifted Inga with a new ceramic goblet for being the only female fighter in the list.

Crystyna bought nearly an entire bolt of off-white cotton/linen fabric at Gulf Wars, and I took her up on an offer to buy a section at cost.  I'll be measuring the length later, but it should be either 8 or 10 yards.  It's a heavier weight than any of the linen currently in my stash or wardrobe, so it will definitely be used for an outer garment.  My initial idea is to cut 4-5 yards from the original length, dye it, and make a Flemish or English kirtle with a pleated skirt and a fully lined bodice.  The remaining length can become a short tunic and a pair of braies - essentially lounge clothes that aren't mundane sweats.

Pirates vs. Roller Ninjas

Good morning, my dears!  I'm up ridiculously early because some of my internal bits started being grouchy.  Pleh.

I'm still tentatively planning on attending Plunderers and Privateers today.  It's a bit less than an hour's drive to site, and I got an infusion of cash yesterday.  The weather is supposed to be wonderful, and the feast menu is very tempting.  Unless I take a turn for the worse in the next three hours, I'll try to lace myself into my purple kirtle and day-trip the event.  If, however, my body conspires against me, there's always roller derby tonight.

The Maciejowski gown finishing is coming along.  Very.  Slowly.  I might get some work done on it if I'm stuck at home.  The red "wool" hood is a portable project and will accompany me if I'm able to play pirate.  Will update tomorrow with the results.