News and More Promises for forthcoming pictures

First of all, the black and white Pennsic pictures are still being developed by my sister and scanned and I'm waiting for my next check to get the color photos printed. I PROMISE they'll be up before Christmas (preferably before Thanksgiving). Particularly, the tent photos and battle photos.

News:

Since our little Incipient Canton of Ealdnordwuda (no, don't try to spell it OR say it--we don't either, hehehe) has FINALLY gained full status as real Canton (Cue: Pinocchio voice "I'm a real Canton!"), we'll be elevated at 12th Night this year in the Barony of Cynnabar. This is *ideal* because we won't have to worry about running an event and Cynnabar is a friendly local Barony that will gladly share the limelight with us at their magnificent 12th Night celebration.

This means two things for me.

1.) I must prepare a small gift for Their Majesties in thanks for elevating us. And perhaps something for the Baron and Baroness of Cynnabar for hosting our elevation on their 12th Night.

AND (You knew this was coming.)

2.) I GET TO MAKE A NEW OUTFIT!

I'm still in the planning stages, but presumably, it will be:

--a white muslin slip-type chemise that commercially looks a bit like this one from Revival Clothing


Here is one art example from period. There are plenty more on this site from the Wenceslaus Bible. Excellent examples.


--A GFG (gothic-fitted gown ala Robin Netherton) easy-fit (translation: wide enough to get it over my gigantic boobs with fitted enough not to bunch up under the over-gown) kirtle in white muslin dyed with RIT (unfortunately I don't really have time to gather anything natural and process it properly) in dark chocolate brown. I find this looks better than brown quilting cotton solids. Much better drape and softer, but still rich in hue. Muslin seems to hold the color better than white quilting cotton solid too. I'll use lacing on the sleeves instead of buttons.

--A GFG front-laced, short-sleeve in medium-heavy natural colored linen dyed maroon with RIT with turn-back tippets lined in white lightweight linen (my one splurge--everything else I have in the closet of DOOM!). The skirt and bodice will be lined in white muslin to fool the eyes and the pocketbook into thinking I actually have money for full linen-lined garb. This woman has a great site with tons of pictures of her creations spanning the centuries. She does a great recreation of a short-sleeve GFG/kirtle (no fold-back tippets, but I can easily add them to the sleeve cut) here.

A good period contemporary art perspective on this look with the tippets (that I and others more scholarly predict were most likely fold-back as opposed to separate attachments) is from the Les Tres Riches Heures April illumination
You can see the woman kneeling to the middle right of the couples. She's is wearing a black/dark green/dark brown over-gown with white tippets and a white lining or a white hem at the bottom. Her kirtle is blue without visible sleeve buttons, but I'll be lacing them discreetly from the elbow.

The Tres artwork and the rather good accompanying article is hosted here. This is an excellent presentation with zoomable images for each month.

--A new oval veil and barbette in lightweight linen (from the tippet lining buy since I'm only using enough in the sleeves to do the fold back plus an inch and the tippet lengths). I'd like to use tissue weight linen, but this is just not possible.

--I'm investigating the possibility of making or having someone make for me (Emma?) two matched hair nets to approximate cauls for my temple braids with a crochet technique as explained here. There is thankfully extant examples of these types of nets as seen on the above site, however, I'm keeping it simple and doing a plain weave net.

I'd like to attach them to a dark bronze colored satin ribbon to tie around my head under my veil. I don't have the money for a metal circlet (or a right to wear one yet, not being an official Lady). Some people don't care, but for me it's important to have the AoA first. That's how I play the game. Makes it more special for me.


Here's an art perspective from the statue of Jeanne de Bourbon from Cynthia Virtue's excellent page on simple cauls

And here is an even closer art representation of what I'd like to recreate with these caul nets from the funeral brass of Sir Symon de Felbrigge and Margaret his wife, 1400. Felbrigge, Norfolk. Note the veils over and under her cauls. Mine will be less rigid, but this is closer than Jeanne de Bourbon because Margaret does not wear a crown. This is clip art from the Florida Center for Instructional Technology at the University of South Florida, but the funeral brass picture itself falls under public domain usage rules.


--Also planning on treating myself to a pair of period shoes for Christmas to complete the outfit.

So that's it for now. Updates soon and more frequently as construction of the outfit begins.

Yours in Service,
Gillian de Chelseye

Falling Down on the Job

Sorry folks, I'm too busy making Halloween costumes and marching in parades and struggling with schoolwork to make garb, but I'll get some pics of the costumes to put up soon. The cats have been playing hockey with my film canisters and I've had to drag them out of some strange places. I'm working on a little embroidering to practice for garb embroidery and I'll get a few shots of that too. Anyway, don't lose heart--I'll have some new garb plans soon. I'm planning a new 14th c. gown for 12th Night and our Canton Elevation ceremony in January, so there'll be plenty of fodder for the blog.

Yours in service,
Gillian

Various updating, no pictures yet.

The pictures are still in limbo. Elise is getting the black and whites this Friday, and I'll drop off the color film on Thursday. We'll get them up, I promise.

I'm in the middle of a niece Halloween costume project. 10 month old twins who will be a lady bug and a honey bee. I'll get pics soon. Super cute stuff.

The cider pressing was great fun, and I even got some raw cider to take home. Delicious. It was good to see folks too.

This weekend is Vikings Come Home. Emma is coming with me on the ride up. I'm taking the period tent to test it in cold (HA!) weather. I don't know if it could get worse than Pennsic weather as far as wet, but it sure could be colder and frostier. That's what wool bedding is for! Still debating on taking the bed or not. If it fits in my car, up it goes. But I'm afraid it won't, especially the main plywood board. Corwyna said she'd take some of it if necessary, so I'll try it out on Thursday and see how much extra room I need. The set up isn't any more annoying than my crappy dome tent, and definitely more sturdy.

I got gifted another sewing machine. Singer. Real cool. Thanks Fiaecre(sp?)!

ATTENTION!

Anne de la Mare has lost her whole collections of garb to a unresponsive landlord and mold. We'll be collecting a bit of this and that to re-garb her. *******If you have any fabric or time or beads or anything to donate, let me know.********* The poor lady lost a really nice Tudor French hood, and almost and entire late Tudor outfit with hand beading, among other things. She lost her patterns, and most of the extra fabric too. Her main persona time period is 1450's northern France, so if you have anything you're contemplating getting rid of for a lady in the approximate size range of 16-20, feel free to let me know and we'll arrange to pay for shipping.

Yours in Service,
Gillian de Chelseye

You Can't Always Get What You Want...

I got the word from Bryan to do something about the multiple sewing machines and the sewing supplies everywhere. There is not a lot of places to put them, and I need to rearrange. I need to sit down and re-arrange my fabric piles. It's time to get my chair back from the fabric that has eaten it. I guess I don't blame him, he's not the sewing type and is tired of seeing it. I can't claim that I disagree with him. I did a lot of work before we left for War.

My new project is to put some simple blackwork on the Tudor chemise on the cuffs and the collar. I've got some simple designs that should look fairly good if I can find some direct documentation for it in a middle-class outfit.

Oh and I meant to mention that even though my previous Pennsic entry sounded like I was whining, I really had a great time and I'm already ready to go back.

Hmmm...I'm thinking of starting my fighting armor soon as well, since I can't go to practice until it goes indoors because of my class. I really like the idea of practicing later in the evenings on Wednesdays.

There's a cider pressing coming up at Odo and Dulcinea's house on the 9th. I'm trying to get Bryan to come since it's not a sanctioned event (so no garb unless you want) and I'd like to see the process. I've done pressing with the antique press my uncle hass, but that was for a demonstration for kids at the farm.

I'd also like some new research books...any recommendations?

That's the word for now, going to see The Simpsons Movie tonight in Williamston, and we're seeing the Rob Zombie "Halloween" this weekend.

Back from WAR

So I'm back and have suffered through the returning migraines and sickness. Probably the most miserable vacation I've ever been on, but it was worth it just to go again. Let me give some highlights:

Friday:

--It was scorching hot with little wind, even up on the hill where we were camped. We ended up arriving about 10am when the sun was at it's hottest and most scorching. I promptly took a fitful nap for two hours after I got my tent up.

--Woke up to find that my "tiredness" from being up for 30 straight hours was actually a cold I caught from the twins before I left. We're still all three recovering after two weeks.

--Decided to go out that night with Iohann (now named Io...sounds like Yo by the Clan) and promptly fell down in The Bog and bruised my shins and twisted my ankle.

--Io turned into a human carboy due to my not-so-great mead and was drunk on three beers. He stumbled home like a champ.

Saturday:

--Woke up still sick with a sore throat. Coughing ensues and continues through the week.

--Went to the store and promised my first born child for a 10 caplets of Claritin-D.

--Went out to the Tir Thalor elf party with good homemade mead and got drunk on three cups.

--Stumbled back home to bed and then stumbled back up again and did my first official throw up in a porta-john.


Sunday:

--The rain begins.

--Went to opening ceremony with the Barony of Northwoods contigency. We're the oldest in the Kingdom, so we marched right behind the stinky Midrealm unbelted Champions. Couldn't stop coughing louding in the front row near the dais while King Dag was talking.


Monday:

--First day of fighting. Went down to help waterbear. If I'd had mroe clothes on, I would have not gotten so cold when the rain started. Near the end of the battle, which was brutal for the fighters in the rain and heat, lightening struck south of us and the battle was called. The East took the day.

--Got a call saying that Grandpa's funeral was scheduled on Saturday the 12th. Grumpy and surly because of this.

--Got down to the bog and promptly fell down again, this time injuring my left wrist fairly badly and re-twisting my ankle while scraping both knees and shins again. Got really dirty this time. Really grumpy now. Cried a little from frustration and anger.


Tuesday:

--Hot and raining. Can't remember much.

--Corn Party at Shadow Clans camp.


Wednesday:

--Hot and raining again.

--Midnight madness night. Wish I'd had some money to buy some stuff. I need rattan for weapons, linen and wool for court garb, and leather for shoes. Also should have talked to the armorors.


Thursday:

--More heat, more rain.

--Io hurt himself in the Woods Battle and decides to elave on Friday because he can't fight with a bad knee on Friday.

--Clan dinner in camp. After dinner, the Clan had a meeting. After the meeting, the new people in camp were invited to join the Clan. Radegund expects an answer at Vikings Come Home. I'm honored and I cried when I got into my tent alone. I'm still pondering the decision, but I think I'll ask Radegund if I can wait to decide to join until I'm an authorized fighter so I can wear the Clan colors to fight in.


Friday:

--Before we get ready to leave, the camp goes out to eat and eats a giant bowl of ice cream and brownies together.

--Pack up and leave later than we expected.

--Drive and drive and drive.

--Stop at a rest stop in Ohio and practice fighting techniques for about an hour and a half because Io doesn't have time to show me before he leaves for Jordan.

--Finally arrive home at 2am.



WOW. What a week. I got a lot fo great pictures, though thankfully few of them with me in the shot. As soon as I have the money, I'll get them developed and post them. Io has some and when he gets them up on facebook, I'll steal them and put them up here too.

Any questions? hahaha...I'll be back to my own garb in about three weeks.

I need to make some money, so if anyone needs any Tudor or earlier period chemises done, I can do them in handkerchief linen for $20. I can do them in bleached or unbleached cotton muslin for $10. Let me know and we can set something up. Turn around time is about 2 weeks and I can do a bunch of them at once for you if you put a deposit down. Stock up for winter!

Anyway, if anyone has any ideas for things I can give as incentive for donations, drop me a line. I'm not a very good artist, and I don't do many scribal things yet. I could do little bags with some beading or something...hmmm...

Ok, time to get to bed. Sorry this took so long to get out, but I'm still a little tired. My body lost about 40 pounds in a week due to the excercise and the eating restrictions.

Yours in Service,
Gillian

Emergency Update

So the worst happened and my maternal grandfather died. This is not so much a problem for me as my family. He and I had our differences and he's not in pain anymore. I'm glad for that. Cancer is a fierce competitor, but he was almost as fierce. Almost.

So I had less time than I thought I would to finish the class for Pennsic. We leave tonight at about 2am. We hope to get into Slippery Rock at about 7:30 or 8am so we'll see you Wargoers there. My first prerogative is to get the tent set up and secure. Yes, it's done. Bryan has pictures, but I want to wait until I get back to do a big picture update. I'll show you the whole war. After that, I'll post my 35mm shots that I'm taking with my good SLR camera. I have to have them developed and scanned, so it'll be a week or so before those are up.

For those of you travelling to War soon, drive safely and slowly. Stop to help stranded SCAdians if you see them, even if it's just to call the tow truck or to provide moral support until the tow truck arrives. You may find you just helped the Crown Princess of Such-and-such change her tire and be rewarded for it.
Imbibe safely during War and don't let your drinking eyes get bigger than your stomach.
Treat all ladies (and lords) with respect--remember "no" means "no".
Ask her age if she looks 21 and acts 12, because she's prolly 15.
Wear a rubber.
Look before you leap.
Say no and mean it.
Don't drink anything you cannot identify by smell or trustable person.
Report bad fire handling, fights, or attacks to security and anyone who'll listen.
Volunteer to waterbear, cook, wash dishes, or just give someone in camp a break from their kids for ten minutes while they lay down.

Have fun.

Yours in Service,
Gillian de Chelseye

Emergency Notice

To those of you who are looking forward to taking my class at Pennsic be forewarned: due to some pretty catastrophic family events currently brewing, I may not have the finished kit ready. I will be at Pennsic and I will teach the class regardless of how much I have finished on it, since I have all the actual paperwork and handouts ready for printing.

If things turn out ok, then I'll have the kit done. If not, well we'll try again next year.

Say a few non-denominational and non-religious specific prayers for my grandfather.

YiS,
Gillian

Middle-class 1530's Tudor Garb Kit for the Pennsic Class.

Ok, so I'm off and running (finally!) on theiTudor kit and I'm finally feeling like I may be able to finish everything if I stay up really late all the time and do my hand-sewing and on-paper designs when the girls are sleeping. I can't use the sewing machine, so that sort of sucks.

I got a promise to borrow a camera from Iohann, and now I have my nice 35mm SLR for Pennsic, so expect many more pics in the next two weeks, if not right after I return from Pennsic. I may wait to update (prolly not...I egt bored) until after I don't have as much work to do.

I'll finish my on-paper Tudor chemise design today and be able to cut and sew tonight. I have to help my grandma water the garden right after work, but other than that, I'm home free. I cleaned the house except for the dishes last night and got my unfinished chemise finished finally. That thing's been waiting for gores since January.

So now I have three chemises. Two in High Middle Ages period design, and another longer one cut like a sleeveless princess seam dress for ease of use as a faux 14th century kirtle. Cheating...yes I know, but comfortable.

Ok so as for that Tudor kit...
I'm sweating this one. I want it to look good but I'm worried I'll mess it up! I've got so much work to do, but with the help of The Tudor Tailor, I should be fine. I need to make: *the chemise *the kirtle *the gown *the overgown (if I have time) and *the headdress

The period tent is what I'm most worried about. If I don't finish it, I'm out of a big place to sleep and I'm stuck in a tiny, fragile dome tent for 10 days...eww. The wood for the support is what I'm most worried about. The wood I have is not going to work. I may just have to cut fresh poles out of the woodlot and lash them together and tie the tent to the lashed poles. Unfortunately, in a wind, I can't trust these, but Iohann will have to share if my tent collapses. We just don't have the room to take three tents, including my huge one. I'm trying to check to see if almost all my regular camp stuff minus chairs and other large things will fit into all my rubbermaid containers. The packing will be easier and we can just stack and lash everything in a cube and throw the poles and Iohann's spear along the side of them. The shield and his armor bag can lash to the top with duct tape. I'm scared it won't all fit, but we deserve a medal if we get it all there in one piece. Guess I'm borrowing Dad's tie-downs!

Oh well...we'll get through this and have a fun Pennsic!

13th Century Gown

So I measured, cut, and sewed together a preliminary 13th century gown.

And as usual, somehow I messed up the measurements. I believe it was with the side gores. I'm used to making things without arm gussets. This was my first properly constructed (ignore the sewing machine) gown with armscye gussets and 4-sided side gores. I ran out of fabric and had to reduce the side gores and I think I lost some circumference that way.

Being of large chest and curvy waist is so frustrating sometimes. I hate looking like a tent, but that seems to be all I can manage not to screw up lately. If I leave the chest tight, I can reinforce the seams and use it as a supportive gown, even though it's out of period for such a thing.

To fix the problem (since I don't have any more fabric...) I'm going to use a similar color cotton to add additional goring to the front and sides and throw the whole thing in a dye pot next week with some linen I'm dying. Unfortunately, it's a very dark blue and I have to get some more blue dye to make sure it sticks.

I can't afford to make these mistakes with the Tudor this weekend. But neither do I have the time or money to make muslin mock-ups of everything. I can fix most of what I mess up, but it kills that "One Dress in Four Hours" thing I've been striving for to get my kit done for Pennsic.

If I have the energy, I'll add the gores tonight after Fighter Practice, but in all probability, I'll be dead dog tired. I'm eating light today to avoid being so logy afterwards.

Pictures soon, I promise.

YiS,
Gillian

I have finished some pretty neat stuff that met with approval last night at the business meeting!

You know that red surcote that I stressed over and ruined and fixed eight times? Well I fixed it and turned the red into a lining for the new dark blue outer layer. It fits well, allows for air flow, and looks halfway decent. I'll get some pictures as soon as I figure out how to get the driver for my camera installed.

I'm also just today finishing the maroon wool hood I started ages ago. The liripipe is going in this morning andI should have the lacing and points finished tomorrow. Again, pictures soon.

Iohann is now in town so maybe his camera will be taking the pictures, as well as all the stuff I have to make for him will probably be up here as well. Hopefully he can come over tonight and we can work out his patterns.

Got a veil finished and all my fabric finally sorted for the all the projects. This weekend, I begin the Tudor (dum dum DUM!) and hope to have most everything cut out by Sunday night.

Yours in Service,
Gillian

Quick update to get the rage post from the front page.

This weekend is the Siege of Talonvale and I'm dragging the boy to camp! That's right, Bryan is to meet the Canton Crew this weekend.

Tonight, I'm hemming and finishing everything I own and planning on spending most of the night and most of tomorrow measuring and piecing and sewing. Once Iohann gets here, I have to start woodworking and finishing the tent, so the garb must be mostly finished ahead of time, so I'm not exhausting myself right before the drive down.

I need at least:
--one more pair of nice hose
--a bliaut with girdle for the Barony's Anglo-Saxon High Tea (not to mention a dish to pass there!)
--another Gothic-fitted gown for court
--two more chemises, one long, one shorter
--ALL of the commoner Tudor kit for my class, as well as the pictures, boards, print-outs, etc
--braises, two pair
--bed curtain
--chausses, full, one pair
--garters galore
--veils, veils, veils
--finish the sewing on the tent and attach all the ties and stake loops...ugh.
--hemming everything in sight.
--figure out a way to finish the failed red surcote. I cut a blue layer and had hoped to use the red as a liner, and so far have no thought as to how to finish it. I'll start with bias tape. Meh *shrugs* It's for camp work and bumming, so no biggie.

It's starting to get on my nerves how much work I still have yet to do and I'm still procrastinating. It's because I like sewing during the day. I can't with the girls sleeping and I'm tired at night. Well, I'm going to have all my hand sewing ready for work this weekend while I watch the fighting and during the evening before the drinking starts.

Come hell, or high water, I'll have this stuff done for Pennsic!! (and maybe some interesting pictures of me wearing my own garb for once!)

YiS,
Gillian

Promised Pictures of Garb Finished and in Progress

OK, so I've been promising and I only gave you a few wimpy pics the other day, but now I have Bryan's camera phone and I got some half-way decent pics of the mess that is my apartment covered in garb.

(P.S. I've decided to ask Becky tonight if I can borrow her digital camera so I can document my Pennsic Preparation. I'm still also trying to get her to come to a small event with me, maybe the Siege of Talonvale in July...? It's in Leslie, MI, like right down the road from us, and Iohann (Dan) gets back that week so maybe our combined persuasion will get her there.)

ONTO THE PICTURES!

So, I'll start with picture 1:

This pile of pure mess was the weekend's first project. Started yesterday afternoon, I had lofty goals for my recycled blue cotton duck and 99 cent table cloth from Goodwill. Well, something got fucked up in my measurements and cutting and I ended up with this mess. You can't really tell from the pictures, but I don't want to touch the thing because I'm still pissed off that I messed it up. It's fixable, and I have leftover tablecloth, but it's just a pain in the ass and spent several hours on it for nothing. Grrr...

Picture 2:


A red surcote made from a 99 cent bed sheet from Goodwill. I loved the pure fire engine red color and had to do something with it.

Well I had to make this the odyssey of yesterday. I messed this one up too, albeit less so than the tablecloth one. I fixed it, but ended up doing some very rough piecework that still doesn't look right, but there's enough fullness to cover up the worst mistakes. If I add fur later (which I plan on doing), no one will ever know I messed it up. Here is a close up of the side piecework that I had to resew after I found out that I hadn't given myself enough room to even get the thing over my head, let along my boobs and hips.


The picture on the top is the side seams and the picture on the bottom is part of the hem. All those lines? They aren't creases. They're seams from the piecework. What a mess! And the hem needed piecework too. It's still a mess. I may be able to fix that when I actually get around to hemming (grrrrr) it. I hope to add white rabbit fur to the gates of hell, the waist, and the hem so it should cover the multitude of sins that I committed in making this surcote. Next time I'm just going to use the dumb Butterick's (modified) pattern front and back for the next one I do. I use it for cotes and kirtles and they turn out fine. I modify it to look more like a GFG (Gothic fitted gown) so I don't look like such an inexperienced moron in front of the garb Laurels (they're great ladies and they wouldn't say anything snarky for the world, but I still feel innadequate when I compare myself to them).

So maybe onto some successes?


I wanted hosen and I got a toile made yesterday with Bryan's help, and I actually cut two legs and two feet out of my leftover dark green linen yesterday afternoon after my very frustrating failed surcote experience. The design comes from the Medieval Tailor book I got through the ILL (inter-library loan) and it worked out ok. I had to tweak the sole since the instructions got cut off when I photocopied the page, but I think it turned out ok. I did the back seam on the machine, but I had to put the sole in by hand since I was afraid to waste the fabric. I think it was worth it, though the hand sewing took me two hours and a bunch of thread. It's sturdy and slightly more comfortable than regular heavy cotton socks for an event. I just need to get the other sole sewn into the left foot and we'll be in business. I'd like to cut the soles for the other pairs I want to make before I sew this one in so I can have a sole toil. I only have a toile for the leg currently. I made it long enough so I can make tall chausses as well as short hosen. I want tall chausses for my fighting kits, so I spent the extra time and made a good leg. The yellow garter you see is a piece of scrap fabric from the next set of pictures. I plan on making some more garters from that fabric. I think it comes from the last Pennsic and it's not even my fabric. It's Iohann's scraps from a houpplande he made. Yay for usable scraps!

Speaking of usable scraps, here is the pile of scrap cuts that I'm using for hosen and garters.


And speaking of piles, I went through the fabric a few nights ago and made them ready for sewing or altering. I have a chair and a couch fully devoted to garb sorting now.

Here's the Garb Chair. These are all projects that I've finished the main sewing on that need to be hemmed. There's probably 15 things here, maybe more. Bryan's three pieces of garb are included and you saw those earlier this week. Most everything here needs trim and hemming. Yuck.

Yeah. It's lovely...like a rainbow. Blue, green, red, orange, yellow, white...Good lord.

And here's the Garb Couch. These are all uncut lengths of fabric or bedsheets being made into garb. I have them all in separate piles so I can work on one project at a time without seeing an overwhelming pile like in the Garb Chair. Did I mention that the cats LOVE to sleep all over this stuff and get hair all over everything. Every costumer I know has cat fur on her garb. Every single one. It's cat's prerogative.



*sigh* It's gonna be a long road to Pennsic.

Yours in Service,
Gillian de Chelseye

Ridgepoles, and Uprights and Felled Seams, OH MY!

So the canvas is bought. $153 at Joann Fabrics for the 60" cotton duck. I had a 40% off coupon that I used to great effect and only paid $80 for the fabric. I got the needles, so now I'm ready to rumble. I'm now searching in vain for ways to make the uprights hold the ridgepole without generous amounts of time and swearing to make them work.

I'm also soliciting help with the sewing part. Specifically, I need a sewing machine that won't kill me with shattered needles or broken gears. I still have to test my mom's machine, so I'm just cutting fabric today. No luck on the camera for now, but I'm gonna use Bryan's camera phone so the picture quality is better.

If I could find a new belt for my mom's monster antique machine, I could sew with no worries and a sore foot from pushing the pedal. But it'd be cool to sew something with that crazy thing. I may try to make my own from a piece of rubber. I'd also need to find a needle to use in it and be able to get the old needle out. Other than that, the thing is perfect.

If I play my cards right, get the sewing done, and find a way to do the uprights, I may be able to use this monster for Border Wars this coming weekend. I still need stakes, but I bet I can either make those from scrap, or use my mundane stakes for right now and get good ones for Pennsic.

So if you're reading and you're a tent expert, leave me a note. I need your expertise. My experience with woodworking extends to a semester in middle school (many years ago) in shop class. I have access to a circular saw, a miter saw, a drill, carriage bolts, and some chisels. I also have access to a dad and 2 grandpas with woodworking experience, but no tent building experience.

Tudor kit for Pennsic class and more

The first draft of the Pennsic University class list is now online. You can find it at http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn36/AANDS/PENNU/pennsic_classes_on_2007-07-31.html

I'm teaching my class twice. First time is on Sunday August 5 at 1pm in AS tent 09. The second time is Friday August 10 at 2pm in AS tent 09. Each class time is two hours and is mostly lecture/discussion. I will be doing a very small cartridge pleating demo because according to every source I've looked at, that's the pleat type to use to attach the skirt to the bodice of the outer gown, as well as possibly the kirtle to achieve the proper "poof" in the back without a bumroll (a later period item).

So I finally sat down and looked through my fabrics to create the 1530's Tudor gown for my Pennsic class. I've chosen my white partlet, black partlet, the gown fabric, and the turnback sleeves. I'll re-update tonight with pictures of these. Oh and I've also got the fabric for the chemise. I think I've chosen the kirtle material, but I'm still not sure that I can layer it well enough to be stable. I haven't decided whether or not to make a separate corset or to build it into the kirtle. I think for ease, I'll build it into the kirtle using the scraps from the tent fabric to stiffen it. Might even cord it if I'm feeling really frisky. No need to worry about a farthingale since the style doesn't need it and wouldn't be period. If it needs extra oomph, I'll make another back pleated skirt. I don't fancy sewing through 10 layers of stacked cartridge pleats in the main gown, so adding another skirt would solve that problem and not kill my sewing machine.

The headdress issue will be the sticking point for me. I can sew decently in large portions, but I do often have problems with very intricate and picky work. I'm prone to frustration in small, detailed work. I also am having more trouble finding good instructions for a gabled headdress. There also seems to be several styles in the way of the veils and their attachment. So much to do and so little time!

I'm going to try to borrow digital camera from Erica or Becky so I can start actually documenting this stuff properly and without a camera phone. Hopefully I'll have some good pictures of everything as it's progressing now. Yay!

When I was choosing fabrics last night, I also picked out all the fabrics for my normal persona chemises, all the hosen I need to make, one of the surcotes, and the bed curtain. I also got my linen tested for a rapier coat. Two layers are sufficient--yay for no incredibly hot rapier armor! I can probably layer the new chest armor for heavies over it and then I'll be all soft armored up. I also need to get a cup for heavies. Fuuuuuuun.

Anyway, pictures tonight and maybe I'll even get some sewing done this weekend.

Yours in Service to The Dream,
Gillian de Chelseye

Fabric Choices for the Tudor Kit

The Pennsic University calendar has been published and you can find it at: http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn36/AANDS/PENNU/pennsic_classes_on_2007-07-31.html

I'm teaching my class twice. On August 5 at 1pm in AS 09 and on August 10 at 2pm in AS 09.

Pictures, Garb, Shower Update and Misc.

And here are some pictures as I promised. Don't laugh at me, the camera adds 10 pounds, especially in bad light and with a crappy cell phone camera. Either way, it's a chemise done. At that point I'm pretty sure that the collar wasn't finished, but now it is. These are a few months old. I made Bryan's garb and took pictures to prove that he actually put it on. He would only let me do the ones where he wasn't in his cote alone. His surcote is nice though. I made him a yellow gardecorps as well that he didn't try on for the camera.

My lord, maybe I'm glad that he doesn't play. He's a handsome devil and all the ladies would be on him. He's exactly a foot taller than I and skinny as a rail. Jack Sprat and his wife, we are. Between the both of us, we lick the platter clean.

So back to this chemise I made. I made two for my first Pennsic two years ago and then fell out the Game for a few years. They were horrible. I don't know what possessed me to make them that way. I've got pictures somewhere, so ask me if you see me and I'll find them. Think drawstring neckline. Also think lace-up bodice. In ugly upholstery fabric. Gawd awful. I didn't want to waste the fabric, so I ripped the arms off and then sewed them back on properly in t-tunic fashion. Got rid of the drawstring, added side gores and properly hemmed everything. The second one got everything except the side gores, which are sitting on the sewing pile, ready to be set in. The second one needs hemming that needs to be done.

Speaking of old garb, I ripped almost everything apart and have either saved the fabric for something else, or already re-sewn it into something fun. I seem to have a penchant for men's clothing, so I've got the beginnings of braises measured, but not cut.

Ok so I have the Velcro attached, the plastic is duct taped for the shower stall, and I've been informed that I should probably be using grommets for the fabric as well as rope to attach it to the poles. Bah. I don't have a grommet setter, though I'm sure someone will loan me one. The plastic is just so you don't completely drench the fabric part. Not that important.

I have the poles picked out. I found four fence posts in the barn at my mom's as well as two shepherds hooks for hanging bird feeders; one has two hooks and the other is a single. I'll be testing the whole thing (including the shower bag that needs to be washed out) this weekend if I can borrow a grommet setter tonight.

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In other news:

I've finished trimming the peplos for warm weather and wore it to the populace meeting on Monday. It worked out well, though I do need a thinner belt to wear with things like this. One more of these to do and my hot weather, camp work garb is ready.

I'm taking my linen to practice tonight to get it checked by Lucien. If it's rapier approved, I can use it for heavies too.

So that's it for now, more updates tomorrow probably, about practice.

Yours in service,
Gillian de Chelseye

Bad at this updating thing...

I'm sorry! Ok, so wasting no time, let's get down to business.

I'm investigating about 8 million things right now and have involved myself in rapier training. I missed fighter practice due to a debilitating sinus headache-cum-migraine on Wednesday. I'll be back at it on Wednesday barring another headache like that one. Not pretty. On that grain, I have some really great linen that I will hopefully be using for a rapier doublet so I can have my arms free. I like the protection a fencing shirt offers, but dislike the 4 layers of stifling cotton duck on my arms and torso. The linen should breathe easier and look better, and it'll be MINE.

Most important projects: the tent, the shower, and the class, all have to be done for Pennsic.

I've drawn up my plans for the tent. It's an a-shape (boy scout tent) tent with 8' tall poles , and a 10' x 10' footprint. I'm using fabric ties inside the tent to attach it to the ridgepole and stakes (store-bought that look like blacksmith made) to stake the walls down. I'm using contrasting blue material for the ties so I can find the ties in the dark against the light colored tent fabric. I'll be using 8 oz. cotton duck for the major construction, with additional strips of canvas on the underside of the sod cloth to protect against moisture. I'm waterproofing the whole thing after I shrink it on the frame and let it set for a few days. This means sewing will start next weekend hopefully. I'm still debating whether to use wind guys or not. I think I'll include them in the plans, but probably they'll be leftover cotton clothesline from the shower stall project. I doubt I'll need them, but better safe than sorry. I'm waterproofing the ridgepole and uprights so they don't warp. I'm still waffling as to what kind of wood to use. I may use bamboo for strength and lightweight-ness. I'm also looking at pine or hardwood, but I'd really like to cut my own poles from the woodlot, but they won't cure in time. The 14th c. structure this project is based on is thatched. next year, I'll upgrade and purchase some artificial hunting blind grass sold under the brand name: Killer Weed. It's a nylon product that never rots and is easy to bundle and apply as I want.

The shower is much easier, I just have to get off my ass and do it. I'm still looking for proper stakes to use for the frame, but I'll probably end up using the old fence posts in the garage for ease, and to get it done. I can upgrade later. Already have the shower bag purchased.

The class is the biggest problem. I have the main research and some of the handout written. I'm also working on choosing the fabrics from my stash and remembering what I paid for them. I still need display boards and pictures of everything, including the construction process. I need to put together 30 cartridge pleat demo strips and make the small handout for that. I need to laminate the pass-around Do's and Don'ts sheets. I also need to figure out a way to scan everything and get it into a pdf file to put it on the net for download for people who audit and I don't have materials for, just in case. Then I need to actually construct the damn thing and document the entire process. A lot of work for a class about making a 16th c. garb outfit on a budget and in the "easy" category. I guess it's all relative.

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In other news, I'm researching my personal heraldry and getting ready to talk to the local herald. Des is great and she's really funny too. Hopefully, my peacock in his pride will get to live on his silver and red diagonally divided background with the line division dovetailed. There's an official blazon for that, but I'm not exactly sure what it is so I'll leave it out for now. Des can help me write it. She's doing this really neat research on a Jesus kite. Crazy lady, love her. I want to submit everything: my name, Gillian de Chelseye, my "arms" (since i don't have an AoA yet, they aren't arms, but you know what I mean), and my badge for identifying stuff. It'll cost about 36 bucks, but it'll be done and I love my name and I love my heraldry so I really want to get it done. I doubt I'll change it.

Another note, I started my warm weather early garb. Everybody needs an early British peplos and now I have one. It needs to be hemmed (spare me, everything I own needs hemming, I hate it!) and I need to finish the trim, and I should buy two brooches to put at the shoulders, but for now it stays shut with sewn connections and I'm happy with that. It also needs a belt, but I can use trim for that. I ran out of trim so that's all that's stopping this being done. So I have something ready for Pennsic!!! Yay! I'm thinking I'll make another similar garment, but it's called a chiton (it's greek and so is the peplos, sort of, but whatever, if I'm hot I'll go naked if I want). It has a different, but similar arm connection, so not that difficult.

Also, I'm trying to finish hemming everything I own. Everything needs to be fixed or hemmed or needs ties replaced that got lost in the wash. I also need to make several heavy fighting tunics, as well as a few favors to give out. I think I'll paint the favors if I finalize my "arms". If not, oh well, I'll blow kisses instead. HA!

I have several veils that need finishing and I need to try out some different hairstyles for underneath the veils. Also, I need to make some basic, front-laced cotehardies, which is relatively easy now. To go with that, I need a few sideless surcotes. This is really easy, but I'm still procrastinating. God I don't want to be sewing on the day before we leave.

I want at least one more chemise for underwear. That's easy too. I've also got plans for 7 days worth of hosen, as well as 3 pairs of braises and one pair of chauses. Maybe even a pair of paned slops (*shudder* I swore I'd never wear them, but my preconceived notions break down every day I find more information about the Renaissance) for rapier. As if my ass didn't already look big enough...

Oh and I forgot to mention that I finished everything but the ties for my wool hood. I hand-sewed everything and I had a blast doing it. I'm still thinking about covering the sew lines with bias tape, but I can do that as a hand project there. The ties will be cotton as soon as I can borrow/buy a lucet to make them. My makeshift pencil/duct tape lucet shattered so I'm done with that.

I also found my basket cane while my sister was cleaning for the garage sale and now I can make a basket at Pennsic.

I also need to start assembling all the crap I need to take and try to fit it into the least possible amount of space. Need to call Dad and Kelsey to see if I can borrow the explorer to take stuff down in. I'm still not convinced we can fit it all safely into Dan's truck. I've also volunteered to help Etain prepare the Clan food plan meals in July, so that's coming up too, as well as paying the deposit for the plan. I also need to pay for my site pre-registration, like next week. I need to also re-up my membership next week and sign my waivers.

Oh and there's talk in the Canton of possibly needing a new Chronicler and I may apply to do it. I like the idea and it's cool to be able to publish things.

*deep breath*

I think that's it, so for now, I'm off. I promise pictures next time around.

Yours in Service,
Gillian de Chelseye

Virgin post

Okie dokie I thought I'd tell you a bit about myself and about this project here. I'll try to keep this blog free of random whining about my normal life a focus solely on garb, garb history and research, and garb construction. Since everybody has one of these blogs if they are a costumer in the SCA, I'll join that illustrious group that I hope to join in apprenticeship if I can make some new friends soon. I'll be talking about that too, possibly, but only because I'd like to learn as much about garb and garb construction as possible.

About me, quickly, since I don't think you care too much:

My unregistered Society name (as of yet, I have to finish my documentation) is Gillian de (name soon to come).

I can be rather crude, and have a bit of a sailor's mouth so let me know if I am too free with my french. I like dirty jokes, innuendo (no, in-YOUR-endo!), and double entendres. That being said, I'm also well read and if I may toot my own horn, I have some rather insightful things to say.

Let's see...what else? Oh, I'm built like a Mack truck. Haha, no seriously, my ancestors were generous with the boob and hip genes--farm people, what can you expect? I come from a double line of Scandinavian/German/American Mutt people who married--oddly--French Canadians two generations ago. My stock is pretty old by American standards, with both sides of my family being settled in this country no less than 6 or 7 generations ago. That's a lot of time to lose my European heritage, but as an SCA member, I'm trying to gain that back with a lot of research and hard work.

Why is that important? I'm a big girl who's very short (5'4" on a good day), but I've also got considerable hourglass curves and a long-ish torso. This makes it hard for me clothe myself mundanely, let alone garb myself seemly and proper. So skinny girls may find techniques they can apply here, but not much sympathy for your costuming woes. No offense, but until you can hold one boob up with two hands and still have overflow, I don't have much in the way of understanding for you. On the other hand, I hope this page helps the bigger (and shorter) ladies among us garb themselves beautifully and simply.

Why this blog:

I'm interested in several time periods, but find that I have difficulty finding blogs about my particular persona period (middle to late 14th C English outside of London) even though it is highly popular. I find far too many late 15th and 16th C. garbers for my taste. Not only do those styles of garb make me look like a jolly fat Bavarian Frau (not my favorite thing to look like, since I'm already that way by ancestry--the lithe French genes seem to all have gone to my lithe, French-looking sister...damn her.) I prefer the simplicity of the chemise and kirtle and surcote look. I've been investigating the French influences on this and have concluded that if I lived in London, I'd have known about the latest fashions from France, including those soup-dipping tippets!

So either way, my garb consists of some really bad beginners garb right now (we're talking polyester and lame' here--really bad) and I'm starting a real kit beginning with my rather unwilling significant other. Making his garb first will give me the practice I need to make mine look better and allow me to perfect my fitting techniques, which at this point are stolen from the other blogs I've found, along with some previous mundane sewing experience.

Many of you out there are lucky enough to have a significant other who loves the Society and is a part of the goings on. I, however, do not. He's just not interested. He's a musician--I told him he could do that in the SCA, he said no way. He doesn't like to fight--I told him that he could learn to be a blacksmith or a costumer like me or a scribe or herald, he said no way. He likes computers and technology--I told him he could design and build huge war machines that actually work--he said no way. Apparently, he can like all the nerd things I do--D and D, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Star Trek, etc, but he really has no interest in the SCA. I don't know why, but he puts up with me fitting him with cloth and poking him with pins so that I won't have to go to events alone when my SCA buddy isn't in town. He's wonderful and I love him, so I don't complain too much.

Speaking of my SCA buddy, he's the one that introduced me to the Society. My first event was Baron Wars a few years ago. I had a blast and and did my first all-night pre-event sewing extravaganza at that time. That was it. I was addicted. Iohann (mka Dan) and I have been friends since high school and have always been able to connect on this history level. I'm excited for him to come with us this summer for Pennsic, since we haven't been for two years. The first time we went, everyone though we were married *shudder* and we aren't even close to anything like that so we're bringing my boy Bryan this year. He's already bitching about no running water, but he'll live and he might even have fun since I'll keep him well-fed and drunk most of the time we're down there.

Well this is dragging on for an introductory post, but more to come, probably after I get some pictures up this afternoon.

Blessings (of a general kind, not a Christian or otherwise kind...I'm not really into that sort of thing) ok so scratch that...

Well wishes! (How's that? Better? Good? Nah, we'll try again...)

Hail and well met! (That's more like it...)

--Gillian de (some small town around London yet to be determined)