Persona Identity Crisis

So I know I'm not the only one who changes or wants to change or has changed their persona, but I'm in a real pickle here. I've got eighteen thousand projects in various stages of development currently and they all seem to be from different eras and places. It really puts me in a bind as to who Gillian wants to be within the Society and what Melissa wants to spend her mundane time doing.

I've always had the goal in the SCA to avoid MPD--Multiple-Persona Disorder--because I think it's tacky if done wrong. But I also like being able to blend in with my surroundings and having a multitude of options. I have this sort of obsession for the accurate and documentable. It's not enough for me to know how things were done, I have to achieve it too. I guess it will help to list and describe the projects that are pulling me in these many directions.

Let's go in order of importance:

1.) Rework "Beyond the Wench: Mid-16th Century Garb on a Budget" to fit a 30 minute class time by the end of April, including my own sample researched Flemish outfit from the skin-out, including headgear with a budget of $30. I only have the research, drafting, and chemise finished (and the chemise isn't truly finished--HEMS!).

2.) Finish gambeson, surcote, chausses, braises, and other non-garb elements for my fighting kit.

3.) Finish test samples for toddler garb for eBay. I need the cash and I need to free up the space that my less historic fabrics take up for my new nest of delightfully expensive new textiles.

4.) Use some of the new wool flannel to make a winter peplos so I can play as a Celt sometimes.

5.) Use the new silk to make a simple 13th C. Persian-inspired garb for ME-themed events.

6.) Use new linen for making another 13th century gown, surcote, and ruffled fillet/barbette for summer courts.

7.) Use new wool and linen to make Viking dress and apron (and coif), respectively.

8.) Use new wool for making another 13th c. gown for winter courts.

9.) Make fabric stamps for sample 14th c. drawstring fabric pouches. That would preclude me actually making the sample bags as well.

10.) Make some simple Byzantine garb with research and extant examples/paintings/other art because I feel like it isn't well-represented in this area (or in the Midrealm for that matter).

11.) Repair and finish all garb in my wardrobe. This include hems, cuffs, and neck scyes.

12.) Organize sewing materials and notions and give them their very own area in the apartment, with a distinct sewing table. Go through fabric collection. Put aside fabrics for the Canton newbie garb event next Fall. Consolidate scrap bags. Sort fabrics by type into separate tubs. Sell fabrics with value, but are of no use to me. Use older/yuckier fabrics in my collection to make Pennsic junk garb that I can destroy without feeling guilty.

13.) Die of overwork and take 10-day vacation at Pennsic with all my garb finished AT LEAST 3 weeks beforehand. (HA!, yeah right.)



I'll stop there because it's my lucky number, ironically. Legend has it that Friday the 13th is considered unlucky because the Knights Templar were attacked en masse and destroyed on Friday, October 13, 1307 by King Phillip the Fair of France. There is no documented date of the incident though, so don't listen to what History Channel tells you as it is often very, very wrong.


YiStTD,
Gillian

Travelling Forward in Time to the Tudors Again

So any of the five of you that have stumbled upon my humble little site may remember my attempt at creating a class on Tudor middle class garb for Pennsic 36.

Infamously titled "Beyond the Wench", this class was based on my interpretations of some Flemish middle class Tudor-contemporary paintings by Breughel and sketches by Holbein, the book "The Tudor Tailor" by Ninya Mikhaila and Jane Malcolm-Davies, and "Tailor's Pattern Book 1589" by Juan De Alcega for period patterning tips and sewing instructions.

Both books are excellent resources. Alcega's book can be had for $105.00 on Amazon.com, but check your local Inter Library Loan for a copy. Michigan has MelCat and this book is available through this system if your library is connected to MelCat (most MI libraries are). Mikhaila's book is about $40.00, but buying directly from them is better for everyone. You'll pay a little more in shipping, but they can continue their work by taking in a larger profit.

I have been asked to present the class with the completed garments at the end of April for Squire's Revolt (which is to have a Tudor/Elizabethan theme this year). Now you may also remember that this era is not my especial favorite, but something about these Flemish styles speak to me as a female and a medieval re-creator. They can *easily* be styled up or down to change classes. Different sleeves can remake the entire gown. One can really go hog wild with trims and beads and pearls.

Here's a very simplified, broken down version of the kirtle and gown I'm attempting. My version is closer to the cutting layout of "Tudor Tailor" and "Pattern Book".

My chemise is already completed (uh, well minus finishing the hem [you're surprised?] and neckhole), and is of white cotton muslin. I normally use unbleached muslin for my earlier period chemises because (for me) it represents the less refined aspects of medieval clothing.

So keep an eye on this blog for more updates. I have 3 major projects going right now, and several smaller ones in the works.

Also, I'm experimenting with a toddler line of basic t-tunics, early period peplos, and Persian coats that will go on eBay next weekend hopefully.

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!

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