Where the heck have I been?

Well, I'll tell you I've been incredibly busy and life has been happening and etc, etc.

Besides having a writing habit that goes in spurts, I've been trying to cope with the Michigan economy and the very nonexistent job prospects here. So, I started my own business as a seamstress doing alterations and making soft goods, costumes, and clothing for commission clients. That line of occupation is slowly chugging along.

The more exciting news is that I've been doing a lot of sewing and research for this SCA habit. I've been mainlining wool for about 6 months now.

I'll back up a little. I finally found a culture that I'm comfortable in for my SCAdian game and I'm considerably more committed to the research for Norse culture. It's been a long road for me, bouncing from a newcomer to 14th century English to 12th century Anglo-Saxon, to dabbling in Safavid Persian and Ottoman Turkish, to finally 10th century Hiberno-Norse. I feel like I've landed at home and I've not looked back. There is the rather difficult aspect of changing my name now that most people know me as Gillian, but it's been a transition and I feel like it's starting to work.

So my new fascination in Norse culture has led me to a very specific interest in using the proper materials for my garb. There's less wiggle room in Norse culture for fudging with silk and linen to save money, so I've been searching high and low for deals on wool. Luckily, it's been a wool-heavy modern season or four and I've built up enough of a stock to start fortifying my kit with real wool. In my heart, I want to be spinning and weaving my own wool for clothing, but modern woven will have to do for now.

To this aim, I've been trying to learn as much as possible about textiles and am starting to dip into textile production. I've also been sinking further into tablet weaving as that's what Norse women do when they aren't spinning and weaving and sewing and cooking. It's a busy life being a Norse woman!

Garb Updates!:

• The blue tunic in the previous post is still not finished because I ran out of stupid DMC floss in that color and I've been too distracted to go find more. I also have no documentation for the embroidery style and I made the seams before I knew how to properly flat-fell seams. It will languish until I have more energy for it.
• I'm nearly finished with my first hand-sewn wool kyrtle (gown/dress/whatever) and will find the time to post pictures when I have it fitted properly. I also need to do a little fulling on the seams to prevent unraveling and to lock the wool together to seal the seams. It's still lacking a hem and a neckline finishing--is anyone surprised?
• I'm preliminarily finished with a experimental hangerrock in a style I think is possible based on the Birka finds. It's made from basket-woven, multicolored hounds-tooth wool.
• I finally have a pair of brooches to hang my wealth from and hold up my hangerrock. Purchased from Raymond's Quiet press and based on a find from Yorkshire, UK.
• I'm in the planning stages of a Birka coat and a cloak based on the Valkyrie images.
• I now have enough serviceable underwear to stop having to wear modern pants and shorts under my garb. I based the first ones I've made on braises, but the next stop will be Thorsberg trousers.
• I'm planning on finding someone *cough*NYM*cough* to teach me to spin and also someone to teach me to naalbind. For this, I'll need spindle, whorl, maybe a distaff, and a bone needle. It's time for me to make Norse stockings instead of using the 12th century hosen.
• I'm putting together a map and time-line of the major archaeological finds that include textiles for the Viking Age. Probably to be submitted as an A&S project at some point. I have never seen anything like this, so I'm hoping it will be well-received.
  
• I'm developing a 4 part series of classes dedicated to hand sewing and focusing on Viking Age stitches and techniques. The first part is finished and I attempted to teach it at Squire's, but no one showed up to the class. Still debating on whether or not I want to teach it at Pennsic next year in the full 4 parts. I'd like to teach it a few times just to see how it goes first.
• I just finished my first real tablet woven project. It's pretty rough-looking. Tablet weaving is definitely an acquired skill, but I'll keep chugging at it.
• I sorted and arranged all my garb stash fabric, decided what I would use it for, and labeled it all. This was part of a huge organizational project for my office. I also hung up all my garb and arranged my upstairs spare bedroom into a garb and SCA stuff storage room.
• I made all the repairs on all the garb that needed it.
  
• I sorted out all the garb I don't need anymore and added it to the Ealdnordwuda Gold Key that is now in my possession. I also sorted all the Gold Key by type of garment and labeled the boxes so it's easier to find people garb they can wear.
  
• Last summer, I did a huge RIT dye project and dyed some of my older, yuckier garb more acceptable colors. I'm so much happier with it now. The two unbleached chemises I made for my very first Pennsic in 2005 are still in use as camp scrub garb and now they're dark red and salmon pink. They've been reworked since that Pennsic (thank goodness) and are now just very light t-tunics with short sleeves.
• Still halfheartedly searching for a period alternative to a bra that will give me support and not make my chest look like a swamp monster. I fiddled for several years with a princess-cut thing, but it mashed my boobs up funny. I'm back to modern bras for the sheer saving of my neck and back, but the search continues slowly. I think some sort of fabric wrap will be the next attempt, but then I'll need aid in getting dressed. I especially need something to go under my armour so I can comfortably swing a sword. Budgetary concerns and this bra issue keep the armour front stalled as well.

*Lady* Gillian de Chelseye

At Midrealm's Pennsic court, I was awarded my Award of Arms (AoA) and can now call myself either Lady Gillian de Chelseye, or Gillian de Chelseye, AoA.

My friends conspired to make a proper lady of me and I certainly was surprised. I nearly fell off my bench and had to be escorted to the dais by my clan brother Berach.

Lady Maeve Dianotto inscribed my scroll, and a view of her magnificent work can be seen here at her website.

I also was awarded a baronial Northern Star for Service during the baronial Pennsic court.

In other news, this lady is finishing her armour and will begin fight practice next week Wednesday.

Woot!


YiS,
Gillian

News and Notes

Well, it's a good thing I haven't had much SCA news to post lately, as I've had plenty of mundane accidents and emergencies to deal with. The most exciting (and problematic) of those was the tree that fell on my house. Needless to say this put a speedbump in my roadway to Pennsic projects.

Speaking of Pennsic projects and fast approaching deadlines related to said projects, I've made another list!

My personal garb

• wool peplos/bog dress for official MacEoghain functions
• wool Persian coat for our "A Meal in the Levant" class
• dark blue linen tunic dress, 13th century
• chevron weave tan linen short sleeve tunic dress, 13th-14th century
• at least 3 more Bohemian Bathouse smocks, 1 linen and 2 muslin
• an early 15th C. kirtle, linen
• an 11th C. tunic dress in lightest peach with a surcote in rosy lavender
• at least 3 more pairs of hose
• real garters, instead of fabric scraps (or more fabric scraps...)
• wool inserts for my period shoes
• at least 2 pairs of drawstring pants
• 5 pairs of shorts/underwear (the last batch were cut wrong, wrong, wrong and I refuse to wear bike shorts again this year because they're too hot)
• 2 new veils, linen
• a new coif, linen
• a dark grey wool court dress, 13th century with embroidery
• 2 cotton tunic dresses, 12th century
• alterations on blue cotton tunic dress
• a Viking/Rus ensemble, tube dress over-tunic

My projects for other people:

• 3 gowns; a 11th C. tunic dress and two 15th C. kirtles for Anne, Io's new lady. It's her first Pennsic and her first garb and hopefully she'll be comfortable. Possibly a few Bohemian Bathouse smocks, but I'm waiting for the go-ahead on those.

Sure, it's a lot of stuff, but I'm mostly finished with one of Anne's 15th C. Kirtles, and I have the tunic dress cut out. Once her stuff is done, I can finish mine. I'd like to be able to take an actual amount of clothing this year so I'm not running around in my chemise.

More later, maybe some pictures.

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

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

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)