Progress

Well, I haven't sewn a stitch yet, but I have an array of fabrics from which to chose that Ngila Dickson would enjoy! I still have one load of blue drying and burgandy and olive to go yet, but real life has its own demands!
The deep aqua fabrics are for the Ice Blue Coat and Victory Dress of Eowyn that are in the previous post, the purer blue fabrics and trims are for my version of the Arwen Requiem for the Elves dress from the 3d film. I will post pics of the olive and burgandy as they are dyed. I really love the joyous feeling I get from changing pale, empty white silks and wools into deep vibrant colors, or else gentle pastels in tranquil colors.

I wish the vibrancy of the colors really came through... nothing can show the piercing vitality. The colors positively sing to me, and when I am sad, or angry, or worried (all things I am these days with the country going as it is) they can make me feel more alive, more exhilarated than I have since I rode horses over cross country courses. And they are less dangerous! I am a little amazed at the multitude of colors, all from the same dyepots and same water. I am also a little surprised that the trim dyed. The scroll is probably acetate, and it took only a little color, but I think the others may be silk as a base. The 2 figured pieces are silk matelasse, there is silk velvet, silk crepe and an interesting silk with squares formed by crammed and spaced dents in the weaving. The lace is cotton, and came out a beautiful silvery blue, that will be the upper sleeves of the Requiem Dress. There is china silk as a lining for the sleeves, and another spaced dent piece in a silverblue that will be the outer layer. I think. But the crepe is so pretty, I want it to show too! I have no idea what the squares will be, but the color is spectacular, eh? Too intense for the Requiem piece, maybe a blouse to wear to work? I just bought a bunch of patterns (on sale of course) and there is certainly a piece or two there to consider. Let others take diamonds as their best friends, jewelry IS lovely, but silk, silk is luscious, opulent, succulent, scrumptious! Mmmm, I think I hear the silk in the dryer calling me now...

Currently Obsessed

While I try to remain sane in most of my life, there are just times when one must give in and allow a period of total immersion in some project or experience. This is one of those times. Now, that doesn't mean I won't go to work and strive to succeed, and it doesn't mean I stop making Christmas gifts for my friends. But this weekend I will be dyeing silk, drafting patterns and draping a (model) body. After all the gifts are done, I will do the actual sewing of my dream dress and it's coat. The inspiration? This gorgeous set designed for the third Lord of the Rings movie. I actually won't duplicate these, but will alter them to suit me better. The dress will drop from my shoulders rather than be a princess-seamed coathardie type dress. The coat will be somewhat shorter and the sleeves less voluminous to be more wearable... Eowyn only had to wear it while asleep on a chaise. I found a fabulous teal mohair coatweight fabric, a deeper color to suit my coloring. I found a really lovely silk matelasse. It is currently white, but will become a soft aqua, and I have a screaming chartreuse satin that I will tone down before using it for the lining of the coat. Oh, and a lovely pale fur to adorn the neck. Now, if I only had the face and body of Eowyn! This is all in prep for the next LOTR garment I want to make. But more on that later! In the meantime, more stuffies and other fun things to ready an Etsy store.

Back to work

Whew, well I have missed writing on my blog, but I needed to have a slightly different focas for a while. I haven't been without art though, as the pics show! The first photo ( why blogger put it third I don't know!)is a cat stuffie I made the day before Halloween... I needed to have something to smile about, and he, with his friends the pumpkin I sewed and raven I bought, was perfect!

Next is a wonderful old box I found at one of the thrift shops I visit, which proved to be irresistable to my cat Trouble. It has wonderful brass insets and corners, and obviously handmade drawers. I don't know what I will store in it, but it will have to be something as wonderful as the box.

The balls of yarn are of cotton and merino wool/silk that I spun up. It is really hard to spin cotton thickly... I usually spin wool, and much thinner, and the change is much harder than I imagined. I want to use it as a supplimentary weft for the borders of a cotton shirt I want to weave. I have a lot of practicing to do before then!

The fifth is a set of wrist warmers I knitted and then fulled for a friend for Christmas. I love the ragg type marled yarn. It is the merino and silk I spun up and it is so soft and silky. My friend has very sensitive skin, but this won't bother her a bit!

The last two photos (okay, I love the vagaries of blogger, they put these first!) speak of two places I have gone recently. The house is in Alexandria VA, where I had lunch with a friend and discovered two great shops, one a bead shop, and one mixed media. The house just caught my eye for the lovely ironwork. I plan to do a day trip around DC to tour all the interesting sites in the new Dan Brown book, Lost Symbols. It was fascinating. He is a master of taking the real and historical and weaving them 'round with half truths and fiction to make a compelling story, difficult to put down. I spend my 1.25 hours of commute everyday listening to books on cd. I have a tough time finding more than a few minutes at night to read, so this allows me to "read" during unproductive times. I like that!

And the orange fluffy stuff? Lovely longwool dyed the perfect color to compliment a fall colors grouping of wool I bought over the last year. There should be enough to weave enough fabric for a shawl and maybe a top too. I love those colors.

I also spent time thinking about what I want to do with my life, and how to accomplish it. I won't be too explicit now, but I have alot of work to do to set up my future. I guess I should go back down and work on Christmas, usually it is my fav time of year, though the last few years have been somewhat less so. I plan on this year being better.

Hiatus

Well, it looks like I am taking a bit of a break while I get my life in order. I am a bit overwhelmed right now, and need to figure out how to achieve what I want... and indeed what it is I want. So, til next time...

Tidbits and garb...

Not too much going on right now, creatively speaking. I did finish up a little coptic bound book I made in prep for Christmas, and I picked up 1/2 yard each of two too cute fabrics... don't you think they are cute? I have been preparing for and giving the first two classes in my surface design series. I have had 7 students in each, really a good number. They were all in both classes and I hope will stay with me for the other two as well. I am glad this time that work was slow, so I could sit down... No time off my feet during my "weekend" makes for a tired me! I haven't any pics yet but I am working on a wool/silk gown modelled on a french piece about AD1000, though my own persona in the SCA is a bit earlier. The design was around for several hundred years with very little change. I am sewing it all by hand, and boy does it ravel! I need to put in the sleeves and stitch up the sides, all the gores are in already. I am excited because this morning when I went to work I walked by the silk special table and hey presto! there was a lovely bit of silk in a shade lighter of the same color as the tunic. It will become my cotte beneathe the gown or surcotte. I really am looking forward to covering the seams to clean it up. I will take my camera to work tomorrow and get a few pics. I also finished reworking my red cotte to fit better. I will make the next one with the new technique and won't need to gusset the gusset! I get to wear that one this weekend to Challenge of the Sun God... yippee!

I Will Never Forget

I

will not forget until the last hero rises or the last foe falls.

Migraine

Thanks to the AMA for the pic. I have learned somethings about migraines, I will share them when I can see again.

The Middle Ages, housing

There is a wide variety of domiciles at Pennsic, ranging from common dome tents to perminent structures, from truly primitive to outrageously luxurious! Some are rebuilt on site every year, like Casa Bardicci (at least I think that is how it is spelled) and takes 1 1/2 weeks to set up, and some stay all year and are just hauled out by tractor from the storage area. I take a wonderful "A" shaped tent (called a geteld) that I made myself, andd it goes up very easily every year. I rent a modest storage shed so I don't have to drag everything back and forth each year. Some folks fly in and have little more than their clothes, and some have large yurts or trailors that have a skin on top to disguise their modern looks. One group of Romany (gypsies popularly but incorrectly) brings life size wooden horse profiles made from plywood, and then carry them around the site, making clipclopping sounds ala Monty Python! As a whole, we have a somewhat warped sense of humor!

The Middle Ages, Arts and Sciences

More Pennsic! There are some VERY talented people in The Known World. The time period covered is from the fall of Rome to the death of Elizabeth I, or about AD450 to AD1603. The first photo is of a variety of period needlecases, ranging from hollow bones to wrought metal.


The chair is a simple but well executed example of an X legged chair in walnut. I wish now I had taken more pics of this gentleman's work, it was lovely. Then we have a beautiful embroidered piece, in the style of the Bayeau Tapestry (not a tapestry at all, but rather embroidered). The subject is the 19 Kingdoms in today's Society.

The cape that comes next has appliqued shapes on it in wool. Period applique is a little different than ours, using couched threads as outlines around raw edges.

These shoes are the very same pattern as the ones I am making. I have played with them for a year now, and haven't been satisfied with the fit. After speaking to the shoemaker, I have a fresh outlook. Notice the ducktape footform (last) to help fit the shoe! Genious! I have used ducktape for a manikin, why didn't I think of it for my feet?

This is a lovely linenfold carved oaken chest, the joinery is amazing.

Ah, pottery. If I needed another hobby, this would be a top contender. I now own the wonderful lamp in the center position. A little olive oil and a cotton twist or wick, and you have a very safe effective lamp.

This lady's necklace is modeled after the photograph beside it. Metalwork, lampmade beads, all beautifully executed.

This stuff is alot harder than these artists make it look! There is alot of very hard work shown here, and I have barely scratched the surface.

Back from the Middle Ages

What a terrific time I had! The weather ranged from beautiful to not so much, and I ended up buying a new sunshade because of a nasty bout of wind. Straight line and no accompanying rain (whew) but going into town was not on my list of things to do that day. Never the less, I had a great time. I spent alot of time in the performing arts tent, seeing wonderful shows and learning new songs, took classes nearly every day and tryed out new food and (yummy) drinks. I also saw lots of friends I don't get to see during the year, though two of the best were not able to come. I have posted a few pics, the first is of Wolgemut, a high energy really fun band. They play period music (and new stuff too) on period instruments, and speak in a really bad German accent! The next pic is my (new) sunshade where I cook and read and comb wool and everything but sleep and change clothes. Then my tent. I made this several years ago from brushed twill cotton, and it has been very very good. The tent breathes better than any other I have used, goes up easily, keeps out the rain, and has only 10 stakes to be driven in (though more can be used if deemed useful. I am thrilled it turned out so well. The last picture is of Mistress Marion of Heatherdale, another of my favorite bards. She is a fabulous singer, plays several instruments and is just one of the nicest people you will ever meet! I also have photos of some of the many Arts and Sciences projects displayed on Monday. I will post them tomorrow. I am finding it hard to come back to the present. I always do, and will spend the next several days missing Pennsic. Where else can a girl find courtesy, chivelry and honor... okay, in the US Marines, but where else? Sigh, well, back to the real world and all.