Nothing much going on...

This is creative chaos. Unfortunately it´s just me trying to get my new craftsroom in order, sorting stuff and categorizing. But when I´m done sorting, then I will remember all the cool stuff I actually have and all the fabric, yarns and other materials. Then I will for sure make something new!

Babysteps

So, finally, I´m back to making garb and starting on the challenge of creating entirely new garb from the inside out. All in late 15th century german style. Today I had invited some ladies over for trying out and discussing fitted underwear, mainly in the light of the Lengberg finds. Lots of theories came up and we decided to ponder over them by ourselves for a while and then get together again and see how we are doing.

But we did also some fitting of bodice toilles and I got help making a new toille for me. A good way to start in order to create the fitted bra-kind of underwear. And the toille looks really pretty!

To be continued...

To challenge myself

I just joined a new facebook group, the DW 30-day challenge, after having seen friend after friend joining. What a great idea, challenge yourself to try something new for thirty days. I have been giving it some thought, since that is about all I can at the moment, awaiting the surgery next week and the move in three weeks. But since I will get my own study in the new house, I will do as I promised myself years ago and make use of at least one of all the looms I´m housing. So that will be my new challenge for the new year, try out handweaving, aiming to make a piece of fabric big enough to then make into a garment for my self. But that is surely a bit more than a 30-day job. So on the same path, I do wanna practice weaving edges since I´m crap at it and it is needed for assembling pouches and the like. Also I wanna challenge myself into other techniques for assembling pouches, as they are described in Sweet bags by Jacqui Carey.

Downsizing

So my friends, this week everything comes at the same time. We decided to sell our house and went searching for a new one, in town, so we can walk instead of drive and where we don´t get stressed out over the garden, the outhouses, the needed renovations... the list is endless. And guess what! We found our new house. And you know the feeling when entering a house and instantly see where you would put your own furniture? That must be the right house for us. And from my new bedroom window I can se the towers of the medieval town wall.

On the same day as we gave an offer on the house and got it accepted, I got the letter from the hospital saying I will do my breastreduction at the end of November. Great! But that means that everything I have to do getting our house in order for selling it must be done before that. Bummer. I will have no problem filling my days and weekends the coming month.

Well, since I´ve lost weight and will loose the boobs, time to clear out the closets and yes, I will sell most of my medieval clothes. It´s more fun sewing new clothes than altering. I might keep some stuff, like the dark green 14th-century dress embroidered with acorns and oak leaves, but other than that, no.

So my word of the month is downsizing, in almost every aspect.

Just cover it with fabric and call it medieval

Today I suddenly felt the urge for a small and easy project, and went searching for one of my goldwork-tryouts with 3D-hearts and a small box. Time for fabric-covering the actual period way - fabric covered boxes were and used during medieval times as reliquary boxes. You can see some examples here: http://medievalartcraft.blogspot.se/2010/02/treasury-of-basel-cathedral.html

I learned how to do this at Double Wars this spring and found it a very fun and quick project, not counting the time used for the embroidery part of course. It is also a perfect use for small-scale embroidery and try-outs. So with the green-gold and red embroidery for the lid, I wanted something nice for the sides and went through my stash of fabric scraps. Found a small strip of a two-coloured green handvowen diamond twill a friend made for me which turned out to be perfect! And some herring-bone twill in black for the lining and bottom piece.

So this is halfway through the assembly, I found the lining of the sides a bit tricky as I didn´t cut the fabric diagonally. This makes the lining folding and crumbeling a bit.

This is my two boxes, both made with try-outs from the goldwork class I took last summer and with  handvoven fabric made by friends. I am pretty pleased with the results and will for sure make more boxes in different shapes and sizes. Now pondering a larger square box for my sewing kit. And if you want to try it out your self, you find the description on Åsa´s blog: http://naama.textilverkstad.se/#post54.

Our little summerhouse

We (my husband and I) long dreamt about owning a place, like a big barn, where we could host events and parties. Our house is big and we have a barn, but sadly it is not in good enough shape to make an event site of it.

But then, a couple of years ago, the husband suddenly told me that he wanted to buy a summer house. "Are you mad?" I thought. We barely cope with our house as it is. And could we afford another one? But as it turned out, we did. Because the place is beatiful and here we can fulfill the dream of hosting events. Just some weeks ago our local baronial tourney took place at our "little" summerhouse, that actually is the military field hospital of northern Gotland, complete with underground shelter, surgery halls and 1,5 acres of forest surronding it.

Perfect for small events!

And just as cream on the pie, it is also perfect for the sewing circle I hosted last weekend, themed "Sew something warm for our Lucia-event" taking place in mid December. With large tables, good lighting (surgery halls are good for handicrafts) and plenty of space and a fully functional kitchen so that I could serve everybody with food.

My husband found the amazing furniture at an auction, four tables and 16 chairs that came out of someone elses broken dream of hosting medieval events. And the bench was bought by my mother in law, it is an actual 16th century chest that was remodeled into a bench during the late 19th century. She never found a place for it so it ended up here and looks just perfect. The walls got clad with fabric for the baronial event and it has the lovely effect of making the echoes dissapear and the room to appear more period and more cosy.

We were six people in all last weekend, me, Daniel, Isabelle, Mona, Åsa and Martin, chatting away while making good progress at new and old unfinished projects. Isabelle cut out the pieces for a Herjolfsnes coat and started to assemble it, Mona learned naalbinding, cut out a cap and got the pattern for the Lödöse mittens, Daniel cut out and started putting a thin wool lining in his Herjolfsnes coat. I mended my hose, finished off one pair of children mittens and cut out and got quite far on a hood for the eldest son that has outgrown his. Åsa was making a new kirtle and Martin was working on a new pair of shoes. And we made plans for more sewing days like this one! With new themes of course.

To honour those that inspire and teach

This posting is dedicated to the people that inspire and teach me new wonderful things or just the little tips and tricks that make everything simple and easy to manage.

I have for several years sewn a number of tight fitted dresses. I would never have been able to do this without the help from Felicitas Schwartzenbergin, who made the toille for me. That was the first time I saw toillemaking and it was a wonderful experience! OK, lots of pins in awkward places, tickles and giggles were involved. I have seen Felicitas making toilles for other people a number of times and it is a true art! She looks at a picture of a garment, looks at the person that wants to make it, grabs fabric and scissors and just creates magic. http://bippimalin.livejournal.com/

Another true inspiration for me is Åsa Vävare, professional handweaver and researcher in old techniques. I met her first in Gutars Bågskyttar, the medieval archer association of Gotland, where we worked together in aiming for the members to make better and more period garb. She is the main supplier for yarns and silks for embroidery and handsewing and a visit to her studio always get my juices flowing… She has taught me how to make woven edges on garments and purses, how to make a fabric covered box, shared her patterns for hoods and shirts with me, as well as gotten me the original patterns for the Herjolfsnes garments direct from the National Museum in Copenhagen. She tips me about new inspiring books and gets them for me and can tell how one decorated the home with textiles in medieval times, something I will try out at our next event. http://naama.textilverkstad.se/#home

My friend Tece is the most patient teacher ever. She is the one holding my hand and patting my back when I curse folded pleats or fabric that just won´t cooperate. She is the one that got me doing hats, taught me to do lucet-cords and the one I always turn to when having garb-related questions. And she got me to Finland for a class in 15^th century dress that was just awesome! http://tecedekaxtone.livejournal.com/

Last year I took a class in gold work that was a true eyeopener for the versatility and possibilities of these techniques for Fia-Li at the Battle of Wisby encampment. The first results are seen on top of this page and I love it. The 3D-effects are a new favourite. Lots of tips and tricks were involved. And the little leaf with pearls is now on the lid of my fabric-covered box I made at Åsas class. http://natrixfiali.blogspot.se/

At this year´s Double Wars I took the Opus Anglicanum-class for Petronilla. I have seen here work before but never seen her in action. What a teacher! So calm, prepared and inspiring. She answered all my needle techniques-questions and her handout is now my bible. I see now how to make my own backgrounds in my almony purse, just need to gather the courage for it first… http://elishevaskitchen.blogspot.se/

So these are people I love and that inspire me. I link to their blogs/journals/websites so that you can see for your self. Some of them are not that active at the moment, but I´m sure they will be back on track soon! Of course there are so many others that inspire and help me out, both in real life and over the web and I cannot mention them all. I hope you know who you are!