Still here...

Just a quick post to say I am still here and am still working on projects.  Currently I am knitting on two pair of socks (one for an auction I offered a pair in), working on a cloak for a peerage elevation, a silk banner (slow going cause the silk is being difficult) and am plotting many other projects as well. Another blackwork coif, goblet cover, embroidered bag in german brick stitch, etc.

End of school year and work has me crazy and exhausted that a lot of times i fall asleep on the sofa at 8pm. Don't worry..ill post pics soon. thanks for sticking around.

Scanning.....Scanning......Scanning...

So, while cleaning up my sewing/craft area in the basement, I came across my binder of documentation from projects that predate this blog and were saved on a computer that long ago died and was disposed of. So, I spent a good hour of my evening scanning them in and posting them on google docs.  Posting them here so I can save the links as well as share.

15th c Men's Goldwork hood:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1n-BAgbhgNNJ18rBY7_HZSaikBNfSf8sz

Appliqued Heraldic Banner
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1S225ntfHi4DU8o-ZEiO2n63mAFQ5YgD1

Blackwork Chalice Cover
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1CDKxvwkrtcyFZYxfqKY2ke2nhXDmr66C

Blackwork Coif
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Q0ZyDoxMX8AXQEfmqOMmVkTs_t6QGO1h

German Brickwork Pouch
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1QaJucOp1O5WMa5mT_V7JmM0biWqkdy_9

Embroidered Men's 14th c Embroidered Hood
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1KqjdRUfzc19GTEcwdo4TYKlyecqob3zM

Gothic era Outfit
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1dWpT0ERh3HqhgaA9vEC7l8Zm-Hhg3U0M

Stumpwork Queen's Order of Courtesy Glove
https://drive.google.com/open?id=174vJklgTUjTeYfzx97g40pBrhxpDDg2I


I also taught a class on embroidered book bindings and I've uploaded the handout I made as well.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12rWETEXnwpBBgkmhPR4aLm2lOBZGcW2d/view?usp=sharing

And I have now freed up one square foot of space in my basement. I'm sure that extra space won't last long. LOL!

"I've Got a New Attitude!!!!" (you know you're hearing the song in your head now)

Did you ever have some bad news in your life and it just hits you hard? How about multiple accounts of bad news fairly close together?   Yea, that was me the last couple weeks.  It hit me hard and took the wind out of my sails. I was more than sad for a few weeks. It doesn't matter what the news was (no one died, no one is sick so don't worry there) but what matters is it mattered to me. It brought me to a point where I thought I might quit one of my most favorite hobbies of playing in the SCA.  That's when it occurred to me that somewhere along the line and over the last few years, I'd lost the fun playing in the SCA.  I was always worrying about working on my peerage track and about how accurate my clothing was, how I acted, what I did and said with my teachers that I forgot to do the most important thing - to have fun. I was over committing myself with projects that I never had time to make anything for myself or my family, including new garb for myself because I have lost some weight and my old garb is a bit loose.

I know, I can hear friends reading this saying "No shit, we have been telling you this for a while!", but it doesn't matter how many times friends say it if it doesn't truly sink in. My sadness was bad enough that I sat at my local shire's dancing event and NEVER EVEN DANCED ONCE!! What the f***!!  It was after that event and talking with one or two friends about how I was feeling that it finally caused it to sink in.  I want the fun back. I want the laughs back. I want the joy and inspiration that I use to be overflowing with back...the excitement to buy all the supplies to start a new projects back... So I have decided that I am going to get them back.  I don't know why it took this long for the realization to sink in but it did and it feels like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I feel lighter for it.  I have plans for garb with mad amounts of embroidery on them like an apron dress with grapes and ivy encircling the hemline.  A Viking coat for myself with firebirds on it! Embroidered under dresses....accuracy be damned!! Take all the pictures and not feel obligated to do things...but do them because I want to. I'm going to try new things in the SCA too like bardic arts and I have an interest in fencing. Heralding was fun the one or two times I tried it and I didn't barf from nerves so, why not! Maybe even get back into scribal arts (now that Kyle is old enough not to "help").  I probably sound like a raving idiot but  I finally feel like the cup is full again and I want to drink it all up!  

Maybe this doesn't make any sense to you, but trust me..this is all good and I feel fabulous now! I plan to be more focused on my own needs and wants..to put myself first instead of putting everyone else first as I have done for so many years.  That isn't to say I wont do things for others but the balance will sway a bit more towards myself than away from now on. I feel enlightened and good and determined to focus on fun from now on. This is a statement I had to say more for myself than for you but figured if you'd seen me lately and how I have been, you'd now have a sort of explanation. I apologize for how I have been of late. I promise you wont see me that way any more. 

Anyway, we now return you to our regularly scheduled crafting blog...soon to be listing lots of fun stuff!

Socks of Freedom!

Her Majesty came to me some time back asking me to knit a small sock in the East Kingdom's colors.  She wanted to give it to a kingdom officer that was stepping down from his office. His knick name was "Doby". So, how else do you free a Doby?? You give him a sock!!

I give you...the East Kingdom Doby Socks of Freedom!!

They are hand knit with super wash merino wool and nylon. 

"Doby" getting his sock of freedom!

Mercedes receiving her sock of freedom! 

Embroidered Tunic

A friend contacted me and asked if I could embroider a tunic for him. I assumed he wanted me to construct one and embroider it but he sent me a blue linen tunic via SCA courier.  I thought adding black embroidered linen to the blue tunic would be more dressy.  Also, in period, embroidery was done on separate pieces of linen then appliqued onto the garment so that when the garment deteriorated beyond wearing, they could remove the embroidery and attach it to a new garment. Materials used were black linen fabric and Splendor silk embroidery thread.  Stitches used were double herringbone stitch and split stitch. 

The knotwork embroidery was executed in split stitch.

Adding herringbone stitch to hide the mundane machine stitches used to attach the piece.

Completed embroidery for sleeves and hem of the tunic. 

Knotwork dogs on center of neckline.

Completed tunic. 

I am very pleased with how it came out.

Dying to Try Something New...

A friend of mine sent me some un dyed yarn and some samples of dyes to give a try at hand painting yarn.  Decided to give it a whirl the other day.  Soaked the DK weight yarn that was superwash merino and silk in water that had citric acid mixed in. I used the plastic wrap and microwave method since I don't have anything more appropriate for doing heat dying. (a friend uses stainless steel bowls on her cook top)  I used the sapphire blue and bright yellow, which ended up mixing and making a lovely green as well. I am quite pleased with how it turned out. I have two more skeins to dye and also a sock blank. I post results when done! :D

Soaking the yarn in citric acid water

Laying out the wet yarn to apply the dye.

Placing the dye soaked yarn in the plastic wrap in a glass tart dish to cook in the microwave. 2 minutes at first then 1 minute each time after until the dye is soaked into the yarn and the water is clear.

Finished cooled yarn hanging for picture. 

Dried completed hang of hand painted yarn.

East Kingdom Queen's Guards Baldrics

While M.I.A. from the SCA for three months due to postal job hell, I was not idle with projects. Aside from various pairs of socks I made, I took on a project of making baldrics for the Queen's Guard to wear at SCA functions. They had several baldrics but they didn't have enough for all the guards on staff and some had seen better days. So, I thought this would be something to keep me busy but still keep me involved behind the scenes.

 I hand embroidered each rose and then appliqued them onto a purple baldric that I backed and trimmed in matching yellow fabric. In total there were 35 to start, but...there was a corgi puppy incident with one..so then there was 34.   Materials used were a thick cotton for durability, cotton DMC thread, again for durability and cost factor.  I am very pleased to have them completed and very happy with how they turned out.

Each rose was hand embroidered using satin stitch, split stitch and stem stitch.

34 Baldrics in total.