2022 costuming/crafting in review

This is kinda why I wanted to start back up a blog again. I post in a lot of places on social media when I'm done with a project, but I struggle when it's time to think about what I did all year. Because I haven't been to any events since 2019, it feels like I'm not really  accomplishing anything (and to be honest, there's been a lot of started projects that never get finished).

So let's review!

January

Starting off the year with UFO of the Ghirlandaio dress. Had the fabric since last summer (or was it summer of 2020?) but I had put it down when the bodice wasn't cooperating despite 3 mock-ups. First time I've ever put a train on a dress (usually because the fabric is too expensive to buy more than shoulder to hem lengths). It's just a little sweep, but I'm excited to have it. Used the ugly "dirt" dupioni from Silkbaron to line the train hem (so decadent lining in silk).

February

Used my Bootstrap Fashion pattern for my body double and my a mini 1/2 size model. Plan was to make small mock up versions (or maybe just costume that instead since I never seem to finish any of my costumes).

March

No crafting, all the focus was on school or the school play. 15th anniversary trip to Monterrey. My gift to Jon was renting a '69 Cougar convertible for him to drive me around the peninsula in. It was honestly really cool and nice to do an excursion. Jon came down with Covid right after that. Luckily no one else in the family got it.

April

While March was pretty much devoid of crafting me-time, in April I completed my first major digitizing project with the embroidery machine. I digitized the blackwork for sleeves and neckline of this English smock. I am especially proud of how exact I got my neckline bands to line up. 

I also got the set finished for the performances of the first school play since BC (before Covid). Kids had been rehearsing since early February. We did 4 performances (3 evening and 1 matinee) of a melodrama (The Pony Expresso - or The Villain Comes to a Grinding Halt). They were really terrific and I have a couple who have loads of talent.

May

I finally succumbed to Covid. 2 weeks before the school year ended. At least no one else got it in the family.

June

School's out so I can get some long haul sewing time in (or play on my phone all day I guess). Finally worked up the courage to cut my silk and to embroider the oak leaves. The gironea is a peachy and gold silk brocade from a dealer in India and now for the life of me I can't remember who which is a shame because their prices were great. The leaves were embroidered on "muse" silk taffeta from Silkbaron.

 

Just before heading to San Diego for a conference, I got a wild bug up my but to do another Italian camicia. Chose to do insertion stitch seams.

Part 2 coming soon.

What have I to say that's important enough?

It's been a forever since I posted anything. Honestly, I feared this blog might have been taken over by Russian bots of something by this point. I vaguely remembered I even had it.

I wanted to start up again mostly to just track some of my sewing/crafting; a year in review maybe.

Also I wanted a gratitude journal (since I'm more likely to post something if I can do it from a mobile app on the fly while I'm thinking about it. The last time I logged in here, blogger didn't even have a mobile app.

But when faced with a blank page and the opportunity to post something...I froze. What do I have to say that's important enough?

100 Day Art Challenge 2017 - First 5 Days

Flirting with my Muse.

The Objective: 
Do 100 Days of Art in any preferred medium(s). This does NOT mean back-to-back days. Document your art "process" by taking/posting pics of each project and posting a little info about it (the process, any challenges, any pitfalls, etc.) in at least the West Kingdom A&S and your Principality A&S Facebook pages. This INCLUDES research/writing/documentation or what I call "falling down the rabbit hole". Talk about that part of the process too.

The Timeline:
Begin March Crown, end October Crown. This is a comfortable 6 month timeline. No pressure deadlines unless you set them for yourself. You are accountable to no-one but yourself on this. But posting helps keep you accountable to yourself.

Day 1:

I finished the block on the chessboard with the squares. I then did a whole block with the 8-point stars (that was a super fast piece). Began work on a Greek Key pattern.

I also decided this challenge would be the perfect time to focus on the 16th century doublet I started for Hubster last summer. I found it in the mess of sewing stuff since we moved. I tried it on him again to gauge some things. We decided that the back was, indeed, too short. Consult with my Laurel and my Laurel proxy (her fiance) via text message determined that it is located at the proper waist location for Hubster, but I will go ahead and increase the back length a little since he's not comfortable with it where it is. Then I took the whole thing apart. This required finding my seam ripper. Why do I never have a seam ripper when I need one?

Day 2: 
Went to A&S night and spent 90 minutes working only on the Greek Key pattern block. Sometimes the chessboard blocks take a little time. Sometimes they take a long time. This was one of those blocks. You'd think I'd get a block that was already started finished during this time. And yes I did socialize, but I didn't really budge from my spot on the couch next to the good light. I just kept stitching while others were bitching (kibitzing, gossiping, whatevs). I decided I needed to remind people about the scale of my work that I'm doing. So I included a dime.

The I decided the dime wasn't quite conveying the tiny tiny intricate work I'm doing on these chessboard sampler blocks. So I got out Hubster's sliding gauge. Would you look at that?! Each arch in the Greek Key pattern is 2 mm tall. 2 mother-f***ing millimeters!!! Please respect the work that goes into hand embroidery. Or I will hunt you down! And I will destroy you...2 mm at a time!

Day 3 - no pictures, just lots of research
Today was spent in researching a sewing technique that is essential to the fit of the doublet. Pad Stitch. I spent a couple of hours reading, rereading, watching videos, image looking. I can't quite wrap my brains around the pad stitch. Will most likely have to suck it up and just try on some scrap fabrics once I cut the doublet out of the canvas, wool, and linen. In the mean time, here are some of my research links:
Sempstress
Rory Duffy
This lady on YouTube
Mathew Gnagy (whose book The Modern Maker is what I'm following along with to make the doublet)

Day 4:
I went to JoAnn Fabrics to pick up the wool felt I needed for the padding in the doublet. Awesomeness was purchasing online for in-store pick up. There was a line, but when Micheila came up to help at the register, she let me cut the whole line since I wasn't buying anything more than the fabric I ordered and already paid for. The little old biddies who were complaining about the long wait were all chagrined when I got to cut the line. Nya nya.

Finished the Greek Key pattern block on the blackwork sampler. Did a block that looked rather like a stained glass window. Started a snail block. Love the snails. They're super cute. They will eventually be alternating direction.

 Also, laid out the pieces of Hubster's doublet and prepped for cutting out. But you turn your back for one second and "helpers" come and help. Not helping Poppy!!! Got all the pieces cut from the linen outer fabric and from the canvas interlining. Also cut the wool felt for the should padding on the front and back pieces.

Day 5:
I spent a little bit of time trying to work pad stitching. It's actually kind of amazing how the shape forms from the stitches. The nice thing about the pad stitched pieces I was working is that they are not on the outer fashion fabric so I didn't have to worry about how small the stitches were on the back. All parts of my stitching will be covered by the outer fabric and inner lining.
Hopefully this video links.

https://www.facebook.com/jontheartguy/videos/10155182649324138/

I also started some thread wrapped buttons (which I'll be teaching a class on soon for Shire A&S night) and did some more work on the snail block.

100 Day Art Challenge 2017 - the lead up

A few of my friends did a 100 Day Art Challenge toward the end of last year in response to a fighter challenge called 100 Century Drill (wherein the fighters do 100 consecutive days of century drills - hitting 100 strikes on a training pell). For the artists, they posted on the various SCA artisan groups/their own pages the kinds of ways they were "arting and crafting."

I'm currently a Queen's Artisan for Her Western Majesty, Queen Zanobia. I've not really felt like I'm doing a "good job" as an artisan. I haven't been doing any research on anything new. I've not really been doing any of my art. I've not been teaching. I couldn't get to March Crown (or even send with someone else) my current projects to display for the populace. The only thing I've been working on is the blackwork sampler chessboard for the Publick House. Literally. I'm still working on game boards for the project that was meant to be a birthday gift last October. I'm sucking at this gift giving thing.

Now, the only other time I've been a royal artisan was during the last Cynaguan reign, for Princess Sylvie. Sylvie was recently made a Laurel right before her husband won the coronet of Cynagua. So she had a lot of ideas for her artisans in order to help promote the arts in the principality. We had a checklist of thing to do. . . I think I got them all done. Maybe I didn't succeed with "make something for yourself" because I usually do make most of my stuff for myself. I'm either crafting for largesse coffers of making garb for me. I did start on, but not finish, the doublet for Jon. That's something new.

So back to Queen's artisan. I was feeling a serious lack of direction and like I was being not a good artisan. I'm not doing anything of note really. Just working on the chessboard. I was also feeling really bummed about missing March Crown and about my place in SCA in general. Sort of sad-sack. My tenure as seneschal is coming to an end and I don't feel like I've done a very good job in running the shire; there's been many times when I think I've done more harm than good and just barely kept the thing together despite my best intentions. (There was a moment when I got an email from kingdom exchequer saying my shire -I'm- the reason we can't use paypal for transactions.) Long sob story short, I really feel like I'm just not present, not doing a good job, not being recognized for anything I do do.

So I wrote to my Laurel Counselor (who just happens to have been my Laurel's Laurel - so she's like my grandlaurel). The reason for this is two-fold. She's the Laurel Counselor for this reign and it's her duty to guide us artisans along our paths. My Laurel has also not been in the game as of late; she's often saying how she's just not feeling the SCA thing anymore and pulling away from the game (so when your own guide is lost, you don't ask them for direction).

"Grandmother,

"I'm very sorry to say that I don't think I've been a very good Queen's Artisan. I've done very little research or creation. I don't have a real direction with any art. I've not done any teaching nor have I even been to our local A&S nights and discussed art. My muse seems to be gone. I spend little time doing any artistic pursuits. And then I add to all of this the inability to get to events; I am lost.

"Do you have any advice for me or suggestions on what I might be able to do? What do I need to do to be able to really be a Queen's artisan?

"Thank you,

Margaret"

"Is real life being overwhelming? Work, family, other stuff? That can often chase away the muse. If that's the case, real life comes first. Find ways to deal with that or hang on and ride out whatever the crisis may be.

"I will often find my inspiration by immersing myself in art ... anything from pinterest to a museum. Another thing that works for me is picking something I've never done and giving it a try. I'm going to attempt the Kingdom A&S Championship (with the new format) this year and I'm doing all the entries outside my comfort zone (i.e. no food). Learning  a new skill, even if you may only use it once, can stretch and re-awaken the muse.

"Never let creativity become a chore. Her Majesty chose you to encourage you, not to scare or pressure you. We are all makers, it is part of what distinguishes humans from other animals. Your muse will return when you are ready for her. If that doesn't come until after Beltane, that's OK.

"I hope some of this is helpful. Please feel free to talk to me about this or anything else as much as you need.

Juana Isabella"

This was very much what I needed to hear at the time. You see, for those keeping track at home, it's hard for me to ask for help or to appear fallible. Even though I'm still a learner and unfinished. Which brings us back to the purpose of the post. Almost immediately afterward, my friend (and mega-artisan) Tusya decided to restart a 100 Day Art Challenge - a version 2.0 so to speak. She wants the artists and artisans of the Kingdom to just keep plying their crafts. And part of her initiative is that we even post the days when the craft goes wrong, or all we do is research, or maybe all we work on is boring stuff. She just asked that we work on our art for 100 days between March Crown and October Crown. It doesn't even have to be 100 consecutive days. We'll actually have about 6 months to get it completed.

So I took up the challenge.

Garbing baby - the beginning

SCA garb.

Vittorio (my fighter) and his wife are expecting their first baby. She doesn't play very much, but she's come to events a few times, especially our local ones. A couple of weeks ago, the first announcements of their baby shower started to be floated around on Facebook. They hadn't registerred for baby goods anywhere yet and when I pestered them for ideas, Vittorio asked for baby garb - little late period Italian baby garb specifically. Gillian (the wife) then chimed in that she wanted Welsh garb for their baby girl. Italian baby clothes will be so adorable because SQUEE! The Welsh clothes will be a little harder to make up because...well...the Welsh don't really have anything in the way of garb. So I think I might do some more Norse/Saxon type clothes for her.

This is going to be a place to put my ideas for the baby clothes. She's (because you've probably figured out baby is a girl by now) is due at the end of March/beginning of April. I bought some great red & gold fabric for the Italians. Also I got a green linen blend.

Some links I'm looking at:

http://www.lelandra.com/SCA/Anachronist.htm

http://www.forest.gen.nz/Medieval/articles/baby/sewing.html

http://www.elizabethancostume.net/ - love this page, using this for their articles on children this time but I used the smock/chemise pattern generator for my most recent chemise made in super sheer cotton gauze

Handy dandy charts on avg children's measurments

and of course, I'll ask the EC Bees on Facebook if they can share pics of babies in garb with me. And always, there's Pinterest and google searches.

Stupid weight loss (and the lack thereof)

I'm at a totally irritating weight plateau. I've lost and gained the same 5 lbs for the last 2 months. It makes me grumpy about weighing in. I have sworn I'm gonna redouble my loss efforts over the holiday season. I know I can do it. When I started Weight Watchers back in 2013, Mom & I started the first weekend in December. And I lost 8 pounds between then and Valentine's Day. So I know it's possible to lose over the holiday season. So, plan is now work really hard at making good food choices and getting exercise for the next 5 weeks (just starting right after I finish this cookie dough while sitting on the couch and blogging about how annoying not losing weight when I'm half-assing it is).
Another thing that's making me really grumpy about weight loss and going to meetings is not getting any props at my WW meetings. I lost almost 15 lbs between the beginning of August and mid-October. Did I get any 5 lb star stickers? NO! Not a stupid single sticker. Meanwhile there's a couple of women who get a ribbon's worth of 5 lb stickers every time they weigh in because they've lost "yet another 5 lbs" so our leader starts counting off 5, 10, 15, 20 . . . up to 60. UGH! Why is my little accumulated 14 lbs (a whole STONE I might add - I've lost an entire unit of weight measurement in England) not worth 2 stickers? This makes me grumpy. Why are my milestones not as important just because I haven't lost 60 lbs yet? Ya know, I think a big part of it is my leader and then staff at this particular WW. No one even made a big deal when I got through my booklet (and only missed 1 week out of the 16). I went to a meeting every single week for 4 months straight and no one noticed. Kind of like how I'm feeling about a lot of things in my life right now.
Now I'm sad. Stupid weight loss.

The napkins for the King & Queen

Finally getting around to posting on this. Previous mention of the napkins here. I had the napkins ready to go by the time of the Coronation at Purgatorio. However, I didn't get them into anyone's hands soon enough to get to the site in time (in my defense, school had just started about 2 weeks earlier). I was able to bring them to the October Crown tournament and deliver them in person.
So for my napkins for Alfar & Eilis, I took elements from their personal devices and embroidered them onto the blocks. I also learned a couple of new stitches for them. I mentioned this to Her Majesty when I presented them, but she seems to not really care very much about them. I got a brief "thank you" and I think I saw the napkins get put aside rather quickly. She gave me a rose for the effort though. That's nice.

His Majesty's device: for this a put one portcullis in the corner of the napkin. I worked it in Bayeux stitch with chain stitch for the chains. After finishing it, I fully realize that Bayeux stitch was the wrong one. The lines are just not big enough. I learned that Bayeux is better for covering larger areas. I also put the cross-gurgity in the other three corners, one in each color from his device. For these, I learned ladder stitch. This was nice because the ladders make a nice border edge that you don't need to do a stem or outline stitch for.

Unfortunately I can't find my pics of the crosses at this moment.

Her Majesty's device: for this I did the knot-work in the Hungarian braid stitch. It takes forever because it's fiddly, but I like the slightly raised line it makes. I put one of these in every corner of the napkin. Then I took her purple rose and worked that in Bayeux stitch. This looked a lot better than the portcullis on Alfar's napkin.

I entered the napkins in the Wreath of Athena competition at Crown. I have no idea how well I did. It's a populace vote competition and I find embroidery often doesn't "cut the mustard" since I think a lot of people think "oh I can do that." But the truth is, they don't and they won't put the time into it either. So meh. Sometimes people suck when it comes to crafting.

Here's a couple more pictures of me from the event. I spent the majority of the day hanging out in the salon with the needleworkers guild. it was nice to have an on the eric view of the tournament but stay in the shade. At one point the Youth Point kids came through. They were "pillaging" the different camps as part of their studies on the Vikings that weekend.

Heidi working on some gorgeous blacckwork.

Don't let that last pic fool you. I spent the day of Crown busily working on my own emboidery. I was working on blackwork sampler and some Hungarian braid stitch for the great game board project.