Scrapy Scrapy

Three rows done, just have a few green squares to sew up, then I can sew the rest of the rows together. Then I will add the border. I should have the top sewn together on thursday, which gives me most of next week to work on it. I know I will need a day to baste it, then a couple to quilt it. I decided to quilt about 1/8" away from each seam. I figure it will help stablize the seamsmore than sewing in the ditch.
 The blue striped sheet will be the backing.

Quilting.... (or what to do with all the scraps)

As I have mentioned, I am very thrifty. I saved many of my scraps. When I cleaned out my sewing fabric bins, I found a garbage bag stuffed full of scraps. I sorted out my scraps into different colors, and set aside the tiny scraps. I have decided that it is time to do something with them. So I am making a quilt. ( I am also saving the tiny tiny scraps to use as stuffing for dolls or stuffed animals. They could also be used to stuff  )

I have enough scraps to make two or three full/queen sized quilts. I currently have 2 planned.

I am currently making one for a friend who watches my homeschooling son for practicaly nothing while I am at school and hubby is at work. This quilt will done in the american crazy quilt/patchwork style since I am working with scraps. Quilting is period, although It is debatable weather patchwork was period.

To start with after I sorted out my scraps, I decided to sew my scraps randomly in to squares. This quilt will be in blues, purples, and greens, with a few blocks of white with blue flowers.

To save on costs I am also using a cotton sheet for the backing instead of the tradtional muslin ($5). So I will have to buy the batting which will cost me about $12. The huge spool of thread costed about $3. I suppose that I could use an old comforter from a thrift store as batting if I could trust where it came from. So a whole home made quilt will cost me about $20. Not bad.

I currently have spent about 15 hours planning, cutting, sewing, and ironing the blue, purple and cream flower sections. I also need to cut and sew the green squares, and then sew the top together... so another five hours. Then I need to baste the layers together, and then quilt it. (I will be machine quilting it) which will be several hours. Hmmm... I am hoping I can get it done to give it as a gift for christmas.... now do I have the time.... Luckily I only have two days left of classes until winter break.

Some info on period quilts

http://www.quilthistory.com/quilting.htm

http://www.fridayvalentine.com/rafaella/kingdom_AS/blanket.pdf

http://wkneedle.bayrose.org/Articles/quilting.html

A brief hint at patchwork in the middle ages???

Extant Tristan quilt

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/medievalquilting/message/707

Finished sleeveless Kirtle

I have finished the sleeveless kirtle and made some pin on sleeves with the same wool blend plaid I used for the gaurd. I am also planning on making a  lillipre out of the same material. You can see that the dye on the kirtle itself is not very even, but considering it will be a working kirtle it is not an issue for me.

Don't mind the pic, the dark and light spots were floaters in front of the camera. But still not bad since my seven year old took the pic...

A Productive Weekend

So I was able to work some more on the embrodery on the green kirtle, almost finish my sleeveless kirtle experiment, fix a smock, repair my son's cotehardie outfit, add a couple of buttons to his undershirt, and went through my whole fabric stash and sewing area. I am now able to find everything!!!

My kirtle is finished except for adding the gaurd to the hem. I will also be making a pair of pin on sleeves out of the same fabric of the gaurd.

 So as for finding everything I found out I now have the fabric to finish some of the things I wanted to do.  Yeah!!!

Here is an update of my ongoing list of stuff to do....

• Repair my son's cotehardie outfit.  Done!!
• Line son's wool cloak, add laces to undershirt. Added  buttons
• Fix arms on green kirtle,  Done add trim, in progress and finish lacing holes. no fraying yet it can wait
• Finish sleeveless kirtle experiment.  (Just needs gaurds put on)
• I also found and organized the fabric I have for current projects. Knowing where the suff is located is half the battle right? 

Things I should do or wanted to do but now have the materials

• Another shirt, and pants for my son.
• A long sleeved under shirt and for my husband.
• Pin on sleeves and hose for myself.
• Another apron.

So updated list of stuff  to do over the winter before next camping event.

• Fix bodices on blue cotte, red kirtle, and an underdress.
• Finish green kirtle, sleeveless kirtle, and pin on sleeves.
• Line son's wool cloak, make an undershirt, and finish gray t-tunic.
• Sew tent
• Finish husband's Middle Eastern coat. Redo frogs on kaftan, and make an undershirt.
• A pair of hose or two for myself.

Stuff to do at a later date

• Redo waist band on gypsy skirt, and make a matching choli.
• Make son a gypsy vest, another shirt, and pants.
• Another apron, smock and underdress
• Cut lining for fancy purple kirtle, sew it, then embroder it.
• Make striped Kaftan for husband

Things I should do or wanted to do but need materials

• A hood and pants for my son.
• A long sleeved under shirt and for my husband.
• Gold patterned cotte once I can afford buttons.
• A Hennin, and a red or black hood. 
• A couple pairs of gloves for myself.
• A gray fur lining to make a cloak/mantle from a red/purple woolen material I have.

Gahhh!! Must fix most of my gowns!!!

So I have gained enough boobage to have to expand the bodice on all my fitted cottes and kirtles except the green kirtle (which I just fixed) and my wool one, and none of my under dresses fit eithier..... *sigh* More winter projects for me. At least my loose kirtle and houpes still fit.

Embrodery on Green Kirtle

So I have been slowly workiing on the embrodery on my green kirtle... just a few pics of the progress so far... I need to add some of the leaves yet, and have only done the front part of the bodice, but so far I am please with how it is turning out.

You can see how the sleeves are split. When I have the hooks and eyes on and closed them the split will lay better on the back of the arms, and then my underdress (I was thinking of making a pair of sleeves to go under, either a close fitting blue, or maybe a fine white gathered sleeve) will show through the split.

Updating the green Kirtle

The green kirlte I have needed some updates. The sleeves were always a bit snug on the forearms, and my bust seems to be growing again. I had enough seam allowance to let out the bust a bit, but not in the arms.

SO..... 

I split the sleeve up to the elbow. My kirtle now has hanging sleeves. I will be adding a couple of hooks and eyes near the wrist so the sleeves can be closed if I want to.

Now that I split the sleeves, I do not have enough trim to go around the split in the sleeves, and the neckline. So I have decided to embroider the neck line and the sleeves. You can see that I have started the outline of the embroidery in blue floss. Inside I will have a scrolly pattern with flowers and leaves, in purples and greens, with some touches of gold. I am debating about working a few dragonflies into the pattern.

Weekend project~ Plaid cotte

My friend was up here visiting for the weekend, and we spent a good chunk of time being sewing geeks. I was able to make a permanent kirtle pattern for myself, and for her. We also made a quick dress for my friend. She had several yards of a blue/green/white plaid fabric which we made into a gown for her.  The plaid pattern in the bodice will line up if it is ladder laced or fastened with hook and eyes or frogs. (The spiral basting kept pulling the gown up on her right side).

We were even able to document the pattern of the gown. This picture is from The Romance of Guiron le Courtois, A tournament. Evidently a plaid non-bias cotte IS period in 1370-80 Italy. Whether it was ever used one hundred years later in Ireland is debatable though. You can find the women wearing a blue and red plaid in the top left. The enlarged image is below. The neckline and the fit of the gown are definitely more pre -Tudor like than the ones in the images, although I did notice that a few of the gowns shown had very square necklines, including the plaid gown.

The following websites has many many images from The Romance of Guiron le Courtois among other manuscripts from the 11th thur the 15th centuries. Click on any picture to see a larger image.

http://manuscriptminiatures.com/search/?year=1380&year_end=1410&manuscript=&tags=&tag_mode=all&per=200&view=gallery

Update with finished transtion gown pics!

 Being a busy homeschooling, college going, homesteading mom, has been a big priority for me lately, so my sewing projects have been pushed to the back burner. Not to mention no room to sew, but my Mom has found her own place, so now I actually have a sewing room!!! I have been able to get many yards of 12 oz canvas, which will eventually be a tent. I also have been able to finally get some pics of the transitional gown and kirtle I made on my friend.

I've been productive

So I have been able to complete quite a few things from my list of stuff.  Below is my list from a few blogs ago. I have updates in yellow.

• An apron which I am hand sewing needs finishing. Finished
• I have the experimental dyed kirtle fabric, But I think the color and shrinkage make unusable. Kirtle has been succesfully redyed. It will be useable if it is sleeveless, and if I find a gaurd, body is mostly sewn together. 
• I have a lilac linen cotte cut out. I plan to line and trim it with a sage green I have (ohh reversable maybe?? ) and embroder it.
• I need another smock, a long sleeved underdress, a short sleeved working kirtle, and a pair of sleeves. Short sleeve kirtle in the puple wool is finished except for lacing holes. I found fabric I had set aside for a smock and long sleeve underdress.
• I have the gold pattern fabric to make a cotte from, but I need some nice metal buttons to go with it.
• I want to make a choli, but don't have any fabric to match the skirt I have. I found enough fabric left over from skirt to make a choli, and I found some patterning info.
• I want to redo the skirt I have and make it into a waist band that ties instead of a drawstring.  
• My son wants a gypsy vest from some dark gray woolen I have.
• My husband could use an undershirt and a kaftan. I have a nice green patterned fabric for him. I got a sleevless undershirt, a light kaftan, and a pair of pants for him completed. I even have fabric cut for a coat for him, and the lining dyed.

So after wearing my green kirtle I have discovered that I need to do something with the sleeves. It is to tight around the elbow for full movement. I do not have any extra fabric to add gussets for the elbows, and it is let out as much as possible. So since this is a fancier kirtle that I plan to trim or embroder, plus not as breathable as I would like, I will cut the sleeves open to make hanging sleeves from just above the elbow, and create some frog closures on the sleeves to close them if I so wish. I also lost a veil strap, so I need t make a new one.

So my updated list of family garb related things to do....

• Repair my son's cotehardie outfit. (he ripped a seam, and got his pants caught on playground equipment)
• Line his green wool cloak, add laces to his undershirt.
• Finish husband's Middle Eastern coat. Redo frogs on light kaftan.
• Make a smock and long sleeve underdress, veil strap, and hem sheer veil.
• Fix arms on green kirtle, add trim, and finish lacing holes.
• Redo waist band on gypsy skirt, and make a matching choli.
• Make gypsy vest for son.
• Finish sleeveless kirtle experiment.
• Cut lining for fancy purple kirtle, sew it, then embroder it.
• Make striped Kaftan for husband

Things I should do or want to do but need materials

• Another undershirt, hood and two pants for my son.
• A long sleeved under shirt and for my husband.
• Gold patterned cotte once I can afford buttons.
• A Hennin, and a red or black hood. 
• A couple pairs of gloves, pin on sleeves and hose for myself.
• A gray fur lining to make a cloak/mantle from a red/purple woolen material I have.
• And possibly another apron.

My list seems to have gotten bigger instead of smaller. Hmmmm......
On the plus side if I am able to complete all that our wardrobe would be basicly complete except for items I cannot make (woolen socks, belts, shoes, etc...). Of course There will always be updates as things wear, or grow, but then I will be able to work with more period fabrics and techniques if I am only replacing a piece at a time.

Norse Viking garb Research

A freind of mine is new to the S.C.A. and has asked me to make hime some period garb for his ninth century Norse persona. He is even wants to buy period fabrics. Yeah! (I like working with period fabrics, I just can't afford them myself)

Okay to start with the types of textiles and colors. Wool was the most common, followed by linen and then silk, both of which were imported. Linen was often left undyed, where as wools came in many colors such as reds, blues, yellows, purples, greens, and browns. Silk could be in a varitey of colors since It was imported.  Red seemed to be more common in Danelaw (England), purple in Ireland, and blue/green for Scandinavia.

There is evidence of tri-colored plaid and two tone pants.

Eastern Viking (Rus)- Eastern vikings had more Russian and Middle Eastern influence. They wore an under tunic, and an over tunic (both most likely a framed) key hole neckhole being common, they also wore a kaftan like coat with buttons up the center front. Thier pants were short and baggy.

Western Viking (Norse)- Western vikings had more Germanic and Saxon influence. They also wore an under and over tunic, but more T shaped, wider neck lines were more common than key hole necklines. They wore a retangluar clock pinned with a brooch over one side. They could also wear a wrap type jacket with no buttons. Thier pants were long and slim, with belt loops, often using crotch gores to aid movement, and some even included footies. Examples including metal eyelets to attach leg wrappings to, were most common to Saxon finds.

Often under tunics were longer than over tunics. Tunics were mid thigh to knee length. Tablet woven trim or patterned materials were often used as trim and to hem. Constrasting thread was often used to to finish seams and hems.  Embrodery became more common in the ninth and tenth centuries. Wool socks and mittens were made using a nailbinding method. Both hoods and hats have been found in grave sites. Most hats have metal trim to match coats.

My resources

http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/daily_living/text/clothing.htm

http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~capriest/mensgarb.html

http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~capriest/vikdyes.html

http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~capriest/viktunic.html

http://www.strongbowsaga.com/showwik.asp?WikID=39
http://www.historiclife.com/essays/thorsbergtrousers.htm

http://housebarra.com/EP/ep07/08extant.html

http://historicenterprises.com/hood-skjoldehamn-c-10501090-p-1295.html?cPath=99_190
http://urd.priv.no/viking/bukser.html
http://www.kelticos.org/gallery/main.php
http://urd.priv.no/viking/bukser.html
http://thorsonandsvava.sccspirit.com/pdf_files/Viking_handout_men.pdf
http://www.olvikthing.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Viking-Age-Clothing-pgs-1-4.pdf
http://www.olvikthing.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Viking-Age-Clothing-pgs-10-15.pdf

A trip to the Middle East...

I feels good to be sewing again, It is defently a stress relief for me. It appears that we will be able to go to poorman's since my husband got a some unexpected money, and since due to his work we can not easily go down to my MIL's. Anyways most of his garb is more fall weather wear, so I have been busy making him some warm weather garb. I will do a is it period blog about it when I can snap a pic of him in it.

So this is based of of a Persian Caftan. It is made out of a very light weight cotton. I had to adjust a bunch of the measurements because my husband's body does not do squares well. His back and upper shoulders are much more muscular than his front. It does have the inset sleeves, which my husband says are comfy, and offers a lot of movement. I also added trim to give structure to the hems. And I am working on some frog closures on the front.

I also made him a pair of pajama style drawstring pants, out of a light weight green cotton with a gold scroll pattern. I later this week I will be making and outer caftan using the same fabric I used for the trim, and lining it will a white cotton. Good thing cotton is period for him, and I had more stuff in my fabric stash than I remembered.

New Kirtle

 

So I spent a good chunk of the day making this kirtle. I am amazed that I was actually able to pull it off. I only had 2 1/2 yards of 60" wool suiting I found at a thrift store months ago. I based this kirtle of the kirtle worn in the Shepard's Dance, hence the pleated hem, and short sleeves. It only has two modest side gores, and the hem just skims the floor when I am barefoot, so this will be a great working kirtle. Now I just need to finish my apron to go with it.

I discovered that no matter how hard I try I cannot have a straite seam in the back, due to my curves without having major puckering right above my bum. A curved seam also seems to work better for my front, but it is not as severe. It was so much easier the work with the maniquin to get the hem even, and the seams fitted. No need to try it on fifteen hundred times and try to see my back in the mirror.

I do need to finish some of the seams inside, and actually make lacing holes, since I am currently just basted into it. But I am happy with how it turned out, and am surprized at how cool it is for being wool.

Upcoming project musings

Alright, I know I have not posted anything in a long while. Life and school got too busy for sewing. I am bummed out since I am even too poor for Poor Man's Pensic at the moment.

But soon I will have a week off, and am contempating starting a new project. I have a few things I have started, or want to do. I just can't decide which one.

• An apron which I am hand sewing needs finishing.
• I have the experimental dyed kirtle fabric, But I think the color and shrinkage make unusable.
• I have a lilac linen cotte cut out. I plan to line and trim it with a sage green I have (ohh reversable maybe?? ) and embroder it.
• I need another smock, a long sleeved underdress, a short sleeved working kirtle, and a pair of sleeves.
• I have the gold pattern fabric to make a cotte from, but I need some nice metal buttons to go with it.
• I want to make a choli, but don't have any fabric to match the skirt I have.
• I want to redo the skirt I have and make it into a waist band that ties instead of a drawstring. 
• My son wants a gypsy vest from some dark gray woolen I have.
• My husband could use an undershirt and a kaftan. I have a nice green patterned fabric for him.

The long sleeved underdress, my husband's undershirt and the choli will have to wait until I can afford more fabric. I might be able to find some fabric in my stash to make a short sleeved kirtle, but I an not sure. My son has plenty of shirts, and we are not going to any hot events anytime soon. I will wait to make the gold patterned cotte until I have the buttons.

So I think I will take the apron and the skirt to my MIL's next weekend to keep me occupied. I might be able to turn the failed kirtle fabric into a smock, since no one will notice the color, or if it is short.

So that leaves me with 2 major projects ~ Fitted lilac/sage cotte with embrodery, or a green patterned kaftan for my husband......hmmmmm.  My husband could use a another shirt more than I need a cotte, but the cotte would be easier to construct for me, and way more fun to embrodier.

Although I do need another working kirtle one with short sleeves this time, since my other has become severly stained, but this should only take a day to construct, and then casualy do the lacing holes.... I must check my fabric stash tommorow.

Tent musings

This post is not really about garb but on a related subject....

So at the last event I attended my mudane tent got caught by the wind, and I am not sure if it is savable. It was a good tent and lasted us seven camping seasons, so it got some good use out of it. But now to replace it. Hopefully I can upgrade to something more period.

What I really want is a french bell tent, or a officier's marquee. I doubt I will be able to get one new (I don't have $700) But I could make the tent myself for about $250 or less.... Do I really want to spend endless hours hand sewing the thing????? My sewing machine will not handle the thick canvas seams, nor could I afford a commerical machine......... I will have to debate about this for a while.....

In the mean time I am on the lookout for a used tent, or maybe I will get one from soul pad.

Finished transtion gown

So just a quick post.... pics will come later

My freind loved the kirtle and the gown!!! The only part of the fit I had to adjust with the kirle was the bust had to be let out a bit. She says the kirtle is very comfy. She wore it twice durring the event we went to. Unfortunatly It was durring the evening and no one was able to snap a pic of her in it. I do have one that I will post when I unpack my camera. She can't wait to to have an event to wear the gown to!!!

Transition gown is almost finished!!!

 So here are some pics of the gown so far. Please ignor my cluttered kitchen. All I have left to do is the the hiddden lacing. In the pics it is just basted closed. I have a partlet done, which can be reversed to white.  

 The batteries on my camera are dead, so It may be awhile before I get new pics up, But I will defently get pics of the kirtle and gown finished.  

I have a manequin!!!!!

 So I had help from my husband who wrapped me in duct tape.
I took an old pair of thermals and a T-shirt and was covered in a couple of layer of duct tape. We taped the shorts first, then the shirt. It felt like I was in stiff leather body suit. I was cut out by cutting the tape and t-shirt up the back.

I taped the neck and the arms shut, then form was then stuffed with random scraps, clothing that was not salvagable, ragged towels, etc....  And then I tapped the shorts to the shirt. My husband cut a few branches to use as posts and is working on a base for it.

So here is the semi finished manequin.... I will be covering her in cloth at some point in time, but she is useable. It doesen't fit my measurements exactly, but comes pretty close. I think I will call her Corbella.....

Decisions, decisions.....

So before cutting my fabric for the gown I have done some last min reasearch and decision making.

After close inspection of this gown   it apears to not have a waist seam. Which makes things easier for me since I am more familiar with no waist seam kirltes and cottes.

Also typical is not having a front center seam except where hidden lacings would go, so the front is cut from one piece. Many of these gowns also apear to have less volume in the front and more in the back with pleats held by a belt and often a train.

 

 I have included a few other pics of

other transition gowns (most of them I believe are from Seven star wheel's blog). Some gowns apear to have waist seams and some do not, others are hard to tell due to the belts. A few even seam to have princess seams, and side gore leading into the sleeves. Some thinner, others with boxier waists.....

So the pic to the left is what I have decided to go with for cut and construction of this gown.

The front will be one piece with the opening for the hidden lacing (I might end up using hooks and eyes because that is what I have available) which will be placed on a folded edge to cut.

I will have two back pieces, with three gores. the two large gores will be inserted very high, creating the volume needed for the pleats, along with a shorter gore inserted at the waist level.

There are two smaller side gores, and two elbow length sleeves. I will try to get as much of a train as possible in the back with the fabric I have.

So with my fingers crossed, I go to cut the clothe.......