Time Away

It's good to get away occasionally.

I recall a conversation I had with my children about 20 years ago. They were very involved with the SCA; I wasn't -- yet. They were talking about making a Viking tent. It sounded like an expensive, time-consuming, trial-and-error venture.
Me: What's the point of making a tent like that? It may be good for going to some SCA events but what about when you want to do some real camping, like in Jasper? Get a practical modern tent!
Them: Lots of people in the SCA have period tents. They never go camping in Jasper.
Me: Oh come on, are you telling me these friends of yours never go for a family holiday to the mountains or the beach?
Them (with eyes rolling): Moh-thur! SCA camping is their idea of a family holiday!
Me (shrugging shoulders): I don't get it….

Now I've been playing The Game for almost fifteen years, and I get it! It feels like the only time we get away it's to another SCA event. Always fun (and often a lot of work) but after so many years I need to remind myself that it is possible to have a different kind of vacation.

And so we went to visit friends in University Place (south of Seattle) for Easter. It's about a 14-hour drive (not counting stops) under ideal conditions, but usually the border crossing and the traffic congestion on the I-5 add at least another hour. Two days driving out there, three full days of visiting, and two days driving back -- it was hectic, but oh so worthwhile!

Around Hope we began to see real signs of spring -- lush green grass, budding branches, small wildflowers -- and as we drove farther we marvelled at the abundant greenery and the colourful flowers. Time spent with friends was delightful. Clamming was a new experience for me, very enjoyable in spite of the rain. Along the road we saw elk, mountain sheep, black-tailed deer and even a cougar and a bear. We came back spiritually refreshed (and physically tired due to the long hours of driving and a nasty cold bug) with enough happy memories to keep us going until spring arrives here too!

During this vacation my only link to SCA activities was my bag full of sewing stuff. Dirk did all the driving so I had time to work on some projects: eyelets and buttonholes on an underdress for me, and hats for selling and giving away.

We went from this….

To this!

We enjoyed the flowers

And we went walking in the rain

I taught the kids to play MineCraft

We caught razor clams

And then we has to clean them…. all…. 

We went to church on Easter morning (yes, those are identical triplets)

And we lounged in the front yard, in the sunshine

Happy hats, traveling through the mountains. Now they need lining and fur.

Browsing Through the "Maastricht Hours"

I had planned to do lots of sewing this week.

Then a friend asked me about images of coifs, and in my search I came across a link to an early I fourteenth-century book of hours (British Library Stowe MS 17). One quick peek….. and now I can't leave it alone. There are so many delightful images, such lovely clothing details, so many questions begging for more research.

I'm especially interested in the outerwear portrayed in this manuscript. I can see myself trying to copy some of these styles. But first I have to work my way through that backlog of sewing….

It's a vicious circle -- but it's my problem and I love it!

F98r  Good image of braies, and nice detail of fur cloak lining (note the tails)

F64v  Love the way this lady hikes up her skirt and shows off her boots

F98v  I've made a surcote similar to this one: arms stay warm when you pull them inside

F97r  He may not know much about riding but he wears a fine circular lined cape

F100v  A rough game -- the fellow in red is bleeding and tore his tunic in several places

F106r   I want to make a surcote like the one this lady is wearing

F109r  Some more surcotes, this time worn by monkeys -- or demons?

104v  One of many images of musicians and dancers

F59r  Such a cute couple, and a nice back view of the short semi-detached sleeves

Seeing Red

After my brisk sales at Winter War I have to "replace my stock". I have a bit of time before the next time I merchant at an event, but then the events are spaced very close together: three in June, one at the end of July and possibly one at the beginning of September. I have to do a lot of sewing!

Did I mention I have quite a pile of fabric to process? It'll be good to clean out some of those shelves and drawers and boxes and totes…. and the piles on the floor, on the cart and on the cutting table. Some days I go into a cutting frenzy. Other days I sit at the serger (trying hard to hold back bad pun about "serging ahead"). And then there are days when I do a lot of trimming and hemming.

I'm trying to average at least one finished garment per day. If I can keep that up I should have plenty of stock for June.

What I sew depends on the fabric I find in my stash and on the colour of thread on my serger. For the past week it's been RED. Red dresses, red tunics, red surcotes. Anything in the red range, from hot pink to rust to old rose. Still there's more thread on those cones, and rather than rethreading the machine with different-colorer thread I keep digging for more reddish fabric…. now excavating down to the red-purple layer. Only another day or two and then I can switch over to black, or grey, or tan.

Here are some finished items. There are more red clothes -- unfinished -- in the other room across the hall