I guess I better do a Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge

The challenge is about half over and I haven't done a single one.  How's that for consistency? No more excuses though, the move is almost complete-- just some cleaning and a trip to the dump left at the old place. My stuff is all ready to reassemble my sewing space.  I even got a serious upgrade; a brand new laminant floor in my studio.  I ordered a new camera, so pictures soon, but I have a beautiful teak colored floor and happy yellow walls to get me in a sewing mood.  Now to haul the stuff in from the garage. . .

But back to the HSF. I'm really excited about the next 2 challenges that are due.  Number 13 is "Lace and Lacing." As anyone who has been anywhere near me knows, I have a serious lace addiction and a penchant for buying vintage linens. The above trim is one I bought awhile back and stashed in my drawer.  Not sure if it is going to get the nod and be part of my project, but the plan is to go pawing through the stash and hope for inspiration.  Since I shut down projects before the move, I'm rather adrift with nothing on the agenda other than the Disney Challenge dress which is due for November. I really hope my brain gets firing again.

Challenge number 14 is "Eastern Influence."  I do actually know what I want to do for this. I want to do a zimarra. Specifically, the more Turkish influenced type from the undress style portraits. I have a gorgeous silk with pansies printed on it that looks a bit ikat like.  No, it isn't really an authentic Venetian silk pattern for the period, but it should be fun. And as I intend for it to be more of a dressing gown type coat, I've decided to not stress about it. It's a lovely silk that I got for a great deal and it has been sitting in a box for at least 2 years so it is time to cut it and wear it.

More music

Remember when I went looking for information on the repertoire for the Concerto delle Donne? I then got distracted by home buying, but it has been at the back of my mind.  Today someone in the ever helpful Elizabethan Costuming group on Facebook posted a link to the Petrucci Music Library.  It is chock full of public domain scores and can be searched by genre, instrumentation, time period, composer, melody and several other ways.  I'm having far too much fun!

I went looking at the major composers associated with the group. So far I've turned up several compositions by Luzzasco Luzzashi. None of the vocal pieces, but I'm fiddling with a round for 5 recorders which looks like fun. I'm almost overwhelmed by all that is available from Carlo Gesualdo.  There are 5 complete books of madrigals and part of a 6th. Luca Marenzio also has an extensive collection (55 pages.)  I haven't gone past that yet.  I'm going to be humming and playing along on the recorder and fiddling with these for some time to come as I see what I like.

Apology for not posting, and I think I know what I want to do for next year's IRCC

I have been working on projects, just not posting. I finished the embroidered shoes, went on a jewelry making jag, and am currently assembly line sewing my kids 6 outfits each in order to go camping in June.  So why no updates?  My kids destroyed my camera and I can't take pictures. Our new house closes the 14th, so we have been putting all the extra money into inspections and repairs and such and trying not to touch any of our savings.  There's a bit of spending going to go on once we begin the move-- yay for new furniture! I'm planning on sneaking a new camera in there too.

In the meantime, you can drool along with me.  While I don't really like the entirety of this family portrait, the details on the lady in red (Laudomia Gozzadini) are amazing and I want them.

Portrait of the Gozzadini Family by Lavinia Fontana  1584, Pinacoteca Nazionale, Bologna

I have been wanting a lynx zibellino for ages. They're unusual and that interests me, but I also like the scale of them.  With my height, the minks can look a little bit lost, so I'd like to see how the lynx would work with my proportions.  The fur itself runs about $300+ so it has been low on priorities.  I have, however, found some bobcat pelts and am exploring that option.  The selling point for this portrait is the cutwork lace cuffs.  They're incredible.  With the rules change to encourage extensive handwork, I'm hopeful I could start on them this fall/winter and have them ready to finish once next year's contest starts.  

I adore the pinked/slashed sleeves and the dress and veste.  And then there's the jewelry.  Mmmmm.  She's wearing two sets of bracelets; one set above and one set below the cuffs. There's the girdle the zibellino is attached to.  A ring on each hand. She has two necklaces, one with a nifty pendant. It looks like there is a small nosegay in there as well. Just above the ruff she has earrings. There is also a sheer gold striped veil.  Loads of fun details to play with make up a project that should be interesting to work on.  I just need to start being on the lookout for a great red brocade.

Making wool shoes with Sister Scholastica

Photo by Jeri Foster

The Barony next door had an arts and sciences night last month and I got to make some fun slippers. Viscountess Leah de Spencer OL. OP. KSCA, came as her "twin sister" Sister Scholastica and taught a class on wool slippers as worn by those in Medieval cloisters.

We have documentary evidence that monks did wear felt slippers, but due to both the way that such utilitarian items are worn through and the way wool felt becomes compost, there are no surviving artifacts. So, how to make these is a big conjecture. Ours were made as a basic turnshoe using "boiled wool" (a felted wool army blanket) and purchased wool insoles cut to size. She purchased the insoles at a local surplus store, but they seem to be available at outdoor supply stores. I would probably felt my own if I were to do another pair, just because I have a closet full of alpaca fiber, but purchasing them made it a fast project.

Well, it would have been a fast project. I decided to embroider the toes of the upper, so I spent most of my evening doing chainstitch. But my pair are almost done. I just need to sit down and finish them. I should do that some time today-- before I lose something.

Photo by Jeri Foster

The green polkadot wrapping paper was for patterning.  We measured our foot across the toes, at the instep, and at the highest part of the arch, traced the foot and then added the required inches around, then drew a keyhole in the center for the foot to fit in to make a simple pattern. With the wrapping paper, you can try it on a bit and fuss with it until you get the desired fit. I haven't done this style before. It has a seam at the back of the heel and I'm not sure I like that, but it certainly is simple to pattern. Then some people drew pointy toes or other shapes for custom features on their patterns.

I'll have to take some pictures of both this style of pattern piece, and my preferred two piece style that I use for basic slippers and post them tomorrow. There are also quite a few tutorials floating around for basic turnshoes with a side seam if you do a quick search.

Torchiaio for handkerchiefs

15th century handkerchief press in the Museo Correr

Someone asked a question that got me chasing handkerchiefs again.  They're just such a sweet little bit. Great for largesse and tiny so a little embroidery or lace goes a really long way. I know I've linked to it before, but Margaret Roe's article on early handkerchiefs is wonderful and makes me want to read loads more on the subject.  I used the terms she provided for Italian hankies and plugged them into the search engine of all of Venice's museums and turned up this amazing thing.

It is a 15h century handkerchief press. Made of cypress wood and featuring carvings of a knight and his lady. The carver in me had a serious squee moment.  Not because I'm up to that sort of carving yet, but because the size makes it something much more approachable than the big chests I've been eyeing (and laughing at myself for even considering.)

I also turned up another reticella hankie I hadn't seen before.

17th century Italian lace handkerchief in the Met

What have I gotten myself into this time?

Via

I can only blame IRCC withdrawal. Some part of me needs to be sewing along with people and creating arbitrary deadlines. I just volunteered to organize a sewing challenge in my SCA kingdom.  After seeing pictures of the Kingdom of Atlantia's Disney challenge, we've decided to do our own.

Using a character concept from a Disney movie, participants are going to make themselves an historically accurate outfit. I've decided to do Ursula from the Little Mermaid using this 1530's portrait by Guilio Romano as my inspiration.  It has been on my "I want to make that!" list for quite some time. The strapwork looks amazingly interesting, it is an underbust dress, and it has giant sleeves.  What isn't to love? Not to mention the strapwork is rather tentacle like and the balzo looks like she's wearing a sea urchin on her head.

There's a free article on strapwork over at History Unstitched.  by Alyxx Ianetta. I'm going to go re-read it and see what sort of crazy I have gotten myself into.

Varia and Antonia

Photo by Kitty Weller

Still working on a real blog post, but I wanted to post this.  This is a picture of some amazing people I got to spend the weekend with.  Dame Varia Goffe, OL, OP (who recently took me on as a student) and her wife Mistress Antonia d'Alessandria OL, OP. They are the first Artemisian couple with a same sex consort to fight in a crown list.  That is not, however, what makes them amazing.  What makes them amazing is their graciousness and their inner lights.  I got to stay at their home for the evening and came away with the feeling of vacation.  They remind me what it is to be a peer and what I want to be in the Society, but also what excites me and what I want to implement in my life. Antonia made sourdough pancakes for breakfast and was pickling asparagus that day. Varia took us on a tour of their little farm, showing us the bunnies, chickens, goats, turkeys, geese and such. It both reminded me of my childhood visits to my grandparents and of the plans my husband and I put on paper early in our marriage. I used to have a copy of The Backyard Homestead that I flipped through every couple of months for fun.  We're about to buy a house, so the reminder of what is possible what very timely.

 In costume related news, I made the yellow cloak Antonia is wearing when I heard they would be fighting and presented it to her just before.  She wore it all day, which made me thrilled every time I saw it.  I, of course, forgot to take pictures of it.  It is completely handsewn with a whipped buttonhole edging and appliqued lizards (her heraldic charge) at the hem. Hopefully I'll find some pictures someone took during the day.