Hairpin trials

After looking at pictures of extant pins, I decided  I really liked both the bodkin style of pin and the monogram style. I also decided I was too impatient to wait for my pewter, soapstone, and other casting supplies to arrive. So, scrounging and modifying other things became the plan.

I was a little worried about doing monograms as I've been considering changing my persona name.  I solved that by picking a second name just in case. The choice I'm looking at is Greek (so I can do both the Italian and Rus a little more easily with a culture that bridges the gap.) I'd be switching from Praksedys Turova doch' to Praxilla Taurinae. Either way the initials are the same and the surname means "Daughter of Bull." Conveniently, P and T rank right up there with X and Q for popularity and I found some silver charms on clearance for 50 cents a piece. I rolled some thin sheet metal as if doing an aiglet for the pin part. The charms slightly overlap one another to emulate the look of the Catherine de Medici C's. T's are, unfortunately, not very successful at interlocking. I do like the back to back P's though. 

To do the bodkin style pins, I turned a bad purchase to good use.  I had bought some vintage "serving spoons" in a pattern I loved. What they actually are is a demitasse spoon. They're tiny. Only about 4 inches long. As I don't collect spoons they were not doing me much good. They did have the look of the bodkin to them though, so I clipped off the bowl of the spoons with aviation snips and took the grinding attachment of my Dremel tool to them. I was a bit concerned that the ornament would be a problem catching in my hair and the short length an issue. I tried them out before gilding them and was pleased when a single pin was able to hold my bun in place for several hours. The bottom segments were sufficiently smooth to not get tangled in my hair and the points sharp enough.

I took a bit of spray paint to all 6 pins to prime them, and then went back in with a brush on one stage gold leaf. First hair pin trials seem to be a success. I have several more spoons that might get sacrificed and I might try some of the other styles as well. I'm still also considering painting the initials a bit to approximate the enamel of the inspiration, but I like the plain gold quite a bit.

Hair pins

17th century copper alloy bodkin/hairpin

Anyone else super excited by the recent Catherine de Medici hair pin find for reasons other than the fact that is was found in a communal toilet? I was really thrilled, both by the interlocking initials (beating Coco Chanel to it by several centuries) and the fact that it apparently has some enamel coloring to make it green and white for Catherine's heraldry.

I had loads of fun last year making my hairpins based on the 16th century Venetian example held in the Met. I've worn them quite a bit and was excited to make more hair jewelry but hadn't really found anything in portraits I was excited by that wouldn't require major lapidary skills I do not possess.

Seeing the Catherine de Medici pin with its interlocking initials and hints regarding the enamel that make it green and white to match her personal colors got me excited. So, I went browsing to see what other 16th and early 17th century pins I could turn up. I found several at the Portable Antiquities Scheme. Granted, they're English, but there is some interesting stuff. I really liked this rectangular early 17th century pin. The issue is it might be Flemish and more likely something worn by a working class woman as a bride or to a festival. I like this more ovoid one as well but  it runs into the problem of whether it is a dress accessory rather than hair jewelry. Not that things have to be all or nothing. The bodkin pictured above is from the Wiltshire Heritage Museum.  They have the probability that it might have found use as a hair ornament as part of the item's description. I know I certainly cross uses with my textile tools and jewelry. They all find their way into my hair at some point. My fancy beaded crochet hooks probably get used as hairsticks more frequently than for making afghans. Not to mention the fact that my favorite handcarved dymondwood hairstick gets used more often than not as an awl for eyelets. It has a wonderful taper and is just a little bit larger than my stilletto and the awl that was purchased for the purpose of lacing holes.

So, pretty hairpins are on the agenda. The only question is, in what form? I could do something with beads and wire again. I've also got some nice headpins that wouldn't need much modification. Then there's casting. I've got enough space to carve something on the soapstone I've got and I just ordered two pounds of pewter that will be here in a couple of weeks. The issue is whether or not I have the patience to wait that long.

In other news, the binding on the bodies is done and I've got the petticoat cut and the long seams sewn. I need to attach the canvas guards, determine if I'm going to add rope channels, and get it pleated into the waistband. Not to mention loads and loads of eyelets to do on the bodies.

I really do have a thing for hair toys

I keep finding more pretties. Here's another beautiful ivory Italian comb from the 1600's. Not as flashy as the painting and gilding of my current favorite but beautiful. If you have anything like my weakness you should go have a look at where this comb lives. It is part of the collection of The Creative Museum. An entire museum of nothing but hair accessories. Dreamy! I've been randomly wandering through the collection by geographical area. I stumbled on to some to die for painted ivory combs with Persian miniatures and some lovely Etruscan inspired ones in the Italian section. Its a fabulous mix of stuff from up and down the timeline.

I think I'm going to dig out my own vintage collection of kanzashi from the 1940's and wear some silly, happy, over the top beautiful hair tomorrow.

Whack-a-mole

My 3 year old son is convinced that this is the coolest project ever because I let him hit things with a large rubber mallet. He also says I "made a sun" when I arranged the hairpins for the picture. He helped with that too, which is my excuse my inability to get a circle. It was a really fun morning.

Yes, I know, Camilla is wearing a really great hat and I will be making that, but I fell in love with this extant 16th century Venetian hairpin at the Met and needed to make some of those too. I have pretty long hair, but always wear it covered at SCA events due to my persona. It is considered both unlucky and shameful for a married Rus woman to have her hair uncovered and can bring disaster to her family. Having the Italian gown and an excuse to show off my hair is just too tempting, so I couldn't resist the hairpins. I also happened to have the perfect beads in my stash. Even if I never wear them at an event, I know I'll wear them in real life. I love hairtoys and have a pretty good collection of combs, hair sticks, decorated bobby pins, etc. More sparkly bits to put in my hair will certainly not go unused.

It was also totally worth it for the look of pure joy on my little boy's face as I gave him permission to hit things with an oversized hammer in order to harden the wire. I spend so much time asking him to leave my things alone, that it was a great change of pace. Mallet is also a fabulous word. Mallet.