The Dabbler's Diary

Willa and Ned's Excellent Mystery

2008-06-18T14:41:00.003-06:00

THE SITUATION

A little over a year ago, Willa and Ned received an unexpected visit. Rupert and E23 knocked on their door and let themselves in. As it turns out, Rupert was a bit of a family historian and he wanted to figure out a mystery. So he convinced E23 to borrow an advanced time machine from work and together they hopped back to the year 2007 to find out what had happened to Rupert’s famous great-uncle, Ned.

Ned was a history professor who gained quite a reputation for finding fantastically authentic artifacts and turning them over to the university’s museum, not unlike a certain Indiana Jones, though without the snakes. His wife, Willa, wrote up his adventures into a best-selling novel. But in spite of their famous exploits, the two lived a reclusive life on their ranch until Rupert burst in upon them.

Ned’s curiosity about the time traveling device was deeper than the Grand Canyon, and soon he had gotten Rupert to show him how it worked. And then Ned disappeared for a couple of days. Rupert and E23 were frantic, not knowing if they would ever see their time machine again, but Willa was unruffled. She knew Ned could handle himself. And she was right. Ned returned twice, bringing with him some unexpected guests: George and Margaret, Willa’s pioneer forebears who settled in northern Arizona on the ranch that Willa eventually inherited, and Benjamin and Ruth, a Nephite couple who lived in the region of George and Margaret’s (and Willa and Ned’s) ranch around 300 A.D.

Ned was a bit of an opportunist, too, and soon talked George out of his second-best rifle and Benjamin out of a beautiful clay pot, which he promptly gave to the museum. Willa wasn’t sure about the transaction, but since George and Benjamin had given up the items willingly, she didn’t say anything about it.

They all had a pleasant evening together, thanks to Rupert’s babelfish (a translating device), and agreed to meet in one year. But one year later, things turned ugly. Willa came in from getting food for the feast to find Ned dead in his study, his head caved in by his favorite fossil sample--one that usually rested on his desk. Briefly, Willa thought about calling the police, but then she saw the time travel device on Ned’s desk, still glowing with recent use, and she knew that the police would be no help to her. So she cleaned up as best she could and locked the door, turning the air conditioning down to keep his body cool until she could figure out what to do.

And so the rest of the time travelers, brought by Rupert and E23, arrived a little bit later to find Willa, pale and shaken, asking them in. She sat them all down and looked at all their faces and decided to let them talk, hoping that the murderer would somehow give himself or herself away.

THE CAST

Ned (Mat)—Indiana Jones without the snakes or violent cannibals, he prided himself on bringing nearly-perfect artifacts to his museum. Received much acclaim. Also, he was unscrupulous and may have used the time travel device to build his reputation. Married to Willa.
Dress suggestions: t-shirt, jeans

Willa (Karie)—an aspiring writer and a hobby historian, she loved Ned almost as much as she loves the family ranch. There have been some cash-flow problems lately, however, and Willa is beginning to wonder if Ned had something to do with it.
Dress suggestions: Regency-style gown or other formal wear

Ruth (Kara)—a seamstress of indeterminate Nephite/Lamanite heritage. She was living on the streets, making do, when Benjamin found her and made her his wife. She is scrappy and independent, but needs to work on her quick temper. Devoted to Benjamin.
Dress suggestions: a tunic dress, something simple and Biblical

Benjamin (Jacob)—a Nephite textile merchant, he is widely known for his integrity. He is very protective of his Ruth. They have three daughters.
Dress suggestions: plain tunic and pants, something simple and Biblical

George (Evan)—an adventurous pioneer, he was the first to volunteer when Brigham Young asked for people to settle in northern Arizona. He came across the plains with his family as a teenager and never lost his taste for travel.
Dress suggestions: cowboy shirt and jeans, ten gallon hat is optional

Margaret (Jayne)—devoted wife to George and mother to their five children (three sons, two daughters). She fell in love with his adventurous spirit as they were crossing the plains in the same company and encourages him in his endeavors. She is an amazing gardener and very gentle-natured—except when it comes to her children. Then she will fight like a lioness to defend them, and has in the past.
Dress suggestions: prairie dress or cowboy shirt and denim skirt. Bonnet optional.

E23 (Quinn)—an assistant to the noted scientist who mainstreamed time travel, she is thoroughly intrigued by the space-time continuum and its mysteries. Her quick intelligence and accesses to the time machines made the “family reunion” possible, but she feels guilty about borrowing the devices from work.
Dress suggestions: all black. Tinfoil hat is optional.

Rupert (Craig)—an avid family historian, it’s obvious he inherited George’s sense of adventure. He’d often read of his great-uncle’s mysterious death and when E23 told him about the new time travel device they were creating at work, persuaded her to borrow it so they could visit Ned and Willa and see what happened. He has a very honest face.
Dress suggestions: all black. Tinfoil hat is required.

Silk and Steel: The Second Year of Killing Fairies

2008-05-06T15:23:00.001-06:00

I should have called this compilation “Songs that Get Stuck in My Head.” Bit clunky as a title, though, apt as it is. I loved compilations when I was in college, which is how I discovered some of the random songs here. I also love what is usually termed “World Music”, which again covers a large portion of my collection. On this disc are a few of my favorites. Enjoy!

1. Teardrop--Massive Attack

This song is on here purely to show off. I owned the theme to “House” long before it was the theme to “House.” It’s also a strange little song, but I like it.

2. Numb (New Mix)--U2

This is my favorite B-side U2 song. The Edge is the lead vocalist, and he wrote the lyrics. It’s different, but good.

3. Snow on the Sahara--Anggun

Anggun caught my attention nearly ten years ago when she broke into the Top 100 Videos on VH1 with this song. I’m eclectic in my music tastes and I really like the world music flavor to this song.

4. I Walk The Line--Live

I like this better than the original Johnny Cash version. Don’t shoot me, Auntie K!

5. Heroine--The Edge & Sinéad O'Connor

Last year, IamRoch included “Rowena’s Theme” on his mix, which was also written by The Edge and has some hauntingly beautiful guitar work. I don’t own the soundtrack that these two songs are found on (for the movie Captive), but this song and “Rowena’s Theme” were on a Celtic compilation CD I picked up many moons ago. I’m just a fan of The Edge, I think.

6. Tremble For My Beloved--Collective Soul

The first Collective Soul album I ever owned was Dosage. I bought it while I was at BYU, playing around with the idea of carrying a music minor. The shift of sound in the beginning of this song reminds me of the Music Recording class I took—I know how to create that effect on the soundboard, thank you very much!

7. Bury My Lovely--October Project

InOregon introduced me to Pandora a couple of years ago, and October Project was one of the first groups to really strike my fancy. The lead vocalist has a fantastic second-soprano/alto range voice, which means I can sing along with all the songs comfortably. Oh, and I like the song.

8. Shimmer--Shawn Mullens

I really liked “Lullaby” when it came out *coughtenyearsagomymusicisoldcough* and I promptly bought the CD. I like “Shimmer” too, for the message as well as the music, and it wasn’t until a week ago, when I was looking Shawn Mullens up on Wikipedia, that I realized it had been used in “Dawson’s Creek.” Still a good song.

9. Don't Leave Home--Dido

Dido’s voice is another one of my favorites, and I love the “I will protect you and take care of you” theme of this song. It also applies greatly to my husband, who hates to travel.

10. Breathing--Lifehouse

“I want nothing more/Than to sit outside heaven’s door/And listen to you breathing…” To me, this song is so very romantic.

11. The River Sings--Enya

What? You thought I could put together a CD and leave off Enya? I think not!

12. Pachelbel: Canon in D major--New Bach Collegium Musicum

My favorite classical piece, bar none. It’s the only one that I can pick out readily, too. If it ain’t got words, I can’t tell them apart—which is why I nearly failed Music 101.

13. Babylon--Clandestine

And now we get into the non-mainstream portion of the CD. I love Renaissance Faires, and not just for the costumes! There are some great people out there dedicated to making awesome folk music, and Clandestine is one of them. I haven’t seen them live, but apparently they shared members with Tartanic, the next band on the CD. Anyway, I love this song and the chorus gets stuck in my head on a regular basis.

14. The Brewery Tap--Tartanic

Tartanic is a band that is now dedicated to showing that bagpipe music can really rock. Last year, however, before the band was revamped, they were more dedicated to a world music theme, using percussion from Asia and musical themes from everywhere in history. (Everytime in history? Something like that.) This is my favorite piece of theirs, but it doesn’t compare to seeing them live. They have a fantastic amount of energy that really communicates to the audience when they perform.

15. "O Fortuna" from Carmina Burana--Cast In Bronze

Cast in Bronze is one of the more dramatic and bizarre shows I’ve ever seen at a ren faire. The performer is dressed in all black, including a tight black hood, over which he/she wears a bronze bird-beaked mask. He/She plays fantastically loud and dramatic pieces on a portable carillon (a keyboard of bells). Actually not that interesting to watch, and the music has been “enhanced” with electronic instruments on the CD, but you can still get a sense of the majestic sound he/she can get out of the carillon. You can also hear the show halfway across the faire.

16. Dowland: Can She Excuse My Wrongs?--Sting, Eden Karamazov

Not too long ago, I read a fantastic biography on Elizabeth the First, by Alison Weir. Highly readable and puts me firmly in the Elizabeth camp in the Elizabeth I vs. Mary, Queen of Scots battle. Anyway. I also read Churchill’s abridged History of the English-speaking Peoples. While I was immersed in all this Anglophilia, Sting came out with his newest CD, a re-creation of the songs of John Dowland. Dowland was a prominent court musician during the time of Elizabeth the First and his songs are catchy and sweet and still relatively applicable, as they deal with love and angst. This one, “Can She Excuse My Wrongs?” is written from the perspective of Robert Devereaux just before his execution for treason against the crown.

17. Hear Me--Waking Ned Devine

The entire soundtrack to Waking Ned Devine is one of my favorites. I highly recommend it. Of all the songs on that soundtrack, however, this one and “The Parting Glass” are the ones that get stuck in my head the most.

18. Balle Balle--Bride & Prejudice

I greatly annoyed my husband when we rented this for a class project of his, because I kept backing up to the dance segment this song is featured on and playing it over and over again. For some reason, he wanted to finish the movie.

19. Ghoom Tana--Junoon

When Orson Scott Card recommended Magnatune.com in one of his columns (Uncle Orson Reviews Everything, hatrack.com), I decided to do a little browsing. I came across Junoon in the rock section, where the band was described as the U2 of the Muslim world. Being a U2 fanatic, I had to check them out, and I’m glad I did. My almost-three-year-old loves the song too, though hearing her say “Ghoom Tana” in her little voice is always funny.

The Day of Chocolate

2007-11-14T14:28:00.000-07:00

I was feeling a burst of culinary creativity yesterday, which spawned two delectable creations. I know they were delectable because they disappeared so quickly!

First we have chocolate scones with chocolate chips. I smooshed some chips onto the top of the scones before I baked them--I love it when the chips get crispy on the outside but are still gooey in the middle.
And the finished product:

Last night I hosted a viewing of the first half of the BBC Pride and Prejudice miniseries. Everyone was bringing treats to share, so I made some of Momma Snider's The Brownies. Being me, I could not resist making a few changes. Note the small hands grasping the Symphony bar. I broke that up and put it in the middle of the brownies. I also added a tablespoon of oat bran and used half a cup of whole wheat flour, both for health reasons and to make the brownies denser. It worked.

Putting in the Symphony bar. A wooden spoon is vital for the brownie-making process, as it doesn't add as much air to the batter as beaters do. Then it does double duty as a batter spreader. Note the Nestle Butterfinger Crunch bars to the side, sans small hands.

Five minutes before The Brownies finished cooking, I put the broken up Butterfinger Crunch bars on top. I baked them for the last five minutes, then spread the melted chocolate to make a frosting and let it cool. Voila! Decadent brownies that actually tore one girl away from her homework. Well, only long enough to socialize and eat a brownie--she was dedicated enough to return to it. Ahh, gigantic midterm assignments, how I do not miss thee!

And so ends the Day of Chocolate. Excuse me--I have to go run a thousand miles now.

The Blog is Revived!

2007-07-26T20:52:00.000-06:00

I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, as might be assumed by my silence. Being the multitasking creature I am, a dabbler, as it were, I've been focused on other projects. But never fear! My sewing machine knows no rest...just longer gaps between projects.

Here's what's been keeping me occupied, from the bottom left and moving clockwise:
1. "Nightgowns" for my small daughters. I didn't want to go to the effort of making the full thing, so I just added some flannel to the bottom of these t-shirts.

2. Grocery bags. They're a bit deep and narrow, but as they're made from scraps left over from a friend's business, they were free. I have six-eight more, and requests for a few as Christmas gifts.

3. An apron. You might be able to tell it's well used. I made this as an alternate for my full apron. It comes in handy when I'm wearing pocket-less skirts and want to listen to my iPod.

4. Shorts. I'm not super-good at pants, which is why I wear skirts a lot of the time. But I traced the pattern from an existing pair of shorts and did my best. And now that my husband has tried them on, I have to tear out the waistband and cut a new one. This may be the last time I make pants for anyone over the age of 5.

Costume Update

2007-04-06T10:38:00.000-06:00

So I decided, relatively last minute, to go the Renaissance Festival this year as well, in costume of course. However, the shoe situation was such a pain at War that I took drastic measures.

Ta-da! Direct from SCAboots.com, the best boots ever! They broke in easily, were shipped quickly, and were comfortable for the entire day of trotting around the huge festival. I was greatly pleased and highly recommend SCAboots.com for your costuming boot needs. Plus the price was reasonable–approximately $97, including shipping. They have a bit more of a pointed toe than I would like, but it's a small matter.

It got up to 96 degrees Farenheit that day, and I knew it would, so I ditched the cloak for a small piece of plaid, since we were going on St. Patrick's Day and all. My collar obscures it, but I've secured the plaid with the brooch I purchased at War. I've also managed to fit everything I need–lotion, bandaids, small sewing kit, lunch (two bagels), and my money–into the pouch. The waterbottle is in its flask hanging behind the pouch. I fixed the belt too, whipstitching another layer to the back and adding D-rings for friction power. It looks better in the photo than it was, but I'll fix it. Someday.

And the necklace, by the way, is actually my watch. I'm not a fan of wristwatches, so I found one I could modify. It's how I wear it every day.

The problem I ran into at the Festival was not being completely prepared for the heat. I'd made the cuffs too tight to roll the sleeves up, so I had my friend cut them a few inches. I've now blanket stitched them and made leather frog closures for them, so they look a tad better. It's amazing how much of a difference rolling your sleeves up can make. Oh! And leaving your petticoat at home. The boots were a bit warm, but I was able to shove them down to about mid-calf, so there was some air circulation. And my outer skirt ended up tucked into my belt a majority of the time. BUT! It all worked, so there you go.

I'd forgotten how much I love Renaissance Festivals. Usually I walk in without a plan, but this time I was going with someone who is all about planning ahead and timelines. We shopped a little, caught a TON of shows, and really had a wonderful time. We're so going again next year. The best shows I saw were Tartanic (great live bagpipe and drum show, but the CD was disappointing) and Allanah ("I Shot Danny Boy" is the greatest ballad ever!). Don Juan and Miguel were overrated, I couldn't watch Thom Selectomy without gagging, and the jousting was interesting though difficult to hear. And I'm mildly bitter because sitting in the stadium seats left black marks on the hem of my overskirt that didn't come out in the wash.

In fact, because of those marks, I'm planning to modify the outfit. Currently, my daughters' room sports some dark pink hemp curtains. These are soon to be replaced with dark green curtains that will be more effective in blocking the early morning sunlight (draw your own conclusions about that one), so I'll be reusing the pink ones as a gard for the hem of the dress. I'm also going to make a felt cavalier hat using the instructions found here. The thought of the project makes me cackle wickedly. It will be fun, very non-period, and just, well, FUN! I'm beginning to realize that being strictly period is not for me. However, this is coming from a place of knowledge. Now that I know what I'm doing, I can play with it. And I shall!

And now for some Killing Fairies

2007-03-05T11:01:00.000-07:00

To save trees and a bit of money, you will find the song list, the explanation of my choices, and the lyrics for the songs (in that order) in this blog entry.

First, the song list:

City Of Blinding Lights–U2, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
What's Left of the Flag–Flogging Molly, Drunken Lullabies
Pavement Cracks –Annie Lennox, Bare
In A Lifetime–Clannad, Anam
All Souls Night–Loreena McKennitt, The Visit
The First of Autumn–Enya, May It Be - EP
Orinoco Flow–Taliesin Orchestra/Charles Sayre, Orinoco Flow-Music Of Enya
Post-Conscious Modernisation Of Space / The Candlelight Reel / The Jar O' Lentils–Burach, The Music & Song Of Greentrax
Puirt A Beul–Sileas, Celtic Odyssey
The Gaelic Reels–Capercaillie, Celtic Moods
Lukey/Lukaloney–Great Big Sea, Fire In The Kitchen
Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair–Fiddlesticks, Favorites
Clueless–Wolfstone, Piping Hot-A Celtic Bagpipe Collection
The Gypsy Rover–The Irish Rovers, The Irish Rovers Collection
A Bridge (That Carries Us Over)–Clannad, Lore
Highland Cathedral–Phil Coulter, Highland Cathedral
On My Way Home–Enya, Paint The Sky With Stars: The Best Of Enya
Long Journey Home (w/ Elvis Costello)–The Chieftains, The Wide World Over
Take Me Home–Phil Coulter, Lake Of Shadows
The Old Ways–Loreena McKennitt, The Visit

And a little rambling: This is the most perfect mix I have ever put together. I was giddy when I finished it and I love listening to it. I am so THRILLED with it! [/rambling]

Song Explanations
First of all, the title of the CD, ars celtica, was a stroke of luck. I don't know much Latin, but this phrase entered my head and stayed and it actually means Celtic arts! Yay for that. By Celtic arts (please be pronouncing 'Celtic' with the k sound in your head, thankyouverymuch), I mean one of three things:

a) music performed by people of Celtic origins
b) Celtic music performed by people of Celtic origins
c) Celtic music performed by people who admire the Celtic culture, but aren't Celtic themselves

I'll identify which ones are which next to their title.

City Of Blinding Lights–U2, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (a-Irish)

At the moment, this is my most favorite U2 song. Bono says he was inspired to write it after giving a concert in Manhatten just after 9/11. The "You are so beautiful" line came from looking at the people of New York singing along with him, finding what joy they could after the attacks.

The way the song starts, "The more you see the less you know/The less you find out as you go/I knew much more then than I do now," feels especially poignant. Now that I have children I feel rather unqualified to assert any facts, as my assertions are often followed by the question "Why?" I used to know so much!

What's Left of the Flag–Flogging Molly, Drunken Lullabies (a-Irish)

My husband heard this on the radio and determined that I must hear it too. It's the perfect blend of Irish folk and rock. I prefer to think of one line as a prayer instead of an exclamation, by the way.

Pavement Cracks –Annie Lennox, Bare (a-Scottish)

I love Annie Lennox's haunting vocals and admire her range. This melody tends to stick in my head long after I've turned the music off.

In A Lifetime–Clannad, Anam (a-Irish)

Clannad's non-Gaelic lyrics tend towards cheesiness, but I still love their melodies. This one is a duet with Bono.

All Souls Night–Loreena McKennitt, The Visit (c)

Loreena McKennitt is known by some as "Our Lady of the Harp." She got her start remaking traditional Celtic melodies, but her musical geography has expanded. The Celts were traders and conquerers, so it is possible to find their influences all over Europe and the Middle East. McKennitt says that this song is inspired by both the Japanese ancestor celebrations, in which small lanterns are lit and set to sail on a river, and Celtic holyday celebrations, which generally involve large bonfires and lots of dancing.

The First of Autumn–Enya, May It Be - EP (a-Irish)

This is Enya at her best, in my opinion: lots of strong bass topped with ethereal melodies.

Orinoco Flow–Taliesin Orchestra/Charles Sayre, Orinoco Flow-Music Of Enya (c)

I love this remake of the Enya classic.

Post-Conscious Modernisation Of Space / The Candlelight Reel / The Jar O' Lentils–Burach, The Music & Song Of Greentrax (b-Scottish)

And now we get into the "real" stuff. Greentrax is a compilation of Scottish music, most traditional, some not. This set of reels (reels are dancing songs and tend to come in threes) starts slowly and imaginatively, but that doesn't last long.

Puirt A Beul–Sileas, Celtic Odyssey (b-Scottish)

I'll let the fine folks from Narada do the explaining here:

"The three rolling segments of unaccompanied Gaelic mouth music, or puirt a beul, sung by Sileas’ Patsy Seddon and Mary MacMaster, show the resourcefulness of rural Scots who did not always have instruments to accompany dancing. The tightly intricate yet highly danceable rhythm of their two intertwining voices is simply extraordinary. These song snippets contain intentionally repetitive, slightly varied references to everyday farm life, such as milking cows and churning butter. Patsy and Mary, together known as Sileas, are two native Scots singers and harpers who learned many of their Gaelic songs as Edinburgh’s School of Scottish Studies."

The Gaelic Reels–Capercaillie, Celtic Moods (b)

I believe this is only one reel, but Capercaillie should be standard in any Celtic music collection for their reels alone.

Lukey/Lukaloney–Great Big Sea, Fire In The Kitchen (b)

This song is on a Chieftains collection, but the Chieftains are widely known for their collaborations. The song is a sea shanty from the Newfoundland area. If you're really curious about the lyrics or context of the song, you can look it up by the song title on Wikipedia.

Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair–Fiddlesticks, Favorites (c)

Fiddlesticks is a group I originally encountered in Utah. I love this ballad, even though I didn't know all the words until recently. My own husband is blond, but in one of those odd twists of life, the lead singer actually did end up marrying a man with black hair.

Clueless–Wolfstone, Piping Hot-A Celtic Bagpipe Collection (b)

BAGPIPES! I'm one of the few and the proud who love them. A set of bagpipes, played well, can be a joy to listen to, or a subtle way of driving off unwanted visitors. It's my belief that those with a few more Celtic genes running through them are the ones who are drawn to Celtic music. My husband, who is fourth generation Irish AND Scottish, is determined to prove this theory wrong.

The Gypsy Rover–The Irish Rovers, The Irish Rovers Collection (b)

This song was actually a last-minute addition–the night before I finalized the mix, I just couldn't stop singing it, until it finally dawned on me that I ought to add it in. I encountered the original song while taking piano lessons, and then had it sung to me at a Renaissance Festival while still a very impressionable teenager. I love the traditional sound the Irish Rovers give it.

A Bridge (That Carries Us Over)–Clannad, Lore (a)

Again with the cheesy-ish lyrics, but I like the chorus: "We all speak well of a bridge that carries us over, over safe." That, and I'm just a big Clannad fan. Did I mention that Enya got her start with Clannad as a back-up singer? She did. She's related to all of them–the lead singer is her sister and most of the instrumentalists are her uncles.

Highland Cathedral–Phil Coulter, Highland Cathedral (b-Irish)

Piano and bagpipes. Phil Coulter=love!

On My Way Home–Enya, Paint The Sky With Stars: The Best Of Enya (a)

And now we begin the going home section. Interestingly, this is a frequent theme in all the Celtic music I have. I picked out the best/my favorites for the end of this CD.

Long Journey Home (w/Elvis Costello)–The Chieftains, The Wide World Over (a-Irish)

I love the men's chorus on the refrain of this one.

Take Me Home–Phil Coulter, Lake Of Shadows (a)

More men's chorus! And like the movie version of Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, this mix takes its own sweet time to actually end.

The Old Ways–Loreena McKennitt, The Visit (c)

And we end with my other most favoritest song in the world. It's a crossroads sort of song, which appeals to me for obvious reasons if you peruse the rest of this blog. It also makes me think of connecting with my ancestors and understanding them better, so it's reminiscent of family history…in a very obscure way.

LYRICS
City of Blinding Lights
The more you see the less you know
The less you find out as you go
I knew much more then than I do now

Neon heart dayglo eyes
A city lit by fireflies
They’re advertising in the skies
For people like us

And I miss you when you’re not around
I’m getting ready to leave the ground-…
Ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh

Oh you look so beautiful tonight
In the city of blinding lights

Don’t look before you laugh
Look ugly in a photograph
Flash bulbs purple irises
The camera can’t see

I’ve seen you walk unafraid
I’ve seen you in the clothes you made
Can you see the beauty inside of me?
What happened to the beauty I had inside of me?

And I miss you when you’re not around
I’m getting ready to leave the ground

Ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh

Oh you look so beautiful tonight
Oh you look so beautiful tonight
Oh you look so beautiful tonight
In the city of blinding lights

The more you know the less you feel
Some pray for others steal
Blessings are not just for the ones who kneel…luckily

What's Left Of The Flag
His eyes they closed and his last breath spoke
he had seen all to be seen
A life once full, now an empty vase
Wilt the blossoms on his early grave

Walk away me boy, walk away me boy
And by mornin' we'll be free
Wipe that golden tear from your mother dear
And raise what's left of the flag for me

Then the rosary beads count them one, two, three
Fell apart as they hit the floor
In our garb of black we must pay respect
To the color we're born to mourn

Walk away me boys, walk away me boys
And by morning we'll be free
Wipe that golden tear from your mother dear
And raise what's left of the flag for me

In his place there grew an angry festered wound
Filled with hatred and remorse
Where I'd pick and scratch till the blood it matched
The silent rage not that fills my lungs
For there are many ways to kill a man they say
With bayonet, axe, or sword
But son a bullet fired from a shapeless guise
Leaves but the shell of a Thompson gun

Walk away me boys, walk away me boys
And by morning we'll be free
Wipe that golden tear from your mother dear
And raise what's left of the flag for me

From the East out to the Western shore
Where many men and many more will fall
But no angel flies with me tonight
Till freedom reigns on all
And curse the name for which we slaved our days
Till every man shall his kingdom come
But sure as night turns day
Ends the passion play
Oh my god what have they done
With madman's rage, well they dug our graves
But the dead rise again you fools

Walk away me boys, walk away me boys
And by morning we'll be free
Wipe that golden tear from your mother dear
And raise what's left of the flag for me

Walk away me boys, walk away me boys
And by morning we'll be free
Wipe that golden tear from your mother dear
And raise what's left of the flag for me

Pavement Cracks
The city streets are wet again with rain
But I'm walkin' just the same
Skies turn to the usual grey
When you turn to face the day
And love don't show up in the pavement cracks
All my water colors fade to black
I'm goin' nowhere and I'm ten steps back
All my dreams have fallen flat

(Love don't show in the pavement cracks
There will be no turning back)

Time and space will pass us by and by
When we don't see eye to eye
I would have done anything
For happiness to bring ...
But it don't show up in the pavement cracks
I can't even cover up my tracks
I'm goin' nowhere and I'm light years back
Ooh I wish you well

How come
Every day
I'm still waiting for the change?
How come
I still say
Give me strength to live?

Where is my comfort zone?
A simple place to call my own
'Cause everything I wanna be
Comes crashing down on me
And it don't show up in the pavement cracks
I can't even recognize my tracks
You and I can't turn the whole thing back
Ooh I wish you well

In a Lifetime
Hard to tell
Or recognize a sign
To see me through
A warning sign
First the thunder
Satisfied, if the past it will not lie
Then the storm
Torn asunder
The future you and I get blown away
In the storm
In a lifetime
And as the rain it falls
Begin again, as the storm breaks through
Heavy in my heart
Believe the light in you
So the light shines in you
Without color, faded and worn
Torn asunder in the storm
Unless the sound has faded from you soul
Unless it disappears
First the thunder
Selfish storm
Then the storm
Hold on the inside
Torn asunder
One life
In the storm
In a lifetime
In a lifetime

All Souls Night
Bonfires dot the rolling hillsides
Figures dance around and around
To drums that pulse out echoes of darkness
Moving to the pagan sound.

Somewhere in a hidden memory
Images float before my eyes
Of fragrant nights of straw and of bonfires
And dancing till the next sunrise.

Chorus:
I can see lights in the distance
Trembling in the dark cloak of night
Candles and lanterns are dancing, dancing
A waltz on all souls night.

Figures of cornstalks bend in the shadows
Held up tall as the flames leap high
The green knight holds the holly bush
To mark where the old years passes by.

Chorus

Bonfires dot the rolling hillsides
Figures dance around and around
To drums that pulse out echoes of darkness
And moving to the pagan sound.

Standing on the bridge that crosses
The river that goes out to the sea
The wind is full of a thousand voices
They pass by the bridge and me.

Chorus

LUKEY'S BOAT (taken from Wikipedia)
Lukey's boat is painted green,
Aha, my boys,
Lukey's boat is painted green,
The prettiest boat you ever seen.
Aha me boys a-riddle-I-day.

Lukey's boat got a fine fore cutty,
And every seam is chinked with putty.

Lukey's boat got high stop sails,
And she was planched with copper nails.

Oh, Lukey's boat got a high stopped jib
And a patent block to her foremast head,

I think, says Lukey, I'll make her bigger,
I'll load her down with a one claw jigger.

Lukey's rolling out his grub,
One split pea in a ten pound tub.

Oh, Lukey he sailed down the shore,
To catch some fish from Labrador,

Aha, says Lukey, the blinds are down,
My wife is dead and underground.

Aha, says Lukey, I don't care.
Aha my boys,
Aha, says Lukey, I don't care,
I'll get me another in the spring of the year.
Aha me boys a-riddle-I-day.

Black is the color of my true love’s hair
(these lyrics aren't exact, but the best I could find online)
But Black is the colour of my true love's hair.
His face is like some rosy fair,
The prettiest face and the neatest hands,
I love the ground whereon he stands.

I love my love and well he knows,
I love the ground whereon he goes,
If you no more on earth I see,
I can't serve you as you have me.

The winter's passed and the leaves are green,
The time is passed that we have seen,
But still I hope the time will come
When you and I shall be as one.

I go to the Clyde for to mourn and weep,
But satisfied I never could sleep.
I'll write to you a few short lines,
I'll suffer death ten thousand times.

So fare you well, my own true love
The time has passed, but I wish you well.
But still I hope the time will come
When you and I will be as one.

I love my love and well he knows,
I love the ground whereon he goes.
The prettiest face, the neatest hands,
I love the ground whereon he stands.

Gypsy Rover
(these lyrics aren't exact, but the best I could find online)
The gypsy rover came over the hill
Down through the valley so shady
He whistled and he sang 'til the green woods rang
And he won the heart of a lady.

Chorus:
Auh-de-doo-auh-de-doo-dah-day
Auh-de-doo-auh-de-day-dee
He whistled and he sang 'til the green woods rang
And he won the heart of a lady.

She left her father's castle gate
She left her own true lover
She left her servants and her estate
To follow her gypsy rover

Chorus

Her father mounted his fastest steed
And ranged the valley over
He sought his daughter at great speed
And her whistling gypsy rover

Chorus

At last he came to a mansion fine
Down by the River Clady
And there was music and there was wine
For the gypsy and his lady.

Chorus

"He is no gypsy, my father" she said
"But Lord of these lands all over
And here I'll stay 'til my dying day
With my whistling gypsy rover."

Chorus

A Bridge That Carries Us Over
Time came around, and I was in need
You came by my side, all my troubles to ease
You collected my heart, healing the past
You'll never lay down and i can count on you

We all speak well of a bridge that carries us over
...over safe
The art of compromise has surely been our greatest strength
...our greatest strength.

When someone pretends, to circle your friends
And finds he's betraying you 'fore it all ends
A bittersweet chain, that'll always remain
So don't let illusions get the better of you

We all speak well of a bridge that carries us over
...over safe
The art of compromise has surely been our greatest strength
...our greatest strength.Love is to share, where words can't compare
Love is desire, so full of fire

We all speak well of a bridge that carries us over
...over safe
The art of compromise has surely been our greatest strength
...our greatest strength.

We all speak well of a bridge that carries us over
...over safe
The art of compromise has surely been our greatest strength
...our greatest strength.

On My Way Home
I have been given
One moment from heaven
As I am walking
Surrounded by night.
Stars high above me
Make a wish under moonlight.

On my way home
I remember
Only good days.
On my way home
I remember all the best days.
I’m on my way home
I can remember
Every new day.

I move in silence
With each step taken,
Snow falling round me
Like angels in flight.
Far in the distance
Is my wish under moonlight.

Long Journey Home
If on every ocean the ship is a throne
And for each mast cut down anther sapling is grown
Then I could believe that I’m bound to find
A better life than I left behind

But as you ascend the ladder
Look out below where you tread
For the colors bled as they overflowed
Red, white and blue
Green, white and gold

So I had to leave from my country of birth
As for each child grown tall
Another lies in the earth
And for every rail we laid in the loam
There’s a thousand miles of the long journey home

But as you ascend the ladder
Look out below where you tread
For the colors bled as they overflowed
Red, white and blue
Green, white and gold

Take Me Home
I sit here thinking, as the sun is sinking,
Of long winter evenings by my own fireside.
So far away now, but any day now,
I’ll sail on the morning tide.

Chorus:
Home, oh take me home
Home to the people I left behind
Home to the love I know I’ll find
Oh, take me home.

The Old Ways
The thundering waves are calling me home to you
The pounding sea is calling me home to you.

On a dark new year’s night
On the west coast of Clare
I heard your voice singing
Your eyes danced the song
Your hands played the tune
T’was a vision before me.

We left the music behind and the dance carried on
As we stole away to the seashore
We smelt the brine, felt the wind in our hair
And with sadness you paused.

Suddenly I knew that you’d have to go
My world was not yours, your eyes told me so
Yet it was there I felt the crossroads of time
And I wondered why.

As we cast our gaze on the tumbling sea
A vision came o’er me
Of thundering hooves and beating wings
In clouds above.

As you turned to go I heard you call my name.
You were like a bird in a cage, spreading its
Wings to fly
“The old ways are lost,” you sang as you flew
and I wondered why.

For my reference–the detailed Two Year Plan

2007-03-05T10:31:00.000-07:00

2007 Project List Deadlines
March 10th–Family Tree cross stitch (DONE!)
March 17th–finish pouch seams, bigger waterbottle flask, finish belt,
chaussures, carryall bucket bag
March 30th–black silk skirt for Jess
cushion cover
fix temple dress
April 30th–crochet shawl
hats
May 30th–grocery bags
July 30th–garb for Tibbs: yoked shirt, black breeches, silk sash
October 25th–prairie dresses for me and the girls
November–NaNoWriMo
December–crochet sweater, rectangle construction

2008 Project List Deadlines
January–velvet bag (DONE!)
corded corset
black skirt
black doublet
pendant purse
April–T-shirt quilt
(May/June–move)
October–white muslin Regency dress
November–NaNoWriMo
December–rag rugs

In-between Projects
fix ironing board cover
recut, resew pj pants
book covers
scented hotpads
felt finger puppets
card weaving
rag basket
dark blue snood

Finished!

2007-03-05T10:28:00.000-07:00

The beast is done! It's a family tree, in case I didn't mention that before. All that's left is to mat and frame it and send it to my grandparents. Hurrah!

Cross Stitch Progress

2007-02-26T14:14:00.000-07:00

Here is where I was:

Here is where I am now:

Not Just a Dress Diary, My Friend.

2007-02-21T16:43:00.000-07:00

I've decided to document ALL of my dabblings in this journal. That way I won't just use it for two SCA outfits and that's it. So a history of my creative works–everything I make by hand–will be here.

Today's entry: The Family Tree

About three years ago I started a cross stitch for my grandmother. She taught me how to cross stitch when I was but a wee lass. I managed to revive the skill, sketch a plan, and get as far as the tree trunks. Then managing apartments and having my second child in as many years got in the way. I'd like to get it done in time for my grandpa and grandma's anniversary, which I believe is in May. But I want to be done NOW, so I've set a deadline of March 10th. Then I'll have time to mat and frame it and send it properly.

Here's the plan I sketched aeons ago:

Here's where I was yesterday:

Here's where I ended today (my fingers are SORE):

As my husband pointed out last night as I was bemoaning my lack of progress, this is meticulous work. Good thing I love my grandma!

Improvements and New Directions

2007-02-20T10:37:00.000-07:00

Improvements for next year (or next month, when I go to RenFest):

-Finish the seams and edges on my pouch
-get rings for my belt and put a second side on it (no more leather fuzzies!)
-make a bigger waterbottle flask
-make a better carryall for my lunch and treasures
-make freakin' chaussures (cloth stockings)--my wool socks, despite ribbon garters, kept falling down.
-wear more sunscreen

Garb and my New Direction:

While at War, I saw the BEST cavalier garb! Leather hats with plumes, gloves, doublets, BOOTS–I am in love. And now the debate rages in my head–will next year's garb be simply a black kirtle, a copy of this year's pink kirtle? Or will I make a black doublet and a black skirt?

If I buy an entire hide from Tempe Sales, will I have enough leather to make a black belt, a black hat, and black gloves?

Do I have the time and patience to make a corset?

Where will I get plumes, if not from War?

Can I do this and still make garb for Tibbs too, or will my family lose me to the sewing machine? That must be avoided.

Can I do any of this and accomplish the other goals I have for myself?

Does the goal timeline need to be revised?

Will I be able to pre-order Eclipse for less than I had budgeted so I can get hemp for my corset AND get into the signing?

Where in the world will I find the money for boots?

Treasure Time!

2007-02-19T08:52:00.000-07:00

Here are the lovely, lovely items I acquired at War:

I am now the proud owner of a dagger with a metal scabbard, a card-weaving loom (with a shuttle!), a cloak pin, and a site token.

On the left is the site token. It says "Estrella" on one side and "War" on the other and is filled to capacity with curious symbols. On the right is my cloak pin. I bought it from The Snake Pit. Dubious name, but great prices, since the guy was going out of business. It sounded like he was doing it [going out of business] deliberately–he definitely looked of an age to retire. So the pin, which is engraved and has knotwork AND flowers on it, was discounted. It also served to keep my cloak from flapping in the wind, which there was plenty of that morning.

Here is the dagger. It will reside in high places only, though it's a bit tough to get out of the scabbard at the moment, so it's low on the danger factor. For now. I intend to make a frog for it (pictures will come, but it's hard to describe), so that it may hang handily on my belt. The dagger was also obtained at The Snake Pit for $12, a right bargain, if you ask me.

And last, though far from least, is my card-weaving loom! It's small and portable and will let me create up to five feet of trim, which is a fabulous thing. It's from Pine Top Traders/Palmer's Looms, and Gary Palmer took the time to explain to me how to use it, how to treat my basswood tablets so they can withstand the strain of weaving, and some simple patterns. I'm a self-taught weaver, so it was nice to talk to him. He's going to start making box looms later in the year and I may have to order one, just so I can do more than five feet of trim, but the portable loom is definitely a keeper.

So there's my loot. Next post will be on things I will do differently next year and garb I intend to copy some year.

The Reward

2007-02-18T20:05:00.000-07:00

Estrella War has come and gone, and I had fun! There will definitely be a next time, though my garb will be black.

I have no idea why I have to keep my hands in front of me while posing, but there you go. I wore the snood and the hat, despite waffling about them since the hat was a trifle snug. But the snood kept my hair contained and the hat stayed on in rather windy conditions. I did get a bit of bodice burn in the front, but the back of my neck was quite well protected–I remembered the sunblock. The outfit itself was fairly comfortable, especially once I got my cloak clasp. (Pictures of goodies obtained at War will be posted later. They're in the back and I'm lazy.) It's a fabulous bit of engraved bronze and I just love it!

This is Judy. She's wearing a wool LOTR cloak and it was apparently quite light and comfortable and breathed well. The walking stick laying next to her on the left side of the picture is pretty cool–it has a leather grip and is gnarly and varnished and fascinating.

This is Ruth. She and Judy are sisters and they allowed me to drag them to War, much to their delight and mine. We're planning next year's trip already–we've been planning it since the trip home yesterday. Ruth is wearing a cotton chemise that I made last year and wasn't completely satisfied with, as well as a brown cotton/rayon/poly mix skirt that I made moons and moons ago that I also wasn't satisfied with. Yes, perfectionism does run along my neural pathways. They look great on her, especially when accompanied by the lovely blue and black Celtic scarf she picked up while we were there.

This is my lunch napkin/bag. It works better as a food containment system within another bag–the bulk definitely did not work in its favor. But I'm still fond of it, like an ugly but friendly puppy. I am NOT taking the bowl with me anymore, however, unless I have a place to leave it. It gets heavy after a couple of hours, and I ended up eating my own food and not obtaining anything I'd need a bowl for. So there you go.

This is our first view of the campsite coming from the parking "lot". There were tents as far as the eye could see. It rained a couple of times this last week, so I'm sure the tents came in handy. I also can't imagine actually doing the kind of rough, period camping that these dedicated folks do. I like to at least have a cabin between me and the elements, be it ever so basic, and an indoor potty. (BTW, I doctored the picture to make the tents more visible. If the light looks funny, that's why.)

We shopped for a bit, then got bored and decided to watch the "hound" coursing. The prey were a series of plastic grocery bags tied to a steel cable. The cable wound through posts strategically placed in a course and was powered by a small motor. The bags zigged and zagged and the dogs were pretty interested in chasing them, except for one fluffy puppy who just didn't see the point, even when one of the puppy's humans demonstrated the concept by chasing the bags himself. That is one smart puppy.

It was fun to see the dogs run full out, pushing their speeds to catch the bags. The most hilarious dog tried to herd the bags instead of chase them–he anticipated their moves and barked at them to move, but they just went under his feet. Poor thing looked very frustrated.

Here is part of the melee we watched as we ate our lunch from the safety and relative comfort of some haybales placed far, far beyond the line of combat. See the sticks in a line? Those are "pikes"–the safer, less lethal variety thereof–indicating where the fighting was. I was more interested in another part of the battle, however.

The lady knight and the parasols in the foreground are all very interesting to look at, but the device just behind them is what truly had my attention. It's a trebuchet, a sling catapult. On the ground in front of it you can see the large yellow "arrows" that were flung in the trebuchet's direction. The trebuchet's operators launched large yellow balls across the field at the arrow guys. Now that I think about it, I really wish that I had gone up to the viewing area to get, well, a better view. But I was tired and I didn't even want to *think* about encountering royalty and attempting not to block their view.

On the way out, we saw this playpen. Oh yes, I said playpen. Out of respect for my husband, I will not be obtaining one for our future small children–the current small children are far too large for something like that–but it would be tempting!

I had a wonderful time. We all did. I really wish my friend Emily could have been there, so that we would have known better what to participate in and what to watch, but it was a highly satisfying five hours as it was. I'm excited for next year!

And now for the little things....

2007-02-12T09:56:00.000-07:00

All right, now for the details I didn't cover yesterday.

First, the inside of the kirtle can be seen here.

This is the kirtle–inside out. It's fully lined, bodice and skirt, which makes it strong and easy to care for–nothing's going to fray.

And here is the lacing.

Here's the lacing detail. I sewed two rows of ribbon down each side of the opening instead of using eyes, as I was going again with the "nearly free" theme. The green row was put on first, but it didn't take the stress well, so I added the pink ribbon after I took out the boning. It works quite well.

This is the napkin pouch I described in the first post:

It doesn't close up like I thought it would–lining the napkin made it bulky. But it works well enough; it will attach to my belt if I need it to and it will hold plenty of food. Since I'm bringing breakfast to a couple of friends on Saturday, I'll definitely need it.

Here's a side view of the snood. I was right about the pattern being hidden...for the most part.

And here are some pouches and the belt I made. The furry pouch was a last-minute idea and needs some finishing touches. What, I'm not quite sure. The water-bottle flask looks much better, now that I've sewn up the seams. Hurrah for leather needles made for sewing machines!

Crossing the Finish Line (picture heavy)

2007-02-11T20:36:00.000-07:00

And here we are. In a mad last push during the past three days, I finished. Apparently I cannot control myself at the finish line and I have to sprint! I was feeling patient enough to not make stupid mistakes, I'd like to think.

This picture is first for a general sense of the overall outfit. The snood/caul bugs the heck out of me, so I will only be wearing it at War. Maybe. As Authentic As I Want To Be, right? Right.

The chemise turned out well and it is quite comfortable. I made the sleeves very, very long, because I have long arms and I hate it when my sleeves turn out to be too short. However, I also set them in the wrong place, so the collar gapes in the back a bit. By the time I discovered this, I was too far along to care, so instead I have a note on my bathroom mirror: "Sunscreen on back of neck, Feb. 17th." *I* know what I mean.

Here you can see the shape of the bodice. I decided against boning for a few reasons. Firstly, I am small enough that I can pretty much get away without it. Secondly, I had only put it on either side of the lacing, so that was straight while the rest of the bodice wrinkled. Thirdly, the front was straight enough to start jabbing me in the throat (that may be an exaggeration) and ruined the line of the neck. This bothered me more than the bodice wrinkles, so out the boning went. And I have to say, store-bought boning for a flat-front bodice is a ridiculous idea. It curves! Cable ties or hemp for me next time.

If you look at the reflection in the window, you can see that I am not in need of a bumroll. This is for two reasons: I am a classic pear shape and the majority of the skirt is on either side of my rump. In knife-pleating the skirt, I had to fiddle a bit to get everything to work, so the center pleat in back ended up spreading a bit. I like the pleating, however–it lies quite nicely and moves smoothly.

Here's a shot of my petticoat. It's not tan, it's striped, by the way. Making it with the ties was a fabulous idea–it's quite comfortable and hangs well. And I believe that you can see the spiral lacing of the bodice. Tomorrow's post: accessories and details. I would do it now, but I'm giving the outfit a bit of a test run at the moment.

Being Productive

2007-02-09T09:39:00.001-07:00

I've been very focused these past few days. The bodice for the kirtle is nearly done, as can be seen here:

I need to narrow the boning channel, however, because the boning is curved and keeps turning around. It'll have to be handsewn, however. Gack. Oh well. But the pattern alteration worked pretty well, so hurrah for that.

Clifford the Big Red Dog is on, which eliminates any chance for coherent thought. I'll have to post more later.

No News is Good News

2007-02-06T11:17:00.001-07:00

Despite my lack of regular posting, I have been working fairly consistently. The chemise is done and pictures will be posted in this entry when available. I actually did some hand-sewing (*GASP*) for the cuffs and the neckline, completely flubbed the hem at each seam, and had to tear out the collar, make a bigger new one and reattach it, but I'm fairly pleased with the result. Also, it is quite amazing how many things are made in cream/off-white. I picked up the ribbon for the facing without a swatch to be sure of the color, yet it matches almost perfectly. Same with the cream thread I used. It's been nice and rather headache-free. Knock on wood.

Yesterday I modified the bodice pattern, then cut out the bodice and skirt pieces. I did not make a toile first, and that may come back to bite me in the arse later, but I have faith in both my skills and the skills of Simplicity's pattern makers. I also adhered closely to the old adage, "Measure twice, cut once." Hopefully this will stand me in good stead.

I have to hand out this tip I got from a seamstress friend of mine. She uses the cheapest sew-in interfacing to create altered pattern pieces. It's sheer enough to trace the pattern piece through, but not so sheer as to be expensive or tear. Genius!

Next entry will have more detail about my plan for the dress, including lining and boning and trim, oh my!

Continuing on...

2007-02-03T08:18:00.000-07:00

Being knocked out with a cold turned out to be a good thing, in hindsight. I didn't feel like sitting at a sewing machine or cutting material, so I crocheted the heck out of the snood. I did attempt a pattern for a while, but since I was using the world's smallest crochet hook, it became a headache and I went for fast and easy. Then I bought the world's not-quite-smallest crochet hook, and did an edging on the snood. Here is a picture of it laid out with the tablet-woven ribbon half-way woven in:

And you can see where I quit with the pattern. Oh yes, I have no patience. But once the snood is on and fastened, etc., the edging bunches up nicely and the almost-pattern is lost in the the bunching. Life good.

Yesterday it was bothering me that I was behind schedule, so I cut out the chemise and got it halfway sewn up. I have gores to attach today, side seams to sew, and cuffs to turn and attach, then some hemming and I'm done. That's an hour, maybe two, tops. And the collar turned out pretty well, as did the facing I did on the neckline with grosgrain ribbon. Not period and I so don't care. Which is the point of this blog, anyway: As Authentic As I Want To Be.

Also, here is the petticoat on the dress dummy/desk chair:

And on me, so you can see the pleating (yes, yes, it isn't even. I. Don't. Care.)(maybe I do a bit, but not enough to fix it):

So there's progress. I'll finish up the chemise today and start mocking up and cutting out the bodice next week. Twelve days and counting!

Reworking the Plans

2007-01-28T13:54:00.001-07:00

I got sick this weekend, so the chemise is postponed until next week. I'm also trying to decide how to face the neck slit. I'm thinking a strip of linen with selvedge on one edge, mitered at the bottom of the V, will do. When I sew, it's for strength and durability. Pretty is a secondary consideration.

On the other hand, I have decided what to do about my hair. I am going to crochet a rectangular snood using the world's smallest crochet hook, then thread the tablet weaving through the edges and make it all work. I'm using buff colored cotton crochet thread and I will definitely post pictures when I'm through. I'd post pictures of the completed petticoat, but I can't figure out the timer function on my camera and my desk chair just doesn't make an ideal dress dummy. So there's my excuses.

One Layer Down, Five Million To Go

2007-01-25T09:18:00.001-07:00

So I finished the petticoat yesterday. The waistband was a bit wider than it needed to be, so tying it and keeping tied may be an issue. I'll definitely have to have a trial run or two before War to make sure everything fits correctly. Which means I have to be done at least a couple of days before the 17th, instead of the night before. No biggie, right? I'm right on schedule. I'll cut out the chemise today and sew it up tomorrow according to the layout I found on Renaissance Tailor (#2). There are no measurements given, but I've made six or seven chemises before, so it shouldn't be too difficult. *crosses fingers*

In Which I Move Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

2007-01-23T10:13:00.001-07:00

So last night I french seamed my cloak and pleated my apron into a waistband. Not tough, but it's nice to have those out of the way. I would have pictures, but the giraffe wasn't up to posing today. He tends to get lost in the cloak and the whole effect is ruined.

On the other hand, I lengthened the drawstring on the coif, but I still don't like how it turned out. That and my hair isn't waist length, so I don't have the bulky bun necessary to keep it on. So I'm down to a kerchief or making a hairnet. I think I'll save making a haircovering for last–I do have a straw hat, after all, and I could always just braid my hair.

I Take It All Back

2007-01-22T10:25:00.001-07:00

I was wrong. I just didn't make my drawstring long enough to wrap around my head or hair or something. It does not tie under my chin, as I assumed. Huzzah for research! I will be making a few more attempts today, and making the coif look nicer. Sadly, the tablet weaving I've got won't work with the coif. I'll have to find somewhere else to put it. Ah well.

Headcovering Attempt #1

2007-01-22T09:23:00.001-07:00

So I mocked up the coif last night. What I didn't realize is that it would tie under my chin. That style really turns me off–makes me feel childish and not in a good, fun-loving way. So I'll be tracking down the caul instructions that involve ties that go around my hair and see if I like that any better. And while the coif was made from silk, the silk was free and had to be pieced together anyway. So it's not like it cost me anything. Anybody want a free coif?

(Thanks go to my daughter's giraffe for being a willing model. My daughter wouldn't hold still.)

Washing Fustian

2007-01-20T18:11:00.001-07:00

Fustian is an interesting creature. I've never dealt with 100% linen, so working with fustian is a revelation to me. I washed two huge loads of it, one light colored, the other black, and dried them separately, except for one small piece of the buff colored fustian, which managed to somehow migrate to the black load.

Upon pulling them out of the dryer, I noticed that the lint traps were remarkably full. There was a full half-inch of fuzz, buff colored and black colored, residing in them. Cotton doesn't shed quite that proficiently, so the blame must go to the linen portion of the material. Then I found it. The poor little buff-colored migrant cloth was no longer buff. It was somewhere between gray and grey. I'll probably have to rewash it all by its lonesome to recover the color.

Revelations aside, the material I'll be working with this time around is now shrunk, dry, and ironed. This week will see work on the coif (not caul–I finally decided), the apron, and the petticoat. Or I may start with the chemise. I haven't decided yet. We'll see how I feel on Monday.

Making Decisions

2007-01-15T13:43:00.001-07:00

This morning I spent the better part of two hours deciding exactly what my newest garb would look like. I'm not exactly a beginner at this, but my first attempts at garb are too embarassing to talk about. And I'm not quite satisfied with the most recent attempts, so I'm chalking it up to experience and will be recycling the material from those attempts into something. Perhaps a twill corset boned with hemp. It could happen.

Anyway, after far too many hours surfing the excellent costuming links I've posted in the sidebar, I've decided to go middle class instead of working class. This is for many, many reasons. First of all, I cannot decide between a hairnet, a coif, and a caul. Since the goal here is to get ready for Estrella War, I don't have time to make a hairnet. A coif looks complicated and would require more work that I'm willing to put in, what with the ties and forehead cloths and so on. So a caul it is (under "Hats & Headwear"). I have some 9" silk in a champagne color that should do nicely. I'll have to piece it together, but I think it'll work. And I've already got tablet-woven braid for a border. I made it a few months ago when I was still pondering a blue-inspired color scheme, but it's cream and gold, so it will still match.

A friend of mine gave me copious amounts of linen/cotton blend (fustian!) remnants. This means more piecing, but free material, especially in the amounts that she provided, is not to be sneezed at. I have a natural/buff color, pecan striped, black, and pink. So my new chemise will be from the buff color, the tied petticoat ( here at the bottom of the page) will be from the striped fustian, and the kirtle/overdress will be from the pink. Normally I am not a fan of large amounts of pink (though as I type this I am wearing a pink button down shirt with a hot pink undershirt. This is an aberration, I swear), but the cloak that I'm nearly done with has cranberry and grass green in its plaid, and it goes much better with pink than with black. I realized this as I was trying on bits and bobs this morning over the current outfit. And pink is period (look under "Color for Lower-class Elizabethan Clothing"). So pink it is. And the pink also goes with the champagne silk and some leftover tapestry ribbon I acquired years and years ago. The theme of this garb is "nearly free." I *did* have to buy the boning.

Now the cloak itself needs to be French seamed, but that's about ten minutes of work, tops. I made a belt the other night while watching Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and I think the ends need to be folded back and tacked down for reinforcement, because it fastens using rawhide ties in an overlapping spiral lace pattern. I also made a leather pouch for my water bottle. I think the stitching looks hideous, but at the moment I'm too lazy to fix it. I already have a mid-size leather pouch for necessities like keys and cash, but I want to make a food pouch of sorts to hold my bowl and any food I decide to bring with me. I've got some cranberry cotton upholstery material leftover from a chair covering project. It's got a small dot brocade, but I think it's reasonably period. I'm going to line it with some of the buff fustian and somehow run a circular channel for a ribbon lace/tie. Maybe with loops of grosgrain sewn to the outside, or whatever else I have on hand. Then, when the pouch is opened out, it will cover my lap like a really, really big, thick napkin. I'll definitely post pictures if it works. It will definitely be my own creation, however, and not period. I'm not even going to try to document it.

Lastly, I should put some waistband ties on my apron. And then I'll be done. I hope. Four weeks and counting!