chargirlgenius

Jeff and I spent this afternoon out on the deck, soaking up the warm sun, and both sewing. Me on clothes, him on patten uppers. I hereby declare it spring. Sewing days were few this winter, what with the work on the basement it's been harder to send the kids down there. Hopefully now we can toss them all outside.

So, Sunday the 27th will be sewing/A&S day. If you plan on staying for supper, it's potluck.

I'll post again later, so you don't have to let me know yet if you're coming. I just thought I might *gasp* plan ahead for once. If you need directions, comment or PM me.

We have a dog, cat, kids, bird, and fish, so medicate accordingly.

A note on fittings... This isn't an official workshop, but if there are people I have outstanding appointments to fit, you're welcome to come out! Or we'll schedule a different time, that's fine too. For other folks who want to do a fitting, usually, I prefer that people come in pairs, work off of the tutorial, and then I provide additional guidance and help where needed. It seems to work out pretty well. If you want to come on your own, we can try having you do it up by draft, and then I work with you on the final tweaks.

Current Mood: cheerful
Crossposts: http://chargirlgenius.livejournal.com/712766.html

It's been a while since we've hosted sewing day on a Sunday afternoon around here. And since Jeff is spending most weekends cranking on the basement, I'm hesitant to commit to too much activity on Sunday afternoons.

But last weekend, I was listening to the Ponte Alto folks talk about their Friday newcomers' socials. I love having people over, but most weeknights are just ratty for people to come all the way out here. (It's a dreadful irony that I have a nice house for a lot of socializing, but we're too far away for much to happen on a casual basis.)

You know, some Friday nights would probably work out pretty well for us. Jeff doesn't usually work on the basement in the evenings, and we're not big on going out on Friday nights. Kids have to be in bed anyway!

I'm feeling a need to be social again after the winter. Would Friday night newcomers/sewing socials be of any interest to anybody? Would it be too far from everybody in the world, even Dun Carraig-ites? We could try it once a month, and maybe still try to have some Sunday sewing starting in April or May as well.

Besides, now that we don't have the cleaning lady anymore, I need some regular need to pick up and clean my house... :-D

Current Mood: rejuvenated
Crossposts: http://chargirlgenius.livejournal.com/710117.html

We’ll be hosting Medieval Arts Day on Sunday, May 2nd. Medieval Arts Day consists of sewing, any other A&S you want to work on, rapier practice, and even archery (please bring targets). These will be held every two weeks, on weekends when we’re not out of town. We will be announcing them.

Please come over no earlier than 1pm. I usually have something on the stove for dinner; if you’re planning on staying for dinner please let me know and bring a side or dish to pass, pot luck style.

I may post more details later, but if you’re interested in coming, let me know! I can send directions, and I like to have some idea of who is all coming. Oh, one detail I don’t want to miss – kids welcome. We have a big playset, plus a basement playground if the weather isn’t good.

Sunday is Easter. It's also the next scheduled sewing day. (Last time and the next time conflict with LH events.) Most of the Easter stuff we do is in the morning, so we'd still be happy to host sewing in the afternoon, hang out with friends, etc.

If we had sewing day, would anybody come?

It occurred to me that there are probably plenty of artisans out there who don't have websites to showcase their work. I know not everybody likes to brag, but just showing what you're working on might help somebody else with what they're working on.

I know a lot of people use LJ for a personal journal and for dress diaries, but I thought it might be fun to explore how to set up what looks like a more traditional website than a blog. I've been playing with the idea of transitioning my own website into a wordpress blog, so as to more easily control content without having to deal with HTML, FTP, and a lot of other acronyms. But really, it's possible to do this in a format that anybody reading this is probably already familiar with, LJ.

I'm sure that none of this is news to a lot of people, but I started playing around today, and thought I'd share. Maybe it'll be useful to somebody. I don't think I'll keep the other journal all that up to date, rather, I'll likely use it more as a template or sample to share. Then again, you never know. I might break down and use a dress diary. Generally, I prefer to subject all of my readers to kid pictures along with medievalism posts. Muh hah ha... *ahem*

So, without further ado, I present How to Have a Website for No Money or Technical Skill (at Costly Thy Habit). It's created entirely using the LJ Text editor (yes I WAY prefer just using the HTML editor, but a lot of people don't know HTML) and Flickr. I did just copy a bunch of stuff over from my other site, so there are links to PDFs which, as far as I know, you can't really put on the web without a place to host them, but other than that, you can do everything there for free and without tech skills.

Hope this is useful!

I've long known that there was a dearth of 15th century English imagery. From my earliest days in the SCA, I was doing Web Gallery of Art searches, and feeling roadblocked when searing on England in the 15th century. Since then, I've learned that Flemish art and artisans were simply more popular. And then standing in the British Library bookstore, I was bemoaning the lack of information when a kind college professor overheard me and told me all about the iconoclasts.

Ok, so I can get behind the Reformation itself. But why, oh WHY did they have to go around destroying all of that art? Dang protestants. Oh, wait...

In any case, I've spent some time during the last couple of days looking for what I could find.

Broad categories:

-Effigies and Brasses
-English Carved Alabasters
-A couple of manuscripts at The Pierpont Morgan library: http://utu.morganlibrary.org/medren/BrowseBooleanCombined.cfm
-The Pageant of Richard Beauchamp, although it's unclear if the artist was actually English.

There are a few here and there, but does anybody else know of any examples? Places I should be looking? It's a difficult topic for the discerning 15th c. English reenactor.

In other, somewhat related news, I just realized that Tournament of the Lily isn't NEXT weekend, it's the weekend AFTER. That's somewhat of a relief. I've gotten so distracted looking for English sources (a good distraction!) that I've been completely neglecting making my hennin.

So many projects, so little time...

Current Mood: curious

I was working on my KWCS class this morning, when I noticed something about hennins (the pointy princess hat thing popular in the 15th c., for those non medieval geeks on my flist).

I've been inserting picture after picture in my presentation, and cropping it down around the person I'm trying to highlight. Normally when I do this, I leave a little space over the persons head - it just looks better.

As I was cropping images with hennins, it occured to me that the hennin automatically accounts for that. In some crops, it puts the face of the wearer about 1/3rd of the way down the frame. Cropping pictures so that the focus is at a 1/3rd is an easy way to create more visual interest automatically.

A real life wearer of the hennin would get about the same advantage. The face, the focal point, is no longer perched on the very top of the whole, but is framed nicely by the body below, and the hennin above. Nifty. They sure knew what they were doing!

As a secondary thought, I'm thinking ahead to what parts of my class will be online, how I'm distributing it, etc. I'm going to have a LOT of slides. I'm not going to print a copy of the presentation for everybody. I will put it all online. I'd really like the online version to be a bit more beefy, with more of the explanation that I'd be verbalizing in the class.

If you go to a class with no handout, do you feel cheated? Do you feel like you need something to take notes on? Would a one page synopsis be helpful or necessary? Is it enough to get a link to go to later?

I'm also hoping to have time to make a power point version of the sleeve class. I think it'll be easier to talk to than the full handout.

Current Mood: contemplative

I don't have an official announcement written up yet, but I'll be organizing an Artisans Row for Storvik Novice Tourney/Challenge of the Heart, on the weekend of June 20th.

For those of you who don't know, Storvik and Dun Carraig are getting together to host a joint event this year, which I think is a fantastic idea. The site is Patuxent River Park in Upper Marlboro, MD, the same place where Jeff's vigil was last summer. Hopefully it won't be so hot, this time around!

I'll be putting out the call for tents and who will be setting up once things are a bit more firmed up, but I thought I'd give a head's up to all y'all on my flist to start thinking about it. In a nutshell, Artisans Row gives you an opportunity to work on your craft throughout the day, in more of an active display instead of a competition. I liked it as a chance to sit and geek with fellow artisans in a laid back atmosphere. Artisans of ALL levels are encouraged to come out and play.

More details forthcoming. Wanna come out and play?

We’re hosting sewing/woodshop/A&S project day this Sunday, starting at 1pm. If you wish to come over earlier, there will be people home, so that’s ok. Our house is located roughly between Indian Head and La Plata, MD. Please let me know if you need directions, and I’ll send them to you via a PM.

As usual, folks can stick around for supper. It’s usually simple, pizza or crock pot fare. If you do plan on staying, please bring a snack or side to share.

I’ve sent this to Dun Carraig and Ponte Alto, but my Storvik message bounced. Feel free to forward to interested local parties.

Last time around we had some folks who had never seen Blackadder, so I think that’s on the docket for movie watching.

Please let me know if you’re coming, so I can plan enough food! Thanks!

FYI - two weeks from now will be cancelled, due to a reenactment that we'll be attending. But we'll try to otherwise keep it regular.

Will you be feeling inspired from KASF? Ready to go on MTT or Pennsic clothes?

We're hosting sewing/workshop day this Sunday. Come on over any time after 1pm. If you plan on staying through dinner, bring some sort of snack or side to share. Dinner will probably be pizza or something just as simple.

We have a cat and bird, medicate accordingly. Please let me know if you need directions!

Sunday sewing is cancelled this week. Jeff's cousin is in town, and we're meeting her for lunch or dinner or something. Next sewing/workshop session is scheduled for two weeks out, which puts it at March 8th. Bring all of your inspiration from KASF!

Yeppers, two weeks has passed already. We're having sewing/woodworking/project/hanging out/game day at our place on Sunday afternoon. Come over any time after 1pm, and stay until we kick you out.

If you plan on staying for dinner, please bring a snack or something to share. Yes, it's ok if this is a bag of chips. :-) We'll have pizza or something which otherwise doesn't take effort. (Gotta sew!)

We now have a cat (in case you haven't been paying attention). Medicate accordingly.

Let me know if you're coming, and/or you need directions.

See you Sunday!

Current Mood: chipper

Ok,

lorebubeck I've been poked. ;-)

This Sunday, we'll be hosting sewing/woodworking/project day at our home near La Plata, MD. Since this is a public post, please contact me privately (LJ PM or charlotte dot r dot johnson at gmail dot com) for directions. We're going to aim at an every other week rotation, if schedules allow.

We'll start at 1pm, and go until people leave (ok, we'll kick you out by 11). Come sew, work in Jeff's shop, or hang out and work on other projects with company. It's never too early to start Pennsic projects!

If you stay for dinner (probably nothing fancier than frozen pizza) please bring a snack or something to share. After dinner, we'll start game night, or you can keep working on stuff while others play.

Kids are welcome too.

We have a bird, but no other pets right now. This is your last chance at coming over while we're cat-free. :-D

Please let me know if you're coming, if you haven't already.

Feel free to cross post to local lists or interested parties.

Current Mood: cheerful

After every busy weekend, I feel like I need a weekend to recover. I have it! Whee! We got back from the La Belle winter gathering last night, and I have today and tomorrow off to do nothing. Blissful nothing!

The LBC gathering was productive for me. On Saturday, I got two boy shirts made, one 14th century and one with a 15th century neckline. The first was machined on the main seams, but then they were otherwise completely hand worked. I finished off two loafs of bread for dinner that I should have done earlier in the day. I started another shirt yesterday, then did a dress fitting, and supervised another pair of dress fittings. I also played lots of legos with Henry. Next Christmas. Totally.

Today and tomorrow, I intend to finish the neckline of the shirt and machine the main seams. I want to get a sewing area put together in the basement. Then I will start my new fifteenth century underdress that I've been planning for a while. Something for ME! I think it's been two years. I mean to have that done by Jamestown in March.

If we're going to Pennsic, and taking the boys, I have a lot of sewing to do.

The list:
boys
10 linen shirts for the boys (give or take)
10 linen tunics/gowns for the boys (give or take) (G63, Bocksten, other Herjolfsnes stuff)
*I mean to crank these all out on the machine, then set them aside and hand finish as possible, or a couple of weeks before Pennsic just cheat and use the machine.
2 wool G-63 for boys
2 wool bockstens for boys
Lightweight wool doublet for Henry (to match Jeff!)
Joined hose for Heny
Points
10 pairs of braies
Acorn hat for Henry

Jeff
Finish Teal G63
Lightweight wool doublet (to match Henry!)
Another linen F63
Linen Bocksten
Start 14th century Arming Doublet (after Pennsic)

Me
Feminine Agropeasant alternative
Red late 15th century underdress (by Jamestown)
Finish the seams on the blue v-neck (by Jamestown)
Dream: stays, petticotes, Laton jacket, smock

I'd better get busy...

Current Mood: happy

For various reasons, we took a break from sewing/woodshop day. We'd like to get going again, hopefully a little more steadily this time! (ETA: hopefully every other week)

We'll start on Sunday, January 25th. Please come over no earlier than noon. We'll sew, work on projects, do woodworking stuff, run around after kids (hopefully they'll all entertain each other!) etc. Dinner will likely be simple, if you're staying, please bring something to share for side or snack. Then after dinner, we'll break out the games, and play until people leave (or you can feel free to stay and work on projects).

Even though I'm planning on making this a regular occurence, I'll still want people to let me know if they're coming. If nobody tells me, we might be out of the house. :-) Please contact me privately for directions.

I'll post again as we grow near, but I wanted to give the heads up and get it on our calendar. Once it's on LJ, it's official, right? ;-)

Feel free to repost on other, local lists!

Since everybody else is doing it, I thought I’d make a list of sewing accomplishments last year. It actually made me feel a bit better - I did more than I thought.

14th and 15th Century Dress Construction articles - Ok, this was for me. It was my New Year’s resolution for 2007, and it was the one thing that I wanted to do before I felt I’d deserve the laurel everybody else told me I should want.
Jeff’s Laurel Gown
V-neck gown for me to wear for Jeff's laurelling (see pics above). Doesn't really count - I put together the main pieces by machine, and all of my friends did the hand work.
ladyaneira's v-neck gown (No pics yet – it’s hers to show off after Twelfth Night!)
ladyaneira's fitted dress, with lace (Ditto)
Helena's v-neck gown – Never got any pics
Kid shirt for Aaron’s birthday
Kid shirt for Henry
Started usagi629’s fitted dress, but then she dun got preggo. :-D
Hemmed a few napkins
Drafted several patterns by measurement (Yes, I know I still have some left. I’m really sorry and embarrassed about that. I’ll contact you privately.) It does work. Yay!
Made a quilted facing strip for a friend (sounds little, but it was all handwork and it took me almost a full day)
Felted an itty bitty little ball
G-63 for thatpotteryguy
Padded and quilted Jeff's 14th century doublet
Apron for my mom, with matching apron for my niece.

Current Mood: accomplished

It's only taken me years. One of my resolutions two years ago was to finish this. It's still not done (these sorts of things never are), but it's a good start. And it's before midnight!!!

Resolution:
2. Finish the online costuming tutorial that I've had in my head for several years, and worked slowly on all of last year.

Result:

Pre-Project Prepping 1: Choosing your Fabric
Pre-Project Prepping 2: Washing Your Fabric
Pre-Project Prepping 3: Evening the Sides (Not Recommended, but there)
Pre-Project Prepping 4: Transferring to Paper
Lesson 1: Patterning the Skirt and Cutting the Dress
Lesson 2: Assembly and Lining
Lesson 3: Hand Finishing
Lesson 4: Eyelets and Lacing
Bibliography

(yes, the intro is the same for all)

They still need some revision, and I'd eventually like to get more images added, and additional lessons, but consider it in beta. YAY!

Current Mood: ecstatic

I know there were several people working on the “You look like you stepped out of a painting” challenge. Can you post here or PM me if you are still working/planning on it? I just want to get a headcount, and start planning my time (and if I can bring Eddie down with me, etc.)

Does anybody know what time court/awards will be? (Again, wondering if Eddie will make it through the day)

Just a reminder, I need the documentation to review a week ahead of time!

Thanks!

Current Mood: curious

I was digging up my old artifact for the "Then and Now" display at Storvik Novice this weekend, and I decided to look for some pics and class notes that I'd written as well. Yes, I wrote class notes on this plasic monstrosity. :-D

I was so very proud of what I'd accomplished. I wore them to my first Twelfth Night, which was, I believe, my third event. I'd been in the SCA less than 6 months.

Oh, and the dress! I thought it was so dreamy. It was my first "cotehardie" and I cut it from this cranberry colored cotton broadcloth. The color was beautiful, but I don't think that's why I kept getting complimented on it... I was quite clever with it - I used elastic looped trim that I found at JoAnns, and little wooden beads for buttons. I knew how to make fabric buttons, and eventually did for the sleeves, but it seemed like so much work to do all the way from my neck to the hem. But the hem - the hem was 5 inches longer than it needed to be - I understood it as conspicuous consumption (but was always annoyed at it). It was my second dress - the first I'd made pre-SCA, from various t-tunic instructions, to wear to the ren fest.

I don't have any of my old dresses anymore, alas. This one picked up close to $40 at a silent auction. Come to think of it, I suspect the winner may have been somebody on my f-list...

The cauls? I will *always* keep those.

( 24 year old me, sporting a LOVELY set of plastic cauls. Wasn't I cute? Incidentally, these are the first pics that Jeff ever saw of me, as they used to come up with googling my name. )

I'll have this on display this weekend. Who else is going to bring their funny old things to show? I may or may not have something more recent to sit beside it. I only have one foam head, after all. :-D

Current Mood: amused

Sunday Sewing, the 27th

Friday night sewing days?

Medieval Arts Day, Sunday, May 2nd

Sunday?

Free Websites!

Those damned iconoclasts

Viva la hennin!

Artisans Row Head's Up - Novice/Challenge of the Heart

Sewing day this Sunday!

Sewing day on Sunday!

Sunday sewing

Sunday Sunday Sunday!

Sewing/wood/project/game day reminder - non crackberry version

Two weekends in a row

Revving up sewing day/game night (in Southern MD)

What did I do last year?

Zee Articles! Zey are fini!

St. Luke’s Laurels’ Challenges

Then and Now - Cauls

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October 2011

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