There is never enough time to do everything!  I am working on processing Icelandic fibre by hand combing it, but it is a very slow process.  That hand combed wool is for one project, but I always work on multiple things at once so I started looking for other sources of Icelandic wool to use to spin fine for some dyeing and tablet weaving.

During my search I came across Icelandic pencil roving called Plötulopi.  It was fairly inexpensive so I opted to get a spool of it to test out.

I am in love.  It is a very thin strand, would make a nice lace weight single.  With a TINY bit of drafting though, I was spinning it super fine.  I am already devising more projects for which to use this stuff!

As it is, I have over 600 yards of this natural golden/heathery color.  It should spin up to 600 as any take up from the twist is being counteracted by my slightly drafting it.  Because I am only drafting a bit, and it is so uniform, it is actually spinning quite quickly and this makes me happy.

After I spin both wheels of roving, I will ply them and then dye half of it with madder and warp up for some tablet weaving.

As I mentioned before, I whacked my head the weekend before last.  I ended up getting 7 staples and a splitting headache.  That put my warping plans a bit behind that Saturday, but I did get some work done that Sunday... with a few mishaps.

• I almost did not take the warp over the back beam.  I did not make a mess of it as I caught it right after I put all of the chains on the apron rod and could tell something wasn't right, but it should have been my signal to wait.

• I had 256 ends for this project.  The threading pattern for the Birka diamond twill is not a straight draw and for some reason, with my addled brain, I could not figure out how to start in the middle and work to the ends with that threading pattern.  (Don't ask why as I have no issue with it now, it just did not make sense at that moment.)  I started from one side and worked backwards to the other.  In the very middle, however, I totally blew it and repeated two threads.  Sigh.  Had to redo half the threading.

• A missed dent in the reed meant resleying part of that as well.
• For the life-of-me, I could not figure out where I had shoved the handspun weft I did for this project.  Much searching finally led me to it, but also to bonking my staples on some boxes in the process.  Sigh.

There is, of course, an upside!  I actually tied the warp onto the front rod this weekend and was able to start weaving (20 inches in between staple removal, lunch with the BigMan, watching Kill Bill, Batman and taking naps).  I love the way this looks.  Weaving with a temple (stretcher) makes my life much happier.  And the bonus is that the weaving really makes my inept handspun (entirely spun on the drop spindle) look nice.  :-)

As for other projects, I ironed 6 yards of linen for Pennsic garb, finished embellishing a bog dress I made for last year and am half through the hand sewing for another bog dress.

Let the Pennsic rush begin!

I have often been told that I should not set my expectations too high for events, and that if I have no expectations going into it then I will never be disappointed.  Of course, that never works for me as I love the pre-event "high" I get when it comes to things that I view as potential amazing experiences.

Fortunately, I have never had a let-down Pennsic!  Certainly, some Wars are better than others (and usually that is dependent on the weather that year), but they are all fabulous on some level.

I think the one constant though, is that all of my Wars are actually quite different.  In talking with those who have had "bad Wars", I find that they had often had expectations on how the event would play out for them and instead of adapting to any changes (and there are always a few) they grieved the loss of the experience they thought they should have had.

It is important to remember that Pennsic is like a living organism, it changes each year, it grows, it is subject to the environment and the whims of the people that attend the event.  I think the expectation that Pennsic will be amazing is not a bad thing, but to expect it to be a certain type of amazing should be reconsidered.  I also think that few people have later Pennsics that live up to the wonder of their earliest years, but it doesn't mean that the event still can't be memorable or even wonderful!  (In fact, this year there will be many hefty changes, and they are already causing a stir for some folks.  Fortunately, I view most of them as very positive and look forward to things like improved water quality and a better fresh food market and the new Great Hall.)

Newcomers might notice there are definitely trends at war (look at the class lists to see what is currently "in"... a few years back the schedule was dominated by Middle Eastern classes and the last few years had an influx of Viking arts).  It shifts a bit from year to year but its clear that some things are more popular than others at certain times.  For those who have seen many Wars, remember that just because the thing that most interests you does not have multiple classes or events each day, does not mean that it has become irrelevant.  Do you want to see more haflas at Pennsic?  Host one!  Do you want more live music?  Learn an instrument!  Do you wish there was more Tudor garb?  Do your research, make it and then sign up to teach!

Below is a list of things that a newcomer can do to really get the full experience of Pennsic.  It also happens to be a great list of things that an old timer can consider if they want to view the event from a fresh perspective:

• Take a copy of the map and walk the entire site.  If you are new, you are likely going to want your camera!  If the walk is too long, do the upper portion of Pennsic one day, and the Bog/Swamp another.  Even better, grab a Pennsic veteran and take them with you.  They can fill you in on the history of different areas or what some of the camps are.  If you are that veteran, offer to escort a newbie around.  You will have a great time just experiencing the "Pennsic Firsts" through a newcomer's eyes.
  
• Take a class.  In my early years I took several classes a day, then later I started teaching classes, then for a couple years I rarely attended classes or taught at all.  This past year I took a class (or more than one) nearly every day.  Pennsic University is a great resource given that there is usually over 1000 classes offered for free!  It is the perfect time to learn a new art or a bit of interesting history.  If you have a skill you are proficient at and want to share it take the time to teach a class!
  
• Watch a battle.  If you are new, definitely go watch the Field Battle.  It is very worth seeing even if you have no interest in ever fighting yourself.  Below is a video I took of one several years ago.  Unfortunately, video cannot really capture the fact that you can feel the people charging across the field.
  

I miss Pennsic.  Heck, given how cold it is here this week, I miss summer!  I am looking forward to starting my prep, packing and garb making that precedes the event.  And yes, I can now officially get excited because registration is, at last, open!

For those who have never been to War before, well, it is everything you think it could be... and more!  I firmly believe that the more prepared you are, the better your adventure will be.  Below are some tips that I share with newcomers to my group who are planning to attend their first Pennsic.

• When planning for your garb, plan to take as much with you as you can, especially your cooler, lightweight items.  These will come in handy for the potential heat and humidity that often comes with Pennsic.  Natural fibres are your friends!  Linen is my fabric of choice, but if you are just starting out or are on a tight budget, opt for 100% cotton whenever possible.  Polyester and acetate can be miserable on a hot humid day (sometimes rayon can work though, just make sure the weave feels as though it it will breathe).
  
• I also take with me to war what I call "Camp Dresses" - these are loose t-tunics of light-weight gauze.  I tend to wear them only in camp when most of my group is lounging around during the hottest part of the day.  They can be rinsed out as often as needed and dry quickly.
• Make sure that you or someone else in your camp has a laundry rack.  If you are just starting out you might not be going to Pennsic with bins and bins of garb and may need to do laundry.  Some individuals opt to leave site and visit a laundrymat, but so many more prefer to just wash the garb in-camp and hang it to dry (don't forget to bring it in at night so the dew does not re-soak your clothes).  If you pack your supplies in plastic Rubbermaid tubs one of those can double as a wash bin for your garb and if you do not have detergent with you most shampoos will work just as well.
  
• Make sure you have at least one set of warm garb and a warm cloak.  Occasionally there will be a night at Pennsic when the temperature can drop down in the 50s or even the 40s.  The cloak can also double as an extra blanket if needed!  (Coat-weight wool is the best choice for cloaks but if you want fast and easy you can make a quick no-sew half circle cloak from polar fleece.  All you will need is the fleece and a brooch to pin it!)
• For the reasons mentioned above, bring every blanket you own.  I know that sounds as though it is going a bit nuts, but I get cold easily and despite that I have cold-weather sleeping bags there have been several nights where I still needed to pile on many extra blankets.
  
• If Pennsic is one of your first events, and you are rushing to make enough garb to get through a week, opt for simple.  You will see a bit of everything when there and the garb you think you want may not be what you decide you actually want after seeing the spectrum of garb fabulosity that comes with the larger SCA events.  Having 5 simple tunics or gowns will make you a happier camper than one stiflingly hot, but lovely, high Renn costume!
• If you do already have a few nice pieces of garb, bring those with you!  You might want to go to Court or out for Midnight Madness and want to dress your finest. Or you might even get lucky and have a non-sweltering Pennsic that allows you to wear your finery at all times (it doesn't happen often, but it can happen).
  
• Make sure you have supportive, comfortable shoes that are broken-in prior to war.  And have more than one pair.  And while you are packing those, bring a pair you don't mind getting muddy and wet.  I know someone who had to duct tape her feet for the duration of Pennsic because she got so many blisters from a pair of new sandals that it was impossible to put bandaids on them all.  Don't be that person!   
  
• Bring lots of sunblock and use it.  NOTE, most of the spray and sports sunblocks have ingredients that will stain light-colored garb.  The best ones I have found that do not stain are those by Nutrogena (the non-spray type).  If your garb does get stained, it can take a dozen washes to get it back out and sometimes it never comes out.
• Bring lots of towels, because if we all prepare for lots of rain, we wont have any! ;-)  If you are there more than a few days and its humid, a towel can actually start to funkify even if you hang it to dry after each use.  I plan to have a towel for every 2-3 days I will be there.   I also buy cheap washcloths in bulk at Walmart.  I can use them once or twice and toss them if need be rather than bringing soppy facecloths home.
• Bring heavy-duty trashbags (I use contractor bags).  If the weather gets really bad and your tent springs a leak, you can cram your belongings into them to prevent total saturation of your wardrobe and gear.
  
• Drink extra fluids the day before you go to set up, and make sure you drink a lot of water while there!  Take drinking water with you to keep in your camp and make sure that you stay hydrated.  Drink extra water if you plan to drink in the evenings are are doing activities (such as fighting or dancing) that will further dehydrate you.
• I know the delicate subject of "chafing" comes up on occasion.  Many people wear shorts or bloomers under their gowns to prevent that.  Another option (or if it's too hot to layer bloomers under your garb) is use an anti chafing gel.  This stuff is carried under many of brands and can be found in sports supply stores, at make-up counters as a primer (though that's a pricey way to get it) and just at the pharmacy as a product called Soothing Care (warning, this one is in the women's section...)
• Make sure you have all of your regular medications well supplied before you go.  If you need something like a rescue inhaler or epi-pen, make sure that you carry it with you at all times.
• Speaking of things you should carry with you at all times, please make sure that you have your Pennsic medallion (given to you when you arrive and check-in to the site) and your ID with you at all times.  I typically have a small pouch I can attach to a belt in the event I choose to go out at night without a purse.  You do not want to be turned away at night from a party because you forgot your ID and you really do not want to risk having an emergency situation and have no one know who you are.
  
• If you have a period tent it does not suck to purchase latex baby bottle nipples to put over the spike on your tent pole.  These form a great seal between the pole and the grommet in the event it does rain - no water inside! 
  
• Whatever your tent, make sure it is in working condition before you leave.  Double check your packing list to make sure you have all necessary parts (stakes, poles, canvas, drop-cloth...).  Yes, I know someone who arrived at an event and had to go home again to get the tent poles.
• If you decide that Pennsic is for you and plan to go back, I strongly recommend looking at styles of period tents while there (and stop by to visit the folks at Panther Primitives while at the market).  Canvas and tall ceilings are more comfortable in the heat then nylon.  If you do not have the budget or means of transporting a cumbersome period tent, I cannot recommend Springbar tents enough.  They are canvas rather than nylon, but fold compactly as most modern tents do.
  

I think that is is for now.  I will post some additional thoughts later on things-to-do and how to enjoy your first (or tenth!) Pennsic :-)

I have mentioned before that I very much love the Harrisville Designs Shetland wool.  I am using it for warp for my next weaving project and realized, too late, that I had not purchased enough skeins of yarn for the fabric I wanted to make.

This is not so bad as dye lot is not terribly important for this one, so I could order more online.  When I went to order, however, I saw that many places sell "washed skeins" or "unwashed cones".  Having not experienced the unwashed yarn before, I opted to try that instead of the previously purchased skeins.  One of the websites selling this product mentioned that the unwashed wool allows you to let it "bloom" when you wet finish your final project.

I understand bloom but have never seen it so I opted to try an experiment when the yarn came.

In the picture above the yarn on the left is the unwashed Shetland.  Next to it is a cut of the same length that has been washed AND agitated.  You can see how much it both shrank and "fuzzed up".  To the right of that one is another piece that was just washed without agitation.  There is only a tiny bit of difference in that and the agitated one.  And on the far right is the pre-washed Shetland from a skein (in a slightly darker color).  This is actually the same length as the unwashed but it has so much more bounce that it would not lay flat.

I also washed a strand of the pre-washed yarn to see if it had any additional shrink.  It did not.

The whole thing was interesting though, and reminded me that it would not hurt to actually take the time to washed a sample of new yarn before I start a project, just so that I do not get caught off-guard when it does something interesting after wet-finishing ;-)

I, unfortunately, did not get my loom entirely warped.  While I was cleaning Saturday, I got a bit dizzy when I bent over to pick something up.  Stood up too quickly under the old-fashioned hardware on the door and hit my head on the latch... resulting in 7 staples and a splitting headache.

I did get the warp beamed and threaded through the heddles and the reed.  I will tie on to the apron rod this coming weekend and hopefully start weaving.

To the left you can see my method of beaming alone.  I felt I did not have enough tension on the warp the last time so devised away to add that without an extra set of hands.  I think it worked fairly well.

And below, you can see my consolation prize for spending much of Saturday in the urgent care center.

A discussion was recently had on one of the SCA costuming groups.  Someone posted a rather striking photo of garb and was trying to find the source of it.  They had found the photo elsewhere, asked the poster as to the source, and were given an SCA website. The person who added the photo to the list was sure it was SCA made.

I was not so sure it was made by an SCA member.  For one, I had seen either that exact image, or the garb in it, before.  The other reason though, is that I do not thing I have ever seen anyone in the SCA produce earlier period garments with THAT level of quality and detail.

Yes, we have amazing artisans and costumers.  And I have actually seen THAT professional level of detail and quality in very late period attire produced by members of the SCA.  What you can't see in this small image is that those borders on the bottom of the tunics are embroidered.  Perfectly embroidered.

If you want to see the costumes closer you can do so here:  http://ranaan.altervista.org/html/SCA-Gallery.htm  (And no, I cannot explain the final image on that page.  LOL)

As it turns out, the costumes were commissioned by a town in Italy for part of a pageant or faire that they have each year.  Some of the costumes they use are painted, and some are painstakingly embroidered and embellished by hand.  They are all striking.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lefotodifra/4661291435/
http://www.altomilaneseinrete.it/notizie/2009/05/palio_1.htm
http://www.matteoquaglia.it/palio_legnano_2009

And the actual organization: http://www.contradasanterasmo.com/

This whole thing, however, reminded me of a recent conversation about garb, and what garb was "good enough" for 12th Night.  A friend with lots of lovely Viking garb, as well as a few nice Italian Renn (not 100% accurate, but they are lovely and well-made and clearly far surpass the required "attempt" at garb), and was torn because she felt her costumes were not appropriate for 12th Night.

After reminding her that some people will be there who are just starting out, or who just prefer T-tunics, or who simply don't have "court garb" yet, we got side tracked talking about how it was back-in-the-day.  I clearly recall being told in my early years in the SCA that you made late period European garb as Court garb - garb that you wear to attend Court or things like 12th Night.  Tudor, Elizabethan, Italian Renn... all of those were considered appropriate items for ones Court Garb wardrobe.

Things have changed a great deal since then.   While people still ooh and ahh over the decked-out embroidery-and-pearls look that many late-period European individuals still go for, it is now common place to have upper class Vikings at Court.  Or someone in the well-to-do attire of a  non-European persona.

I love the diversity.  And I love much of the top-of-the-line non-traditional SCA garb I have come across.

But, I have yet to see something produced for an earlier period that matches the quality of the items above.  Those costumes look elegant, rich, and yet, still real. Many attempts I have seen, while beautiful, still read as "costume" to me (and there is nothing at all wrong with that).  I do not have the time to attempt such a feat myself, but I look forward to the day I see someone cross that line and go from fine work to fabulous.  (Note, I have seen exceptional simple-but-elegant early period garb, but nothing embellished at the level of the items in the photo above.)

And please, if you have seen that somewhere in the Known World, send me photos so I ooh and ahh over their fabulousness!

About a month ago I was flitting around the app store on my phone.  I stumbled onto the iSpinToolkit spinning app and purchased it.

It is relatively simple, but seems like it could be useful.  While everything included is something you could just print out and keep with your spinning equipment, I know that I am forever misplacing stacks of paper and books and so realize that this could come in handy.

The program is divided into sections including: Twist Angle, WPI Guage, TPI Gauge and a series of calculators.  I have not actively used this during spinning yet (as I have been working on my 12th Night projects), but plan to do so when I get back to my Icelandic yarn spinning next week.  I have been trying to get a consistent grist in my yarn, but have not been paying as much attention to things like the the angle of twist.  On some level, I knew that was important, but was having a hard enough time managing the wool drafting process that I figured I would learn things one step at a time.  Given that I plan to weave what I am spinning, I think now is the time.  I don't want a project to go all wonky after it comes off the loom and is wet-finished.

More info about the app is here: http://www.ashlandsky.com/as/apps.html

Now, for the app that really has me amped up... iWeaveIt.

I purchased this one last week and am already thrilled with it.  I do not have the funds to purchase a full weaving software package (and do not feel I need it given that I am not using a computerized loom) and this app gave me an inexpensive way to play around with threading and treadling combinations to see what they produce (and to get a better understanding of the actual weaving mechanics).

Even before I got a loom I had Deborah Chandler's Learning to Weave.  I did the practice exercises in the book and this helped me understand how to read and create weaving drafts.  I am glad I did that, because I could already read a draft when I did my first project.  What this program does, however, is simplify the draw down on the draft. 

I spent time time yesterday adding patterns from the Birka textiles and then just played around creating my own combinations to see what would happen.

The image attached is a screenshot from my phone, but you can also export the drafts as WIF files so that you can share them with others or use them in another weaving program.

Also available is a warp/weft calculator and, the item I am most excited about, a threading and treadling tracker!  You tap the screen each time you thread a heddle or treadle and it progresses to the next in the sequence.  I will have to figure out a way to keep my phone in a very handy spot while weaving, but I definitely intend to try out the treadle tracker on my next project (which will be the Birka broken diamond twill in my screenshot).  If I love it I might add the program to my older iPhone (now used as an iPod) and keep that one in the weaving room and use it specifically for this.

More information about the app can be found here:  http://www.weaveit.com/iWeaveIt.aspx

It was absolutely lovely to spend the entire day with friends I don't often see AND with the new friends I made!

I had not finished the project I had planned for A&S entry (with the theme of new-to-you projects for the past year), but at the last minute I opted to put out the handwoven fabric I made in December.  There were some nice comments and favors left for my entry so I am glad I chose to put it out there.

I even finished the centerpieces Friday night in time to get a fair amount of sleep before the event.  To the left you can see the one I assembled for High Table.  There were smaller ones elsewhere in the site and at troll.

Below are photos of one of two hanging gilded pinecone "chandeliers", the napkins with lampwork bead napkin rings (I purchased the beads as I do not do glasswork) and the placemats made for High Table.  I did not get a great image of the entire table, but the final picture below shows at least a bit of the tablecloth (as well as some of the lovely Shire women serving the Royals).

Unfortunately, there were no good photos of me (that I have yet seen) or my garb (sorry for those who have asked).  I guess that will wait for another day.  The one to the left is of myself and her Highness Liadain ni Dheirdre Chaomhanaigh.  She had given me her favor and thanked me for my work creating the items used to decorate High Table.

Below is a detail of the embroidery that I took the following morning.  Unfortunately, my silver jewelry lost its tarnish onto my light colored dress.  I have to now figure out how to clean that. 

And the very last photo is of the lovely handmade pottery piece that Lady Marija gave me!  She does lovely work and I had admired this piece when she posted it online not long ago.  She gifted it to me at the end of the day!  (And she was an awesome sneak-out-to-Dairy-Queen companion!)

I've seen some beautiful garb over the years.  I've seen amazing embroidery.  I've seen garments with perfect tailoring.  I've seen fabric painted in period patterns because those patterns are unavailable.  Never, however, have I seen anything quite like this:

http://bsewstylish.blogspot.com.au/

I am impressed and cannot wait to see the final work of art!

The 12th Night dress is done.  I did not get the applique work even started, but the embroidery is done and it is pretty.  I can add the leaves at a later date.  I even got the underdress completed.  I am glad that I took the time to finish the neck, sleeves and hem by hand, as they always lay better than when I use machine stitching (even a nice machine-stitched blind hem does not lay was well as one by hand).

AND, I also finished the linens for High Table for 12th Night.  The only thing I have left to do is assemble the centerpieces the night before the event (and that would be tomorrow night).  I am very looking forward to it!

I had hoped to have my loom warped with it's second project, but unfortunately, I did not purchase enough of the Shetland wool I had hoped to use for warp.  MLK weekend is a long one for me, and only a few weeks away, so I will order more and warp and weave that weekend.  I hope to have that project completed in February and start to warp for some rugs to use in our tents at Pennsic.

What else am I doing?  Planning this years projects!  I very much hope to draft a new undergown pattern based on the Hedeby fragment.  I am going to make some new "upgraded" tunics for my BF.  I have a ton of linen to be worked up into Pennsic garments. 

I am deliberating methods to better organize my research.  Index cards aren't cutting it for me these days, but given that I am without a computer a couple days each week, compiling items into one format is not easy.  Looking at apps and seriously considering getting a tablet of some sort to help me organize my mess of notes and articles.

In addition to that, I have also started to revise my instruction documents that I have used to teach people how to make garb.  My bog dress instructions are done and was posted on this blog not long ago, and a revision of my tunic document is also in the works.  After that will come my Middle Eastern coat pattern and the document I use for my classes about making your Middle Eastern garb more period.

When first I sat down to revise the tunic document, I paused for a moment to think about it.  Was it really necessary to even put it out there?  After looking at it for a bit, I think that yes, it is.  There are many great sets of directions online for making garb.  However, some people can better learn from one type of instruction than another.  I personally have fumbled a project with one style of instruction, but had amazing results with another.  Hopefully, someone somewhere will find something in my documents that will aid them in taking a step further on their garb journey.