Despite all of this, I am quite happy to report that the Siege of Glengary was more amazing than it usually is! I had a wonderful time at Sylvan Glen's first Fiber Solar. We had more people show up that I had hoped for, and had several people try out spinning with a drop spindle and to test out a kick-wheel that Lady Bera had brought to show off. Two very young ladies tested out my rigid heddle loom as well and seemed to enjoy playing with that. Lady Rosamund was a lovely hostess and laid out a very nice table of munchies for everyone who came to play.
A gentleman stopped by to show some photos he took in Ireland this summer at museums and digs that included images of some extant shoes, textiles and spinning tools. He carves bone and antler and I had quite an engaging discussion with him about the functionality of various types of spindle whorls.
Actually, I had a good many great A&Sy type conversations throughout the day. More than once I was called over to the A&S Display area to explain the workings of a warp-weighted loom or the process of linen mangling to interested individuals. I am exceptionally honored to have won both competitions for the day as well, both the Royal Choice and the populace vote.
My display consisted of the small warp-weighted loom I built warped with 12/1 linen (with a hand dyed tablet-woven starter band) and 8/1 linen as the weft. I had my hand spun linen singles on the spindles I used to craft it and the plied linen thread wound on a weaving quill. There was also a small Dublin cap handsewn with the same thread (and using a bronze needle crafted by Lord Takeda). I also displayed the linen mangling samples I did for Pennsic 42.
Feast was lovely (can I say I truly loved the cheese tart, the mushrooms, the honey cakes with fruit and honeyed whipped cream) and I shared it with a table of great friends. Following the feast there was dancing (something often missing from events these days). I am sad that I could not stay for the bardic, but mundane life had dictated that Glengary was not to be a camping event for me this year.
In all, the event was incredible, and I cannot wait to attend again next year for the 20th Anniversary!
As for what else is on the horizon... more research! I am trying to finish up some of my sheep breed research in preparation for teaching at FFF this year. I have additional samples to spin for that display as well. I also have found a few more articles about spinning period weight yarns for weaving that I want to dig deeper into, so I need to squeeze that line of research in as well. And finally, I cleaned off the Pennsic stash from my floorloom and I am ready to rewarp for a rug for my own tent for Pennsic. Perhaps I will be able to attend an SCA demo later this month and I am going to try (weather depending) to make it to Kingdom 12th Night this year as well. So much to look forward too! I shall now end this post with a gratuitous cat picture of my girls.