Pennsic 44: metal working

All of my photos from the event are on flickr here - https://flic.kr/s/aHskipusAL

So metal work seemed to be a theme for me this year. I went to classes on tinsmithing, wire weaving, and silversmithing. I was surprised by how easy it would be for me to get into any of those hobbies. They don't require a lot of tools and skills that I don't already have. 

In the tinsmithing class, we learned how to cut, shape, and solder pieces of tin, using simple tools.

I put together this hurricane lamp in a matter of hours. 

Viking wire weaving is a way of making chain.

I put the small length of chain that I wove in class on to a leather thong to wear as a necklace. 

I especially like the results from silversmithing class. 

Tools for basic silversmithing - not that difficult to obtain.

 

An easy first project - setting a cabochon into a bezel.

Making garb for a Pennsic newbie

My friend Paul is attending Pennsic first time this year so I'm making garb for him.

Some memorable garb moments from Pennsic 42

An old Italian Ren dress - still a favorite and so easy to wear.

Turkish garb

Elizabethan cross-dressing

Here's that lovely long-sleeved Turkish Kaftan

Spotted at Vlad's "Drag Races" - this gown was impressive.

Once again, I had a wonderfully relaxing and fun Pennsic, because my camp is awesome. I took some photos and videos to try and capture the beauty I see at Pennsic and some of the experiences that I would have difficulty describing otherwise. 

Here's my flickr set - http://www.flickr.com/photos/mirvana/sets/72157635007331881/.

And, here's a playlist of videos on Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL282B596CB737D01E.

Another Turkish coat

The Pennsic sewing continues. I'll just keep making stuff until time runs out. And my stash is far from running out. Husband doesn't have that much garb and he requested more ottoman Turkish stuff.

This is another men's kaftan, with too-long sleeves that can be worn scrunched up, or just hanging back without putting your arms into them. Once again, I used the pattern from ReconstructingHistory.com.

Getting ready for Pennsic: medieval fashion accessories

I made this hood last year, based on the pattern in The Tudor Tailor book, to go with an early Tudor gown, and I just got it out to tweak it a bit before Pennsic. There are several layers, precariously pinned together.

I also got out the curling iron to reshape my Elizabethan ruff. It was very droopy, but a little starch and it's springy again.

Ottoman Turk coat is done!

Made this coat for my man for Pennsic. Very pleased with the fit. I did use the pattern from Reconstructing History.

This is basically the look I was going for, except less fancy:

Late Elizabethan flounced skirt

So this is the next look that I'm going for, from The Tudor Tailor:

I was hesitant about doing a flounced skirt, which would require a bumroll - it seems odd to modern eyes - but it turned out ok:

 

 

That's the doublet bodice that I made earlier; drafted that pattern from scratch, but it's very close to the one in the book, and I did use the pattern from the book for the medium bumroll.

However, I totally guessed on how to do the skirt. I measured down from the waist, over the bumroll, about 8 inches, made a tuck about 1 inch wide, and ran two rows of loose stitching to gather it. The fabric is a teal-colored wool gabardine that was left over from another project from a long time ago.

Since it's an open front skirt, I might make some sort of forepart to go under it, to hide my corded petticoat. I wish I had the time and fortitude to do something in blackwork, but that's definitely not my strong suit.

The Tudor Tailor comes to life

Progress continues on the late Tudor wardrobe, inspired by this look from The Tudor Tailor:

  

They have published a pattern for it, but I had already started drafting the pattern from the grids in the book - which worked out really well. 

 

I made the kirtle/petticoat out of some red linen that I sat on for a long time. I was glad to liberate it from my stash. The fitted, open front gown is made of a burnout velvet with a fine print that has also been sitting around for a while. 

 

The paned sleeves were the trickiest part, but I like how they look. The tartan bodice looks good on the red kirtle, too. I probably won't ever make sleeves because it's always too hot at Pennsic to wear them. 

Busy as a little bee: Pennsic sewing frenzy

I am definitely leaning to Europe for my new garb. I think I was inspired by watching The Tudors and The Borgias series. I dug into that pile of recycled plaid again and came up with this:

Lady's Elizabethan Doublet

I just draped onto my toile and drafted the pattern from scratch.

I also made a leather version of the Elizabethan pouch:

So the wardrobe is coming together. I just thumbed through my copy of The Tudor Tailor and got some more ideas. I'll keep sewing until I run out of fabric and time.

I don't think I'm going to make anything new Middle Eastern or Japanese, because I have tons of that stuff. I will go through all of that to make repairs as necessary.

Elizabethan costume stuff

I ended up just making an open-front bodice out of the recycled tartan fabric that I had. There wasn't really enough to attach a full skirt.

I drafted the pattern using the finished corset as a guide.

While I was at it, I also cranked out this Elizabethan pouch, using Margo Anderson's Elizabethan accessories pattern:

 

I was one of the people lined up to pre-order this pattern, and I finally used it! I want to make a leather version of this bag, too.

And so it begins...the pre-Pennsic sewing frenzy

When I can squeeze it into my busy schedule, that is. I sorted through a big bag of wool tartan scraps that a dear friend donated to me and picked out the biggest pieces to do something with. After a long contemplation over my historical pattern collection, I decided that I'm going to bodge together something late- period. I'm going for something a bit like this:

From Drea Leed's web site - http://www.elizabethancostume.net

I have some lightweight wool gabardine in a solid color to do the kirtle (underdress) and I'm hoping to piece together enough of the tartan to make the gown. Many years ago, I attended a class that Drea Leed gave at Pennsic on constructing a 16th c. Flemish womans garb, and then she published her notes from that class as a book, which I have: The Well-Dress'd Peasant: 16th Century Workingwoman's Dress - out of print. It provides detailed instructions on drafting the patterns. However, there are lots of other resources available on her web site here - http://www.elizabethancostume.net/lowerclass/makeflem.html.

ReconstructingHistory.com also sells a full-scale pattern that would work nicely.

I'm not too concerned about mashing up a tartan fabric with a Flemish design. Wool is wool. 

Pennsic Sewing

Well, I did get some sewing done. Made a gomlek (top) and salvar (bottom) for Stef for Pennsic out of linen that he picked out at Pennsic last year. I used ReconstructingHistory.com pattern #405 - Ottoman Turkish Man.


I don't really need anything for myself, but I did already make some new harem pants. You can't have enough pants at Pennsic.

A friend of ours who wants to check out Pennsic this year (only for a day or two), is interested in the Greco-Roman look, so that should be easy to throw together. Otherwise, I would just point him toward Tigr's Toggs, which I highly recommend as comfortable and reasonably priced garb for Pennsic.

I have put aside the Star Wars Imperial Officer uniform for now, even though I have made some progress on it. I don't think we are going to DragonCon this year so I don't have an immediate place to wear it, anyway.

I'm getting a lot of requests for kilts made of camo fabric, and I might actually get paid, so I should put some effort into that.