Before we left, I had made Taran a fighting surcoat, and had planned on having him wear it at Coronet for the first time. Well, he wore it to Pennsic. As is Pennsic War. He said he didn’t bring his old one because he was trying to “save space” in the luggage. Riiiiiiight. So, while the old fighting surcoat stayed home, the shiny white new one played war games. He rolled in the mud, in the dirt–at one point there were grass stains on the inside of the back. Not the outside, mind you, where one would expect grass stains, but the inside. The ONLY way that could have happened was if he had slid backwards on his back so fast and hard that he turned the surcoat inside out in the process. Men and their toys, I tell ya.

And let’s not even talk about what his armour did to the surcoat. The orange stains from the leather gorget were a challenge to get out, and the black stains on the inside were enormous and daunting. The applique of his device got torn all to heck, which was partly my fault, because when I made the surcoat, I couldn’t figure out how to make the buttonhole stitch wider. That’s what happens when you loan out a sewing machine, and it comes back without a knob. I had to fix the applique before Coronet on a friend’s sewing machine. Fortunately, her machine was clearly marked.

Taran also got a new remodel of his old gambeson. I was a bit hesitant chopping it all to pieces, but it was great to learn on something that was partially constructed. I always have a lingering fear when I put scissors to fabric on a new project. Now that I know what I’m doing, construction-wise, it’s not going to be any harder to quilt it myself. My goal is to hand-quilt one, anyway, but with my schedule, that won’t be until at least the July Coronet tournament. I’ve got my projects planned out until then.

Class-wise, I figured out sprang; hand-sewed an anglo-saxon ring pouch; learned two different techniques in wire weaving and then made a bracelet; did some cutwork embroidery; played with beaded embroidery; practiced hand-sewing with Master Wymarc; met with a bunch of A&S 50′ers; learned a bunch on sagas and women in sagas; now know the difference between a gilpcwide and a bjarkamal, and can do both; and learned geomancy just because. Great, great fun.

One of the best parts of Pennsic was getting to really get to know my fellow Westerners. Sure, some of them I had met when they were up in Oertha before, but it was great having the time to get to KNOW them. And it was nice to be able to meet people that I had only corresponded with in the past.

Taran and I will definitely be back at Pennsic next year. It was too much fun not to go back. Maybe next year, I’ll get to see some of the war I heard so much about.

When I wasn’t busy child-wrangling, I spent most the the time working on my seam treatments on my rust dress. The good news is that I got it finished while I was down there, and it looked great when it was done. The bad news is that I’ve been dieting, and now that I’ve sown over all the seams, the darn thing is too loose! I still wore it on Sunday.

The Greenlandic treatments are just a row or two or three of running stitches, and a whipstitch to hold the cut edges down. They’re simple, common stitches that have been used throughout history and are still used today. I’ve done some research on it, and found that these stitches were also found on seams in York (aka Jorvik) and other places during the same time period. The documentation on that site is somewhat lacking, but it’s similar to the information found in Penelope Walton’s Needlework from Jorvik, which has great documentation.

Knowing that the stitches were used in several different Viking settlements, I now feel a bit more justified in using documented Greenlandic treatments on my Swedish dress.

Once done with my seams, I went back to work on my flame bargello piece. It’s about half-way done. It’s not high on my priority list, though. It’s more of a car project or an event project.

I had made a cloak for Bunny before we left on Friday. It was very warm, and Taran and I kept borrowing it from her throughout the weekend. Taran’s cloak was permanently borrowed by a couple that moved away, and I have never owned a cloak for various allergy-related reasons. I have discovered, however, that I’m not allergic to the wool that I bought from B Black and Sons, which is the same stuff that I made Olivia’s cloak out of. So, next on my agenda are two cloaks for us. I’m felting it in the drier for the second time as I write this. The whole house smells like rotten eggs.

I got cloak clasps from Inua Wool yesterday. She’s got some amazing stuff there, and a lot of it has Nordic influence. The cloak clasps we got were really quite unique. I can’t wait to put them on the new cloaks.

Taran also wants a Viking hat, so I’m making those as well, I just started embroidering on his hat panels. I’m using a four-panel instead of a six-panel design. Since he has an eagle on his heraldic device, I wanted to embroider an eagle on the hat for him. I found a nice eagle in the Viking style, and then did research on the types of eagles from Sweden. There are about ten different varieties of Swedish eagles. So I searched more, and found a reference to grey eagles in Viking sagas. I started embroidering the eagle in grey, but it really looks drab and dull. I’m starting over, and will do the same eagle design in a vibrant color. I was just going to outline it in stem stitch, but I think I may do it in open chain, found in Hald’s Ancient Danish Textiles. I know, there I go with the cross-culture again. Can’t be helped.

After seeing Kendrick’s wonderful Viking wedge at the event, our household decided to make several wedges of our own. I’m a research junkie, so I already had a lot of the information. I spent a good part of yesterday comparing canvas from various different places, and have found one that will probably work for us. All of which means that I may have some canvas sewing in my near future. I bought my Denim Pro machine years ago when I was considering making my own pavilion. I’ve seen that machine sew seven layers of denim and stitch a super-thick gambeson with no trouble. Four layers of 12 oz duck should be cake. I’m taking the machine in to get fixed tomorrow. The poor thing is missing a knob and a presser foot. Long story.

Tomorrow, I’m also buying a sample yard of the fabric we’re planning on using. Then I need to cut it into thirds, hot-wash one, cold-was another, and leave one as a control. Then we’ll test the fabric over the weekend to see which suits our needs best. Saturday, we’ll be at the event in Hrafnafjordr. I’m also spending Sunday tweaking Taran’s tunics with Katya, and I may be doing some private instruction on the Bayeux stitch.

On Saturday, I got to do some field heraldry during the tournament, I had a lot of fun doing it, and probably should do a bit more of it. I also taught my Viking Embroidery class on Saturday to the group, and on Sunday to an individual. Most of the students came in with a knowledge of how to buttonhole or stem, so the majority of the class was spent on the Mammen stitch and on how to finish up the pouch. That really is a tough stitch to “get”. But once you’ve laid down the first three stitches, the stitch starts to fill itself in. By about stitch number five, that’s usually when the students have their “A-ha!” moment, which is always great to see. I taught a few people how to do Viking Whipcord, and got some string so I can help make the Principality/Kingdom cords for Purgonet in August.

I won a competition for a new Viking item. It was for my rust-colored linen apron dress that I’ve been working on. The dress is done, but the seam embroidery is still a work in progress. I’m decorating the seams in Greenlandic seam treatments, which I found in Woven into the Earth. I documented my spaghetti straps from Viking Clothing. My pattern for the dress is one that I modified from the Historiska Museet in Sweden, and I documented my false seams on the gores from Woven again.

I also took Morgana’s class in Flame Bargello. Great class. I’ve done some bargello work many years ago, and I’ve always loved it. I’m about halfway done with my piece, and I intend to use it to cover up my Altoids tin that I use to hold my sewing pins.

That doesn’t mean that I stopped embroidering. Princess Elisa’s Snowflake Pouch was well received. Using real pearls and real gold cord, I completed the project in Russian Pearl embroidery. I also embroidered a Royal Rose napkin for Queen Catherine, to be gifted to Duchesses and Countesses that helped Her throughout Her reign. I used laid-work in wool on linen. I’ll post photos of both projects soon.

I’m currently working on getting my garb done. As it is now, I have one complete Viking outfit: coif, chemise, undertunic, apron dress. I had cut out a bunch of garb including a new chemise, a new undertunic, and new apron dress for me, an apron dress for my daughter, and various outfits for my husband. I had them all organized and in my sewing basket next to my machine when I left for a six-week vacation in December. When I returned in January, I was horrified to discover that my “housesitters” were only occasionally visiting the house, and that they didn’t notice when a squirrel broke into the house and lived here for six weeks. After it was done eating all of my food, one of its favorite places to do its squirrely business was in my sewing basket.

I washed everything. A lot. But the problem was that I was washing pieces. I don’t think anything shrunk more than it normally would have, but the pieces did get balled up and wrinkled. So, I now have tons of clean, washed garb bits in a squirrel-free tote. All I need to do is iron and sew. But the project is so massive (is this my sleeve, or my husband’s?), I just don’t have the patience for it at the moment.

I started over. New fabric, new dresses. I’ve completed two apron dresses, and am in the process of embroidering the seams on one of them. I’m using seam treatments found in Else Ostergaard’s Woven into the Earth: Textile Finds in Norse Greenland as inspiration.

I am having a slight debate about it, though. If anyone could offer guidance, it would be much appreciated. I’m doing Swedish Viking. The seam treatments are from Greenland. If I were to enter this in a competition, would that be acceptable? One would think that with all the trading and raiding, the Swedish Vikings would have had SOME exposure to the Greenlandic embroidery styles. With very few extant surviving Swedish Viking garments, it’s hard to say if they used this style or not.

I’m also teaching two classes this weekend, one in Viking Embroidery and one in Viking Whipcord. It’s the second time that I’ve taught the embroidery class, first time in Oertha. Should be lots of fun! If anyone is interested in a handout, they’re on my research page.

Spent a few hours getting my ducks in a row, getting the snowflake pouch back on its frame, turning my bookmark piece into a bookmark. I pillaged at the merchants booths, and met some more wonderful people. Among other things, I bought a silk Jorvik hood, which gave me another project to work on. I blanket stitched over the hem, and worked Osenstitch down the seam. I’ll go back later and add more embroidery. I need more colors of that wool, and I only have navy with me.

I was a bit concerned when I saw my classroom. My class limit was set at twelve, but this room would only comfortably fit five. (Even that was a stretch. It probably would only comfortably seat three, the rest of them would just have to squish in and make do.) It was a media room in a church, and it was laden with televisions and various equipment. I checked into it, and was told that there was no other spot. So, I added another table, but it felt even more cramped. I could have theoretically added another table, but then I would have had to teach from the hallway. Yuck.

I was just puzzling over this quandry when HRH Runa showed up with Her entourage, I knew there wasn’t going to be enough room. The Princess offered use of her Royal Quarters, and I was thankful. We moved there, and had couches and floorspace to spare, but no central table. So, I put the embroidery kits and yarn on the floor, and we worked it all from there.

Aside from the gaffe when I said that Mammen was in Sweden when I KNEW it was in Denmark, the class went off without a hitch. Everyone had a lot of fun, and learned the Mammen cushion stitch, blanket stitch, and stem stitch. One hour was just enough time to teach the three stitches. No one started on the kits, and that never was the plan, anyway. The goal of the class was to give them a sampler so they could know how to do the stitches needed for the kits.

I heard nothing but good things about the class from other people. HRH Runa gave me a ring from her finger, which surprised me. I later added it to my treasure necklaces so I wouldn’t lose it.

Feast was good. The food was intriguing. The company was grand. I learned how to have a polite food fight. I got invited to two events this week, which I’m going to try to make, but can’t guarantee.

I’ve got to check the local laws to figure out what’s going on at Midrealm’s Twelfth Night. In the West, it’s when their Royal Highnesses become King and Queen. In the Middle, the Royal Couple don’t step up until May. Hmmm. Inquiring minds want to know….

About an hour after I woke, I suddenly remembered that Taran had called while I had been sleeping, and I hung up on him because I was too tired to talk. Quel cauchemar!

Anyway, spent a good part of this morning converting my .docx handout into a .doc handout, and making corrections. Still not done with it, but things are moving quickly. Depending on how things go with the jet-lag, family visits, and all, I should be done with it by tonight.

Where’s caffeine when you need it? I’m Jet-lagged already, and I’m not even off the ground.

I’m going to be out of contact for the next few days as my travel days get closer. I’m spending a few weeks in Midrealm for the holidays. I contacted a local group to let them know that I’ll be down there, and was interested in getting together with people. I wound up being asked to teach a class on Mammen stitch. So, now I’m DEFINITELY going to meet people! The class will consist of mostly the Mammen stitch, and then would touch on basic Viking embroidery. I also have a kit, based on an extant Viking pouch, though I substituted wool felt instead of leather. The pouch is embroidered and completed, I only need to make/buy a cord for it. I’m going to try to do whipcord, but my stuff is all put away, and I really need to concentrate on packing…

I also finished a new piece of garb, a mustard-colored linen tunic. Looks spiffy with my burgundy apron dress.

Next on my to-do list is finishing the pearl Snowflake pouch. I’ve had volunteers for the next two snowflake pouches, so the next one available is for July 2010. If anyone is interested in making a pouch for a Princess, please contact me. After that, the next deadline that I have is the Royal Rose napkin. I was originally going to do two napkins, but there were many volunteers, so I’m only doing one. As of right now, I plan on doing blackwork. Unless travel arrangements fall through, the plans are to go to March Crown and present it in-person.

I’ve heard from a few different heralds about my name, and it now looks like the proper spelling of my name is “Sighni Ivarsdotter”. I ordered the book that contains the documentation that I need, but I don’t think it’s going to make it all the way from Sweden before I leave.

My Crossed Stitches class was held today, in conjunction with fighter practice. I had originally thought that I would be able to teach all six stitches in two hours, but I now realize that goal was unrealistic. I taught three stitches this week, and I’ll go back next week to teach three more. So far, everyone’s doing great on their bookmarks. It will be interesting to see how far people get by next weekend.

I took three classes this weekend, one on chainmaille, one on Sashiko embroidery, and one on Viking embroidery.I had been studying Sashiko embroidery for a few months now, but this was my first practice piece that I did. It was super fun, and I’ll definitely continue with the kit.

The Viking embroidery class was an informative, hands-on class. We got to practice the ösenstich, which once you figure it out, is quite fun and fast. Great for decorating seams, and I have so many seams that just need a-trimming…..

Loved the maille class. We were originally supposed to make a bookmark in 4-in-1 (don’t forget about that bookmark competition in January!) but I had a hard time doing 4-in-1 with such small links. I have done 4-in-1 before, and even some Japanese 6-in-1, which is my absolute fave. But this just wasn’t working for me. When I overheard the instructor talking with someone else about making jewelry-type chains, I jumped at the chance, and threw myself into Byzantine chain. It took me a few tries, but now I understand the pattern. The links are terribly small, which I think is fine for my purpose, but I’m going to check out my stash and see what I already have made. I might have something a bit bigger. I want to hang it from my Viking brooches and attach my key, earspoon, and mead strainer.

I’ve updated the website with my new handouts. Once I unpack my camera, I need to post the pics of the blackwork snowflake pouch that I did for Viscountess Gwenyth.