Witchy Woman

Anyone who tells me that the only period appropriate materials for an outer garment are wool and silk can expect a verbal bitchslap, complete with documentation.  Not to mention the fact that the northern Pacific coast is NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF A MINI ICE AGE!  It's ridiculous to expect anyone to wear wool layered over linen and undergarments in the middle of summer.  And no, that doesn't mean that I should just give up and make a "modern" cotton bliaut.  It can still be period if made in linen.  And linen isn't that expensive if you hit fabrics-store.com's weekly sales, happy hour, and/or their discount code (ilovelinen).

Don't mind me, I got a little worked up over an authenticity nut.

While at a recent local knit night (knight?), the perennial topic of knitting in public came up, specifically in lectures/classes.  Nearly every knitter has come up against the perception that knitting while in the presence of others is rude.  We're going to completely bypass the history of knitting, and how "women's crafts" are believed to be kept in the home.

Knitting's for pussies

People who perceive crafting in public to be rude assume that everyone else processes their experiences the same way that they do.  For example, we all know that everyone has a different learning style (i.e. visual, audial, or tactile).  Most people fall into the former two categories, and when it comes to retaining complex material I have to take written notes.  Written, not typed, in order to properly engage my visual tendencies.  If the topic is less strenuous, then knitting helps to occupy the visual and tactile parts of my brain while leaving my auditory portion to focus on the speaker.  For example, as I write this, I am also listening to The History Channel on the TV.  That is my experience as a knitter, and how my mind works.  Your mileage may vary.

If I am unable to occupy my brain on several levels, it wanders.  If I had music playing instead of America Unearthed, I would be distracted by every other thought that came through my head or jumping up every few minutes to go do some chore that occurred to me.  (While I have never been diagnosed with adult ADD, I am pretty certain that I have at least a mild case of it).  Knitting works in much the same way for me.  As long as it's not too complex a pattern, it occupies the part of my mind that wants to wander away from the task at hand.  When I first began knitting, some of my friends were offended that I brought it to Dungeons and Dragons night.  They were convinced that I wouldn't be able to fully participate and/or would distract the group.  I made the DM a deal: if my knitting became a problem, then I would stop.  Until then, let's give it a try.  The first time I came without a project, since I had just finished one, the group called a break and told me I was to get myself to the nearest craft store and pick one up.  Without my knitting, I was fidgety, drew other players out of the game with side-conversations, daydreamed, and generally unable to sit quietly and wait for my turn.  In other words, I was more distracting without my knitting than I was with it.

Sums up most conversations with me

Most of those who cast such judgment are typically not, themselves, crafters.  They find themselves distracted by the activity.  How many of us have been approached while knitting in public with questions such as "Are you knitting?" "What are you making?" "How are you doing that?" (I get this one a lot because of my tendency to knit socks two at a time on one circular) and other variations that come from a consumerist society.  Instead of possessing the willpower to focus on the speaker/main activity, they allow themselves to be distracted by the crafter.  The resulting frustration is then directed at the crafter, who was minding their own business in the first place, rather than taking responsibility for their themselves.

They forgot "No, I will not knit for you"

Now that doesn't mean you should sit front and centre and knit, as that might be distracting to the speaker/teacher/lecturer.  As long as you aren't likely to drop metal needles down a sloped floor or constantly elbow your neighbours, there is absolutely no reason you should be considered any ruder than the person who smacks their gum, plays video games on their laptop, or texts the entire time.  You know how your mind works better than anyone else.  If you will focus and learn better while keeping your hands busy, then no one else has the right to keep you from doing so.  Unless you're in a courtroom.  They tend to frown on people bringing garrotes into courthouses.

I am privileged to attend Knowne World Heraldic and Scribal Symposium, which will be held in a far warmer and more humid Kingdom than An Tir. Since I detest the heat as well as wanted something a bit more flashy than a plain, unlayered t-tunic, I looked at what I had around my house and made a chiton (post to follow).

The only problem was, was that I needed pins for it and had already attended one event this month. So whatever garb I make has to be from what I already have on hand due to finances, and I have no experience in metalworking whatsoever. I ventured out into the garage and found a small coil of wiring.

First of all: layers. Layers lend adaptability to An Tir's weather, which is only predictable in that one should always be prepared for cold and rain. But on the chance that we are blessed with clear, warm weather, heavier outer layers can be shed in favour of linen underlayers.

Wool was the predominant fiber choice, and we all know wool's wonderful qualities, namely it's absorbency and water-repelling abilities. Very helpful if you are facing the prospect of hypothermia on Independence Day.

Durability. This month marks my one year anniversary of playing, and I have made it through the year with only my Norse gear and a spare gown. My infamous green tunic (so named because Máel Brigte is difficult for people to pronounce and they always recognize me by my garb) only has a small grease stain. My original apron dress was recycled a few months ago for many reasons, none of which were related to questions of durability. Keep in mind that these have withstood grease, sweat, mud, dust, sun, wind, and rain.

There are many methods and styles of decoration: beads, woven trim, and embroidery. As well as the accessories.

The Norse were famous for their martial prowess, and it's not difficult to make a fighter's kit (at least not in comparison to, say, Gothic plate).

In short, it's fun, practical, and an easy persona to slip into for an entire weekend.

Lady Jadwiga Wlodzislawska has taken on the A&S 50 Challenge in an insane way. She is depicting all 50 years of the Society's history in a Bayeux-inspired tapestry.

That's "caligae", not "Caligula." Here's a short description with pictures of my friend's experiment in shoemaking for his Roman legionnaire persona.

Luckily, most decorations associated with Christmas are Pagan in origin.

Evergreen boughs remind us that nothing ever truly dies, and can easily be spruced up (pun intended) with holly berries for the Holly King. Wrap them around stairways, mantles, and windows. Don't forget a wreath for the front door for the Wheel of the Year. Ivy is another greenery that you can festoon your home with for fertility in the coming year. Speaking of fertility, don't forget your mistletoe!

Make a Pagan nativity scene (I really want to do this, but don't have time this year. Maybe next).

Candles everywhere! You'll most likely be making and blessing new ones for Imbolc, anyway, so why not use up the old ones? It's dark and dreary, and what better way to celebrate the festival of light? However, do use common sense and only burn them in containers in safe places out of the reach of children, pets, and other gremlins. Traditionally the colours would be red, green, white, blue, silver, or gold, but you can use any you like. For extra light, put them in front of mirrors and/or windows.

Display your Yule log before burning it.

Hang bells everywhere, especially on doors, for good fortune.

Santa Claus is Pagan in origin, and I prefer the traditional type of Father Christmas in the robes. Although I would recommend leaving out the modern concept of elves out of respect for the fae.

Don't forget potpourri! Cinnamon and pine scents are long-lasting, inexpensive, and festive.

Now for the easiest and hardest part, the tree. There are some commercial ornaments out there, but they can be fairly expensive and/or poorly made. Many of them I look at and think, "I can make that." If you are crafty, you can make your own ornaments.

For those of you in Oregon's Willamette Valley, Adiantum is hosting an Arts and Sciences Social Day this Saturday at the Santa Clara Church of Christ from 10 am to 5 pm.

Brigit of Guernsey is holding one of her fabulous dye workshops, starting at 11. If you ever have an opportunity to dye with her, do it! I met her at the Underwear Party (no, not that kind. Get your mind out of the gutter). It was my first ever A&S Day, and I was focusing on making my underwear and playing with Idonia's spinning wheel, rather than the other classes. Towards the end of the day, she shoved a skein of wool at me and told me to go dye it. I looked at her in confusion and sheepishly admitted that I did not have any cash on me for her materials fee. She said not to worry about it because she couldn't bear seeing the rest of the dye go to waste. As a newbie, I was thrilled with her generosity and willingness to drag shy folk along to play with wool and boiling pots.

Idonia is teaching a class on veils with handrolled hems from 1-2 pm. Considering the abominable attempts I've made, I'm going to take it. She is marvelously patient and knowledgeable, which are invaluable qualities in an A&S Minister. Heck, she puts up with me when I seem to forget how to do fingerloop braiding and has to reteach me at every single event.

Then there's dancing, which is nowhere near as difficult as it may appear. Every event that I have been to that has had dancing has had at least an instruction period for newcomers and those who need a refresher. Not to mention that partners and neighbours are more than willing to help guide you along. And gentlemen, you don't have to "lead" like you do in modern dances!Period dances were essentially the equivalent of speed-dating, so if you don't like your partner all you have to do is wait one rotation and you get a new one. Or one will cut in, which is probably the most entertaining part and can get quite competitive.

And then you get to fling candy confections with mini-catapults! A friend of mine has objections to using marshmallows for ammunition, afraid that this will only contribute to the SCA's already somewhat negative reputation in modern society. Because of safety, the projectiles have to be lightweight and blunt. What could be safer than tiny, edible pillows? They are also cheap and biodegradable. The only alternative I can think of is to wrap paper balls in tape, but that's more of an investment in both time and money. Plus, I think that it's a great way of getting kids involved as well. Besides, how many of us were introduced to engineering in physics classes by devising protection for eggs flung off of a roof? (By the way, if you devise a suspension system with rubberbands, make sure that there isn't enough slack for the egg to bounce against the container). If the potential publicity surrounding this particular event focuses on flying marshmallows above all else, then we've got bigger problems.

Hope to see you there!

Hygiene was that of your typical male teenager: skip the shower and spray on some cologne. As those of us who survived public school can attest, the stronger the scent the “better” the result; thus the popularity of oils amongst those who could afford them. If you cannot tolerate modern chemical concoctions or the thought of topping off your cotehardie with JLo Glo makes you twitch, here are some all-natural recipes that can pass for period. Your housemates with chemical sensitivities might thank you.

They would have added lavender or rose water or orris to the final rinse while doing laundry, but I’m too lazy to do that. Instead, I make potpourri sachets that live in my Rubbermaid tub o’ garb. Being a hedgewitch, I look at what’s on hand that suits my purposes and experiment until satisfied. I believe that the current mixture is a base of rose and lavender petals with cinnamon and jasmine oils with a dash of ginger and cloves in a cotton bag made from scraps. The cinnamon, ginger, and cloves combine to make one spicy note instead of competing with each other. The potpourri staves off mustiness and serves as a mild insect repellant. If you don’t want to invest in various accoutrements, a quick and dirty solution is to fold in some lavender faggots. If your persona is late period, you could make a pomander.
Disclaimer: I have not tried either of the following recipes, but please let me know if you give them a go!

Cream Perfume
2 tablespoons grated beeswax 2 tablespoons sweet almond oil
1-2 teaspoons pure essential oils
Melt beeswax in an enamel or glass pan over boiling water. Add sweet almond oil; combine. Be patient with this step; it's important to blend them completely. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before adding oils of your choice. Fill small clean, dry glass jars with the solid perfume.

Body Spray
1 cup Everclear

1 teaspoon glycerin

1 teaspoon essential oils
Place ingredients into a sealable glass jar. Shake the jar vigorously until all ingredients are well combined. Decant into a glass bottle with a fine mist sprayer attached.

Here are some suggestions for period scents that are widely available today. You may want to do a bit more research as to what existed in your area at your time. Obviously, Middle Eastern personas would have had better access to more exotic oils, whereas lavender and rose would have been readily obtainable throughout most of Europe.

Floral

Jasmine
Lavender
Pennyroyal
Petitgrain
Primrose
Rose

Spice

Cinnamon
Frankincense
Myrrh
Neroli
Patchouli

I met a wonderful woman at Lebus who writes a magazine called Down to the Roots. The issue she gave me had instructions on how to build an inkle loom and a rope bed, she even let me have a go on her loom! Each issue is full of good things such as recipes, natural gardening tips, crafts for kids, and other self-sufficiency bits.

If you check out her blog post from August 15th you can see a couple of pictures of me in garb. The first one is of my usual "Huh?" face when I've been interrupted in the middle of something (in this case, a 9-man Morris game) and the second I'm concentrating really hard. Not to mention it was so hot my brain melted out of my ears.

While Lebus was a small event, it was a lot like a warped summer camp. I showed up not knowing anyone and left having met nearly everyone. There was even a talent show and water balloon fight. It helped that I asked the autocrat if there was any way I could be of use, so I got my first taste of voice heraldry. There was a central permanent gazebo encased in concrete. I simply stepped up on a picnic table, faced one direction, and shouted the schedule. Rinse and repeat on the other side of the pavilion and I was done because the acoustics and my projection (theatrical experience) carried so well over the small encampment. I was even asked to do town cry at Summits Coronet. Muahaha... I mean, *ahem.*

I apologize for the recent lack of photos, however, my camera's batteries keep dying at events because of the heat and one of my memory chips was borrowed and never made its way back to me.

A notebook for taking notes, sketching ideas, and exchanging contact information with new friends.

A pair of thick socks will keep your feet warm and help protect against blisters.

A belt, which not only completes your garb, but you can also hang other items off of it such as a pouch, knife, a notebook, etc. On hot days or while working you can tuck your skirt up into it.

A headcovering to protect against the sun, dampen to cool down when it’s hot, keep warm in cold weather, and disguise hair that hasn’t been washed in three days. Not to mention it was a ubiquitous item that many today neglect out of a modern sense of fashion.

A chemise. Again, it completes your outfit by making your skirts fuller and hang properly, and can double as a nightgown. If you have very sensitive skin like I do, it can help protect against wool and linen, which can be rough. I have a small dome tent, so I can step out in the morning in just my chemise to finish getting dressed standing up without offending anyone.

I went to Lebus this past weekend, and on Saturday it was 102°F. I run quite warm. So much, in fact, that a couple of my friends and I have been talking about organizing a snow camping event in order to get to wear all of our layers and woolen items at once as they would have done in period. Most camping events take place when it’s too warm for us to do so. Here’s what I did in order to make it through.

First of all: hydration. As most people with first aid training know, if you’re hot but have stopped sweating, you are dehydrated. If you have no appetite, you are dehydrated. If you haven’t needed to visit the biffies in a long time, you are dehydrated. You should drink enough water so you don’t get thirsty in the first place. I reuse all my water bottles, filling them from my water filter. Then I freeze them, saving me from having to buy both ice and water. Plus, I have cold water to drink. If you’re camping with a baby, a mostly empty bottle with a chunk of ice still at the bottom helps keep them cool and entertained.

I am quite naughty in that I’ve been known to hike my skirts up to my knees, especially when a breeze comes along. Also, I made a trip to the store and one of the items I brought back was a pint of ice cream. Several people turned green with envy, despite the fact I had offered a ride to nearly everyone before I left. Best lunch ever. I also wore flip flops as my ankle boots were just too warm. So I cheated a little in the name of comfort.

I pre-cook a lot of my food, baking things like meat pies and scones that don’t require reheating. Less cooking and less dishes.

Wear something on your head such as a straw hat or a linen coif to keep the sun off. And with a coif you can get it wet before putting it on, which feels so amazingly wonderful. Not to mention it hides 3-day old camp hair. Simply getting your hair wet can help as well.

Some people claim that thick wool keeps them cool because it blocks the sun. I, on the other hand, run quite warm and would melt rather quickly from just my own body heat. Linen is marvelous stuff, usually being of a looser weave than cotton and therefore very breathable. Obviously lighter colours are your best option as dark ones absorb solar energy, I just don’t recommend wearing white at an outdoor event. Bleach can only do so much, after all.

Many events here in An Tír are near rivers, so bring something to swim in. A thin, white chemise is not recommended unless you want a medieval version of Girls Gone Wild. I bring along a towel to every event because I am a cool frood. And, as Arthur Dent knows, it’s useful if it rains, you’ve gone swimming, there are showers on site, or even to disguise a modern cooler.

An Tir/West War was a blast, and the first ever medieval Sock Wars were a hit with yarn donated from Brown Sheep. We An Tirians won, naturally. The winner knitted an entire pair of Pre-Literate stockings over the weekend. 0.o I’m a sock addict, but that’s just plain nuts!
I had the honour of meeting Dame Christian de Holcomb, who taught a fascinating class on rosaries. I learned to spin with Snorri, card weave, and more fingerloop braiding techniques from Idonia. My campmates knew that I was essentially camped out in A & S all weekend.
Here are the mistakes that I made, so you might not repeat them:
1. Forgot the plug to my air mattress. The nest that I was able to cobble together was warm, but not necessarily comfortable.
2. In the excitement of my first major event, I forgot to eat or stay hydrated throughout the weekend. Very bad idea.
3. I did not know that there were going to be showers and, therefore, did not bring soap.
4. If you are going to dye anything that you plan to wear to the event, do so well ahead of time. Luckily, my cotehardie is dark coloured so that the marks left by my black belt were unnoticeable. My hands and chemise, however, were not so lucky.
5. Should you intend to wear a particular garment to an outdoor event, do NOT under any circumstances make it white. On the other hand, I now have a gown for 12th Night.
6. I volunteered my time at Sock Wars, which necessitated an early rising. Most people would use their cell phones as an alarm, but if the event is in an area with poor reception (which most of them are) the batteries will be quickly drained. Note to self: pick up a small portable alarm clock the next time I have a full schedule at an event.
7. I planned my days too full and never got a chance to get out to the battlefield, where I knew many of the fighters.
8. My camera was allowed to sit in hot areas too long, quickly draining the fresh set with which it started.
But I didn’t screw everything up, here’s what I did right!
1. I already had a pair of Pre-Literates that were absolutely wonderful. They were very comfortable, their thickness helped prevent blisters, and kept me warm at night. After I finish the Sock Wars ones I started, I plan on making a third, vermilion pair.
2. I packed a very large basket in the morning with everything I thought I’d need throughout the day so extra trips back to camp weren’t needed. (Obviously, more food and water could have been packed).
3. Most of the food I brought did not require cooking (bread, cheese, fruit, and granola bars), allowing me more time to play. Bonus points because it’s period!
4. I have a headlamp that garnered envy from some campmates. It’s a portable light that keeps your hands free for the biffies, brushing your teeth, doing dishes, etc. I have excellent night vision, so when I do end up using a light it’s inevitably the headlamp.
5. Even though it was Independence Day, we were on the Oregon Coast so I brought my wool cloak just in case. I was very grateful for the brief flash of common sense that prompted this because I used it in my bedding, protected against the winds that picked up after sunset and the temperature dropped, and helped warm a hypothermic man who had fallen into the creek.
6. Let’s just say that chemises are not overrated. Our ancestors wore them for some very good, practical reasons.
7. I packed an extra set of shorts and a tank top. There happened to be a swimming hole on site, and my mundane pajamas worked well as an impromptu swimsuit.
8. Linen is fantastic material!

I picked up an aqua linen remnant for $4 a yard. After washing and drying it was just long enough to brush the tops of my feet and my Achilles heel. After long agonizing, I decided to go with a cyclas, or sideless surcoat. While most surviving art indicates that most were cut long in the back, the figures were typically nobility and/or wearing Sunday best. Anyone else would have worn theirs at a more sensible length. At least, that’s my logic train and I’m stickin’ to it. That and this is Oregon: I am hardly going to drag good linen around in the mud unnecessarily.

I followed these directions, using the gores but not the train. I began with the fabric doubled over, and I then folded that in half so that my cuts would be mirrored. This is not recommended if you do not have a really good pair of scissors and/or really strong hands. From the center fold I measured out half my shoulder width plus seam allowance, which was 8 inches.

I pinned through all the layers straight through to the carpet, marking out all my cutting lines with more pins instead of drawing. It helps keep all the layers where they should be when cutting.

The veil came out kinda crappy, but I am still posting pictures so that you can see that I wasn’t exaggerating about my lack of sewing skills. I can do design and draping, however.
The scrap that came from the first cut was approximately 13x36” and looked perfect for a wimple. I measured my head from under my chin to the top of my head, which was 25 inches. I trimmed off the excess ten inches of length, leaving an extra one for seam allowance. I sewed the short ends together so I could slip it on rather than dealing with even more pins on the top of my head, but at least this time it was all straight lines.
I will wear the braids coiled around my ears for the appropriate silhouette, so I can pin through both the veil and wimple into the fake hair pieces.

I picked up a yard of cream Silk Essence at Joann Fabrics, it’s not true silk but I feel that it will pass the ten foot rule. Fine silk, not dupioni or noile, is fairly difficult to find in stores and I am highly averse to ordering online. You want the chosen fabric to be slippery so it won’t create friction with your clothes and catch, trying to tug your head back and the whole thing off your head. And the finer it is, the better the silhouette.
I measured across my head to about where I wanted it to hang, which ended up being about shoulder-length. Then I measured to where I wanted it to fall down my back. My measurements were 26x31”, and after seam allowance they came out to be 27x31”. I cut out a rectangle this size, which I folded into quarters. Starting at the short end of the rectangle I cut a curve to the long side to form an oval when unfolded.
Now comes my least favourite part. I folded the hem under, which is damn frustrating with curves. Hand-stitching looks best, even with my horrendous handiwork. I used a whipstitch so that the least amount of thread showed on the top, hiding the majority of my atrocious sewing. I started on one of the long edges because it was easier to get the feel for it before the shorter and therefore more complicated curve.

So the skirt has been dissected, the wool dyed, and I finally mustered the courage to take scissors to it. I did a little online research, and used Racaire's blog as a general overview before diving in with a flat sheet picked up at Goodwill. Draping is difficult to do on yourself, but I have had experience tailoring clothes on others.
First, I draped it over my leg along the bias and then went to town with some pins, following the curve of my calf. Where it began to bunch up over my instep, I cut to correspond more or less to hers. Then I did the same for my actual foot. Be careful of the pins when you bend your leg! That is, unless you are lucky enough to have an assistant.
I trimmed the excess fabric away, accounting for seam allowance. Then I used that as a pattern to cut out the wool, again on the bias. I took the resulting wool pieces and pinned them around my leg, trimming as necessary. The final pieces were traced out on more of the cotton sheet to be used as a master pattern for the other leg and in the future. If you do this, make sure to mark them with a permanent marker so you don’t mistake them for scraps.
I was too lazy to make lining, and the wool didn’t really need it. If I need to, I’ll cheat and use knee-high socks underneath. If you want to then just use the master pattern with whatever material you’re going to use. Naturally, linen was originally used, but I personally would cheat with some of that cotton sheet, albeit in an appropriate colour.
I got as far as making the pattern and cutting today, I will post again once I get to actual construction. I will post pictures, most likely tomorrow. By the way, can you tell that I got a camera for Yule?