Whew!

It has been pointed out to me that I never identified the piece that required frogging. Mea Culpa! I was working on the wedding sampler for my daughter and SIL. They may get it before their silver anniversary, if they're lucky! It's counted work on linen and I managed to start a row of stitching one thread to the left of where it belonged and it does matter a lot. Oh well, fixed now and moving along. Here are some photos, including one with my little helper!

All caught up

Well, with my limited time this evening, (spent the day working in Sofia and the travel time is a killer) I have re-done all the bits I had to frog and moved a bit further along. Let's hope I don't look at it tomorrow and have to "rippit" again!

Frogging

Rippit is my mantra today. You'd think after all these years I'd know not to pull out intricate stitching to work on if I wake up in the middle of the night and can't sleep! But no, you'd be wrong. I spent my lunch hour picking it all out. So at least now I'm ready to start again on that section - in broad daylight and well rested!

A&S 50

The SCA has a challenge underway for the upcoming 50th anniversary of its founding. The full details of the A&S 50 are here, but it basically involves doing 50 things in the Arts and Sciences between May 1st AS 42/2007 and May 1st AS 50/2015, in honor of the SCA's 50th Birthday. I'm taking the persona challenge and have started my list!


1. Choose and document name
2. Study and document the history of my "home" region
3. Study and document Bulgarian clothing of the late 12th century
4. Study and document comparable Byzantine clothing of the same era
5-15. Design and document an appropriate wardrobe, including:

normal daytime wear
outerwear
court dress
footwear, both indoor and outdoor
hats and veils

16. Study iconograpy
17. Paint an icon
18. Learn to play a tambura
19. Learn to cardweave
20. Learn at least five new embroidery stitches (that may be hard!)
21. Make a leather case for documents
22. Learn regional woodcarving
23. Study the horo and document its development
24. Study and document trade routes
25. Make a map of 12th century Bulgaria and its neighbors
26. Learn more Bulgarian
27. Study illumination, especially from the Chronicles of Constantine Manasses
28. Embroider a wall hanging of Sts. Cyril and Methodius
29. Visit at least three monasteries I haven't seen yet in the region and write a paper about Eastern Orthodoxy.
30. Study heraldry, and get the following approved:

Arms
Badge

31. Study Bulgarian tents and document what was used in the region
32. Make an appropriate tent
33-40. Furnish tent with:

Bed
Chair(s)
Kilims
Carved chest
Soft furnishings

41. Study the local religion
42. Study and document local folklore
43. Study and document local herbcraft
44. Study winemaking and viticulture
45. Learn to spin (Okay, re-learn. It's been a while!)
46. Study and document local dye plants
47. Dye spun wool prior to weaving
48. Study Kilim making and weave a rug
49. Study and document Bulgarian silversmithing
50. Make a reproduction silver pendant

Birthday fun

Yeserday was my birthday and I started a new project, using hand-dyed floss from Weeks Dye Works that I was given as a present. The color name is "Jack-o-Lantern". Can you guess what it looks like? The pattern is a surprise for the giver, so no photos here!

Happy Bastille Day!

In honor of the French, I believe I will work on Guy's red Phrygian cap tonight. They were known as a "Liberty Cap" or a "Bonnet Rouge" during the French Revolution and were a symbol of freedom. They're a style that has been around for a long time and you can see one in a Thracian tomb painting! Guy hangs out in Byzantium and they wear them there too.

A different kind of stitch

It's July 13, it's really hot (39C), and I'm celebrating something that made a big change in my life! You could call it a stitch in time if you will. Fifteen years ago we made the decision to move to Bulgaria for a year. And fifteen years ago today I set foot in Bulgaria for the very first time, family and pets in tow, and started a whole new life. I never expected the European part of it to last this long, but it's been great and I expect the next fifteen years will be as good. Bulgaria has changed more than I could ever have dreamed and it is such a wonderful place to live. So happy anniversary to me!