Small steps forward

I was reviewing my A&S 50 list (started last July) yesterday evening and I realized I had made a couple of steps forward with it during Crown. I've taken the persona development challenge and two of my goals were to have a name and device accepted. Well, it's not 'done" yet, but they are both submitted, so fingers crossed. I was tickled by the accepting herald's remark when he looked at my name documentation - "I can't read that!" (It was all in Bulgarian) but he breathed a sigh of relief when he flipped each page over and found a translation into English. It was nice to be able to list Lady Constanza as a resource for him, as her BA is in Bulgarian and E. European Studies. Much like having a baby, the acceptance process takes around nine months, so check back in December to see if everything went through!

A few photos from Crown

I'm trying to keep a bit better up to date with my posts, so here are the best of the very limited photos I took last weekend. Truthfully, it was hard to remember to take pictures when you're having a really good time! The only thing that really bothers me is that I did not take a single picture of us in any of the clothing I made. In fact, I have no pictures of myself. That might just be because I hate cameras!


The bouts begin!


Countess Dame Alys Katharine in most excellent heraldic garb.



Lord Acarin!


Lord Guy and Lady Genevieve

And thanks to Lord Acarin, more photos here.

Home from Crown Tourney

First, Vivant to Prince Gerhardt and Princess Judith! What a wonderful Crown Tourney!

I left Bulgaria in a blizzard and came back to full spring just five days later. Really, the morning I left it was snowing so hard I couldn't see from the front door to the garden gate. Today it's 18C and sunny and all the flowers are blooming and the trees are coming out in leaf. I've been terribly lax about keeping up this blog, and it hasn't been due to the weather. It's been a combination of copious mundane work and lots and lots of sewing. If you look at my finished items list, I think I may have earned a bit of forgiveness. Lots done there! (The regular work is all getting done too.)

Crown was hugely fun - we ate too much, drank too much, listened to music, danced, laughed, stayed up late, worked hard, and played hard. The fighting was amazing, as were the clothes. The organization was good, things ran smoothly, the weather co-operated (the hail held off until AFTER the fighting....), and classes were both interesting and well attended.

The event followed the theme of the Lenten Fast and event tokens were either handmade paternosters or a beautifully written dispensation for those who needed to eat meat. The feast was outstanding and here's the menu:

First Remove

Fish in Aspic
Fish Tart
Puree of Peas
Onion Salad
Apple Mousse with Almond Milk
Chicken with Milk and Honey

Second Remove

Sweet and Sour Fish
Chickpea Soup
Mushrooms and Leeks
Spiced Honey Nut Crunch
Fruit Pie
Salad
Beef Broth

All I have to say is YUM! I would eat the fish pie again any time Edith wanted to make it!

Alas, I took very few pictures, as I was too busy participating. Fortunately, Lady Arianwen did and here's a link to hers.

Chestita Baba Marta!

And Happy March 3 too! In Bulgaria, these two days really symbolize spring for me. March 1 brings lots of Martenitzas and March 3 is parades and concerts. Given that January and February have been bitterly cold and snowy, going to sleep last night to soft rain and waking up this morning to sunshine and warm temperatures really made my day.

I'm on the last day of a four day weekend for the March 3 holiday and I've spent the last three days sewing my fingers off. And that's almost literal. I haven't had sewing calluses on my thumb and forefinger in years, but I sure do now. I'm pleased to say my Saxon gown is done and ready to wear, including the blackworked undergown. Guy's doublet is done except for the buttonholes. his shirt is cut out, and his pluderhosen are half finished. I'm still not sure how I feel about the pluderhosen, but we'll see. That leaves Constanza's gown over the next three weeks. (I want all of this done for Crown Tournament.)

Since I've made such progress and because it's such a beautiful day, I took time for a walk up to Gotse Delchev square and I got there just in time for the band concert, which was lovely. After it was over I strolled home via the bakery, where they had just pulled the kozunak out of the over. Yum! I had that and a lettuce and radish salad for lumch. The lettuce was even home grown. Guess it really is spring!

My garden is looking pretty good. The snowdrops are done, but the crocus are in full bloom. The daffodils, narcissus, tulips, and hyacinths are reay to pop in a week or so, depending on how warm it stays. The peonies, foxgloves, and columbine are all up too and the clematis and roses are starting to leaf out. Bring on the spring!

Mom was right

The Saxon gown is progressing toward being wearable and I've actually got a photo.

First, a few caveats. I AM aware that modern aqua ribbon is not appropriate for lacing, but on a Sunday night in Bulgaria, you take what you can get to be able to take a picture. I'll be replacing it with black silk cord as soon as I have a chance to make some. Second, the breastband will eventually be couched and pearled, so use your imagination for the time being. Third - for Mom - you were right, as usual. This gown is based on the pattern from Reconstructing History and my plan was to make the high-necked version. My mother took one look at the pattern and said "you should make the low-necked gown. You wouldn't look good with that high collar." I drafted that version first and had to do a lot of re-cutting to get something that didn't make me look like a turtle peeking out of its shell. Oh well. I also have to say I did a lot of tailoring on the bodice, because I am really short waisted. I needed to take a good three inches off the length to have it sit at my waist and not my hips. I still think it was a good idea to start with the higher version, because I have small shoulders and the lower gown could be dangerous to wear in public!

This photo has the gown over an old cotton t-tunic, just so you can get a better idea of what the final dress will look like. Please imagine the sleeves tightly fitted to my arms and the puff & slashes just below the shoulder and at the elbows. It looks much better on a body that laid out on a bed.





I have a linen undergown cut out and blackwork almost finished for the collar and cuffs.





After that, I need to make a cap and this will be a complete outfit. Phew! That leaves me with two more sets of garb to do in the next six weeks. Excelsior!

Some progress on the Saxon gown

Last weekend was very productive in terms of getting things started, but the week since has been slowed by mundane things like work. For some reason, my job just eats up my (allegedly) free time. So, here's an update. My Saxon gown is cut out, the bodice is fitted (more on that later when I have photos), and the skirt is assembled and pleated. Then there are the sleeves. For some reason, I am hesitating horribly on slashing the panes. I think it is just the idea of cutting up something I've just worked so hard on sewing together as perfectly as possible. Plus, my OC self really needs to find a way to finish the cut edges, even though it doesn't look like they were finished in any way in period. Argh!

Since I was dithering on the slashing, I decided to work on the undergown instead. It has proven to be much more soothing. I charted out a blackwork pattern and have completely finished the collar and am halfway through one cuff. I should finish it tonight while I do laundry. That leaves the whole weekend open for cutting up those sleeves. Wish me luck!

Wet sheep

That's what my house smells like right now. I went on a binge last night and washed nearly all the wool fabric I bought in January. It's drying on every rack in the house - I live in Bulgaria, so no clothes dryers here! It's all destined for garb, so it needs washing before cutting, because I have a horror of shrunken garments. I'll wash the rest of it tonight. I spent the rest of last evening drafting patterns for a Saxon gown, which is the first item I'll be working on this weekend. I love weekends!

When I left the house this morning, I discovered more blooming posies. The snowdrops have been out for three weeks and are nearly finished. The primroses popped out about a week ago and this morning, the crocus are all out and blooming. I also noticed that the daffodils are up, the tulips are peeking out, and the daylilies are up nearly two inches. On the 6th of February. What's wrong with this picture??? The Ministry of Agriculture is predicting that in as soon as 10 years, we'll be a Mediterranean, rather than sub-Mediterrranean climate zone and that we'll be growing olives and lemons here.