Travel plans

I'm off this weekend to Bolton Castle. I'm so grateful to be in Drachenwald, where events are held in real castles, but this weekend may make me think better of it. We'll be sleeping in the castle itself, which is heated only by wood fires. And all the cooking for the weekend will be in the castle kitchens, again over wood fires. And it is going to be cold. And wet. After all, it is February in England. Oh my!

Groundhog Day!

Feels like I've lived through this day before.  :)  It's the mad rush to finish clothes and accessories before an SCA event. Today I made a banner for my daughter's consort and started a four panel wool hat for her. It will have a rabbit fur band, so between the wool and the fur, it should keep her warm during the Tourney. Oddly, not a single thing I'm working on or have already made is for me.

Smokkr picture

 So, here's the front of the finished project. I'm pretty happy with the embroidered seams, which are documentable in period. It certainly adds something to an otherwise plain blue wool dress. Hope Constanza likes it! It will get a band of tablet weaving around the top, but that's not my job, fortunately. Catherine Weaver is providing the band and all I'll have to do is sew it on the day before Coronet. (Which of course maintains the tradition of sewing madly up to the minute of the event!)

musings

So, I spent the weekend doing laundry and sewing. Somehow, the two just seem to go together, both in my mind and in reality. The pauses to change wash loads around  come just as I need a break from my sewing and doing wash makes me feel like I'm using my time legitimately, not just sewing for fun. What both do is leave time to think. I noticed today that it's only 126 days until graduation. The semester hasn't even started, but I'm looking to the end. Not because it's a bad year, just one in transition. The president of the university (my direct supervisor) is retiring and the process to choose his successor should end just about the end of the semester. Hence, my musing on how many days are left. I've worked well with the current president and I hope to do the same with whomever the Board selects to replace him. Time will tell.

I did finish Constanza's blue apron dress today. I even did all the embroidery on the hem. When I finish my other secret embroidery project, I plan to come back to her dress and embroider over all the seams. I'm using a lovely gold merino wool from the Handweaver's Studio for the embroidery and it sews like a dream.

Epiphany doings

     Here in Bulgaria, Epiphany is celebrated as Yordanovden, or St. Jordan's Day. It's a time when, following a church service,  the priest throws a cross into the local river to bless the waters. The young unmarried men of the parish dive in to retrieve it. It looks like this after they've found the cross. If you look closely, you will even see bagpipers and drummers!

 

The young man who succeeds in retrieving the cross will be especially blessed in the upcoming year.

 

After they all finally get out of the river (remember, it is January!), he is expected to parade the cross from house to house in the village, along with the other young men. They sing traditional songs, allow the householder to kiss the cross, and they sprinkle the doorstep with river water. The householder is expected to provide a small gift of money. Sounds like something from the Middle Ages, right? Well, not here. The young men visited our house today and sang, danced, and sprinkled the yard with holy water. My mother was enchanted and was delighted to provide them with some money for their troubles. We should have a blessed year in 2014 and our garden should do particularly well!

January 1

Made some progress today on finishing seams on Constanza's slate blue wool apron dress. That makes me happy, even though it was small progress - because it is progress!!  Maybe there's hope for the upcoming year! This is a useful site for anyone working on Norse/Viking apron dresses. This is also a useful site.

Last post of 2013

     The past year has been full of ups and downs and I am grateful it is over and we're ready to start fresh in 2014! Major surgery and the continuing saga of renovating an old house certainly cut down on my crafting and sewing time. I was able to complete two new linen dresses for Constanza prior to Raglan Fair and have just begun two apron dresses for her this week. I sent one home with her to finish today and the second will be my kickoff project for 2014. I also have an exchange project underway, which needs to reach its recipient by the end of the month. Better get cracking on that one!

     I only made it to a few SCA events in the past year (notably 20 year Anniversary/Midsummer Coronation in Germany), but I hope to make it to more in 2014. First will be Insulae Draconis' Coronet Tourney in February. Lady Constanza will be inspiring Viscount Finnian in the tourney, so I need to be there to cheer! I also want to go to Double Wars for the first time, to Midsummer Coronation (back to Bolton Castle!), and all of Raglan Faire X. I also hope to see the College of Saint John of Rila host at least one kingdom event again this year, in addition to the regular local events.

     I don't really have any lists of resolutions. I just want to see the last few bits finished on the house so I can just enjoy living here and to have at least a little more time for doing the things I love!

     Happy New Year!