Breaking the Ice in Ansteorra

Since March I have been living under the Sable Star of Ansteorra. My first event was the investiture of my Barony's new Baronesses for the Barony of Wiesenfeurer. All of my clothing was still created up and in transit so I dressed as an Imperial Roman lady with my Laurel. I would highly recommend Imperial Roman for anyone who needs quick and easy garb. If it had been cooler I would have used a woolen palla. Between work and unpacking I went to a few other events and have slowly started acclimating to the area.

Sitting at my booth between talking with people.

Probably the highlight of my SCA experience since the move was traveling to Dallas for a local even called Laurel's Prize Tourney. This name confused me at first, but this event was a large artisan show case where Laurels come around and give helpful feedback. Some of the items I brought out include my hand sewn woolen kirtle, reed corsets, gable hoods, beaded jewelry, embroidery, muffs, and some borrowed hairdressing heads with Italian hair styles. I even got to dress a lady's hair when she came over to chat with me about different historical techniques. My class at kingdom Arts and Sciences Collegium was unfortunately cancelled when work sent me to Texas for 2 weeks.

Clothing from the 1520'a in Venice and English.

Thank you for your help setting up to all my friends and laurel who carpooled to the event with me. I got to meet lots of lovely people and helped spread some information on basic partlets, Tudor clothing, and hair dressing. Thank you Valley Copley for letting me use your photos of my display at Laurel's Prize Tourney here.

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Pockets in the 16th Century?

So if you are new to my blog, Hello! I took July off to focus on work and realities of covid life. Thanks for hanging in there. This week we are doing to cover 16th Soccocia and their role toward the origin of pockets. People need a place to carry and keep their small items as they walk around. In the middle ages you might have a pilgrim satchel or a belt pouch. Some women in the middle ages had the brilliant idea to stop wearing their money purses outside of their over gowns and instead would wear them between their kirtle/sottona layer and over gowns. This arrangement still gave you access to the purse, but made it harder for thieves to cut your purse strings and run. Fast forward to the 16th century and we find the heirs to this practice in socaccia. We have some visual evidence of these in mid to late 16th century art out of Italy. This is a detail of Alessandro Allori's, Woman at her toilet, ca 1575-78. Currently in Florence, Church of Santa Maria Novella, Gaddi Chapel. J

Two Tone Lucet Cording

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Voided Velvet Sleeves from a Thrift Store Scarf

Detachable sleeves are one of my favorite things to make for renaissance dresses, and always seem to be the last thing I think to make when I'm planning my outfits. These sleeves are made from thrift store fabric to mimic one possible way that "cut work sleeves" were made in the period. There are several theories, and my research has made me think that they all may have been in use at different points in time for different specific motifs. To make these sleeves I used a voided velvet scarf I found at my local thrift store and remnants of rayon velvet, silk shantung, and linen. Techniques I cover in the video include basting, hemming stitches, and how to easily sew with velvet. I completed the project using a mix of hand sewing and a modern sewing machine. I love wearing these Italian renaissance dresses at reenactment events or when I attend events for the Society of Creative Anachronism. Groups like this have helped me learn more about how period techniques and mate

The Tudor Revolution

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