January update

Long time, no blog! Sometimes life just takes up too much time to sit at the computer. I still don't have a PC at home (being a poor starving student and all), and must find the time to sit in the public library or computer lab on campus in order to update the blog.

Well! As promised AGES ago, here are some photos of me "in persona" as SCA/medieval Emma of Oterburn:

From LEFT to RIGHT:
(a) the plain linen underdress -- basic T-tunic pattern; white-on-white linen embroidery at neckline & cuffs, but you can't see it (TOO BAD! Its a nice wee decorative touch!) It's amazing how comfortable this is to wear, and how much easier it makes walking in the long gown.
(b) lacing up the purple gown -- OOPS! Methinks there's been a bit too much feasting at ye olde castle of late! (Now we know why medieval gowns LACED instead of buttoned . . . )

I'm not sure what that spot is on my purple gown. It's clearly visible in the photo, but I can't see anything on the gown itself. Weird light maybe?

From LEFT to RIGHT:
(c) laced and belted; hair respectably contained by metallic gold snood under an ivory silk hat (it's a bit crumpled) held in place with a barbette. The red leather pouch on my leather belt looks rather deflated -- it is -- Emma certainly needs to save her coins for the next SCA event!
(d) warm wool cloak (such a delicious deep eggplant colour!); notice the basket and drop spindle -- one properly attired Northumbrian gal all ready to go out the door one 1306/7 winter day! (Or is that 2006/7?)

And in ye medieval crafty area of my life:

From LEFT to RIGHT:
(a) Inkle Loom with purple & blue braid. One piece already finished, and second one on the loom. This braid will probably be sewn on the front straight edges of my wool cloak. Maybe -- if I don't think of something else I want to use it for. (What do you think?)
(b) Merino fleece -- carded / separated into skinnier rovings; spindle with a bit of spun stuff; my first (quite sad) plied yarn -- too much twist, not enough twist, lumpy, bumpy and uneven! You'll notice by the centre spindle that my technique improved heaps with practice! (Spinning with a drop spindle really isn't that difficult, much to my surprise. I've got a half dozen sizable skeins of decent 2-ply completed -- now what shall I do with them?)

See the fabulous olive/gold taffeta in the background of the last photo on the right? This will eventually become my next period gown. Also notice the rosary Emma will be wearing on her belt the next time she's out and about -- coral Ave beads and red Italian glass Paternoster/Gloria beads, completed with a red silk tassle instead of a crucifix -- not perfectly authentic (fake coral), but certainly looks the part.

And in the non-medieval crafty area -- since I certainly don't spend all my time as Emma:Cotton fabrics for aprons. (Yes, I'm old-fashioned enough to enjoy wearing aprons. Get over it!) Actually, there are two more cotton prints -- blue hens and roosters, and red apples. For some reason they didn't show up in the photo, so I cropped them off. You know how you look in the drawer one day and think "Yuk, I don't wanna wear ANY of those faded, stained old aprons"? That's what I did early this month, and quickly took myself off to Fabricland. However, I haven't had time for a good weekend sewing binge yet, so I'm stuck wearing faded, stained old aprons for the moment.

I've got two counted cross-stitch projects on the go at the moment. On the left is a gryphon who will eventually become a cushion-cover. On the bottom/right is a tomato who will probably become a kitchen wall-hanging of some sort. (Okay, this isn't the greatest photo. We've already established I'm not the world's best photographer!) Both are worked on 22-count aida cloth, so they're hard on my eyes. When I get tired of gryphon, I work on tomato for a while, and when I get tired of tomato, I work on something else. (What? Isn't that how all crafters do things? Musical projects?)

Knitting? Knitting, you ask? Of course! I felt so incomplete while my right arm was in a cast last fall and wasn't able to knit! (It's healed fine now, thanks for asking . . . ) I don't have a photo to share of my latest project, but you can see it on page 86 of the Winter 2006/7 Vogue Knitting magazine . . . a braided cable, bell-sleeved V-neck cardi. I'm knitting it in basic white. (What? White, you exclaim!) Yes, white. I'm picturing it over over a plain tee or possibly a colourful sleeveless summer dress. I'm thinking VERSATILE.

Okay, this is a bit of a quick post as I want to do some "fiddling and tweaking" with the blog while I'm here today, and since I'm still a student, there's a paper and presentation due on Weds that also requires immediate attention.

Happy 2007 blogging everyone!