"When the evening arrives, I return home... at the entrance I pull off my common clothes, covered with dust and dirt, and pull on my noble court dress, and thus changed I enter the ancient courts of the men of old..."
Niccolo Machiavelli
These are some things I've made over the years. I have also been writing up some articles, but they're elsewhere. Enjoy.
Very early picture - a checkered wool overdress and a plain cotton underdress. The underdress was the first trial version of the charts that became the T-tunic article in Tournaments Illuminated.
This is a gown based on what I've learned about Anglo-Saxon tunics since (they didn't have centre panels), the cutting of tunics in general during early period (anyway possible), and a little bit of economy (actually a lot! The whole gown used 1.5 metres of 1.5 metres wide material...). Demonstrably period? Well... no.
My tunic was made from a green /blue/white worsted 2/2 twill. The embroidery around the neck and sleeves were based vaguely on the Bayeux tapestry in the division of the motifs, which incidentally are leaping salmon and lion heads. The embroidery was done in wool tapestry thread in laid-and-couched and stemstitch.
Gebzo, who is our resident fool, wears a hood and codpiece I made for him one twelfth night. The horns and corners have bells attached, and needless to say children and adults alike enjoy pulling them...
To make an attempt at an elisabethan dress, I first made a mock-up in calico. That's the dress on the left, which I wore for a masque (the mask is supposed to symbolize wind). To the right is the finished article, which was made from cotton velvet. Although I have no intention of showing you, the making of the dress involved all the correct underpinnings too.
I've built four tents so far, all of the viking A-frame variety. The first two, which are the ones here, were collapsible to fit into my smallish car. The later ones will not be - I now drive a large van.
At Canterbury Faire 1996
Don't talk to me before breakfast!
And this picture is so perfect... it rained just long enough to create a rainbow.
At the Border War 1996
This time I brought out both tents and a cover for the kitchen. Not period at all, but it's been rather useful both as rainshelter and sunshade.
I made a somewhat later Anglo-Saxon gown for that event. It's made of blue wool, and the embroidery goes around the neck, down the front and along the hem, and around the sleeves. It's set with pearls. I was given my Dolphin by their Majesties at this court.
It is based on the Dublin and York examples.
visiting Cloudy River for May-day celebrations
The style is from the first half of the 14th century. A cotehardie mi-parti green and blue velvet, laced in front and buttoned sleeves. White silk underdress. Hood of green velvet, lined with black fur (possum) and embroidered with gold thread and sweet water pearls. Closed with metal/mother-of-pearl pieces. Belt of the same. Leather turn-shoes embroidered in wool. Circlet of brass set with carnelians and moss agate to match rosary. I like this outfit!
Once upon a long time ago, I was a member of a Tolkien society. This outfit started life as three pigskins and a piece of upholstery velour, and under the circumstances came out rather well...
To be continued elsewhere.....