This has helped me understand patterns for my incle loom
I came across some weaving wheels for kumihimo recently. I made extra and sent a square one with Danny and a round one with Alex. I have had fun making various patterns. I am making two bracelets for my niece and one for a future project.
This has helped me understand patterns for my incle loom
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I thought I already mentioned this. While Alex and I were out for a drive, we noticed Elder blossoms. I had been researching these but had not seen any before now. We picked a handful of clusters, leaving plenty for berries. There became Elder Blossom Cordial. I am hoping t will help with my joint pain.
The elderberries are ripe, there was a narrow window between ripe and gone. I froze some for wine, I need to buy some equipment. I made a syrup with the rest. Some will become jelly. I will be using a green apple for pectin. I just need a day off. I made a Elderberry spritzer to taste the syrup. Some say it resembles blackberries, but it does have a lot of tannins. I would compare it to blackberry tea. I plan to save some for medicinal uses. I could use some now as I am feeling run down which usually makes me sick. It does seem to react to my ever-present heart burn though. As does coffee and spicy or acid food.
We finally made it to an event. It was horribly hot and I felt miserable with no sleep. I did manage some fun shopping; hair sticks to keep it off my neck, fans to try to cool myself, and cold lemonade. There was to be a pot luck dinner and I had brought homemade hummus and fresh heirloom carrots from my garden. We picked up some flat bread to go with it. We also had a lovely roasted vegetable tort. I had made a elder blossom cordial that never made it. It is good for arthritis. Unfortunately due to the heat we did not stay for the pot luck. We did sample on the way home, but the torte kept getting dropped so I only got a taste.
Charles did participate in the boffer street fight. He had a great time and is interested in fighting. I think every Scadian mother secretly hopes to hear that. Sadly, there is no longer a local group so it would involve travel. Something I will have to think on. I have made three socks and still do not have a pair. This is the best one so far. I refuse to give up until I have worked it out.
Handing down my old garb is not a new thing. I cut down tunics to fit the boys (1)and when I realized that the party tunic(5&6) I was making was too short, I took it in. Today I had to let it out a bit. As it is getting shorter, it doesn't have much life left in it. I need to patch a spot where a mouse has chewed on it, but isn't the first time it has been patched.
I have some lesser worn items as they didn't really work for me. I had Alex try on two of them. One is quite roomy,the tan and burgandy Elisabethan(3), but will work and the other fit very well. Unfortunately, I can not seem to find the sleeves to the Italian Renn(4). She does love that one though. Now what do I do with the braes(2) I have outgrown? Most before they had a chance to be worn. I have always been drawn to Mongolian personas. When I watched mongol with the kids they too were drawn. I am finally inspired to make mongolian garb, starting with the hats. Who doesn't want a fur lined hat. I purchased a sheepskin from TJMaxx for$20. Much cheeper than the $175. price for purchased hats. While rewatching the movie, I realised how simple the design is. it is basically a hood with a curved seam on the top of the head. Now to buy more skins.
http://www.mongolmovie.com/ The picture on the right is my first handspun yarn. I have learned to speed up my spinning by predrafting my fibers.
While I enjoy crochet, I have decided to learn a couple new fiber arts that are more period appropriate. First, I decided to try nalbinding. I decided I needed the proper tools to start. I made three functional needles, and sliced my thumb. It did want to bleed, so I decided to start my first attempt at nalbinding for the next day.
Not fully knowing what I was doing, I proceded to start the following day. I used inexpensive yarn as I knew I was likely to produce a tangled mess. I managed to start and continued on until I realized the stitches were much too loose. I studied my guide once more and adjusted my stitch. Suddenly, my stitches tightened. I had let my enthusiasm get the best of me by hoping that perhaps I could indeed make a hat with my first try. As the stitches tightened it drew in the sides so I attempted to increase and produced a ruffle. Any hopes of producing a decent hat were dashed, so I finished off the strand to see what I had. It was not a hat, unless it were for a tiny head. I tried gathering the sides and decided it would make a workable pouch. Just not for coins and small bits. Perhaps if I had used wool as is traditionally done, I could have felted it to something more functionable. Later as I was looking through my yarn, I came across a pair of knitting needles. I bought them intending to teach myself how to knit. It seems to be going better than the nalbinding. |
AuthorI am a member of the SCA. We strive to educate ourselves and others about medieval and renaissance periods in Europe. My persona ,Ysmeine de Dunewic is from the late 12th Century. She is a midwife and widowed mother of three. Archives
May 2012
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