30 October 2011
A couple of days ago these beautiful tablets arrived in the mail. I found them on Etsy: Ampstrike, a seller from Estonia. The size of the tablets are 5×5 cm, with a thickness of about 1,5 mm, and made from walnut and ash. The ones made from ash are slightly thicker but I don’t think that will be noticeable when I weave with both types mixed.
The first project I will use these for is finishing the edges of the sleeves on my Herjolfsnäs gown.
27 April 2011
Katheryn at Textile Time Travels gave me this award. Thank you so much!
Apparently you’re suppose to answer questions (see below) and then give the award to 5 blogs you like. See what I mean by disguised chain letter!
My answers to the 5 questions:
1. When did you start your blog?
My first entry here was in early 2008 but I fiddled around on zoomin.se before that.
2. What is it about?
It’s about historic costume, weaving, cooking and other things that relates to my interest in SCA and reenactment. I focus on the 14th century but things from other time periods seems to sneak in as well. “Late medieval stuff” sums it up.
3. What are the differences between this blog than others?
Probably not that much, it’s a pretty generic textile history blog. I try to include pictures in all my posts because that’s what I like.
4. Why did you started it?
I wanted to share my knowledge and give others the opportunity to learn from my successes and mistakes. It was also a place to publish my documentation as well as getting feedback on my ideas and projects.
5. What would you like to chance in your blog?
I’d like to move it to an own web hosting so that I could combine it with other things like a picture gallery. I would also like to have inspiration and time to post more often.
And the award goes to these excellent (gorgeous) blogs (make sure you visit them!):
09 March 2011
It amazes me that a lot of readers check in here every day even when I haven’t updated in forever. Thank you for that!
Sweet Elina at Neulakko posted a YouTube-clip a while back and I thought I’d show it here for those of you that haven’t seen it.
It’s the Lincolnshire based group WAG Screen that has been working hard with a film that reenact scenes from the Lutrell Psalter. The film really is worth watching with beautiful scenery, wonderful music and lots of inspiration for recreating the early 14th century.
Wag Screen has also made several behind the scene clips, make sure you check out their YouTube channel.
22 September 2010
A lot of people do impressive stuff that goes unnoticed. Some things are small, other things are big. It’s time for the rest of us to see this. Here is the first installment of Bragging rights: amazing things that needs to be told!
Did you know that the shire of Juneborg owns a house? And it’s not just any house – it’s a newly built wooden house based on constructing methods from the 12th century.
The house in spring glory.
I think everyone in Juneborg have had a hand in building the house – more or less (less in my case, I dug a ditch – that’s about it). But the main heroes are Kjettil and Gröne.
It’s taken years with both manual and electrical tools but now it’s there – and almost finished. It has already been used in several LARP events and hopefully Juneborg will use it in the future.
The door with decorations.
More things will be added around the house in the future. An oven is already being built.
So, next time you see Kjettil or Gröne – tell them what a good job they have done!
17 September 2010
Earlier this year I visited the Castle and Cathedral Museum in Linköping. It’s a small museum situated in parts of the castle and with 50 SEK and an hour to spare it’s well worth a visit.
The museum was focused on two points of time; the 13th century with Birger Jarl and the 16th century with Gustav Vasa and Bishop Hans Brask. A collection of archeological finds made in the city is on display and well-built models of the castle. Ceramics, textiles and other household items are among the things on display.
These are a few of the things that caught my eye:
A shoe in very good condition from the 13th century.
Metal fittings from a book. Take a closer look at the decorative pattern (probably 13th century).
A knife with a leather sheath, needles and a thimble (13th century).
Linen hose found in the privet... (15th century)
Window glass from Linköping Cathedral, from the end of the 13th century.
Click on the pictures for a larger view and please visit the museum webpage for more information: http://lsdm.se/ They have several photos as well as a summary in english.
14 September 2010
My latest tablet weaving project is an experiment with different weft. The tablets are threaded in three holes which makes the weft visible in certain turns. The pattern is a simple V-shape, like this one, with wool yarns (20/2 redgarn) that I dyed earlier this year.
Weft: grey wool, probably 5/2
Weft: green wool, 20/2, same as the warp. I've used two threads on the left part, and one on the right part.
Weft: white linen, 16/2
So far I really like the linen, it really makes the pattern pop out as well as giving it a subtle effect. I was disappointed with the green wool, it’s to dark and to thin. Using a double thread made the result slightly better but unfortunately it drowned out the pattern. Next up is grey linen thread.
12 September 2010
Summer vacation is long over, at least it feels like it when the temperature is getting chilly in the morning and the rain is pouring down. This means it’s soon time for Civil War again, and I’m back in the kitchen as head cook.
The theme for the food this year is (swedish) 16th century and especially the records from bishop Hans Brask. My earlier exploits into medieval cooking has been centered around the 14th and 15th century so I have a lot to read!
I finally got a hold of the Medieval Household! It's one of the books from the MoL series.
28 May 2010
Bought it at Double Wars and is currently devouring the chapter about the cap of St. Birgitta. Very interesting. I’ve read what Isis (one of the co-authors) has published on her blog but that was of course just bits and pieces.
A bunch of other people have recreated this cap, a few of them are:
Viktoria Holmqvist - Arachane´s blog
Åsa Martinsson at – Textilverkstad (in swedish), read the pdf here.
Piia Lempiainen – Pistoksissa (in finnish, english version here)
Yesterday I visited Nicole (our shire’s newest member) and helped her out with some pattern making. She has also made a first draft for a St Birgitta cap! It’s really inspiring to get new productive members to the society. Now I really need to finish the chapter so that I can start making my own cap.
Contents of book:
1. From Flax to Linen in the Medieval Rus Lands
Heidi M. Sherman
2. “Melius abundare Quam Deficere”: Scarlet Clothing in Laxdaela Saga and Njals Saga
Anna Zanchi
3. The Wandering Wimple
Lucia Sinsi
4. From Head to Hand to Arm: The Lexicological History of “Cuff”
Mark Chambers & Gale R. Owen-Crocker
5. Visual Textiles: A Study of Appearance and Visual Impression in Archaeological Textiles
Lena Hammarlund, Heini Kirjavainen, Kathrine Vestergard Pedersen & Marianne Vedeler
6. The Cap of St. Birgitta
Camilla Luise Dahl & Isis Sturtewagen
7. The View from Herjolfsnes: Greenland’s Translation of the European Fitted Fashion
Robin Netherton
8. The Art of the Exotic: Robinet Testards Turbans and Turban-like Coiffure
John B Friedman
9. “The Same Counterpoincte Beinge Olde and Worene”: The Mystery of Henry VIII’s Green Quilt
Lisa Evans
10. Recent Books of Interest
11. Index
23 May 2010
Looking back at this project I’m sure I made some sort of promise to myself that I wouldn’t start any crazy weaving projects again… Right.
This project is from the Anna Neupert book with patterns from the early 16th century. Very similar to the Birka bands. I’m doing mine in madder-red wool (that I’ve dyed myself) and a gold-like thread from DMC.
Very spiffy! Takes forever! Anyone surprised?
18 May 2010
lots of fighting … interesting classes … lazy evenings … meeting Neulakko … duke sir master master Sven … weaving … learning new skills … lots of kids everywhere … meeting friends
Flat side won – already looking farward to next year (and next SCA event)!
