A Pile of Planned Projects

As our participation in this years living history and re-enactment season draws ever nearer I, as always, find myself heaped with 14^th century projects that needs to get done. That’s the problem with having too scattered interests; you don’t make the things you will need until the need is upon you…. As I can’t bear the thought of cheating and machine sew our clothes it takes a bit of time to get it all finished. At the moment I’m working on:

- Tobias’ new buttoned cote. There will be 34 cloth buttons down the front, and a bunch on each forearm. I guess at least 50 in total.

- Shoes for little B. One is stitched, awaiting finishing, the other one not yet begun. They will eventually be front laced, not tied round the ankle as when tried on in the picture.

- A shirt for B. Well, I’ve not really begun it, only ironed the linen, but as I want it done for the next HSF challenge I’ll start it tomorrow.

What I have planned is:

For me

- A shift. Unbleached linen is ordered.

- A veil and wimple – I have semi fine, bleached linen for that.

- A new kirtle. Will be remade from an old grey wool early medieval cote.

For Tobias

- A new pair of hose – brown wool is ordered.

- A new bag hat. We have a lovely thin red wool for that.

For B

- A new cote or two. Wool left over from making Tobias’ clothes will do nicely.

- Possibly a new coif. Fabric for that might be found in my linen scrap box, or the stash.

- Fake cloth diapers, to go over his disposable ones. Again, linen scrap box.

- A period looking toy or two wouldn’t hurt…

Household items

- Pillow cases, from this linen/cotton blend.

- Pilgrims’ satchels. Coarse wool fabric from the wool scrap box (I have several scrap boxes…).

- Linen towels. If large enough linen scraps can be found.

I will likely also make some toddler’s clothes for a friend’s son, in return for nalbound socks for B, as she is much better at nalbinding than I am, and I am the better seamstress. Trading work is a good thing.

Now, not all of the above are equally important. I will have to choose carefully in what order to make things. I also have a paper to write, so as to finally finish my education to be a specialist nurse in paediatrics. Though I’m a stay at home Mum, a university education is always good to have. With all of the above, all I can say is; it's a fine thing that Sunday is a day of rest!

Regency Stays - Eyelets

We had lovely spring weather today, it was almost warm. I didn’t feel very well, so I had stayed behind from church, and for a little while I sat in the sun just inside the open balcony door, with a shawl over my shoulders, and a blanket over my knees, looking through “Nineteenth century fashion in detail”, which I borrowed on the library the other day. The sun made my head ache, but part from that it was lovely.

This week I have had a lot of school to do, and I’ve had a headache for four days. Still, I’ve managed to get some knitting and sewing done. I have sewn slanting boning channels on the back panels of my regency stays (the stays I’m mostly inspired by had them), and made the 32 eyelets. They are not the prettiest eyelets I’ve ever made, but they’ll do. The stays will be spiral laced, as that was most common. As you see, the eyelets are set far from the top, since I intend to cut it lower than it is now.

I hope I’ll get started on the bust gussets next week, but we’ll see. I start working tomorrow, on a paediatric ward. I’m really looking forward to it, but I’m a bit nervous as well. The ironic thing is that I’ve been a patient at that same ward almost 24 years ago, as my family lived in this town for a year or so back then. Some of my new colleagues (from what I’ve heard) may well have worked there at the time.

Even though I appreciate the opportunity to be working with what I’ve studied for, I can’t help feeling a slight regret that I won’t be a “housewife” anymore. This past month has been very precious to me. My irregular work hours mean that some days (like tomorrow) Tobias and I will hardly meet at all, and that feels very, very sad. I look forward to the time (somewhere in the unknown future) when I can be a stay-at-home Mum. But, since I also have the last course on my specialist nurse education to finish, and I’ll be doing that parallel with working, I’ll only work three days a week for a couple of months. I’ll hopefully be able to be at home some of the rest of the days of the week. And that possibility feels good :)

Russian Invasion

Most young men (and many young women as well) in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints serve two year missions (though the women only serve for 18 months). They get sent somewhere in the world where they are needed, and very often they have to learn a new language and culture. Tobias served in Ukraine, and learned Russian. After speaking mainly Russian for two years, you may guess that the language has become dear to him, and he’s taking Russian classes at the university, to get academic points (since knowledge is often considered invalid these days, unless you have it on paper), and also to develop it. When over there, he also got a fair few souvenirs, and so, it looks like a small Russian invasion here.

Our apartment is filled with textbooks on Russian, Russian books (religious and other; one that I guess are Russian folk tales, with pretty pictures in it). There are military badges from old Soviet as well as Ukraine, a Russian babushka doll, a carved wooden morning star with the Ukrainian coat of arms on it, two fur hats (one which he wore for our engagement pictures, and one which is absolutely, insanely HUGE), the Ukrainian flag, little gifts from people he met while there, and a lot of other things. Here’s a sample:



Some of the things I like, some of them I don’t mind. The rest I can live with because I know they mean a lot to Tobias. It’s only fair, considering I have occupied a lot of cupboard and drawer space for fabrics, yarn, sewing related equipment and a lot of period clothes. Besides, I’m sure I have quite a few things he’d never have displayed if it wasn’t for the fact that I like them.

The other day he gave me a small wooden bottle, with a tiny glass vial in it, containing rose oil. He’d bought it in Bulgaria (which is apparently one of the big producers of rose oil), where he’d spent a week to renew his Ukrainian visa. He said he’d bought it with his future wife in mind, though of course he didn’t know it would be me at the time.




Some of my friends had organized a hen night for me last week. I didn’t know of it, until the last minute. I had dreaded a hen night (which in Sweden often include dressing the bride-to-be in extremely silly clothes and making her do even sillier things, like selling kisses to strangers), but it was kept very casual and proper. A dinner of pasta salad and “how we got engaged” stories from me, and the married women there, and then chocolate fondue with fresh fruits and innocent games. It was a very pleasant evening. Thanks to those who organized it, and those who attended!

In eight days we marry. I still have a lot to do on the dress. I cut the veil out a few days ago, but I haven’t attached it to the comb yet. And as always, schoolwork is a shadow of stress clouding everything, and right now I’m not exactly motivated. Nothing to do but get it done anyway, huh?

Two Eyelets

I really don’t like school. Or, at least I don’t like assignments. I’ve been really stressed out by a couple of them lately, and the stress is by no way gone yet. But that is not interesting to anyone, so I’ll leave of there.

Yesterday, when I was close to screaming and crying from being so frustrated by school, Tobias, who was going to our apartment to do some more cleaning, took me along, so I could get some change (I still stay at his parent’s, but will likely move next week). I decided to work on my wedding dress. So, yesterday I managed to sew the back panels together, and, as I will lace the dress up the back, I got a placket sewn in. It did me a lot of good, like sewing always does.

Today, we went there for a couple of hours, Tobias to study, and me (being frustrated with school again) to sew. I had a hard time getting the position for the eyelets right for some reason. I’ve never had much trouble with spiral lacing before, but this was a pain. In the end I think I got it right, and had two eyelets sewn, in silk buttonhole twist.


And that’s all there is to tell right now. It’s progressing, but slowly.

More Cording

This week I’ve begun my last clinical. I’m at a neonatal unit, and it’s the most fun clinical I’ve had yet. Caring for all these small (in some cases, very, very small) babies and their families is a great blessing, but I pray none of my children will be too premature. The stress of the parents and siblings are enormous, as is the stress of the babies. Interesting as it is, it’s a very new environment for me, which means a lot of concentration to learn as much as possible, and to be attentive to the needs of my little patients and their families. When I come home I usually just crash into bed. I had the day of yesterday, and I slept for eleven hours that night. Wow. Usually I never sleep that long.

With me being so tired all the time, I haven’t got much sewing done (I sound like a broken record, huh?), but I’ve finished the 60th row of cording on my petticoat. I want a few more groups of three cords before the single cords.

I’ve also worked on the back of my regency stays, whip stitching the top fabric and lining together at centre back, and sewn a cord in on each side. Between the cord and back there will also be boning, and on the other side of the cord, eyelets for lacing.

Not a very interesting post, but it’ll have to do as I’m of to the hospital again soon.

Working on Old Projects

Last time I posted I said I was coming down with a cold, and that was some cold – I had a headache and fever for four days, which returned briefly over the weekend, and I’m still coughing. I missed the first three days of school, so a week into the term I’m already behind – smashing….

The good news is that I’ll be able to do most of my studying the coming two months from home – my own dear home! (Happy dance!) That gives me quite a bit of hope.

Since I’ve been feeling first so bad and then so tired the past ten days or so I haven’t really made any progress to boast about in any of my projects. I’ve done some sewing on the petticoat, and begun the 36th row of cording.

The other day I took out an old project that’s been hibernating for a few years – my English wool embroidery inspired by the Bayeux tapestry. It’s not intended to be a copy at all, but I’ve been heavily inspired by the look, colours and technique of it. I wanted a story that would have other people than soldiers in it, and one most people would be familiar with, and feel medieval enough, so I chose the Biblical story of Moses. The plan was, when I started it, that I’d embroider the whole story, but we’ll see how that works out. If I only ever finish this segment it’ll still look nice on my wall. Of course, it would be more of an impact to have several scenes from the story.

It’s embroidered with thin wool yarn on linen, and I drew the figures myself. I'm not completly satisfied with them - they don't look odd enough. Anyway, this was easy sewing during my illness – no need to think, just to fill in the areas with colour, and listening to the Old Testament online.

I like to listen to the scriptures, as a complement to my reading, and now it was time for the Old Testament. I never read it through (I’ve read most of it, but not everything), so I started listening to it while knitting or sewing a while back, and it’s very soothing. Interesting too, you get a new perspective on the history-part of it, when you go through it so quickly. When I read the Bible, I usually study some specific event or doctrine, not cover to cover.

I’m working up the inspiration to finish a winter coat that I begun a couple of years ago (is this the autumn of finishing old projects?), my old ones being threadbare. I’ve got it hanging on my wardrobe door, in the hope that inspiration will strike. It will be in wine red wool, but that’s pretty much all I know for sure so far – the sleeves and hood are not cut out yet. I’m running out of fabric, so it will take some figuring out how to make the most of what I have.

Alive and Kicking...

... but I've been extremely busy at work lately, and been dead tired when I've come home. I have a couple of projects that I'm working on, but one is a Christmas present, and since the recipient checks in on my blog now and then, I can't show you what I'm doing.

The other project is a pair of woolen-blend trousers for autumn and winter. I really don't like making trousers, but these are in a style I think might look good on me, and that makes it bearable. No pictures of them so far though.

Neither project has been a fast-progressing one, since I've usually fallen asleep when I came home from work. Today I had my last day for the summer, though, so things might speed up just a little. Soon school starts again, which scares me out of my wits. I keep telling myself "only four months, then you're done", but it still makes me sick thinking of it... But before that horror is upon me, I'll have a nice, well needed week at my parents'.

Well, that's pretty much it as far as my life is concerned. Hope you all have a nice end of summer/beginning of autumn.

Better

There, the final dreadful nothing-but studying school week is over! I was in a panic the other night, not being able to finish an assignment in time, but when I e-mailed my teacher she told me not to worry and to mind my health – I could hand it in later, during the summer or so. My, was I grateful to her, and to the Lord for answering my desperate prayers in a way I’d never have counted on!

On Monday my five week clinical starts, on a smallish hospital paediatric ward. I’m looking forward to it and dreading it at the same time… the fact that we have to do a survey while there doesn’t help. And, up until yesterday I didn’t even know where I was going to stay, it being in another town. That seems to have solved itself, though. The whole thing about working with children and adolescents when I am still such a new nurse also frightens me quite a bit.

A bunny I made for my sister one of the times she was in for surgery many years ago.

Another thing that has solved itself much better than I’d ever imagine is a home for my cat. Since I’ve been away so much, my parents have taken him in, more out of love for me than love of cats. My Mum likes cats, but she don’t like the work involved. My Dad never was a cat-person. My siblings love him, though. And now, when it turns out he’s a very good mice hunter, even my Dad can look at him with something else than indifference, he even pets him and praises his skills. W-o-w……

And right now it seems that the situation with my friend is going to be all right. I’m very grateful for your thoughts and prayers for this friend, and for me. I too am doing better.

Hopefully I’ll have something fun and sewing-related to tell you about next time.

Drawing

Since I was a little girl I have been drawing on all paper available, including envelops, programmes and writing-pads in school. Many times it felt like drawing was the only thing that carried me through tedious classes. I was never bad in school, my marks were good enough, but I must do something with my hands, it helps me concentrate. To sit still just listening to the teacher was driving me mad, and so a lot of my writing-pads were covered in drawings. I’m better at concentrating in school now, but I still fall back into my old pattern of drawing in class sometimes. This is a thing I did last year when I was bored to death in a class that didn’t add anything to my knowledge.

Some habits die hard.

You Think a Girl Would Learn....

I have so much to do nowadays, schoolwork takes all of my time. I don’t have a life at the moment. Well, that’s not exactly true; it just means I usually don’t have time to sew right now, which for me feels like not having a life. Last night I took some time, and worked on my 14th century kirtle. I sewed the back seam and started on the back gore – not much of a progress, but I felt a bit down, and went to bed early.



"A bit" is an understatement... How is it that you can feel perfectly happy and content one day, and the next it feels like your world is falling apart? My life is quite good; compared to many I have no reason to complain, but yesterday night I was overwhelmed by sadness. I’m better today, but the sorrow is not as far away as I’d wish. Disappointments are so depressing.

An Unexpected Event

On Wednesday afternoon I got a phone call from one of Sweden’s eldest and most prestigious universities (founded in the mid-1600’s), saying I had a place at the study programme I’d applied for a couple of weeks before (three months to late), due to some people not showing up, and so loosing their places. I had applied just to have something to do, not thinking I’d get in until next year, since I applied to late. I was soooo surprised! I had to get a cat sitter, somewhere to stay and then get on a train that night, and go to the university. I've been all in a flurry, but so far it has turned out all right. There are a few unanswered questions as to what I’ll do with my apartment here, and where I’ll find a new one closer to the university. For the time being I’m a lodger in the family of some friends.

But all that are minor problems that’ll sort themselves out somehow. The important thing is that I have been accepted to an education I’ve always wanted, at the university I wanted to study at. My classes so far have confirmed that I’ve made the right choice, it feels just right.
In a year (if all goes well) I’ll have a Master One Year Degree in Nursing, with a specialization in Paediatrics. Next to having a family of my own, it’s my dearest ambition to work with helping other families, educating and giving advice on how children work and what they need both physically and psychologically. There are so many parents today who are unsure of themselves and need support and confirmation that they are doing the right thing, or help on how to change their behaviour or way of thinking. There are also (regrettably) many children that are being neglected or abused in various ways, who need someone to notice and act. I want to be a nurse who see these children and have the courage to help them. But first of all I’ll have to get through school.

Just a couple of days before I got that phone call I was talking with some friends about how little we know about what the future holds; all of a sudden something happens that you had never expected a month or so earlier. Still, I didn't think it would happen to me just like that.... this is certainly something I hadn't expected a month ago. It's nice when unexpected things are also pleasant things.

Of course I’ll have to bring some kind of sewing project down there which I can work on when not studying. Good thing I prefer hand sewing, since I can only bring a few things.