Baby Shoes

In the beginning of 2009 I made a couple of pairs of baby shoes, just for fun. I made the pattern myself, and the shoes were made from scrap pieces of wool, with a linen or cotton lining. Now, it seems I’ll finally be able to put them to use.

The green pair is made from wool felt, with a flowery cotton fabric as lining, sewn together with embroidery floss, and with ties braided from the same floss. Though lined with flowery fabric, they can work for both a boy and a girl – the flowers won’t show when the shoes are worn anyway, as Tobias said.

The purple pair are made from a thinner wool fabric, lined with lilac lightweight linen, and embroidered with embroidery floss, organza ribbon and glass beads. They, too are sewn together with embroidery floss, have braided ties from the same floss, but are decorated with a bead at each end. Not baby-proof, but the shoes are so tiny, that a baby is not likely to have found her feet yet when they are worn.

These would not work for a boy, at least not in our day and age.

Since we don’t know (and don’t want to find out until it’s born) if our baby will be a boy or a girl, last week I decided to make a pair that would suit a boy. This pair is made from medium weight greyish brown wool, lined with plaid cotton shirting; again, they are sewn together with, and have braided ties from embroidery floss. They also have simple embroidery from that same floss. They could work just fine on a girl as well.

I really like these little shoes, and will very likely make more, in different sizes. I think the next pairs I make will have every piece edged with a bias strip of the lining fabric, or a matching one, before being sewn together. That could look nice.

Medieval Festival at Borgeby Castle

So, as promised, here comes my account of the event the weekend before last. It went very well for the most part, but I was in various degrees of pain for much of the time, most of it in my lower back, caused by the pregnancy. Luckily it didn’t lessen my enjoyment in the weekend all that much, though it was a relief to come home again.

The location for the event was perfect, with beautiful buildings and big grassy grounds. As I said before, it had rained quite a bit during the week, so the grass was wet and the ground very soft when we pitched our tents in the dark late Friday night. We then had some pizza, stuffed our straw mattresses with, well, straw, and went to sleep.

I must say I really like our straw mattress; it is such a difference from just folding a blanket around a bunch of straw, which slides away as you sleep. It also has the additional advantage of not getting straw in all your things. My sleeping badly and waking up with pains in my back and hips had more to do with the fact that I’m pregnant and generally uncomfortable right now when trying to sleep, than with any deficiency in the sleeping arrangements.

As we woke up Saturday morning, we gradually changed into our 14^th century clothes as we made and ate breakfast; porridge with apple sauce, milk, bread, butter, cheese and sausage. Some of us also had a second breakfast of leftover pizza.

Picture by Elin

As the event opened, we were all fully dressed for the Middle Ages, all our 20^th century items hidden away in baskets, carry sacks or in the cars, and occupied with some period craft, cooking or fighting practice.

I, who could not help with some of the heavier chores due to contractions, spent my time hemming and marking a new towel for the company. They always seem to disappear, or getting worn out….

As I’ve said before, the aim of our group is to educate the public (as well as having a splendid time ourselves), and we had a couple of short lectures each day. One was on medieval wrestling and close contact fighting, with or without daggers or other things that could be used as weapons, like hoods and ladles. That one was a blast, even for me who don’t really care about that sort of thing.

The other lecture we had was on late 14^th century clothing. I was one of the lecturers on Sunday, and we used most of the present group members outfits as examples of typical and varied details of dress. Fun, but didn’t draw quite as many people as the fight – no surprise there…. A few people were genuinely interested though, and came up to us and talked afterwards and got a closer look at materials, stitches, cut and colours.

Picture by Elin

There were two memorable events during the weekend, both involving hand guns. The first happened the first morning; the program stated quite clearly that we’d fire guns at 11 am. Somehow, the knights had missed this, and also missed the calls made of shots going to be fired. Let me just say, that those guns are loud. The result was a horse getting loose, and running wild over the field. Ooops… Luckily, neither the horse, nor any person or property was damaged. The second was at another shooting exhibition. The recoil on the guns are apparently very strong – one of the guys was shooting, next second he’s looking down into his empty hands, with a puff of smoke hanging in front of him, and the gun lying on the ground a couple of meters behind him. Someone managed to get pictures of this, but regrettably I don’t have them. I did see it happen, though, and it was hilarious. A good lesson to everyone not to stay too close to fire arms… Of course, hand guns in the 14^th century looked and worked slightly differently than in later centuries, or this would not have been possible…

Picture by Elin

The rest of the festival was as you might expect a “medieval” festival to be, with nothing interesting for sale for the serious reenactor. However, if you were a five year old interested in polyester princess gowns and sequin maille, you were in the right place. We did, however, have a very good time, having set up our camp at a little distance from the rest, and having really nerdy discussions about the wages of hand gunners in the 14^th century, period clothing, sewing techniques, food, armour and weapons. We made a lot of period food, which visitors were miffed not to be allowed to taste for insurance seasons.

Picture by Elin

My sister in law made herself useful, and liked, by helping with preparing the food, and looking after the four year old daughter of one of the group members. She had a good time, and she looked lovely in 14^th century clothes. It was fun to have her with us.

Picture by Elin

Now we don't have any more events to attend this year - well, there will be a feast in December, but it'll be about the same time as baby is due, so we're not very likely to attend that.

Our Late 14th Century Outfits

I’m working on a post of our last event, and am hoping to borrow a picture or two from some of the other members of the group. In the meanwhile, here’s a description of mine and Tobias’ outfits, all of it hand sewn. Peter, one of the group members, said we looked the part of a lesser bugher couple, which I guess has some truth to it. Tobias is wearing his blue, front laced cotehardie, green hose and a grey bag hat. I’m wearing my yellow kirtle, and over that the reddish maroon, short sleeved dress I've been working on lately, also front laced. I’m wearing a wimple and a veil as well.

The lacing on Tobias’ wool cotehardie. There are 50 eyelets, and the cord is made from finger looped wool yarn.

Eight cloth buttons on each sleeve, and buttonholes. I had some help in making the buttons from Mikael, at the event in Varberg two months ago, as I was running out of time, and he had nothing to do at the moment. Let’s just say his buttons are much nicer than mine…

The lacing on my over kirtle. It has 42 eyelets on it. Since making the cord for Tobias’ cotehardie, I learned how to make lucet cords, and this is what I use to lace my kirtle, again made from wool yarn. Tobias thought it was fun to take the picture at this angle, as it showed of the baby bump...

I was thinking long and hard on what kind of sleeves I wanted on this dress. One part of me wanted full length sleeves, but wasn’t sure how that’d look worn over the buttons on my yellow kirtle. When I looked at pictures, shorter sleeves usually had some sort of tippets on them, and that’s just not very practical for a soldiers wife working around camp. I’d seen a lot of reenactors with short sleeved kirtles worn over full length sleeves of the kirtle beneath, but you can’t use other interpreters as source material. When asking for advice, Maria pointed out that there are examples of shorter sleeves without tippets in the Herjolfsnes finds. Yes of course... I knew that. Finally some proof – I went for that.

A while back I wrote about us ordering new shoes for both of us, and pins for me, and this was our first time using our new purchases. I used my pins to secure the wimple and veil – I don’t have any proof for this, but I secured the wimple to my dress as well, to keep it in place.

Wimples are far from mandatory on married women in the late 14^th century, but you can still see them on some married and widowed women of all ages even in the 15^th, so I consider it safe to use. I think it looks nice, and I also find it strangely comfortable (especially on a cold, windy day...). Not that I don’t think it a relief to take it all of after an event, but in this setting, I like it.

Pre Event Sewing

I’ve had/have quite a bit of sewing to finish this week before our event on Friday. Well, it’s not been that much, I know of a few people who could pull of a whole lot more, but I haven’t really been feeling my best lately, as you know, and don’t do too good under pressure at the moment, so it’s been quite enough as it is. I had to finish my over kirtle (I finished the sleeves a couple of days ago, and as I write I’m half way through hemming it – Tobias helped me cut the hem to length last night), and then I got a little late extra sewing.

Tobias’ little sister will be coming with us, and we have had to quickly improvise an outfit for her. She has the same size in shoes as I do, so she’ll be able to use my old ones, and luckily she’s tall enough that she can wear one of my old wool cottes without alteration; it’ll do very well when tucked up over a belt, and possibly with the sleeves folded back a bit. I’m sure that must have been a common enough practice for growing children back in the days. The linen smock she’ll be borrowing however (one that is presently too tight for me…) had to have quite a deep hem put in it to prevent it dragging and being completely black after the weekend. A quick, functional, easy to take out again hemming was done two days ago.

Since autumn is coming, it’s beginning to grow cold. Some days are still very warm, but in the evenings you want something warm to wear, not to mention if it rains, and considering how the weather’s been the past week, it might. I only have one pair of women’s hose, but am trying to finish another pair in time. I made the pattern (trying to reach my foot and place pins where I wanted them proved difficult, as the baby bump was in the way), and cut out the pieces yesterday, and have started making them up today. It looks like I might get them done in time, and worst case, I was told that “there’ll be ten of us down there” and that with a joined effort, they could be done quickly on site.

As for headwear, she’s just a girl and don’t need anything for proprieties sake, but she might want something to keep her hair in order or keep warm – or just because it’s fun. I’ll bring an extra kerchief and she might borrow mine or Tobias’ hoods.

The one area where I feel a bit worried is when it comes to outerwear. None of us have anything at the moment – I have fabric in my stash waiting to be made into a coat-kind-of-thing for Tobias, but there’s no chance of getting it done before this weekend. I guess we’ll have to be pretty much stuck in one of the tents if it rains. The best we can do is to hope and pray for it not to rain, or at least not rain very much.

So, a bit busy, but very exited for the weekend! Hopefully I'll remember to take pictures of us this time, so you'll get a good look at our outfits.

Weaknesses

An event is coming up on Friday eight days, and I’m really looking forward to it. Tobias’ cotehardie is done, and my over kirtle is slowly getting there as well. I have the sleeves and the hemming left, and the cord for the lacing, but the dress itself and all of the eyelets are done. I have even made a straw mattress for us – I cheated and used the sewing machine on the non-visible seams.

It might not seem like much, but I have been very tired, both physically and mentally, and I’m proud of myself for even getting this little done. For most of the past two weeks I’ve been home from work on sick leave, sleeping a lot, as it all became too much for me, and all I could do in the end was to sit by my desk at work and cry because I was so tired and didn’t know where to start that day’s work – and it wasn’t even that busy a day. Some of you may know I had a little sister who died six years ago after fighting cancer for seven years. I never really confronted the feelings and experiences I had during those years and final days, and my pregnancy related over sensitiveness combined with a demanding work (which includes situations reminiscent of my sisters treatments and hospital stays), just made it impossible for me to keep them away any longer. So I’ve been at home, and what a relief it has been! I have started to slowly look at and analyze my feelings concerning everything with regards to my sisters’ illness, and though painful at times, I’m sure I’ll feel much better in the end. I would really like to have most of this done by the time baby comes, so it can have a strong, healthy and happy mother.

"Sisters" by Morgan Westling

I am not really surprised at my reacting on this – it’s well known through lots of studies that siblings are usually the ones suffering most when a child has cancer, more so than both the ill child and its parents, but it still feels a bit embarrassing to feel so week and frail… Luckily I have a loving and supporting husband and family, who comforts me and encourage me to talk about it. So even though I’m going through a bit of a rough spot, I feel that I am blessed and still a lot better of than many others in the world.

I would eventually like to use my experiences for good. I have long wanted to work with siblings of children with cancer, but realized it was still a bit too close to home. But some day in the future, when my children are growing up, it’s something I’d like to do. I’ll be home next week as well, and after that I’ll go back to working, but just part time to start with.

So, you’ll have to excuse my lack of posts recently, and take my promise that I’ll post soon enough, and then there will be pictures and descriptions of my latest projects.

Illnesses

For the two weeks before this one I’ve been home from work, with a fever and a cough. Last Monday, feeling a bit better, I went back to work, and was there for two and a half days before I was sent home on Wednesday, this time with probable tonsillitis. No one at work was surprised at this, as most new employees at the paediatric ward get ill frequently the first year or so, catching everything the children have. After a time, the paediatric nurses hardly ever take ill, no matter how many children cough, sneeze, and are sick or otherwise on them. I went to see a doctor today, who confirmed tonsillitis, and told me to stay home from work until my symptoms are gone. As tests showed it's likely caused by virus, antibiotics wouldn't help.

Now, there’re so many things I’d have liked to have worked on when I was home for so long, but for most of the two weeks I felt too poorly to do anything but sleep and play solitaire on the laptop. This time round, I feel pretty well, with a moderately sore throat and tiredness being my only problems so far. Baby seems to be doing just fine though, kicking and doing summersaults when I’m still for too long.

I did design and begin a maternity dress a week ago, but unfortunately the needle on the sewing machine snapped, and it was the last one I had. I still haven’t gotten myself to a place where I can buy new ones, and with all the period hand sewing, I don’t feel like making this one by hand as well. It’s on hold for the time being. The dress will be made from the plaid fabric, and in the design to the right, if you can see it in the picture.

One happy thing though: when coming home from his night shift yesterday, Tobias had picked up a parcel with re-enacting things we’d ordered! New 14^th century shoes for both of us, ten brass pins for my veils and wimples, as well as a few things we had offered to order for a couple of friends.

The first weekend of September will take us to our second and possibly last event this summer. Not that much, but when you don’t have the funds, or get time off of work, you have to be grateful for the events you can attend. We’d have loved to go to the Battle of Wisby that begins this weekend and goes on for the whole of next week, but I have to work. Sigh. Anyway, as I still haven’t finished the lacing and buttons/buttonholes of Tobias’ tunic, and my over kirtle is just half done, that’s what I’ll be focusing on as far as sewing goes in the near future – if my health allows.

Varberg 2011

Last weekend Tobias and I joined Albrecht’s Gunners at Varberg castle for an event. As I forgot to take any pictures, I’ve borrowed a few from others. Excuse the jumbled telling of the event, but I’ve been ill and tired most of the week, and unable to make it any better.

It was the same event I went to last year, and though I say it myself, our group was the most period correct thing there. Still, it was very, very nice, with pleasant people, and fun activities on our program. We had been asked to have lectures on medieval costumes, and as we do late 14^th century, our main focus was on that. I held the lecture on Saturday, and asked six members of our group to be models. For my first time trying anything like this I think it went pretty well, though I can improve quite a bit with practice.

Albrecht’s also had a class in medieval dancing, and since most of us knew little or nothing of the matter, the girls who would host this class taught us first, which was great fun. I’ve always liked dancing, and dancing with your husband is especially pleasant. Now, dancing in the Middle Ages was a group business, with everyone holding hands in a line or circle. Not one boy dared try it when we held the class and not many girls either. I guess that kind of dancing is strange to them in this day and age when dancing mostly means you stand opposite someone else and jump around looking like a fool….

I had been in such a hurry to finish Tobias’s clothes, and when we finally went, the cotehardie still wasn’t done. It lacked some eyelets, and had no buttons or buttonholes at all, and the hem was not even half finished. I worked hard on it before everyone had arrived so we could put our camp up, and again the next morning. I got all the hemming done, but decided to leave out the buttoned sleeves for now, and sew them shut, as was done previously in the 14^th century. I didn’t get all the eyelets I wanted done either, but enough to make the garment wearable. Tobias helped, in hemming his shirt, so I wouldn’t have to stress over that. I’m a bit biased, but I thought he looked so handsome. Sadly, as I didn’t take any pictures myself, I never got a good picture of him. We hadn’t had time to get him any shoes, but another member of the group brought a reserve pair that he could use, which was very kind.

The kitchen, always the heart of the home/camp. The tent of the jousters, our closest neighbours, in the background. Picture by Mikael.

I didn’t finish my over dress either, and had to make do with the sad excuse for shoes I wore last year. I did however wear a wimple for the first time in public, and I really liked it. My dress from last year still laced shut, but was tighter than when I made it. With the lacing open, I think it might work all season.

We were 13 people in our camp, and had five tents with us. The smallest was used to put all the food in, the two couples that were there each got one of the smaller tents, and the remaining men slept in one of the big tents, and the women in the other. I realized that I want to make a straw mattress for our next event – it looks more comfortable than just putting a blanket over the straw and hoping it will stay put, you won’t get straw on all your things, and it’s much tidier when you leave camp.

Food, of vital importance for a happy camp. Picture by Mikael.

I couldn’t help much in raising the tents, as it involves some heavy work, and in my present condition, it hurts when I over exert myself. So I was standing on the sidelines, feeling like I was avoiding work – at least I had a friend in feeling like a looser as one of the others is expecting as well. It was a tiny bit depressing though, I who love to work in camp. Ah well. Everyone was making jokes about ours being the fattest camp they’d ever seen (just wait until September – that will be a big camp, with us being two and three months from delivery), and making fun of us eating, sleeping and running to the bathroom all the time – in a kind way. I believe quite a few think it might be fun with a couple of babies in camp next summer.

The weather turned out better than we’d hoped. The night between Friday and Saturday it rained (but luckily not until we’d set up the tents), and the rain persisted a few hours into the morning. After that it was sunny and warm, except for a quick and heavy rain on Saturday evening, but due to the heat, it dried up quick enough. On Sunday it was very warm, and several of us women soaked our wimples and veils, to get some coo

lness. Most of the men rolled down their hose to knee level, and almost most of us rolled up our sleeves at some point. To tell the truth, we all looked pretty sloppy. A few had straw hats, and I borrowed one from one of the girls. I liked the shade it provided, but I’m not sure about the look…. It doesn’t give the feeling of a 14^th century Swedish woman to me, though I might be wrong. There is mention of straw hats on women in Norwegian sources; I’ve just not seen any pictures of them from Scandinavia.

Warm and dressed down people of the camp, and a guest in red. Picture nicked from the homepage of the event organizer.

There being so many of us, we had enough people to play a few medieval games after dinner one night. Most of them included some risk of injury, but luckily, no one got seriously hurt. A few might have walked away with a couple of bruises though. I’m not very fond of playing games myself, but I like to watch others play. On this occasion, it was so funny that I literally cried with laughter, and got such a cramp in my stomach.

Our next event will be in September, as we’ll miss the Battle of Wisby in August due to not getting time of from work. I’ll try to finish our outfits until then, but I have so many other things I’d like to sew and knit, like maternity dresses, baby clothes and blankets, and clothes from other periods. I think I should wait with the period clothes for a while though, if I want them to fit my post baby figure.