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Wool hood continues
7 June 2025 01:17 pm
I've been working on a grey wool hood based on the London finds. It's been a lunchtime and on the bus sewing project as it's small and portable. I bought the hood with a canvas lining, but it was an earlier time period for me, so I have had a bit of an unpick and reshape.
Here's the stab stitching of the linen facing band for the buttons (above) and the sewing down of the seams with a flat fell stitch below.
Single Medieval Widows Travelled
3 June 2025 06:58 amSingle medieval women in the form of new widows were often in a position to travel. In fact, one particular widow was told by her husband on his deathbed that as soon as he dies, she was to make all haste and not wait, and visit five shrines in holy places for the good of his soul. He not only named the places she was to go, but pre-paid her expenses for all the trips.
Our widow was instructed to not wait at home and observe the usual grieving practices, she was to leave right away! He felt that he hadn't made amends for his sins at these places personally, and so it was very urgent that his widow was to go post haste.
What could she do but pack her bags and comply? ... and here she was, a newly single woman out seeing the world and not a person could censure her for it. It was her husband's wish. She absolutely could not refuse.
Medieval ampulla like this one from my collection, which you can see here in The Gilbert Collection, were favourite pilgrimage souvenirs. They contained water blessed from shrines and it was hoped that the water would have protective qualities and cure sickness for those at home who could not travel to the shrines themselves.
In the case that a widow loved her husband dearly, forced travel at the time when she would have preferred to be at home surrounded by her loved ones and family, would perhaps have been just awful. In the case that it was an arranged marriage or the husband had not been a kind man, perhaps a trip away might have saved her the effort of pretending to grieve.
False grieving was commented on by clergymen who wrote that some widows force pretend tears at the funeral whilst at the same time looking for a new husband before the old is in the ground or, and this is a double edged sword here, wailing extensively because the husband has died and the widow and children have no source of income and no means to live without him.
Honestly, this is a legitimate concern, but was interpreted by some as being selfish. Thoughts should be firmly directed on the deceased, not on herself, was the feeling.
For more information about single medieval women who travelled, there's a chapter in my book, the Secret Lives of Single Medieval Women, out in most countries now or available directly from Mango Publishing in the USA.
Our widow was instructed to not wait at home and observe the usual grieving practices, she was to leave right away! He felt that he hadn't made amends for his sins at these places personally, and so it was very urgent that his widow was to go post haste.
What could she do but pack her bags and comply? ... and here she was, a newly single woman out seeing the world and not a person could censure her for it. It was her husband's wish. She absolutely could not refuse.
Medieval ampulla like this one from my collection, which you can see here in The Gilbert Collection, were favourite pilgrimage souvenirs. They contained water blessed from shrines and it was hoped that the water would have protective qualities and cure sickness for those at home who could not travel to the shrines themselves.
In the case that a widow loved her husband dearly, forced travel at the time when she would have preferred to be at home surrounded by her loved ones and family, would perhaps have been just awful. In the case that it was an arranged marriage or the husband had not been a kind man, perhaps a trip away might have saved her the effort of pretending to grieve.
False grieving was commented on by clergymen who wrote that some widows force pretend tears at the funeral whilst at the same time looking for a new husband before the old is in the ground or, and this is a double edged sword here, wailing extensively because the husband has died and the widow and children have no source of income and no means to live without him.
Honestly, this is a legitimate concern, but was interpreted by some as being selfish. Thoughts should be firmly directed on the deceased, not on herself, was the feeling.
For more information about single medieval women who travelled, there's a chapter in my book, the Secret Lives of Single Medieval Women, out in most countries now or available directly from Mango Publishing in the USA.
Another small job for the big festival this year is making a few more little stools for use around the camp. I have some very nice little chest chairs I am bringing also, but a couple of spare stools are needed as well.
So far I've got the stools put together, and just need to stain and wax them, so that's this afternoons job!
So far I've got the stools put together, and just need to stain and wax them, so that's this afternoons job!
Mauve linen gowne finished!
30 May 2025 12:32 pm
The little linen early 14th century gowne is finished.
I stayed up late and after completing the side seams and hem, pinned in the reinforcing strip around the neck, stitched it into place and made two little eyelets for a brooch closure. I'm very happy with it.
I have cut a gore for the back of the gowne, but since it's being worn by a slender young lady in a few months, I feel it isn't really needed. Before I was it, I will split up the back and put the gore in, as the amount of growing likely to happen before next year and the next wear will be substantial. The extra gore will make a nice flow over her shape, whereas this year, the young lady is still quite slender.
Anyway, it's finished, and I'll post up a photo of it soonish.
I bought a tent this week!
My sister and the twins are coming along to the Abbey Medieval Festival this year and I needed some sleeping options for them, the best of which was putting them all in my large pavilion and making a change room to the side there and filling the rest with beds.
The biggest issue with this is that my display would then need to go into my round tent, which is possible but produces a sub-standard display. The inside walls of the "room" being rounded offer a lot of wasted space, so after a lot of hard thought, I decided what I really needed was a square marquee with walls of the same size and the round tent. The corners and flat walls echo an inside room rather than a tent, which better fits the display.
Tents aren't cheap, especially ones suited to re-enactment. I know what you're thinking, square tents aren't really right anyway. They do turn up extremely scarcely in some manuscripts, but even then, they have a different roof line and are rectangular, like the pattern I based by big pavilion on. My round tent (which is perfectly normal for re-enactment) will be used not this year, but in future years for any number of things, but I decided that having the options of a square one for interstate displays where there is little room, and the roof can be used without walls for shading an eating area, if needed.
It's a Past Tents tent, which I bought from Medieval Fight Club, as it was already on Australian soil and therefore guaranteed to arrive well before time. The canvas is very thick and it looks very waterproof! I have yet to erect the tent, but today I'm busy cutting and painting a new centre pole from hardwood to help support the weight of the canvas.
My sister and the twins are coming along to the Abbey Medieval Festival this year and I needed some sleeping options for them, the best of which was putting them all in my large pavilion and making a change room to the side there and filling the rest with beds.
The biggest issue with this is that my display would then need to go into my round tent, which is possible but produces a sub-standard display. The inside walls of the "room" being rounded offer a lot of wasted space, so after a lot of hard thought, I decided what I really needed was a square marquee with walls of the same size and the round tent. The corners and flat walls echo an inside room rather than a tent, which better fits the display.
Tents aren't cheap, especially ones suited to re-enactment. I know what you're thinking, square tents aren't really right anyway. They do turn up extremely scarcely in some manuscripts, but even then, they have a different roof line and are rectangular, like the pattern I based by big pavilion on. My round tent (which is perfectly normal for re-enactment) will be used not this year, but in future years for any number of things, but I decided that having the options of a square one for interstate displays where there is little room, and the roof can be used without walls for shading an eating area, if needed.
It's a Past Tents tent, which I bought from Medieval Fight Club, as it was already on Australian soil and therefore guaranteed to arrive well before time. The canvas is very thick and it looks very waterproof! I have yet to erect the tent, but today I'm busy cutting and painting a new centre pole from hardwood to help support the weight of the canvas.
More simple running stitching makes for a boring photo, but it gets things done!
A question in this week about the lines of stitching often seen on the outside of medieval re-enactors' clothing. It's not decorative, it's the reverse of the seam being stitched down.
Whether you fold an extra time to encase the raw edge, or not, you will see a faint line on the good side. Two lines indicate wool or a thicker fabric where the seam is opened and laid flat before stitching down.
My photo shows the seam in progress, unironed, with the stitching almost invisible from the good side. Stitching seams down affects the drape of the garment, as overlocked seams encourage the fabric to fold inwards along the seams whereas stitched down seams encourage the fabric to continue the flow of the fabric.
Later this week, stitching a hem! Who knew sewing was THIS exciting?!
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Daggues on a surcote
18 May 2025 10:30 amMarking out some decorative daggues on the bottom of a man's surcote. Time consuming, but the result will be worth it!
and here's the finished result...
and here's the finished result...
Birthday Competition Book Giveaway!
17 May 2025 10:51 am
Includes hose, shoes, circlets and brooches, veils, pouches, belts. If I wear it, it's counted.
My advice, guess high! (I don't have the number yet, but I have a LOT of stuff.) World wide. I will contact you directly, if you are a winner!
Finally, the squirrel house with its little gold ball finials attached onto the roof and I'm pretty content with the result!
Dressups with my sister!
15 May 2025 01:22 pm
I'm very excited that my sister and her two teens will be coming with me to the Big Medieval Event this year, however it does mean that I need to provide everything they need to attend, including medieval clothes for three days.
My sister is about the same size as me, so that is just a case of looking at what I will be wearing and seeing if she fits into other things. My niece, however, is another slender girl but sprouting up like a bean pole, so clothing options for her are a little more tricky. She's also a little neuro spicy, so finding things that she can cope with is a consideration also.
My nephew is a pretty good sport and will wear whatever. He may feel a little odd at first, but as there is another new boy not far off his age coming for the first time too, I feel by the time they compare their outfits and see what other manly men are wearing (those hose are a bit alarming for the new re-enactor), I think he will be fine.
The more busy bit is that it's not just day clothes. Oh, no. I need to prepare three sets of fancy Grand Parade outfits as well, which I have of my own and can modify, but it'll all time and effort and organising tents and sleeping gear along with all the camp stuff.
It'll be fun though.
Ampulla. The Medieval Souvenier.
15 May 2025 11:55 am
Found this week in England and shared with me by a friend!
This beautiful lead ampulla which comes from a shrine where pilgrims could purchase a little holy water to take home with them. The raised motif on the front can still be seen.
Photo used with permission of the owner.
Old books with old skills
12 May 2025 10:54 amThe best thing about old books is that they include a lot of info and assume no prior knowledge.
This one isn't huge, but covers a short, concise what you need to know including some nice, natural dying. This one's from the 70s and I picked it at an Op Shop for a few dollars.
This one isn't huge, but covers a short, concise what you need to know including some nice, natural dying. This one's from the 70s and I picked it at an Op Shop for a few dollars.
Book Signing at Sones Corner
10 May 2025 10:31 am
Thank you Karen and Michael, my local Stones Corner bookshop for having me as their Author On The Sidewalk today! A big THANK YOU to everyone who stopped for a chat or bought books or both!
Books@Stones supports Australian authors and stocks a bunch of other cool things (the native animal puppets are so cute), games, and funky book related merch.
See you again here for a Book Event Night in the coming months!
I've been waiting for some fake fur to arrive for a surcote I'm giving a glow up, and it's arrived! It looks very promising!
I ordered from Temu and wasn't terribly hopeful, but quite a bit of their "high quality" crafting pieces are genuinely that... high quality. The thin strips I'm going to be using for the edges of the surcote are indeed just like actual rabbit and I'm very impressed. Some other stuff I got in a wider width for the hems is quite okay but not the same quality. It's pretty good for hems anyway, which will be dragged through the dust and the mud, so I'm happy with that. I may give it a very slight overdye to take the brightness from it so it matches the other fur.
The surcote it's to go on is wool from France, and a beautiful wine colour!
I ordered from Temu and wasn't terribly hopeful, but quite a bit of their "high quality" crafting pieces are genuinely that... high quality. The thin strips I'm going to be using for the edges of the surcote are indeed just like actual rabbit and I'm very impressed. Some other stuff I got in a wider width for the hems is quite okay but not the same quality. It's pretty good for hems anyway, which will be dragged through the dust and the mud, so I'm happy with that. I may give it a very slight overdye to take the brightness from it so it matches the other fur.
The surcote it's to go on is wool from France, and a beautiful wine colour!
Guibert de Nogent has feelings.
9 May 2025 12:06 pmIn the Middle Ages, many men had many feelings about things that really were none of their business, like girls laughing. Guibert de Nogent was just one of many who felt young ladies should be ashamed about feeling good about themselves.
New French Wool Surcote
8 May 2025 11:48 am
I bought a surcote! Yes, I did!
Just because I sew doesn't mean I can't buy something from a friend!
I love the French wool quality and colour. It's hand finished though I will hand finish all the inside seams and it will receive a fur trim glow up with some jewelled buttons or band down the front.
Some people feel I shouldn't buy stuff because I make my own, but that's just silly! Look at this wool! Just look at it!
Stay tuned for glow-up!
