Lucet

Here are a few of my attempts at lucet cord making. First is learning the the technique with using shoelace cord. This allows me to work with a thickness that is easy to handle and learn about tension, methods,and handling the lucet prong.



The second attempt is with thick crochet

cotton. Made 59 inches of cord in a few days. This helped me develop the speed learn to unweave mistakes and learn more about tension on a finer thickness. I am not sure what to do with this length but certain it will go to good use. Most likely lacing for one of my gowns.

Lastly is the attempt in a fine period material, silk. In white and seeing how this texture weaves up. Which proved to be finer than the cotton. This is going to be the final result for the coif, since it is the appropriate material for a draw string on such a garment.


I have another length of silk at home that I am considering using for chord. However I'm not exactly sure the thickness that it will creates once woven. Its on my lucet to do list. Also wanting to learn about other weaving techniques. Many wonderful uses for all this cord in Tudor and Elizabethan clothing.

Weaving away,

Maureen

Taking a Bite Out of the Big Apple

Had a whirlwind excursion to New York City on Saturday. Planned a trip, my sisters and I, to go see the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Besides seeing all of the wonderful items that they have at the museum, we made a stop to the American Girl store for my sister to pick up a doll she wanted to purchase. Made me think about how much fun it would be to get one of the 18 inch dolls and dress it up and Tudor an Elizabethan clothing. The closest one they have is a colonial doll that is retired. We took a stroll along Central Park, which is near the museum. Then proceeded to get dinner at Hard Rock Café and visit other stores a long Time Square. So I very productive and fun trip. We are planning on other trips in the future, however I think it's going to take us at least four trips to do and see most of the other sites we want to see.


While my feet were recovering from all of the extra walking we did on Saturday, Made some small progress on my coif project. I decided to put the lace on the edges ahead of time and markout a small bit of seam allowances for when I have to cut out the project. And I'm starting to fill in the goldwork along the bottom edge which is taking some time. I have also taken up learning lucet. Is a form of medieval cord making that helps one make drawstrings. I decided that I wanted to make about a 24 inch length worth of cord so I can use that as a drawstring on the back of my coif.

I've noticed that it's a little easier and making the cord when using string that's a little thicker. I started with shoelace because that was easy to work with. However I tried using some thick crochet string and that proved to be much more challenging with keeping all the tension correct. So I need to find a thickness between crochet thread and yarn. In order to make my drawstring easier to weave. While being able to have it small enough to go through the drawstring channel on the back of the coif.


Lastly, I picked up a few books from the Metropolitan Museum of art shop.

received one that was part of a exhibition from earlier that was on clearance in regards to miniatures for five dollars. Purchased one in regards to unicorn tapestries that I've tried to get at SCA auctions and was not able to obtain. And I got a small book of hours referencing medieval manuscripts, and another on calligraphy and illumination design.  Hoping to find inspiration not only to do calligraphy and illumination, but also seeing if this might be a wonderful art form to do in needlework as well.  So there's a lot of good information and much more reading that I will have to do in regards to these books. But that is at my own leisure.

In the meantime trying to focus on finishing up current projects in progress. And trying to find time and do planning for future projects. It's a never-ending process however it is always a good process. I have some documentation that I want to read in regards to some research for ice Dragon. I'm not exactly sure whether not I can have a project or research completely written by then but I am going to certainly try.

Well better get back to work,
 Mairin

Full of Suprises

Well kingdom 12th night turned out to be a very wonderful day. I was able to get all of my youth activity set up, though I had forgotten a few things at home. Was able to keep the youth entertained with coloring for young ones, I fellow shiremates, Lord Jeremy Mccool, set up painting miniatures for the older kids. Later in the day I had revel mask coloring which worked for both age groups. There was a nice wide space for the kids to romp and play, for those who would not be participating in the youth activities. There was also butter making which one over very well from my friend Lady Macca.  It was nice to be able to take turns and be able to go up and enjoy the event a little bit and not be stuck just at the youth table all day. The nice thing is you can just put a little sign up saying temporarily shut down till end of court.  I think with my wonderful help from my shire friends we can make youth activities much more entertaining. Plus help one another with food and bathroom breaks and things like that.

Having done youth activities for such a long time, it was a pleasant surprise that I receive my

Keystone for it.  I have this wonderful elaborately calligraphed scroll, with some beautiful illumination of the little Tudor lady on it. Very impressed, humbled and thankful for this award.  In the meantime I had spent what little time was not working with youth activities, able to get some embroidery done. It was a very relaxed and stress-free environment for everyone at the event. And that's always my goal is to make things very easy for the youth and partners involved. Many babes in arms which is nice to see, more little ones for the future to come play and learn.

I knew lunch was going to be tasty but I didn't know how filling it was going to be. The food was so good, a nice variety, amount of it that there was no way I would've even had room for feast if I had been on board. Having been properly laced in there was just no way that there would've been much more room come feast time. However I have no doubt that the main feast, after court was not only delicious but also very much like lunch, plenty of good food variety and tasty. Funny part is I was so full from lunch I didn't eat anything for the rest of the night. And that was after coming home and doing four hours worth of cleaning.
So I don't know if I would've spent the money for feast, if I would've been able to  truly sit there and enjoy it, having been full for the whole entire day.

So able to make major progress on my blackwork coif this weekend As of yesterday, I have

completely finished using all of the black silk on my embroidery. Now it'll be just the woven goldwork stitching going underneath the blackwork. And I know that is going to be it's own tedious process, the thread I am using does slide past itself very well but it still catches on occasion. I had never been very fond of using the DMC and other artificial gold colored threads. They end up tangling and do not slide through the fabric let alone slide past itself without catching. Normally I would end up with such a mean not to mess that I would become frustrated and find some sort of alternative way of putting shine on my projects. Be at the alternative ways were not a period correct solution, they did the job at the time. Though if for historical accuracy purposes it's important to do it the old-fashioned way despite how frustrating it can be.

I soon will be further along on my piece than the extent piece that I am basing this project on.  There was a wide variety of areas not complete on the period piece. I am going to be completing this coif project using a braided gold stitch going down the top portion of it and hand woven lace on the sides to really show what this was supposed to look like when completely finished. I am certainly hoping that this piece will fit when I am done.  This is one of the wider scroll frames I have,so I've gone to the edges of my frame as much as I can. So here's to hoping that it shall fit when all the goldwork is completed.

 After this particular project I have a few gowns that I plan on making here in the spring because I need something that fits proper.  In the meantime going to modify a couple of my other Tudor gowns  for the next events coming up. Working on idea for project for Ice Dragon at this time, have some material to read over and figure out whether or not it's a project that I can complete within the two months or so till the event. Plus get the documentation already to go and properly done. So we shall
see!

Plans coming along,

Lady Mairin

Out with the old... In with the New

• 

 Went out with friends and celebrated my coming singledom. 2014 was a year of transition, may 2015 be a year of realization. Have reached my weight loss goals, now to tone and stay on a healthy path emotionally, physical and spiritually in the coming year. Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy and safe New Year, be it several days late. 

Regards, 

Mairin