Am I alive?

...yes, I think so...

My work has taken much of my energy and to be honest, I have not been crafting that much lately. Whitch is bit sad really.

Here's proof I have been doing (slowly but surely) embroidery for the SCA wallhanging 'We have Dragons' I was planning to make two patches at least, but time is ending and my 1st one is not even finished... so sad...so sad...


That's really only thing I can share with you this time. I am painting a mongol/islamic scroll for Insulae Dragonis, but that's a bit 'in progress' at the moment, so I wish not to share pics yet.

Guess what? As I have bit more money these days, I have been online shopping like mad, haha xD You HAVE to check out The Silk Mill. I adore them!

Yule-holidays are coming soon, so I have at least bit more time to craft, yay! Maybe next time I can even tell you what I have been up at my work. I am so excited already!

naalbinging-hell

Yeah, lately I have done so much naalbinding that I am nearly sick of it. I had to change to embroidering for a moment. I made naalbinded hat and pair of mittens within 2 weeks. Thankfully my work is bit slow at wintermonths, so I managed to finish everything in time. But I naalbinded so much, that I am sick of it. I managed to have 3 days free of naalbinding before I made present for my friend.

About that present. I don't have pics, but I made handwarmers for my friend using Dalarna-stitch. 1st one was silver gray "Seitsemän Veljestä' with dark green stripe from "Seitsemän Veljestä' and the 2nd one was dark green (don't remember the yarn's name/maker) with silver grey 'Seitsemän Veljestä' stripe. So, basically they were Slytherin handwarmers ;-)

Last weekend I was slav...erm, cooking at 'Camp of Historical Dances' with my friends and it was fun! I even managed to dance a bit. Chaotic Petit Riens, Turkish Brandle in Unikankare's way etc. Brandle Dificile looked so great, that I want to learn it and maybe create my own version of it, hehe

My next scroll-project will be Far Eastern and I am trying to find inspiration for it. I have seen few arabic scrolls, but I am trying to find perfect one to copy... let's see how it goes...

interesting page

Hey!

I just wanted to say, that I found 'new' site. It's really fab, I think :)

Two nerdy history girls

So far I have spent 3h browsing the site and enjoying history-geekiness ;)

Ugh... um... do you remember me?

Hi there! Long time , no see/sea ;) I have (lame) reason for being silent.
Firstly, I GOT DREAM-JOB!! I'll last only few months, but who cares. I'll enjoy the (almoust) every second of it. I can do lots of crafts there, esp. medieval. later in this post I'll show some pics of my crafts and the workplace.

Secontly, I just orgaized, with my friend Birgitta, a big(ish) medieval feast last weekend. Eventually there were totally 47 people celebrating in Byzantine feast and such. It' was like SCA event, but more strict about authenticity and men were fighting with real swords, not with rattan (like in SCA). I had massive migrane, jointpains at hip anf knees and 'that time of the month', so I was not as nice and friendly as I could have been (because of the pain) but I think I did not offend anyone and things went pretty smoothly.

This is one embroidery I made for my friend. The desing is vikingage with eastern/byzantinian influence. I'll post another pic as soon as I get it out of my phone x)


That's my new Byzantinian dress, nearly done. I have already finished it thou. This pic was taken at my work. I'll post better pic as soon as I fix the dress. As it was handsewn, It broke last weekend, when I was using it 1st time. Thank Gods and goddesses, I still have few peaces of that red/blackish silk.

Another pic of the dress and my work ;) Envy me :P

Now I have only 3 urgent naalbinding to do. I'll post pics of them, when I finish. Mittens should be ready in less than a month, hat soon (as it's a payment from my new war-axe) and socks. Luckily the socks have plenty of time to 'materialize' :)

Summerfun!

I think it's time to update again. First I have to tell you happy news, I have camera now! My dear friend gave me his old cam and I have been using it like mad.

I won't we talking about RopeCon in this blog, because I did not had any thime to do crafts there. I had plenty to do with the Fashion-show (I made douple-entry) and cloackroom-duties.

At 3rd of August I started my epic roadtrip to Poland, Wolin with lovely bunch of creatures from Harmaasudet. We spend more or less 55h in car. I had fun at the trip and Wolin's viking event was an experinece. First time I saw over 30 people in battle (there were something like 300 fighters) and I loved the sound. On Sat battle I was even playing watergirl. Weather then was pretty hot, so the brave fighters really needed the water. I have only few pics of myself from the trip and in most of them I am naalbinding...uups xD







Vikings plotting their next pillage-trip. (Some of the Vikings really pillaged neighbour village xD)

So...what else I have done lately. Some of you know that I take private singing lessons and I also sing in choir. Anyways, I pay part of the lessons by making naalbinded mittens. I finished the 1st one at Wolin and I am quite satisfied. I still need to practise a lot, I tend to make unmatching pairs with wonky details. I really want to leart to make even pairs (of socks and mittens). I'll post pic when I finish the other mitten. I hope they'll look the same x) I totally loved the Polish meat, Mead and tiny craft and jewelry-shops as the site. Too bad I had only 120e budjet, so I could not by anything for myself (as I had to buy few things to pay my loans to friends)

I have started to look for name for the 2nd naalbindin technique I learned month ago. It might be Dalarna-stich or similar. And I really wish to lear Oman-stich. I wonder who could teach it to me... I have totally fell in love with that 'Dalarna' stich (or what ever it is really). Now I am planning to make new sock for me.

As I have good camera now, I might dokument my next project properly. I have to make basic Byzantine dress for the event I organize (early October). The even is going to be Elävä Keskiaika's Tulijuhla and I will be hosting it with my friend Birgitta. This is 1st time I am outside of the kitchen, yikes xD Anyways, The dress will be quite simple and I have bought red linen for it. I'll do some embroiderings or application from silk or brocade. I have not yet found decent fabric for the decoration, but I might even cut my blue/gold dress for this. The Blue dress is silk and already nearly ruined, so why not use the good pieces some way.

I am also coming to Aarnimetsä's Investiture, IF I manage to get place as kitchenslave. The even fee for jobless is pretty bad, that's why I volunteered to be kitchenslave if I get some discount. I am going to paint at least 1, or even 2, scrolls for the event and I'd really wish to see the recipients' faces when they get them. Esp, because the one will have plenty of inside-jokes painted/written on it xD

I am back...kind of xD

Soooo, I finally have little bit time to update. My summer have been too busy. I wonder was I mad or insane or out of my mind to take some many projects. Oh well, At least I got paid... once... few euros from one project xD

Aaaanyhow, I don't have so much pics, But I'll tell you by words of my finished art and craft items.

Project 1 aka Garments for man:
I handsew trousers and 2 tunics for my friend from Historical dances group. Me and other people liked them a lot. Trousers were slightly reddish brown linen, Tunics light blue and greenish grey. I'll be doing elaborate embroidery for the grey tunic later. ATM I don't have pics of the clothes.

Project 2 aka FAIL:
I was handsewing basic underdress for me, until I realized it was too small. I am/was too lazy/busy to fix the problem. I don't even have enough scraps to add some gores. So, I sold it xD My much fitter friend wants it.

Project 3 aka Birthday present for Mama:

This card is handpainted, and then mounded to 'mundane' vellum cardstock. I am pretty satisfied and all my relatives did not believe it was really painted :)

Project 4 aka Updating my Victorian/steampunk hat:



I updated this one for Finncon 2011's masquerade ball. I was planning to make real Steampunk decoration, but I gorgot where I'd put all my opened clocks and gogs and gears. I am too old :P

Project 5 aka Scroll 1:



Panache for Elzbeth MEclenburgilainen. I was experimenting and in hurry, so This might not be as good as it could have been.

Project 6 aka Scroll2:




Sorry, the scan is wonky, not the scroll ;) MAde for my friend Queniva. This was also made in hurry really. I suck at starting orders in time.

Project 7 aka painting from year 2000:


Painting I made for my mam 11 years ago. I finally remembered to scan it xD

Medieval week!

Wohoo! Turku's Medieval Market starts tomorrow! I can't wait! I'll be dancing there and promoting SCA there.

I have plenty of pictures to show what I have done lately, but I don't have time to blog now. Too much to do, Me need more hours! MAybe withi a week I manage to put some pics online.

so far I need to blog about: one handpainted card I made - medieval trousers and 2 tunics for my male dance-partner - plenty of SCA scrolls - embroidery for SCA 'We have Dragons' wallhanging - naalbinded mittens for my singing teacher - my naaldinded socks - basic underdress I am sewing 100% by hand for me (if it fits, as I fear atm that it's too small)

Some scrolls...

Hey!

Finally I have little time to update this blog.



This is one blank scroll I painted. I started it 2 years ago, but forgot to finish it xD I like this style a lot, but I hate painting/drawing it, hehe



Two blanks I made. I kinda fell in love with the font I used on bottom one.





And I have been mostly doing/cursing this German Brick Stitch patches. Some pint this will be small pounch for my friend (who is my sock-slave these days ;) ) I may scan the 1st attempt to do this technique, it looks so wrong and amusing, hehe. Anyhow, as these came relatively well, I might have courage to try harder patterns.

Things to do this summer:

- my 1st (and maybe only) patch for the 'Dragons' wallhanging. deciding the colors is the most difficult task xD
- 2 tunicks and trousers for my friend, partly handsewn, so It takes time
- 3 scrolls
- at least ONE one needleroll for MYSELF

yeah... doing something just for yourself is bloody hard. It seems all I do is something for friends or for SCA.

so, what have YOU been up to? Tell me!

Uups!

I am alive, believe me or not. I have just been superbusy. Plus I have had some personal problems.
I will update more next week, after I have done few 'comissions'. I am already panicking, since they have to be finished this afternoon and I still have much to do xD

oh well, till next week, my dear readers!

Finished!

That's my new dresses. The brown viking appron-dress is mostly handsewn and I even made tablet-weave for it. Yay! And the grayish underdress is 100% handsewn. It took 'only' 2 years to make it, but well, I only progressed it about 1h a week and I made few mistakes too. Correcting them took some time xD Hmm... what else to tell you about these specimen? oh, yeah, both are linen, I used gray cottonthread for the underdress and slithly redded-brown cotton or linen for the appron-dress. To be honest, I am not sure if the reddish-brown is cotton or linen. I bought it from fleamarket xD

My really basic underdress is nearly finished too. I just need to trim the neckline.

And here is my new projects, tadaa!

- My 1st patch for 'we have dragons' wallhanging (for SCAs use) I am making pretty Viking-styled dragon
- Coif for my friend Sanna
- One surprise-embroidery for my other friend
- Naalbinding Legwarmers from Puro-yarn (my FAVORITE) (My dear man brought 3 balls of this yarn from Estonia. Me love, me love!)

and I am still progressing:
- German brick stitch (or 'tits' as my friends call it xD ) embroidery for my friend. It's going to be my payment from very neat socks
- Naalbinded sock. The y are already usable, but I want them longer
- Finishing touches for few scrolls

Quick post: one Scroll

I made this scroll while ago for SCA Petronilla of London. I hope she likes it :) I tried new style of calligraphy and I am more pleased of it than the picture. I can do much better, but somehow this is not my best works. At least I tried my best...

Progress report, ATCs and Conventus

Hello again!

This time my update will be short one and full with pictures, tehee!

Firstly I should report about Conventus Sturionum, an Elävä Keskiaika/Living Middle Age semi-period academic weekend. We had many different lectures this time. And naturally I was again working in kitchen. I also had illumination-lessons in 2 nights. And on Sat I teached cooking for 2 brave students while we made much for others. We had some problems with the oven, but eventually everything was edible, even the peppery lentil-soup ;) Also few of my friends got interested of scroll-painting. I had brought all my illumination books with me and even I found inspiration from them. Maybe I should start yet another new scroll...*buahaha*

Last week I have been panic-embroidering. This time I was making a engagement-present for my dear friends Minna and Nina. I had less than week to do it and unfortunately you can see it :( But the mainthing is that my friends liked it a lot.

About 10cm, silk on cotton. C and E connected with golden ring.

I have also been doing tabletweawing lately. This dark gray and green piece is now sewed to my viking appron-dress. I totally suck on tablet weaving and I was planning to try out brokade. I saw Sahra's tutorial and I instantly got interested! I know few late 1500's lace-patterns that I could/will use for it. I'll post progress report soon!

I am glad you can not see the multiply mistakes from this picture ;)


And here is some ATC cards I've done lately...


Theme: Renaissance


Theme: Renaissance Fashion


Theme: Sindarin language

What have you been up to lately?

AAAARGH!!!

I officially HATE German Brick Stitch!! I started to embroider bag for my friend, using German brick stitch and this pattern. In 5h I managed to do 5cm x5cm area 3 times! I mean I literally made it 3 times, undoing it between the tries. And each time the result was wonky and uneven. Gaaah! I decided to try this pattern instead. I really hope it's easier to make. I know this techique is slower than 'normal' embroidery, but it's so freaking frustrating too.

Here is some pictures of my much better embroideries. It took relatively short time to make these, maybe 2 days per image.


I made this one for my sister


This one is for my Mama


This one is for Cousin


And this one is for my friend Sanna. Those beads are Jade, btw

inspiration-attack

Yup, I have had sneaky attack by inspiration. I have started to do 4 scrolls for SCA, I have finished ½ of my last year's presents and I have been at events. And my armwarmers are finished :) Unfoirtunately I don't have picture of them yet to offer you. I really DONT like to live without proper camera :/ I have done one scroll too, but the picture is still inside my friend's camera. Maybe she remembers to send it soon...

I also got 3 wonderful books, thanks Ma for paying them <3 Do you know any good costuming books? Let me know :)









Oh well, I did not had any time outside kitchen at Midwinter's Feast, as I was again slaving in kitchen 2 days. But we had fun there :D And this event I even sang publicly, yikes! The performance went pretty fine, althou I was douplenervous because of the show and being in charge of luch and breakfast. This picture tells pretty fine how fun we had between stove and dirty dishes, haha :D Thanks to our bread-slave Mikki ;)



I end this post for quote from Eluvietie *singing aloud*

Aia mape coime, adrete!
In blatugabagli uorete,
cante snon celiIui in cete!

Little progress

I am now , again, unemployed. so I have finally time to do some crafts. Yay for creativiness! Boo for the poorness!

Anyhow, Here's a small list of things I have/need done.



I had a luck with my yule-presents. Those mittens, done by my cousin's friend, are excatly the same yarn as my halfdone naalbinded armwarmers (at the middle) . Yay! Soon I have matching set :)

- My handsewn undergarment is nearly ready. I just need to sew 2 seams and do the trims. Heh, I've been doing it over 1½ years now. I have to admit that I am not very active.

- I NEED to continue my LAST years' Yulepresents. Maybe my friends and relatives will get their Yule-presents 6months late this year.

- I have just taken up 2 'comissions' for SCA scrolls. These ones have to turn up really pretty, as they are Panache-scrolls. And no, these are not for anyone who reads this blog :P So don't be 'scared', heheh.

- I need to finish also one viking apron-dress and one undergarment. These will be partly handsewn. When I have finished them, there will no be any machine-sewing visible. This saves lotsa time and energy and these will look like i'd sewn them 100% by hand.

- I will make small pounch for my friend using German Brick Stitch. This is new to me, so it might take some time to learn. In return my friend will do several pairs of pretty, pretty woolsocks :D

- I finally found a nice person who can make custom made veilpins for me. They will be silver and I'll customate them myself. I have already got real pearls and malachite-beads for it. If they end up looking good, I might be doing few pairs for Etsy/eBay. Anyone interested to buy veil-pins?

so, tell me about your new projects? Are you going to learn something new this year?