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?

After Aarinmetsä-Academy

Just short message. I am too sick to write long :(

Anyways, Aarnimetsä Academy went quite ok, althou I forgot to take my medieval clothes with me. Yes, I forgot to take my dresses with my. How embarrasing.

I was working at kitchen whole event. Food was delicious ;)

And I (finally) got my AoA, so now you can call me Sayyida/Lady Amal. I was SO surprised to be called before the court 4 times in one night. I have been before the court only once within my 14 years of SCA. In a way my AoA wasn't that big news. One of the court herald's presented me as Lady Amal at the 1st time I was called forward to get thanks to volunteering to Wall-hanging project. I kinda started to wonder if I get another call for the court and it came few moments after that.

I managed to do the 'comissioned' scroll, just in time. I put last gold-pieces minute before leaving to the event.Here it is. Note to self: DO NOT try to use new kind of gallicraphy-font if you are in hurry. The writing looked SO bad. oh well, at least Tuomas Tharo got his AoA-scroll in time (I am still waiting mine to arrive)

Here again

It's been a while, since I updated last time. I have good reason. My new work takes so much time and energy, that I simply don't want to update. My body is finally getting used to VERY physical work and I have even lost 10kg within a month, WHII!

Anyways, due my work, I have not had time to do any crafts lately :( My 'saldo' from 1½ months have been 2 halloween cards, 2 rows of naalbinding armwarmer and 2 ATC cards.

oh, I forgot one thing. I am making a AoA scroll for Aarnimetsä academy . And I just informed that i'll be slaving at the kitchen whole event. If you come to Academy, come to say hi to me. I'll be at the kitchen, or doing naalbibding :D

Here's some pics of some cards I've made this fall.



erm... Apparently that's the only one I have a picture...

And here...yours truly... Trying out my friend's veil

Win craft supplies!

Yes, I am giving a away some craft supplies! The lucky winner will get this lot --->



2 skeins of cotton embroidery floss, one small ball of fuzzy thin yarn and 5 skeins of silk in different colors.

AND HERE ARE THE RULES:

1. Comment this post , telling me what would you like to do with these yarns
2. IF you have a blog, tell your friends about this competition and my blog ;)

I'll keep this open till end of the November. Good luck to you all!

I have managed to do something, wohoo

I am sorry to be so late, again. I have ment to update days ago, but I seem to find other 'more important' things to do. But I have done something.



My sister's friend liked thesemittens I made her. They look a bit wonky, as these were only my 2nd pair of naalbinding mittens I've done. Below is another picrute of them.



I have also finished my 3rd patch for the SCA Wallhanging. I'll do at least one more patch, but later. Here's picture of CoA of Miehonlinna, my former 'home'. I still need to trim the gatearea. for some odd reason I made it longer than needed o.O



I just want to give you a small warning. I'll have my first give-away/competition in few days. Someone of you, my dear readers, might win small but useful and fancy price ;-)

Oh, I also have biiiiig problem. What on earth I'll do next? I have several halfdone projects, but I don't know witch one to continue first :D And I also should start to do xmas-presents. Too much to do, too little time... ( I also have no idea witch audiobook to listen next; Sookie stackhouse 3, Harry Potter 3, Two towers, Gadfael 1, Oliver Twist or Agatha Christie)

Ps. I have started to collect stamps, does anyone know a cheap please to buy/get used stamps? I already save every stamp my pelpals send me.

New embroideries

so, I finally finished my second wallhanging patch- Nea Nikopolis. Here's the picture :) I only have one patch to do and I am already panicking :D It's less than month to go before I have to send my works.





I also made birthday present for my friend Lena. Her bithday was yesterday and she got embroidered, medieval Y (her persona's name is Ylva). Embroidery is 8cm x 8cm and made from cotton on cotton. I hope she likes it :) I am pretty satisfied for the work, I have to say.


Later this week I'll post pictures of naalbinded mittens and some cards I've made lately.

ps. I love embroidering while listening audiobooks! I'm gonna hunt some new books today from library. Wish me luck ;)

Pictures... finally!

Here is my 1st patch for the SCA wallhanging




yeah... It's really artistic picture ;) Deal with it :P Anyways, My boyfriend's mother has 2 of these things ( I have nooooo idea about the english word) and she let me use them. I spent whole midday unwrapping the skeins. I totally love it! Oh, the wool has been colored with indigo.




5 little balls of wool... 5 little delicious balls of wool <3. I still have 10 unwrapped skeins to do. Most of them are naturally colored with plants.

I have a small Poll for you readers, Please, answer 2 basic and easy questions

1. Do you like Giveways? Would you like me to give away something made by me? (I just may have something to donate ;) )

2. Do you wish to see my papercrafts, like ATC cards and such?

Best wishes,
Amal

I DID IT! (wallhanging part 1)

Wohoo! I did it, I DID IT! My first patch, Harpelestane, for the Drachenwald's Coat-of-arms wallhanging project. I am soooo releived. And I only have like 10cm of the red and yellow floss left xD That means I need to buy more blue and white for the remaining 2 patches I have promised to do. Pictures fill follow as soon as I find my USB- cord for the phone (I still have to use phone's crappy cam)

Busy Summer

It's been a while since I posted last time. I had no idea my summer could be so buzy. I've hardly had any time to do crafts at home. And weekends I have spent 100% with my new boyfriend. No time for crafts, you see ;)

I really enjoyed Turku's Medieval week. It has always been my no.1 event at summerstime since 1998. This year I was mostly hanging around with my darling, doing crafts with other re-enactors or dancing. SCA Unikankare had small dance-show at the market-area and I was one of the dancers. It was great to do that kind of activity after a break. And the market-area was total heaven. I spent nearly 50e for woolyarns *uuuups* Now I have enough yarn to start my tabletweave... I even bought the tablets, haha (I am like 13 years late)

I started a new project. I know... I have not even finished my older ones. Anyways, I started to crochet hammocks to my pets. They love them, and you can not never had enough. And it's nice way to use small random skeins of modern yarn. I'm sure Omppu and Häiriö will love them too :)

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures this time. I still don't have real camera and my phone's cam does not work well. I'd love to take picture of my yarn collection. It's getting bigger and bigger every moment ;) If anyone has pictures from Turku's market, I'd love to get copies. Esp. If I am presented at the pictures :)

I finally finished my sister's friend's naalbinding mittens. I'll post a pic soon. I am glad this work is over now and I can continue with my other projects.

New Layout

I decided to change the Layout. I'll keep this one until I have time to make my own backround.

Old maps = <3

First Ancient Market this year

Las weekend I was pretending to be a Viking. Me and my friends Nana (from Kierteleväkettu) and Päiwi spent lovely weekend at Kokkila's Ancient Market. We srayed at my mother's place near market area and Ladies were very pleased of my mother's hospitality. I knew my mam likes to see my medieval friends, but her hospitality was even more than I expected. I <3 my mam :) It felt like staying in 5 star hotel :D And Mam was so surprised to hear singing (in tune :D) in the house, ha ha :D

I was planning just to hang around at the market, but I ended up helping Nana at her stall, giving craft-shows from naalbinding and lucet braids, singing and dancing front of mundane visitors. I had such a blast there :) I even managed to learn something new (lucet braid) and managed to do 1/3 of Johanna's 2nd naalbinding mitten. It seems I can managed to finish them before winter ;)

Things I bought from the market:

- 2 skeins of woolyarn from Rikissa (?) ( I love the colors)
- Horn naalbinding needle and wooden lucet fork from Nana
- copper Thor's Hammer ( I lost my tin version year ago)


New game: Looking for the lost fishing hook


Old (and baaad) C-cassette got better use as Lucet braid


Päiwi , me and Nana




And we played and sang a lot


Posing


Me as shop-assistant

Happy Towel-day to everyone!

Happy Towel-day to everyone!

And DON'T PANIC!