Road Trip!

I haven't posted lately because I've been busy! My oldest daughter and I were invited to join a group of our online scrapbooking friends for a retreat at a beautiful cabin in the mountains of north Georgia. Since it costs an arm and a leg to fly anywhere from Grand Rapids we decided to drive. We had some stressful moments driving through Ohio in the pouring rain then negociating the mountain roads that could have passed for bicycle paths to get to the cabin but all in all it was worth it and we had a wonderful time!
The trip down:










At the cabin:










We visited cousins in the area before heading north:



Going home:

A Navy Campi

So the second Campi inspired dress for camping is nearly finished (It's got temporay lacing strips basted in. I still need to stitch the eyelets for lacing and plan to work on that on my upcoming road trip.) This one is made from navy linen interlined with cotton twill and trimmed with berry colored bias tape. I did this one with side lacing and a gathered rather than pleated waist thinking it would be faster and easier than the front closing cartridge pleated dress. Boy, was I wrong! I got everything cut out and the bodice pieces sewn last week without incident then set it aside while waiting for my "new" sewing machine to be delivered. I picked it back up again and started triming the bodice. It took alot of pins to hold the trim in place. The sewing machine needle kept hitting the pins. I had to replace the needle four times, running to the store to buy more, before I got the trim sewn on. Then I started the skirt. I decided to go with three panels as I did with the other skirt and french seamed them together. When I went to start gathering the skirt I discovered that I had twisted one of the panels when I sewed them together. So I got to undo a french seam, untwist, and resew. The next step was the gather the skirt and sew it to the bodice. I decided to sew one panel to the front of the bodice and two to the back because I like my skirts full and swishy but didn't want too much fullness over the tummy. I had to gather the back as tight as possible and it just barely fit, any more fabric and it wouldn't have worked. When I sewed the skirt to the bodice I didn't pin the lining far enough out of the way so I had tp pick out and restitch about half of the back. Then I decided I didn't like the way some of the gathers looked so I picked it out and redid it yet again. And yeah- lots of pins meant two more broken needles. Last night I sewed the trim to the bottom and this morning I pinned it up and stitched the hem. I like how the bias tape trim adds just the right amount of stiffness to the hem that it hangs in nice folds. I measured the skirt length to be the same as the first dress but somehow the bodice ended up a bit longer so the hem is just barely off the ground. I would have preferred it about an inch shorter but I am NOT redoing it!

What if the world ran on clockwork?

"Clockpunk is a genre of speculative fiction that explores the concept of technology based on clockwork and Renaissance-era science rather than on steam power, the internal combustion engine or digital computers. It can take the form of alternate history, fantasy or simply an aesthetic.

A clockpunker’s home period is the Renaissance. Thus, he or she must be a Renaissance man or woman, able to spend the day building a flying clockwork battleship, the evening dancing the pavane, and still have the dexterity of hand to slip arsenic into a neighbor’s wine. Creativity, genius, charisma and ambition are all essential qualities for success. Nothing is impossible to the talented and the determined, but beware: the road to greatness is treacherous."

Quoted from clockpunk.net

Clockpunk?

According to Da Vinci Automata- "Clockpunk is a genre of science fiction similar to Steampunk (some people even consider clockpunk to be a sub-genre of Steampunk). Clockpunk can be divided into historical and non-historical Clockpunk. Historical Clockpunk explores how the world would have turned out if certain technological developments that occurred later had happened in the Renaissance and or certain inventions in the time of the Renaissance were created on a mass scale in the time period.Non-historical Clockpunk is set in settings similar to the Renaissance but on alternative worlds, planets etc. The suffix punk is actually misleading but the name has stuck just as it has stuck in the case of other sub-genres of science fiction that were inspired from Steampunk. While there is sometimes overlap between Clockpunk and the fantasy genre, for the purpose of the current blog we shall try to keep these overlaps separate." (Apparently we were a little slow to jump on that bandwagon since the post quoted is from March 2007.)

It seems Clockpunk may be the "proper" name for what we are calling Renpunk. I had never heard of it until this thread on the Brass Goggles forum. I'm sorry that Mr. Sprocket feels that mixing ren and steam "cheapens both" but, as he said, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Now that I've seem the term I have more research to do! Google comes up with both a clockpunk.com and a clockpunk.net

RenPunk?

So I was thinking this afternoon about this whole Steampunk-Renpunk thing. Some of the conversations around the internet have been talking about taking elements of Steampunk fashion and combining it with things we already have in our renfaire wardrobes. Playing with the idea of what if DaVinci's inventions had all worked in his time? How would that have effected the renaissance? I find that a fascinating concept! I started thinking about how I could put together a Renpunk outfit. I wouldn't want to put too much money or work into it because I'd probably only get to wear it on Labor Day for "Day of Wrong" at MIRF. I could wear my reversible pirate corset on the cobalt and black side and pair it with the taffeta skirt from Moresca that I never wear anymore. I just have to figure out how to bustle the skirt. I know I've seen the info, I just have to find it again. I think my pirate boots would be fine. I already have some Restoration Hardware googles waiting to be modified and some really cool round glasses with cobalt lenses. I'm thinking a bolero/shrug in black lace, a tophat with some cobalt tulle, and lots of brass accessories could make this work! Time to go poke around at etsy! :D



eta: I completey forgot about my lace trimmed bloomers and my Chinese parasol!

Score!

Remember a few weeks back when I was whining about my "baby" sewing machine breaking in the middle of a project? But then I discovered that the ancient Kenmore my son had dragged home would still work for a straight stitch even without the missing cams? Since then I have been scouring the internet in search of the cams, had only found one set for this model (Kenmore model 158.523) on ebay, and was outbid at the last second at a selling price of about $40. So last week I was searching again but removed the word "cams" from my search. I found the same sewing machine listed as having the wiring replaced and coming with "all original accessories". I went ahead and bid $50 for it and won the auction. It arrived this morning and not only did it come with all of the cams, an extra "regular" foot, a buttonhole attatchment, a boatload of bobbins, a boatload of needles including a double needle it also came with an automatic buttonholer attachment (Um..gotta read the instructions for that puppy!) AND a box of "Genuine Greist sewing aids" including a cloth guide, an adjustable zipper and cording foot, a gathering foot, a quilting attatchment, a narrow hemmer (for machine rolled hems), a 1/4" hemmer, a multiple slotted binder (for stiching seam binding on all in one step), and a ruffler (again gotta study the instructions on that!). :happydance: Now I have two matching machines with one giganto set of accessories! :happydance:
Oh! There was another thing here that I overlooked after unpacking the box: There's a leatherette case containing a White Magic Key Buttonhole Worker. It has some different sizes of buttonhole thingies that weren't icluded with the Kenmore butonholer so I'll have to figure out if they are interchangable or not.

Long live King Eikbrandr and Queen Runa!!!

Here's a link the photos of the coronation.

Some cards

I really should be scrapping today. We have until midnight tonight to complete the National Scrapbook Day challenges at ScrapFreak but I just can't find the mojo. I didn't feel like scrapping once I finished my dress yesterday and I keep finding other things to do today. Oh well, at least I got a couple of cards done so I got a few points toward the prize drawings.

Finished Campi

Got 'er done! It goes fast when you use the sewing machine. LOL I did cartridge pleat the skirt by hand while watching Leverage with Tom last night then stitched it to the bodice this morning while watching Ever After. All the bias tape trim was machine sewn and I used a trick I read in a dress diary (Festive Attyre?) to sew the trim to the bottom edge of the skirt then flip it to the outside and stitch it down creating the hem at the same time. Now making two more dresses and three more tunics in the next three months doesn't seem so daunting.


eta: For whatever reason I can't see it right in front of me but when I look at the full-size photos I can see that the looser pleats at the front need a few more stitches. The white of the camecia shows in a few spots. :sigh:

A Campi for Camping

After laying low for a few days with a pulled muscle in my back I was itching to get started on my camping dresses. (I needed a break from Tom's tunics.) I decided to make a front closing dress inspired by the Italian working women depicted in the works of Vincenzo Campi. I started by making a mockup in cotton twill using my Margo Anderson bodice pattern. The only adjustment I made was to raise the waistline to my natural waist (which I found by tying a piece of elastic around my waist and wiggling around until it settled at the smallest part). I then used the twill as the interlining between the two layers of linen. It went together pretty easily. For the bodice fronts I stacked the twill on top of the two layers of linen and stitched around the edges leaving the side seam unstitched (I kept the side seam to make it easier to alter the bodice as I lose weight) then trimmed the seam allowances and turned it so that the twill was between the linen layers. For the remainder I needed to sew the sidebacks and straps to the back first then I stacked, stitched, trimmed, and flipped as I did for the front. Then I sewed the side seams and will need to finish those raw edges. I used some black single-fold bias tape for the trim and sewed on brass lacing rings.
Now I need to catch up on the laundry and cleaning that I've let go this week before I start on the skirt which will be three rectangular panels with cartridge pleats.
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It's a Girl!

Stephanie had an ultrasound earlier this week and found out that Jelly Bean is a girl. Now I can go into full on Grandma shopping mode. :giggle:

Shopping fun!

I scored a fantastic deal on a Savonarola chair on ebay over the weekend. My winning bid was only $31! It is costing another $38 for shipping but $69 total is still a great deal!

Today while I was wasting time online searchig for some afforable pewter bowls (that aren't Queen Anne style) to add to our feast gear I came across these skull beads and purchased them with the idea of making a strand of prayer beads similar to this 16th century Spanish paternoster.

The Bed

While I was sewing yesterday Tom built my rope bed. This one was our practice run to get the measurements down and see how it was going to work so it is made out of $20 worth of pine 2x6's. It still needs to be sanded and stained and have the headboard added but we were eager to put it together and try it out. I am happy to report that it was quite comfortable! I am really looking forward to our first SCA camping event at the end of May now.

Sewin' sewin' sewin'...

Keep those fingers sewin'! (Sung to the tune of "Rawhide" :giggle:)
Saturday was such a beautiful spring day that I sat outside and worked on sewing hems on Tom's tunics. That tune just kept running through my head as I was sewing. I've finished the brown with green and green with navy tunics but this project is soooo boring that I haven't been eager to work on them. The two finished linen tunics along with the two wool ones will get him through the upcoming weekend campouts. He won't need the rest of them until Pennsic in August so I think I'll set them aside and work on something else for awhile.

Birthday

I had a nice low-key birthday celebration. We had to work around everyone's school and work schedules. Kim couldn't miss class because she had a test and Jason had an errand after work so we had a late dinner with cake and ice cream. Kim and Lou gave me cash with instructions to spend it on books(they didn't know if I wanted to buy from the local book store or order from Amazon or B&N)so I ordered two medieval cookbooks from Amazon this morning. Jason and Stephanie gave me a gift card for JoAnn's which I used today along with a coupon for an additional 20% off my purchase including sale prices :) to buy 7 yards of linen at $6/yd along with some other sewing and scrapbooking supplies. My gift from Tom is my rope bed that he bought the wood for yesterday and started working on today (that and the money to pay for my trip to Georgia next month).

My Playhouse

:giggle: Since my childhood wasn't much fun I look at the SCA as my opportunity to fulfill my need for fantasy and playing dress up just as much as it fits into my love of learning. So, anyway, after returning our first tent because of a hole in the roof the replacement arrived and Tom set it up in the back yard a couple of days ago. FYI- We chose a modern canvas tent (10'x14' Kodiak Flexbow)for three reasons: So that Tom can put it up quickly without any help, so it can be used for mundane camping yet blend in with the period tents a bit better than a nylon dome tent, and we just aren't ready to make the investment in a period pavillion (either the money to purchase one or the effort to make one). I had been too busy with other things to check it out until this morning. I set up the bed and a couple of chairs to get an idea of the space we will have to live in for eight days this summer and I think we will be comfortable. The mattress is just sitting up on bins of fabric and garb right now but the plan is for Tom to make a rope bed that sits up high enough to slide six bins under it. The nice looking trunks will go on either side of the bed. Once I aquire some rugs the tapestry curtain panels you see on the floor and bed will be hung behind the chairs and/or the bed.

Prom Shopping

Since Kacie is on spring break this week we've taken some time to go shopping for her junior prom. We went dress shopping at the Rivertown Crossings mall on Monday and found her dress at Younkers. While many of the dresses were way more than I had expected to pay this one was a bit under and we both knew it was "the dress" as soon as she put it on. Kim thinks the back is a little too bare but *I* think it looks elegant. You all will just have to wait a few weeks for pics of Kacie in it and decide for yourselves. lol We headed to the DSW on the other end of town yesterday and found some pretty shoes to go with it. As for jewelry I don't think the dress needs a necklace and Kacie hasn't decided if she wants to just wear the pink tourmaline earrings that she wears every day or if she will borrow some of my sparkly dangly earrings.

Assembly Line Tunics

I've started on the linen tunics for Tom's summer camping garb. I measured and cut all five on Saturday then pinned all the gussets and gores on Tuesday and started sewing the first one. When it came time to cut the neck and figure out the facing/trim I pulled out my circle template from The Crafter's Workshop and the rotarty cutter I got free when I purchased my paper trimmer. I love it when I can use my scrapbooking supplies on my sewing projects! LOL Today I got the first one done except for the hemming (I'm still undecided whether or not to do the contrasting fabric at the hem) and the gussets and gores sewn on the second one. They will be brown trimmed with green, green trimmed with navy, navy trimmed with rust, rust trimmed with teal, and teal trimmed with brown.

Mmmm...Fabric!

JoAnn's has been redeemed in my eyes! I know I have complained several times about the half-aisle of crappy scrap supplies and the limited selection of fabrics at my local store. The new humongous Superstore just opened so I headed there this morning with my coupon to 20% off my entire purchase and LOVED the place! The scrapbooking section was a big as the entire store near me and looked to have a better selection of desirable products but I resisted the urge to browse that area because I was there for fabric. Most fabric stores around here much of what they offer as "linen" is poly-rayon linen weave crap with a few bolts of linen blends mixed in. Well this new store had at least 15 different colors of REAL 100% LINEN!!! After some internal debate I did opt for the linen rayon blends at half the price since I have a lot of garb to make before camping SCA season but I will defintely be going back for my next 100% linen purchase. Anyway, I bought enough fabric, matching thread, and misc. to make five tunics for Tom and a dress for me for under $90!
I read recently that just about any color can be achieved with natural dyes so there is no reason to restrict yourself to muddy earth tones to appear "period". Taking that to heart I chose olive, teal, navy, rust, and brown for Tom's tunics and intend to trim each with one of the contrasting colors. I have the fabrics all prewashed and ironed so I'll be starting soon! (These are the strips I tore off to even up the cut ends.)

I purchased a reddish purple for my dress shown below with the navy and seafoam green I already had planned for camping dresses.