Fian challenge

So finally, after a couple of mis-starts, I've presented my challenge in court and it was accepted and all that good stuff, so I can start nattering about it here.

White Wolf Fian, for those who don't keep up on esoteric A&S groups in Ealdormere,  (And why don't you, really? ;)) is a challenge order who aims to basically prod folks into pushing their own artistic / craftsman boundaries. Self directed, about a year long project that is one of those that's just outside your reach when you start, or so the theory goes. (Sometimes the evaluation of what's a suitable challenge for someone gets a touch intimidating to read. Yow, but I digress.)

I'm a lacemaker, even if my lace of choice is not pre-17th century. (Yes, I still call myself a lacemaker, even for my first lace love being the red headed stepchild of the lacemaking world. Suck it, traditionalists!) Since turning up at the SCA, I went and bobbled around with bobbin lace (enjoyable, still in the learning queue, likely now and forever), and wanted to poke around at the other main early lace, needle lace. Which is a big broad term that means many things to many people, but that's a whole different kettle of fish.

So I presented a challenge to look at two main needle lace techniques found commonly in Venice in the 16th century, Punto en Aria and Reticilla. The first has no fabric foundation, you build up from threads, and the second ostensibly starts with a linen base, but by the time you've done all the cutting away, you seriously just have threads and a lot of embroidery left.

The final aim for this, is to make myself a needle lace flag fan, inspired by this piece.

16th century flag fan in the Austrian Museum of Applied Arts

I am so not making an exact replica of this fan. Not even in a year do I think that my skills will be up to /that/. I hope to make something inspired by this fan, which doesn't suck. Not sucking is a high priority here. :)

I've started a punta en aria bookmark tutorial, so you can see where I'm starting from in trying to get towards that. Behold, I have a long long way to go:

Elizabethan

I decided (I also change my mind about every couple of days, so don't be surprised when this lingers. I get back to things eventually, but attention span is for other people.), but I decided that early period is just unflattering on me. It doesn't make me feel pretty, I prefer a bit more structure in my clothing, and so late period appeals.

Venetian will come, but for now I'm settled at mutt middle class Elizabethan. There's more hand holdy info for Elizabethan, and my sewing confidence is fairly terrible at the moment, so hand holding is important. If I was sane, I'd shell out the money for patterns, which would only need tweaking, I'm not good at sane. (I generally need to do it DIY the hard way first and /then/ enjoy the fruits of others' labours and wonder why I didn't do it this way in the first place!)

To this aim, I figure I need some basic layers. Chemise/smock. Petticoat (skirt). Bodice (pair of bodies, corset). Sleeves. Coif. Those are, as best as I can determine, the absolute bare bones of dressed enough to be seen in public. 

Then we get into the nice to haves. Doublet or Kirtle or Petticoat bodies to go over that whole shebang. Knit stockings (or sewn hose, but I'm a knitter). A loose coat to further go over that previous whole shebang. Hat. 

I keep having delusions about how fast I make things. (hint: Not at all). 

So I might be wearing the poor old brown tunic for some time to come. I do, however, have the chemise (basically) finished! Just hemming, and I'm 1/3rd done that! 

Look! A cuff!

I also have started swatching for stockings. I haven't entirely decided on yarn / needles or design, but I'm giving this combo a try. 

If all goes well, I might have stockings to enter in Spring A&S. :)

ALL THE THINGS

I have only been to two events (at the time of writing this), and both of them have been strongly A&S (handwork of all kinds, basically everything but the fighting) focused. This has been both a blessing and a curse. I walked away from Kingdom A&S full of relief in having not made too much of a fool of myself at my first event, having found people to chat with (old friends and new!), in absolute awe at the sheer volume of talent contained in one room, a little gobsmacked at being considered well versed in lace (In the kingdom of the blind, the one eyed man is king, I suppose. I'm a drooling idiot in the VERY well versed and academic mundane lace world I hang out with, but amongst people who aren't current lacemakers, apparently I know more than I think.)

The biggest thing I walked away from my first event with was a desire to Do All The Things. I wanted to research more lace, and make more lace, and do embroidery, and do blackwork, and make sausage, and spin and knit and research more about historical knitting and make better garb and become an Expert, RIGHT NOW.

The reality of cramming one's brain full of .. well.. everything, and working full time, and not having a household fall into filth, and sleeping soon slapped me upside the head. I did manage to channel the obsession into one direction after seeing a lovely hankie, Blackwork.

So I hunted up a period inspired pattern that made me happy, and made myself a pincushion. Details are 22 count hardanger fabric, random dark brown floss (used single strand), everything's cotton and hand stitched.

One side:

The other side:

Not half bad for a random spur of the moment obsession project.