out and about

 


The Virginia Faire this year was hot, hot, HOT, so we were sans sleeves for the most part. Julie did get brave and tie hers on for sake of the picture. We’ve agreed that we will probably never match so nicely again!

 


Here are the four of us at the end of the day wielding our wondrous parasols, which really helped with the heat. The verdict’s still out on whether these are really period, but this research suggests yes, and I’ll support any research that’ll make me less hot! The guys have their new peasanty garb, and I’ve got a black and green pinned-on partlet based on one of the designs in The Tudor Tailor, which I really like incidentally.

 


We got to talk with Norm the Pikeman, who has the most amazing store of knowledge on military history. We enjoyed chatting with him, and he also had the guys learn some pike moves. I think in this one maybe they’re poking a bad guy, but not a bad guy on a horse, but I couldn’t say for sure, having placed myself very far from the guys with the poke-y sticks.

 


I still have a handful of things that I’d like to do for this outfit before I put it away for the next faire. Namely:

1. Finish the sleeves. They’re presently ribbon-bedecked, so I need to replace that with matching linen guards. I think while I’m at it, I might try to make them a little bigger; I see no reason that I can’t expand them with a little gusset disguised as a stripe so they’ll fit over a puffier chemise than the peasanty one that the original sleeve was designed for. Also, I’m going to go ahead and line them. I wasn’t going to, but really, I’m not going to wear these unless it’s something other than 90F so...why not?

2. A hat. I rather covet one of those tall bulbous ones, but I’ll be looking into that shortly. I’ve never made a structured hat before, so we shall see! I did admire some arch-brim ones that were being made by a woman at the faire, but it seems like almost everyone on the court who wears a stiff hat wears one of those, and I’d like something a bit different.

3. Some sort of embellishment for the guards. I am thinking about just couching down some white or grey cording of some sort. I’ll need to figure out a design.

4. A pouch. I made one the night before of black and green linen which is perfectly serviceable, but I also started an embroidered design on black linen with wool while at the faire, which I think would be nice done up in much the same way. It’s not very well executed, but I’m new to embroidery (other than backstitching!) and was making it up while sitting on hay. I’ll post some pictures if it doesn’t turn out completely terrible.