This ends here ... the year

The year is coming to an end and I haven't updated for a while. Unfortunately I also haven't done as much as I'd liked to, mostly because its winter and its getting dark so early that I don't have time to do really much after work. I did manage to finish the insulation in time and I have begun the electric installation.

If I find a working camera I might even post some pictures tomorrow.

A picture and some progress

I promised some pictures, here is at least one.

This is not what it looks like anymore. Half of the insulation is already mounted and I'm going to finish it next weekend at the latest. I then hope that we get a properly insulated window to replace that pentagonal one you see in the picture before winter comes. Otherwise I'll have to find some makeshift solution.

Under Construction

It's been a while since I have last posted anything here and I haven't really done much for my crafts projects, mostly because I had a lot of other work to do at the beginning of the year.

Then, in June, we decided to start renovating our appartment which turned into a major reconstruction. So, since I won't be able to work on my sewing projects for a while, I though I might as well keep you updated on the state of the construction site. The more so as what is a construction site now will, in part, become the workshop when it is finished.

When we started we had two rooms: the living room and, of about the same size right next to it, the guest room (which I had used as my workshop before). The two had originally been one until the previous owner decided to separate it in half.

The state now:
The two room has been reunited, the ceiling is gone (as is the floor of the attic above that room) the small room-like corner of the guest room has been made a proper room (future home office) via a dry wall.

What's next is that we have to put new insulation under the roof. And I'm going to post some pictures.

14th Century Project: Kirtle and Cotehardie Prototype

Since showing in just your underwear in public was seen as somewhat vulgar for a woman we also need some kind of real clothing. The complete dress will consist of a kirtle and a cotehardie.

The pattern is from a book, so I can't post it here for copyright reasons. Unfortunately I had to rescale it first which a video projector would have made much easier, but alas, I have none so I had to resort to pencil and ruler. It's tedious work and took me some five days for just the front and back pieces.

The picture shows the prototype I've made for fitting because I'll need the same pattern at least three times. First for the kirtle and later for the cotehardie and lining which has the same basic pattern with different sleves and a changed neckline.
The prototype will allow me to make a more durable pattern than the tissue paper you usually use for copying and it will also allow me to do the fitting with an inexpensive type of fabric like cotton and avoid spoiling some of the 30 Euro per meter wool.

The props I pinned to the front are just my tools – pincushion, ruler and tape. I had to hang them up there to protect them from the cats.

The 14th Century Project

A complete set of mid 14th century clothing for me and Julia is the goal of the project we started last December and hope to finish before June. So far we have finished a first set of undergarments.
These pieces here are all hand-sewn from linen, except for the woolen socks.

Women's underwear

The only attested kind of underwear for women is the chemise or smock. The pattern is very simple, based on the one found on www.familia-ministrialis.de.

These things were called hosen. Women probably wore knee-high versions like these which are fastened with a kind of fingerloop braided garter just below the knee. I couldn't find the garters though, because cats think they are great toys.

Men's underwear

Men's undertunics are basically just shorter smocks. I used a pattern I made by myself inspired by an undertunic found in France.

The basic men's underweare in the Middle Ages were braies. They look a bit like boxer shorts when worn but since there have never been any findings no pattern is known to be authentic. I decided on using the so-called Thursfield pattern. Judging by some of the images from that time the looks are pretty convincing. Yes, the leg openings are at the sides and no, I cannot do a split.