Here are the bare bones steps you need to become a Laurel in the SCA. Standard disclaimer: this is my opinion and does not represent the views of all Laurels (or Laurel councils) everywhere. 1. Research something historical No, really, crack a book open and really dig into something. Do not sit on your laurels (har har) and default to…
Author: Sylvie
Monmouth Cap
Started and finished a Monmouth Cap from a free pattern by Colleen Humphreys (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/monmouth-cap-the-details-matter). Started on 11/8/2018. Finished (but not yet blocked) 11/11/2018. “The earliest surviving example of the use of the term ‘Monmouth Cap’ is in a letter dated 1576. ” – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monmouth_cap I’m mostly ambivalent about this cap. I made it because I had the bulky yarn in…
15 minute cure to the “donwannas”
I’m feeling a bit medievally blocked. All I want to do is knit (which I totally am doing) and my costuming stuff has kind of fallen by the wayside. I had a serious think about this and I came up with a couple of reasons: – all of the projects at the top of my costuming todo list are production…
Thrum cap (aka: objectionable dreadlocks hat)
Thrum Cap started August 3, 2018. Finished August 20, 2018. Fulled August 21 and 22. From Merriam-Webster Thrum noun Definition of thrum 1 a (1) : a fringe of warp threads left on the loom after the cloth has been removed (2) : one of these warp threads b : a tuft or short piece of rope yarn used in…
Schamloten schaube for Helga
Helga has asked me to fit her and then construct a new German boy short coat for her modeled after a garment worn by his Grace Duke Hauoc. I am by no means an expert in German or German clothing terms used in the middle ages. That said, as best I can tell this would be called a “schamloten schaube”…
Halscleet – Antwerpen white linen partlet
Antwerpen White linen partlet started May 12, 2018. Finished June 9, 2018. Special thanks to Aleit Pietersdochter over at The New Cut who is working on documenting 16th century Dutch costuming terms and dug up the terms “Halscleet”/”Halsdouck”/”halscleer” which seem to be the proper name for this white linen partlet. Single layer of white linen for the body of the…
Tailoring Manuals
Ausberg/Innsbruck (Austria) 1544/68 Hans Nidermayr, the younger of Innsbruck, 1544/68, Innsbruck, Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum F.B. 4240. (Poland) Polish Tailor’s Cutting Guide from Germany, Breslau 1567, AC 1992.243.1. (link) (Italy) 1570 The Milanese Tailor’s Handbook, written in the 1570s, (Amazon)(link) Seville (Spain) 1588 manuscript of Diego de Freyle, Geometria y Traca Para el Oficio de los Sastres, Seville, 1588. (Link to…
Rust Antwerpen Market Gown
Rust linen Antwerpen gown started May 16, 2018. First wearing May 27, 2018. In October 2019 I removed the yellow fake kirtle bodice and added rings inside the waist band so that the center front of the gown can stay up. I need a new dress. Well a whole new wardrobe, but one thing at a time. Last year I…
Voodoo Magic with Eyelets
My first YouTube video. Be gentle. Machine done eyelets on a Janome 6600 using an Elna eyelet plate. The Janome will do eyelets.. but it sews a circle. It’s not actually holding threads open or reinforcing the hole. In order to use the Janome eyelet you have to piece the fabric and you end up with raw thread sticking out.…
Antwerpen gown epiphany
I’ve had this thing that I’ve been kicking around for a while. I’m working on my Antwerpen gown and I’ve been kind of stuck trying to figure out what was going on with the front of the dress under the laces. This is the same thing that puzzled me when I made Cranach/Saxony style dresses(here and here). There’s {something} under…









