At Cynaguan Coronet one of our meals drowned in the cooler. It was in a zip-top bag that ended up under the melted ice water. It filled up with water and ruined the food. I . WAS . PISSED! Coolers are stupid. This is so dumb. The whole setup of a cooler leads to either drowned food or contaminated ice.…
Early tudor smock
I need a new smock. Something appropriate to the dress styles I want to recreate from 1485-1515. I skimmed the books I have available and found that I really like the square-necked smock showing in The Queen’s Servant’s (p. 36). It turns out that this is also the same style as a smock shown in Patterns of Fashion 4 (item…
Research – the three-legged stool
At the Tudor Tailor workshop in LA last year (or was that the year before? yesh, time flies) they mentioned that good research is a three-legged stool. It’s based on extant item, paintings/drawings/illuminations of the items from the time period and writing about the item (wills, letters, etc). I learned a lot that weekend (and if you get a chance…
Kentish Step Up Outfit
My step up outfit is my current best interpretation of Kentish Dress Style IV with a few caveats. 6th century Kentish finds are from burials. For the most part the fabric has rotted away except where it’s in close proximity to metals (brooches, brocaded tablet weaving, swords, weaving swords). This leads to the need to extrapolate the garments based on…
Princess Dress
Fitting started 3/8/2016. Blue waisted linen kirtle started 5/13/2016, handed off (with unfinished hem) 6/9/2016. kirtle Fitted, self-supportive (ie, not bra underneath). Short sleeved, waisted kirtle. Front opening. Bodice will have two layers of linen, skirt will have one layer of linen. Square necked. Edges bound. Silk sleeves tied in at the shoulder. Inspirational Images https://www.facebook.com/musee.renaissance.officiel/posts/10153407662910866
Lord and Lady of the Swan
Well ok. So I’m having a busy year. This past weekend, at Cynaguan Coronet, Fearghus, my husband, won a tournament fighting for my honor. This means that at our Investiture on July 9th he and I will become the next Prince and Princess of the Principality of Cynagua (geographically northern California inner valley areas and northern Nevada). We will preside…
Laureling outfit
At West Kingdom October Crown, on October 3, 2015 directly after my apprenticing to Master Leo Diogenese as a lady-at-arts, while the ink was still wet on our chirograph contract, Their Majesties of the West, Miles Fitzraulf and Ariela Bar Leila invited me to join the order of the Laurel. By the gracious permission of Their Majesties and Their Royal…
Vigil at Golden Beltane
Be it known to all who should read this missive that Baroness Sylvie la chardonnière, a matron of the West Kingdom, woman-at-arts to Master Leo Diogenese, having been invited to become a Laurel of the realm by the late King Miles and Queen Ariela will sit vigil on Friday night, April 29, the feast day of Saint Catherine of Siena.…
How now Brown Gown?
Brown velvet gown started March 29, 2016. Finished April 23, 2016. For my laurelling ceremony I want to wear a gown over my kirtle. I lucked upon a great deal on brown cotton velveteen at $3.20/yd. So I got 10 yards of it. This is going to be a brown velvet gown with a center front opening which will be…
Early Tudor White Partlet
Planning began February 10, 2015. Accessory finished March 19, 2016. V2 finished March 30, 2016. V3 finished April 17, 2016. Summary I’ve been spending a lot of time looking at early Tudor (1485-1515) pictures from France and Brittany and I’ve noticed quite a few of them have something white at the neckline. I believe that to be a partlet (sometimes…

