The 2009 Project List

I noticed the other day that my Project List was getting rather long and needed a more permanent home than a string of Post-It notes stuck to the computer desk. So I decided to take some of that pent up "Snow Day" energy and arrange it in a (slightly) more organized manner here.

Projects to Finish Before Company of Wolves
(February 27 - March 1)

Gomlek
I have a sheer burgundy gomlek waiting to be hemmed and a sheer white gomlek cut out and waiting to be pieced together. Shouldn't take me more than an hour for both, but I've been letting small weaving projects get in the way. And I'm debating whether or not to hand sew the white gomlek now that I have discovered an innate flair for hand stitching. Perhaps it would be more efficient for now to machine stitch the hidden seams and hand stitch the hems and neckline. I could always take it apart and hand sew the hidden seams later if it bothers me that much.

Kataginu
Though this should be the first item on my list and it looks like a simple enough project, the kataginu is one of the most annoying pieces I have encountered in making Japanese garb for my fiance. I know it sounds terribly whiny, but I absolutely hate doing the collar on these things and the shoulder pieces never look right to me, despite his insistence that they are perfect. I do owe him this piece, though, since I already finished a pair of matching red cotton hakama back in December.

Entari
This is probably the most important item on my project list. I have a gomlek that can pass for now, I have salwar that fit well enough, but if I had to go to an event tomorrow, I would have only ghawazee coats to wear over them. Just the thought makes me cringe and then break out into a cold sweat. Ever since I started pursuing a more accurate wardrobe, the very sight of a ghawazee coat disgusts me. Therefore, of all the projects I have ahead of me, this one is the most dire. (The only reason the gomlek is #1 is because the pieces are cut and waiting on me and that is a project I can throw together in an hour... unless I'm handsewing.)

But I do need to make a mock-up for this first as my last mock-up was a complete disaster.

Salwar
After tinkering with the pattern a bit, I need to make a new pair of salwar in a softer fabric with smaller leg gores. The last pair I made were in some kind of wool blend that was rather scratchy and there was a ludicrous amount of fabric between my legs. This leads me to believe that I either miscalculated my measurements (which I am almost sure I did not) or that the pattern is specifically designed to be fiddled with until you get a cut you like. For those of you who might steer me toward an answer to this musing, the pattern in question is that of Master Rashid.

Veil
As mentioned above, I am getting pretty interested in hand sewing and I blame it all on this silly veil. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about having a veil and having it completely hand sewn, but, I seem to be having trouble with the hand-rolled hem. I just can't get the hang of it. I have picked my way through online tutorials, but it still looks weird to me. Maybe I should wait until PFAN next week and ask Annabell to give me a lesson.

Chirka
Through sheer serendipity, I came into possession of a lovely pale peachy-pink woven-looking fabric in a large enough amount to make a chirka. Though the chirka follows almost the exact same construction as an entari, it is my assumption that a chirka should be even more fitted (since it is the support layer, much like a corset) and therefore deserves its own mock-up session.

Projects to Finish Before Gulf Wars
(March 15-22)

Kaftan
The construction is almost exactly the same as the entari, only a bit bigger, so this project shouldn't be a problem after I am finished with the former.

Frogging
Maybe it's the marching band geek in me, but I absolutely love the look of frogging down the front of a kaftan!! And now that I know how to fingerloop braid, I should be ready to try it soon (I want to practice my fingerlooping a bit more first).

Buttons
I found a tutorial online about how to make thread-covered beads to use as buttons. Not that I think this is a difficult project, I'm just not ready to sit down and make them until my frogging is done.

Japanese Garb
Ashikaga is going to need at least one more pair of kimono / hakama / kataginu before Gulf Wars. Now if I can just get him off his rear to pick out the fabric, I could get started.

More Ottoman Garb
I could always use more garb for myself -- even more so since Gulf Wars is a week-long event! I don't want to resort to wearing ghawazee coats just to get by!

Projects to Finish Before Medieval Fair
(April 3-5)

Something for HRM Gunthar

I would like to make something, whether it be food or largess, for his Majesty Gunthar since he was the first SCA royal I ever met and Medieval Fair will likely be the last time I see him before the end of his reign.

Ashikaga's Namu Sash
I started on this last year and ran out of time to finish it, thus it needs my attention once more.

Projects to Finish Before Ansteorra's 30th Year Celebration
(July 9-15)

My Kit
All Ottoman garb must be completed by 30th Year because I have been asked to help run a Middle Eastern snack bar at the hafla Saturday night and I want to look awesome!


I'm sure there are things I left out, but these are undoubtedly the most important. Hopefully some of these will find their way onto the blog in the form of pictures and tutorials. haha

Portable Fiber Arts Night (PFAN) and the Simple Ottoman Veil

Last night was the second edition of Portable Fiber Arts Night (PFAN) in the Barony of Namron. I live in Wiesenfeuer, but I work in Namron, so after my shift I swung by the cafe where it was being held and, let me tell you, I had a great time!! The circle started at 7, but I don't get off until 8, so I was about an hour late. Not that it mattered much because everyone had just brought their current projects and was sitting around chatting. I am currently between inkle weaving projects, so I just took my new kumihimo wheel and practiced my box braids for two hours.

It was especially nice because my best friend, Kyna, had the night off and came out, too. We got caught up over hot chocolate (by far the best I've ever had!!) and split a bagel.

In just the short time I was there I learned a little about tablet weaving (which I'm not ready to try just yet), how to make a maru dai out of ply wood and dowels, and the best way to finish the edges of the veil I'm working on.

Speaking of the veil, I'm ridiculously excited about this project because it will be my first attempt at handsewing garb. I have handsewn before, but it has been limited to small projects like pouches and pillows. And I know a veil doesn't sound like that much work, but it's a very looooong veil, so it should take me a while. Hopefully I can get it done before Medieval Fair!

Ode to a Fair

As the new year picks up steam, almost every corner of my head is crammed with ideas. And with the highlight of my SCA year just two months away, it's getting worse by the hour!!

The University of Oklahoma's 33rd Annual Medieval Fair takes place the first weekend in April and is the largest event of its kind in the state, not to mention one of the top 5 or so largest in the nation... and it's FREE!

Even if I wasn't in the SCA this would be a much anticipated weekend, but being in the SCA gives it almost Mecca status. And I'm not the only one who feels this way...

People who haven't come to an event in four years suddenly show up with shiny new armor and fine clothes. People who haven't missed an event in decades are as excited as newbies. Okay, okay, maybe that's a an exaggeration, but it does get people pretty worked up around here, and for good reason. Our local groups see this as an opportunity to widen our appeal, bring in new members, educate the public about what we do, and maybe even show off a little.

Mostly I see it as a test of my abilities. It seems that every year since I was sixteen Medieval Fair weekend has been the time to prepare for and learn new things. The year I was sixteen I tried my hand at sewing my first piece of garb: a far-too-long, off-the-shoulder English-style gown in some heinous fabric I can only describe as a mixture of fleece and felt. I was miserably hot and constantly tripping over that ugly train. I think the next two days of the fair my friend Adena loaned me some middle eastern garb because I was so disappointed. In fact, I don't think that dress lived past its first wearing. I'm pretty sure I threw it out that night.

Last year I was just getting to know my new persona so I spent several weeks before Med Fair making middle eastern garb. I made two new ghawazee coats, two new pairs of froofy harem pants, and a standard undertunic, all of which I thought was period for this new persona -- wrong! -- but I didn't know that at the time so I felt like a goddess all weekend and got plenty of compliments on my new, pretty garb.

This year I know better. Much better.

So, in preparation for this year's festivities, I started working on some mock-ups tonight. I've been experimenting with period garb for several months now after finally learning how to draft my own patterns. Thus far I have only been able to get the salwar down because the entari instructions I had were a little off. But I've been tweaking the pattern and the mock-up I cut tonight appears to be the right formula. I'll baste it together tomorrow and, if it works, I'll tear it apart and make paper patterns off of it (then I'll sew it back together, chop off a foot or so from the bottom and call it a chirka!).

In the meantime, I also need to get a kataginu finished for Ashi. I made him a gorgeous pair of red court hakama for Wiesenfeuer Yule Revel, but he didn't get to wear them because we had to leave the event early. And since he is going to Estrella War in a few weeks, a couple more kimono probably wouldn't hurt.

Anyway, I will have a proper "dress diary" in the next week or so. Until then, thanks for reading!