Somewhat unrelated things I found while researching the Sweete Bag

Ok, so, on the off-chance I don't have quite enough on my to-do wish list, I really, really like the look of Or Nue, and I really want to learn how to do it. Alas, chances of it being accurate to either R or my periods are pretty much nil. I do need to find any references to pre-300 BCE embroidery, but, alas, they're fairly scant so far. It really does look like it was mostly woven-in decoration, or printed on, probably with block prints.

However, I found some ideas for cheating. One is the Turkish variation of double running stitch that I saw at Festival - it's essentially just worked as a background, usually offset slightly, so it looks like a twill weave. If I can be bothered, I might come back and put a picture here.

Second is pattern darning, as is described by How To History, with an awesome video tutorial.

But back to the pretty shiny goldwork.

There's a nice, short article by a fellow SCAdian on the matter, which recommends strongly only using one strand of silk as the couching thread.

This article is in an annoying format, but suggests that any goldwork project be worked on two layers of fabric - an upper of silk or similar, and a bottom one to reinforce it. I presume, however, that linen canvas will be sturdy enough by itself, but I should double-check.

Mary Corbet links to this article: while she hasn't yet gone into Or Nue, she does have awesome tutorials on couching goldwork, which this is just a variant of. While the linked article has some very pretty pictures, it's a bit useless for the how-to bit.

On a side note, if my fairy godmother is out there, I've been very good and I'd like this for whichever holiday you feel like celebrating.

The local Worshipful Company of Broiders recommends getting silk thread from here, and goldwork supplies from here. However, I'd take this with a grain of salt as their webpage is so out of date - I'm more tempted to just get my thread from wherever Mary says is good, because she, obviously, is the Goddess of Needlework.

Oh, and to finish off my brain-dump, here's an idea for this year's generic Mandatory Fun Happy Gift-giving Season present:

It's a bread-basket liner. If I could work out how to hem it single-sided, I would, because it'd be awesome to show off blackwork.

Otherwise, blackwork bookmarks might be the way to go for Mother's Day.

New Project: An Elizabethan Sweete Bag

So, there's a Kingdom A&S competition coming up (12th Night 2013), and I want to enter it. Specifically, I want to enter an Elizabethan sweete bag. After doing a bit of poking around, I think I want to replicate this one from the V&A Museum:

Because it is super-pretty, and I really like the design on it. The description from the V&A is below:

Object Type
In the 17th century decorative purses such as this one were rarely used to carry money, as their wealthy owners engaged in few commercial exchanges requiring cash. In addition to serving as 'sweet bags' or 'gift wrapping', purses sometimes functioned as sewing kits that held needles, thread and tiny scissors. The attachment of a pin cushion to this purse suggests that it might have been used as a sewing kit, or kept on the dressing table to hold pins for fastening clothing.
Materials & Making
This pin cushion is decorated in canvaswork. Worked in wool, it was a popular form of embroidery, particularly for furnishings such as wall hangings, cushion covers and table carpets. For smaller items such as this purse and pin cushion, silk and metal threads were often used on a ground of finely woven linen. This example uses tent and Gobelin stitches, two of a variety of stitches found in canvaswork.
Design & Designing
The pattern depicts a rose tree, a motif made popular by its association with the Tudors. This type of needlework allowed subtle gradations of colour, giving the image a very pictorial effect.

More information:

Place of Origin:
England, Great Britain (embroidered)
Date:
1600-1625 (made)
Artist/maker:
Unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques:
Linen canvas, silk and silver thread
Dimensions:
[Purse] Height: 11.5 cm, Width: 14 cm
Object history note:
Embroidered in England
Descriptive line:
Purse with pincushion
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no):
John Lea Nevinson, Catalogue of English Domestic Embroidery of the Sixteenth & Seventeenth Centuries, Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Textiles, London: HMSO, 1938, p.98, plate LXIX

 So, in summary, I want to make a purse on a canvas backing (need to buy some suitable canvas), that's 11.5cm by 14cm. I've started using KG-Chart to chart it, but it's not working so well. Before I chart it out by hand, I think I'll search for similar designs to adapt, or see if someone else has done so. However, it's looking unlikely, as a google image search comes up empty.

Also, I need to work out how the background silverwork is done, since I don't recognise that small zig-zag pattern from my goldwork book.

It could be underside couching, as it does look a bit like this:

(from here:http://wkneedle.bayrose.org/member/member_underside.html by Caiterina nic Sheamus)

It would make sense for it to be underside couching, as I read that it's more durable, and more flexible, which makes sense for a pouch.

Oooh, the Worshipful Company of Broiders page hasn't been updated since 06. Hunyd's done a similar sweet bag (a pattern I was eyeing off, actually, it's another in the V&A), but there's nothing but a photo on the website, and her blog doesn't go back that far. I suppose I could actually try talking to her about it at a feast, or something.

Nah, that way lies madness. Madness, I say! Besides, I might be tempted to ask why she didn't do the pretty pretty goldwork braid that makes the piece, and I don't think that'd go down well. Stupid social conventions.

Ok, I think that's all the research I'm getting done tonight.

TL;DR:
- It's 11.5cmx14cm, silk and silver on linen canvas
- I need to combine x-stitch patterns to come up with a pattern to work from.
- Once I have a pattern, I can calculate the thread count of the canvas I need.
- ONLY THEN can I buy the silk.
- Silk appears to be tent stitch.
- Silver appears to be underside couching. I should learn how to do this.

So I don't forget them:

Upcoming Lochac Kingdom A&S competitions:

November Crown 2012:

-Non Culinary Recipes. Can be a produced item or a detailed research paper, focusing on a non food related period recipe. Eg Medicinal substance, makeup or beauty product etc
-A period item constructed from handmade, non woven fabric. Eg Made from Sprang, Felt, Knitting etc
-A Belt or Garter

12th Night 2013:

-An Elizabethan Sweete bag
-Moulded Food, eg blankmangere, in a soteltie or similar
-An item for storage. This is open for interpretation, and could include things as varied as a wooden chest, a ceramic pot, or a pouch...

May Crown 2013:

-A cast item.
-A Memento Mori - an artwork to assist the viewer to 'Remember your mortality'
-Music – An original composition, for voice or instrument in any period or style or an arrangement of a period piece done to a period style

Midwinter 2013:

-Metalcraft - A decorative item.  This is open to interpretation, and could include items such as jewellery, belt buckles, a coronet etc…
-A pair of Blackwork Cuffs
-Three period sauces -- recipes, photos, comments from at least 3 tasters.      

More info

So, I've been talking to people who actually know what they're talking about with sewing, and making myself a kirtle/cotehardie. Yes, it's European, but meh - it's good to learn with.

But there's progress! I now have a toile (look! jargon! I totally know what I'm talking about now) to base an awesome Mughal coat off (see this post.), *and* I have a vague idea of how to fasten the bloody thing. Apparently side lacing, when done carefully, and laced in a matching colour, can be all but invisible. So I think that's what I'm going to try with the coats. But first, cotehardies. Hopefully, I'll have mine done in a week or so, and can post photos.

Shakira - La Tortura

I'm not dead! I've been meaning to put some translations of my favourite songs on here so my friends can appreciate them, and I may as well start with this one. I warn you, this will be one of my dodgier translations, because I haven't been thinking about it for very long.

Lyrics from the same page as the video.

Shakira:
No pido que todos los días sean de sol
No pido que todos los viernes sean de fiesta
Tampoco te pido que vuelvas rogando perdón
Si lloras con los ojos secos
Y hablando de ella.

I don't ask that every day be sunny.
I don't ask that every Friday be a party.
Neither do I ask for you to come back praying for forgiveness
If you cry with dry eyes
And talking about her.

Ay amor me duele tanto
(Alejandro Sanz)Me duele tanto
(Shakira)Que te fueras sin decir a donde
Ay amor, fue una tortura perderte.

Ay love you hurt me so much
I hurt so much
That you leave without saying where
Ay love, it was torture to lose you.

Alejandro Sanz:
Yo se que no he sido un santo
Pero lo puedo arreglar amor

Shakira:
No solo de pan vive el hombre
Y no de excusas vivo yo.

Man doesn't live on bread alone
And I don't live on excuses.

Alejandro Sanz:
Solo de errores se aprende
Y hoy se que es tuyo mi corazón

Only from mistakes, do you learn
And today I know that my heart is yours.

Shakira:
Mejor te guardas todo eso
A otro perro con ese hueso
Y nos decimos adiós

Better that you keep all that -
Give that bone to another dog
And we say goodbye.

Alejandro Sanz:Esto es otra vez esto es otra vez no.

This is another time, it's another time - no.

Shakira:
No puedo pedir que el invierno perdone a un rosal
No puedo pedir a los olmos que entreguen peras
No puedo pedirle lo eterno a un simple mortal
Y andar arrojando a los cerdos miles de perlas

I can't ask for winter to pardon a rosebush.
I can't ask the elms to deliver pears.
I can't ask for the eternal from a simple mortal
And walk tossing pearls before pigs.

Alejandro Sanz:
Ay amor me duele tanto
Me duele tanto
Que no creas más en mis promesas
Ay amor (Shakira)
es una tortura (Alejandro Sanz)
perderte (Shakira)

Ay love, you hurt me so much.
It hurts so much
That you don't believe my promises anymore.
Ay love
It's torture
To lose you

Alejandro Sanz:
Yo se que no he sido un santo
Pero lo puedo arreglar amor

I know that I haven't been a saint
But I can fix this, love.

Shakira:
No solo de pan vive el hombre
Y no de excusas vivo yo.

Man doesn't live on bread alone
And I don't live on excuses.
Alejandro Sanz:
Solo de errores se aprende
Y hoy se que es tuyo mi corazón

Only from mistakes, do you learn
And today I know that my heart is yours.
Shakira:
Mejor te guardas todo eso
A otro perro con ese hueso
Y nos decimos adiós

Better that you keep all that -

Give that bone to another dog
And we say goodbye.
Alejandro Sanz:
No te bajes, no te rajes
Oye negrita mira, no te rajes
De lunes a viernes tienes mi amor
Déjame el sábado a mi que es mejor
Oye mi negra no me castigues más
Porque allá afuera sin ti no tengo paz
Yo solo soy un hombre arrepentido
Soy como el ave que vuelve a su nido

(This bit is hard - will add in the first two lines later - there are a lot of different connotations that it could mean.)
From Monday to Friday you have my love
Leave Saturday to me, it's what's best
Hey my black girl, don't punish me more,
Because out there, without you, I have no peace
I'm just a man repenting
I'm like the bird that returns to your nest.

Yo se que no he sido un santo
y es que no estoy hecho de cartón

I know that I haven't been a saint
And it's that I'm not made of cardboard.

Shakira:
No solo de pan vive el hombre
Y no de excusas vivo yo.

Man doesn't live on bread alone
And I don't live on excuses.
Alejandro Sanz:
Solo de errores se aprende
Y hoy se que es tuyo mi corazón

Only from mistakes, do you learn
And today I know that my heart is yours.
Shakira:
Ay ay ay ay ay
Ay, todo lo que he hecho por ti
Una tortura perderte
Me duele tanto que sea asi
Sigue llorando perdón
Yo... yo no voy
A llorar por ti ...

Ay ay ay ay ay
Ay, everything that I have done for you
It's torture to lose you
It hurts me so much that it must be this way
I keep crying for forgiveness
I... I'm not going to
to cry for you...

Laptop Bags

A while ago, I was given an EeePC, whom I have named Priya. She is lovely and light, but, alas, I carry her around in a DVD player case. I've been planning to fix this for a while. I've also been planning on sewing more, in order to increase my Mad Skillz. As in, I might actually acquire some if I sew more. And so, without further ado, here are some tutorials that look awesome (and simple).

From around the Web:
A laptop cover from a placemat.

A laptop bag from a pillow case.

A patchwork? laptop bag.

A laptop sleeve.

From Craftster:

A backpack with a laptop pocket. (For when I have those Skillz...)

A messenger bag with a laptop compartment. (See above, and oh, I love the print.)

A laptop cozy.

Inspiration:

Oh, I love the fabric on this messenger bag. I truly do.

A bag with an owl on it! I'm slightly obsessed with owls right now.

And here's a papercraft owl I think I could applique on a bag, and a bag that, by itself, looks like an owl! Also, lookit this adorable owl pattern!

Right, that's today's brain/link dump - hopefully I can think about something else now. That's the problem with my brain - I have to scheme something to a conclusion (or, at least, a concrete plan) before I can move onto something else. If only my brain could latch onto my uni work like that.

Quick Persona notes

So, I've been doing a small amount of research, and I think I've found the ideal time period! It's the Maurya Empire, and there's documented examples of Greeks (Selucids) and Indians (Mauryans) intermarrying. So, now, the eternal question... WTF did they wear?

Here are some links, for safe-keeping, and general edification.

Wikipedia

The timeline of Indian history that gave me the idea in the first place.

A different short history of the Maurya Empire.

Useful resources

Here are some useful links I've found for Indian garb:

The SCA_India yahoo group photo gallery.

This blog has some pretty Indian garb, and I'm hoping for a reply to some questions on one of her outfits.

http://www.craftster.org/ is always awesome.

MKV is the best saree place I've found so far - it's actually based in India, not the US or UK.


Irayari Vairavi's website has a lot of useful stuff on it.

I'd do more research, but my housemates used up all our bandwidth, despite me warning them that we were dangerously close to our limit. Grr.

Indian Persona stuff:

On religion in India. Includes the useful idea that people have a family and a personal god, and when a woman marries, her family god changes to that of her husband's.

Oh, what great plans!

So, dusting off the old lab book to record some ideas.

I've decided on an Indian persona, more details to follow. With that in mind, I made a choli using this pattern, with this tutorial. The verdict: mixed success - the pattern had to be altered a lot, and the very front where all the seams come together was messy, but I think it's worth using again, and making more. They're great in warm weather.

But, alas, it's autumn, and I need something warm to wear to College War (you should go to College War!). I'm thinking of something along these lines:

I especially like the green dress with yellow over-dress, and the brown and pattered dress. No clue what they're called, but I should be able to find out. I also need to find out how they're fastened.

I really like the red short-sleeved dress on the left, and the pink dress with stripey pants on the right. And look, shoes! (On the girl in the front with yellow pants.) Alas, despite a back view of the garment, still no idea how it does up. I read a theory about the waist having a drawstring in it on the SCA_India list, but I don't think that'd look right. I love how the skirt flares, though.

That's all Mughal garb, which is rather late period, though. Ideally, I'd prefer earlier stuff. This blog post has some lovely stuff, and I think it's an example of the stuff above.

That's about it for now, stay tuned for a later post on male Greek garb.

Gluten-free, Dairy-free Chocolate Cupcakes

Earlier today, I was tasked with making cupcakes as a birthday gift-type thing. Not just any cupcakes, either - gluten-free, dairy-free chocolate ones. That taste good. And aren't heavy like most gluten-free cakes are.

Simple.

So, after procrastinating scouring the internet for ideas, I stumbled upon this recipe (the second one, actually) in a forum, that had the upsides of sounding reasonable, and containing only ingredients I already have. While there are a lot of recipes out there that have delicious-looking photos, I have no clue where to get potato starch when it isn't 10pm, and I refuse to use things I've never heard of, like xanthum? gum.

In any case, I found a recipe, and started cooking, making some minor modifications, and baked up a batch of 6 to trial them. Rowan, my dedicated taste-tester, declared them "good", before knowing that they were gluten-free. I declared them slightly chewy, but otherwise acceptable, and continued to bake up the rest of the batch.

Allergy-friendly Chocolate Cupcakes

1&1/2 cups gluten-free self-raising flour
1/2 cup gluten-free cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup caster sugar
125 gm melted butter or margarine, cooled
1 cup milk (dairy, rice or soy))
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs

1. Preheat your oven to 180C, and prepare your baking trays.
2. Sift together flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Stir in the sugar, and make a well in the centre.
3. Whisk in butter, milk, and vanilla essence. I used Nuttlex, soy milk, and a generous splash of concentrated vanilla essence. Never use imitation vanilla - you can taste the difference.
4. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. If you feel paranoid about your cake not being light and fluffy, you could beat the batter with a hand mixer for a few minutes, but it's not necessary.
5. Divide the batter into patty pans, and bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Most of my batches took closer to 15 than 20 minutes to bake, so keep an eye on them. Allow to cool in the pans for a few minutes, then turn onto wire racks.

I left mine to cool overnight before icing them. I don't really believe in recipes for icing - I took a vast quantity of Nuttlex (around a tub's worth) and beat it with a hand-beater for a while. I added icing sugar to taste. Then I threw in a large spoon of cocoa, some chocolate essence, some vanilla essence, and some more sugar. I beat it some more. This continues until you like the taste. Then I filled a piping bag with a star tip, and began piping away. I really need to practice my piping some more, but they turned out O.K.. My loyal taste-tester says that they're "disturbingly good" for gluten and dairy-free things, and that it'd be hard to pick them in a blind taste test. Now, all I have to do is wait for them to set, and deliver them. I'll add an update with responses once I get them.

Update: they were very popular. Next time, I might re-think my icing to cake ratio - there was a bit too much icing. Just a little.