Away on an event

So, the last week I've been to the largest SCA event in Europe (or, the Kingdom of Drachenwald if you play in the SCA). I gave lectures on sex (both hetero- and same-sex) in the Middle Ages (based on books, not my own research) and on 16th century women's clothing in Sweden. The latter I have written an article about for Costume, the Journal of the Costume society, which was printed in 2011.

I went to a class on calligraphy and another one on Venetian 16th cnetury women's costume, and the whole family present (me, hubby and the youngest daughter) joined a class where we danced bransles.

We also watched fighting, fencing and archery and hung out with all our friends. Tuesday was also Maja's birthday, so we had a small party, where she got a hat for her new 16th century gown. it was made by one of her friends, Tuva, who is only 14 years old.

Some more photos:

Children's boffer fighting. It was rainign and Maja's medieval shoes were too wet, so she's wearing purple trainers :).

Grown-ups fighting at the Rose Tourney at Hovdala castle.

Maja took a class in marzipan sculpting

And I wore 12th century clothing. 

I never got to wear my newest bliaut though, it was too cold and wet.

This is a new wool 12th century gown, which is under construction. I started it a few days before we left and sewed the guards on the way down, in the car. The embroidery was started at the event and there's much more to do. Normally you would embroider the borders before atttaching them, but I wanted to wear it this event.

My husband wore his red 11th century  tunic a lot. Here he's helping 

Maja by holding her hanging sleeve when she's shooting. I made that tunic in 1997.