Going fantasy

Still exhausted, and the stress about the COVID-19 virus of course isn't helping. Though my self isolation because of my compromised immune system is also helping me to get better. I walk in nature and I don't feel any pressure to meet people outside the family.

I have gradually got a little of my creative energy back. And it has made me want to make fantasy costumes, of all things.

It started when the local burlesque club, which I haven't attended for ten years, was going to have a party themed "Spring awakening". For the first time for ages I got really enthusiastic. To avoid getting burnt out by a costume project I decided to use my 1560s Venetian gown , but to make a shift in a green sheer fabric.
I did have a look in the local fabric stores, but didn't find any fabric that really spoke to me. Then I remembered that I had a cotton voile scarf that I had bought second hand. It was a litte bluer in colour than I liked, so I tried some tea dyieng. If that is what made the colour better, or if it's the fact that it bled like whoa, I don't know, but it was sufficient.
So I made a simple shift from my peasant blouse pattern, except that I slit the sleeves to make hanging sleeves.
Since several years I also had this Indian lace with white flowers, that I bought just because it was so pretty. I cut it into smaller pieces to shape it and zigzagged along the stems, and in the centre of the flowers. Then I put seed beads in green, yellow, white or bronze, in the middle of the flowers.
When I wear it, whenever that may be I will also have added fabric flowers and various greenery from fabric to the gown, bu stitching them on by hand, but since most of the ones that I ordered haven't arrived yet, and I'm not in a hurry this is not a problem. Because the event just got cancelled. I will still make the costume though and take photos of me in it.

I have also bought a artificial ivy wine with led lights in it, to make a wreath. I am going to paint the lights green, to give a sort of eerie light, because I am going to be a not-quite-safe faerie queen. But not yet, because I am trying very hard not to overdo things.
Enough talking, some photos from when I tried it on:

However, this got me so inspired that I decided to make another fantasy costume. Or, I decided to make a coprset and wear it with a skirt that I bought last month.

It was also an opportunity to try and get a pattern for a 16th century corset/supportive bodice that fits my current size and shape. It's basically an effigy corset with lots of painted felt leaves glued on.

The pattern needs some tweaking: It needs to be a little higher at the top and smaller at the waist, but other than that I am happy with it. Which means that whenever I feel the inspiration to make a new supportive kirtle from my lovely linsey-wolsey fabric I have a working pattern.

But currently I am more inspired to put on fantasy costumes and drag Rickard to the forest to take photos of me. And that's what we did yesterday. We also walked in the forest just to enjoy it of course. This time we took the car, but I can actually walk to that forest, it's about 3,5 kilometres to the forest and then the same distance to my favourite part of the forest. So it's definitely doable, I did it on Thursday. But I prefer not doing it in corset and make-up :)

Anyway, here are some of the photos that we took. I wish I knew photoshop so I could make some cool effects, but I think they work fine as they are, without filters.

Re-visting the 12th century

At least I was, but it was in no way mandatory, as you will se on the photos.

Last weekend was St.Egon's Feast, one of the SCA barony Gotvik's annual events. Every other year it is also the event where the new baron and baroness are invested, and this was such a year. They had chisen to wear 12th century clothign fro their invesrtiture, which I took as a good reason to dig out my own old 12th cetnruy clothing. At least some of it, it was once one of my signature periods. But much of it has been given away, or sold, and that is good, I have more than enough garb as it is.

Since I haven't actually made any new costumes this post is mainly a collection of photos of me and others in medieval and renaissance clothes, but I hope that you enjoy it.

The new baron and baroness: Sigvald från Gudhem and Astridh Torkilsdotter

Me:

On Friday night and before court I wore two wool gowns in a style that is very commonly seen in German manuscripts from the 12th century: with a tight shorter overgown and a wider, longer undergown.

Indoors photo at night, so the colours aren't very good.

 Outdoors. Better for colour, but the double belt is actually not usually worn with this style.

The cloak is my first cloak ever, from 1993 and made from a blanket I bought a thrift store.
And as a bonus: The same clothes worn in 2006:

For court I changed into my green silk bliaut made in 2005 (it has its own page with more info here). For teh first photos I forgot my belt,but I think it looks really nice anyway. The coronet is ca 150 years too modern in style and made for me by EvaJohanna Studios.

Me being all dramatic:

Photos taken after court, when I had out on the belt. I am a fairy tale princess. Or at least baroness.

Leaving the 12th century I took these photos of some other friends:

Court baroness Katarina Krognos af Ystad, the baroness who stepped down at this event, in Iron Age Finnish clothing.

My friend and neighbour Ingeborg with her son Tom. Early 14th century (her) and 10th-12th century (him)

And Amanda in her Italianoutfit from the second half of the 15th century. This is the first costume that she made, I am very proud of her. Necklace from By Hand and Paw.