Joke of All Trades

  Fresh off the loom! This is a 2/2 broken twill diamond weave done in 100% worsted wool with a floating selvage for a nice, clean edge. A variety of diamond twills are represented throughout history, this particular pattern being most similar to Viking Age finds in Birka, Sweden, where a collection of diamond and broken diamond twills were found in a variety of graves. This weave is just short of 2 yards and about 12" wide. Now I just have to figure out what I'll do with it... 🤔

Big news! We have been approved as a gear vendor for @[276698946023941:274:Legio XIIII Gemina]! And on top of that, we just passed 300 likes on Facebook. 😱 As most of you know, I am primarily a Viking Age reenactor and craftsman, so I'm honored that our new Roman friends find my work up to snuff. In light of these awesome turns of events, I'm gonna make our legion pals feel more comfortable with-- what else-- a sale. From now through the month of November, I'm giving a 10% discount on all Roman related commissions! Want a hand-woven fascia ventralis or leg wraps? How about a new hand-sewn Roman tunic? Maybe you're feeling a little barbaric and need some new Thorsberg trousers or Marx Etzel tunic? Well, now is the time. I can be budget-friendly, or as authentically detailed as you like, and I'm always open to trades-- shoot me a message and let's talk! Big news! We have been approved as a gear vendor for Legio XIIII Gemina! And on top of that, we just passed 300...

  A few pictures of my 1st century Germanic impression. It needs a lot of work, but it was functional enough to use for the video we shot! Everything I'm wearing and using was handmade by me, even the war knife-- except for the Batavian helmet, which was borrowed because mine was not done yet. If you haven't seen the video, you can watch it here:  https://youtu.be/fquL5h4xAyk

  Diamonds are a girl's best friends 👌

The loom is in motion! A little about my loom, it's anatomy, and it's history: This is a 4-shaft table loom, "Dorothy" made by Nilus Leclerc. I got this as a gift from my partner last year, who discovered it at a rummage sale-- she paid $30 for it. Today this loom sells for approximately $750. It came with a bag full of weaving supplies and teaching materials. This loom, manufactured in 1981, was in perfect condition and was very gently used-- judging by the other materials, I believe it was under the care of a very mindful elderly fiber arts teacher who worked for a small school or church. It is likely to have reached the donation pile after this person passed away-- at which point, I was fortunate enough to receive all of their notes and research materials. In a way, I was her last student. I learned to loom weave based on the books and notes she left behind. In prep for this project, I needed to change the reed. The reed is the wide piece with metal bars through wh...

Finished my Batavian helmet today! This helmet is based on one dated to the Batavian Rebellion, which occurred in 69AD when a germanic tribe known as the Batavi revolted against their Roman overlords. Tacitus recalls this conflict in-depth, giving us a lot of good information on those invovled. The helmet itself was discovered in the 1970s at Gelduba and is currently displayed at the Museum Burg Linn, along with an archeological reconstruction. Many of the Batavi operated as Roman auxiliary units, having access to some pieces of Roman equipment-- such as this helmet. While I'm uncertain of the class of helmet-- probably a Montefortino or Weisenau?-- what we do know is that the owner, probably Batavian, hacked it up and made it "barbaric." Removing the neck guard, cheek plates, and brow crest, the bottom was trimmed with leather and decorated with leather trim and fur overtop. So, like the original, I started off with a Roman helmet and hacked it up. I lined the inside wit...

  It is 83AD. Rome calls upon its germanic auxiliary units for war. But the Hrabnazing tribe, like many others, is weary of spilling germanic blood. A legion is diverted to impress upon them the importance of their loyalty. Tensions rise, and tempers flare-- the binds of peace are pulled taut, and should they break, it will not be germanic blood in the grass. _____ Hrabnazing is a group dedicated the authentic reenactment and living history of 1st century Germanic peoples, living in a world increasingly dominated by Roman rule. We study and reproduce all information about the culture and crafts of this fascinating time, and conduct safe blunt-steel competitive combat using equipment of the age. This video was made to promote the group. If you're interested, reach out here! Credits: Created and edited by Nate Strickland MUSIC: "Abecedarium Nordmannicum" by Ælfric (check out his amazing work at  aelfric.bandcamp.com ) VIDEOGRAPHY: Cat Adams, Amy Studer VOICE ACTING/THROAT S...

The few of us from Skjaldborg St. Louis had a fantastic time at the Viking Fest at Four Brothers Mead right here in Festus, MO! I love supporting local businesses, especially during this difficult time, and ESPECIALLY when they are purveyors of such exquisite mead! 👍🍻 We got a little bit of rain, but we still managed to put on two separate shows and it was a hit with the crowd. We met some awesome people-- maybe even some new recruits-- and of course any day we get to dress like weirdos and wail on each other is a great day. I shot video of our whole set-- stay tuned to the YouTube channel. In the meantime, here are some stills from the video. Our portrayals are a 9c Norwegian, a 10c Swede, and an 11c Norman. Thank you to Dan at Four Brothers Mead for inviting us, and we hope to see you at Ravensborg someday 😜

Here are some thematic photos of yesterday's Mammen weave, or as I call it, the "waterMammen"! 🍉 Here it sits over 10thc Swedish pattern herringbone wool tunic. The sword shown is a Peterson Type M, which have been found all over Sweden and Denmark dated to the 9th and 10th century, and this one was forged by the world-renowned Paul Binns. The bow and arrow are fairly anachronistic in wood types (bow is tropical wood, arrow is bamboo I believe), but appropriate in design and appearance to the Viking Age, and neither are of my own making. The bow I have had for over a decade. Also, reenactment arrows must be made from cost effective materials because they frequently get destroyed when used! I am very pleased with the look, finish, and function of this weave, and I hope it brings many years of fulfilling use to the friend who will soon wear it.