Joke of All Trades

What a weekend! This was a very different sort of Return of the Sun. Ravensborg allowed restricted attendance and there was a fraction of the normal amount of people at a normal event, with no public attendance allowed. Nevertheless, we all had a great time and are thankful to have been able to go. We were able to accomplish some important tasks for the fort, after having not received any attention for over a year. Big thanks to the thanes for working so hard to get this going, and to all of the volunteers who made it happen, from the labor to the feast. The combat was great (videos coming later) and the party was lively. We even managed to have a small market, which I was woefully unprepared for, but it went well! This was not a typical event, but a memorable one nonetheless. Hopefully this is the beginning of a good season!

Here is the second lovely brooch I purchased from Twilight Forge! This is a slightly simplified version of a 10th century brooch found in a hoard discovery in Gotland, Sweden. Cast in brass and measuring a little under 3", it is on the larger side as brooches go, but the interesting thing about this brooch is that it differs from other penannular designs by actually being a solid ring, not being a 'C' shape. This is what archeologists refer to as "pseudo-penannular". The piece that connects the two serpent heads is far enough away that the cloak pin can slide past it, allowing it to be pulled through the ring and twisted around to secure the cloak. Here, you'll see it displayed on a hand-woven, madder-dyed twill wool cloak. No, this lovely handiwork isn't mine-- I received it recently from a weaver in Russia, but didn't have a brooch nice enough to wear with it until now! Gotland is a Swedish island in the Baltic Sea, just a quick sail from the major ...

  New video up on YouTube! This is a tutorial on how to do a faced neckline on your tunic or whatever other garment you're making. Facing is a fast and easy way, if perhaps little more modern, to get your neckline looking the way you want. Once you get used to this it becomes very easy to get a neat, uniform looking neckline on each piece you make!

  Seam porn! Life has been a blur lately, as we have been selling property and trying to move, meaning the workshop has been thrown into chaos. But that doesn't mean it's idle! I have been hard at work on sewing commissions the past few months and although I haven't had many new and interesting projects to share, I wanted to share a glimpse of the historic garments I've been making-- from Viking to Roman, from tunics to trousers, one stitch at a time! It's slow work, but somebody's gotta do it! 😉

I have been in the market for a brooch suitable for my 1st century Germanic/Roman auxiliary rebel kit for a while, and my search is finally complete. A friend recommended Twilight Forge on etsy, and I found this-- a Roman dolphin-back early "crossbow" style fibula. I fell in love with the design immediately. It is featured in "Iron Age and Roman Brooches: A Second Selection of Brooches from the Author's Collection," by Richard Hattatt 1985. This is #362 from the source, found in Suffolk, and dated between 55-80 AD. This recreation is cast in brass. I'm ecstatic with the look and finish of this piece, especially for the price being asked. The creator was happy to discuss the source with me and share information as well. So, if you need any fibulae, brooches, or brasswork, Twilight Forge is worth a look!