Gilding Video

I made a video about using Speedball's Mona Lisa imitation gold leaf.
https://youtu.be/VbxC-oHBndo

It's long, but more SCA appropriate than many gilding videos out there.

The things you need for an SCA event

Yesterday got me thinking that while John & I have been in reenacting for decades, and the SCA for quite a few years, we still don't have our stuff together.  We forgot chairs yesterday.  So here is a short list of what you actually need to participate in an SCA day event with a feast.

Garb. 
That's your period appropriate attempt for clothing.  If it is your first or second event, ask the local Chatelaine for some loaner garb from Gold Key.  Don't count on the use of that forever, but it will buy you some time and let you figure out if you like the hobby & want to invest in your own outfit.

Money
Usually there is an entry fee, and sometimes vendors, raffles, charities, etc.  Figure on $30 minimum.  Long camping events like Pennsic and Gulf Wars are obviously much more.

Transportation
When the event ends the staff wants you out.  Don't dally unless you are helping clean up.

Feast gear
Knife, spoon, bowl, plate, cup (fork is optional, and not period correct).

A chair or something to sit on. 
Most people use those modern nylon folding camp chairs, but you have a range of things available to you, you aren't stuck with that.  Some sites have seating, but don't count on it.  We always forget this and end up on the bare floor or the ground, which can make you really tired very quickly.  A sheep skin or blanket is also good as it gives just enough cushion to not aggravate healthy joints.


Armor or Art/Craft project
While not strictly necessary, a large part of the SCA involves doing stuff so make sure you've brought Stuff To Do.  If you are going to fight, bring armor & weapons; if you are going to work on a project, bring the tools & materials. 

Bibliography, part 6 of 6

Bibliography
Websites:
Victoria & Albert Museum, UK search the collections, July 2015 Shirt, 1540 Accessed July 2015. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O115767/shirt-unknown/

Victoria & Albert Museum, UK Images, 2015 Handmade Shoe for a Child Accessed July 2015. http://www.vandaimages.com/results.asp?inline=true&image=2009CC5642-01&wwwflag=1&imagepos=106

Live Auctioneers 6010: Lombardisch, 1572: Bildnis eines adeligen Knaben. 2002-2015. Accessed July 2015. https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/11572295_lombardisch-1572-bildnis-eines-adeligen-knaben

National Trust Collection UK Robe, National Trust Inventory Number 1446623 Accessed July 2015. http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1446623

Books:
Ninya Mikhalia & Jane Malcom-Davies. 2006. The Tudor Tailor, Reconstructing 16th century Dress Techniques and Patterns for Making Historically Accurate Period Clothing. Costume and Fashion Press. ISBN: 9780896762558

Jane Huggett and Ninya Mikhaila edited by Jane Malcom-Davies. 2013. TheTudor Child, Clothing and Culture 1485 to 1625. Fat Goose Press. ISBN: 9780896762671 (USA)

Janet Arnold. 1985. Patterns of Fashion 3; The cut and construction of clothes for men and women 1560-1620 Macmillan Press, Quite Specific Media Group ISBN: 0896760839

Janet Arnold. 2008 Patterns of Fashion 4; The cut and construction of linen shirts, smocks, neckwear, headwear and accessories for men and women 1540-1660. Macmillian Press, Quite Specific Media ISBN: 9780333570821

R. Turner Wilcox. 1951 republished in 2010. The Mode in Furs; A historical survey with 680 Illustrations. Dover Publications. ISBN: 0486478726

Accessories, part 5 of 6

Accessories
The modern shoe differs from the inspiration image in color but I cannot see enough of it to determine style. The V&A has a child’s shoe from 1400-1550 Image #2009CC5642-01 that is essentially a black mary-jane. As the SCA doesn’t require perfect reproductions and the boy outgrows shoes every 3 months, modern mimics are acceptable substitutes. I did not alter these shoes at all. A previous pair had an ugly black bow which I cut off, and little heart cut-outs, which I rounded with a leather punch. Modern shoes are fairly easy to change.
Please do not take the biggin off the doll. The doll is creepy without it, and it is only there for that reason. It is machine sewn; the doll’s head was too big for the hand sewn cap.
A biggin was a simple cap worn by small children closest to the head. Sometimes it was worn alone, sometimes under other caps and hats. In The Tudor Child it is described as “a close fitting linen cap, usually tied under the chin” (p. 24). The images in my file collection are mostly bare-headed boys, which may be because my son won’t wear a hat and I’ve subconsciously selected for that.
I took the pattern from Tudor Tailor last year and just sized it down to fit my child, who absolutely refuses to wear it. It is the same in The Tudor Child, just smaller. It is made from linen cotton blend with cotton twill tape ties, which would have been linen in period, but were used for this exact purpose. I dislike the look of it and if he ever starts liking hats I will make one with self-fabric ties.

Toddler Gown, part 4 of 6

The Gown
The National Trust Collections hold the adult version of the gown that I used as a base pattern for the toddler gown. According to the National Trust, Item # 1446623 is “A purple silk damask man's robe, cap and slippers. The robe is lined with slate blue silk shag which is a fabric with a long pile simulating fur. The robe is decorated with gold and silver braid and has matching buttons. It was reputed to have belonged to Sir Francis Verney and to have been sent back to Claydon from Messina in Sicily where he died. Sir Francis left England and his family in 1608 and became a pirate on the Barbary coast of North Africa.”

Gowns were worn over all other clothes. They could be worn indoors or out, and there was little difference between men’s and women’s gowns. The sleeves had an open front seam so the arms could pass through vs. being closed like a modern coat. If it was cold, the front seam could be closed and the sleeves worn normally. Threadwork buttons and/or hooks & eyes closed the front and sleeves.

Toddler gowns were similar to the adult versions. One minor difference, seen occasionally, is that the hanging sleeves could be replaced by leading strings. This is only for 2 - 5 years olds. I did not notice the age gap mentioned in The Tudor Child. Gowns could have a waist seam in the late 16th c. or not. Gowns cut in one piece from neck to hem were not belted. Most paintings show the hem ending at the ankle or just above the toes of the shoe.

The toddler’s gown is made from purple cotton brocade, navy blue raw silk, rabbit fur, synthetic cord, thredwork butons and cotton embroidery floss braid. The cotton brocade is not period, it should be silk; however, it is fire safe and the pattern is the right size and repeat to mimic the inspiration painting, and it’s purple like the gown in the National Trust Collection. Rabbit fur was very common for children’s clothing of all social classes, and the black/gray is a close match to the inspiration painting. Edging vs. fully lining saved time and materials, but most importantly it cut down on the weight. Raw silk is taking the place of the silk shag, but will be warm and comfortable.

Since the gown in Patterns of Fashion 3, p. 98 is dated 1608, I had to make adjustments to match the 1570’s inspiration image better. I missed a critical cut to the sleeves, but the finished garment is similar to other toddler gowns of the 1560’s and 70’s. I made several style variations to the master pattern; short sleeves, leading strings, tabs and two different hanging sleeves as well as a few different necklines.

The long seams were sewn on the machine and the lining, fabric and cord were all machine basted for time considerations. The cord was hand finished. The lining was hand stitched on the sleeve slits and the center back hem.
 

Threadwork buttons are made from cotton embroidery floss over wooden beads. I started with Gunterman’s silk thread, but realized that I did not have time or funds for that fine material. Cotton embroidery floss was closer to the thickness and look of period silk thread, took ¼ of the yardage and each button was finished in an hour vs. the three that silk would have taken (I have since learned that I could have purchased DMC's silk embroidery floss, but I'd already blown the budget, so there it is). 18 buttons took 6 skeins of floss. To make them I cut a long string, left an 8” tail, made 8 spokes and then wrapped the thread around each until the button was covered. Tails were braided and knotted, and the 1.5” shanks were stitched secure and the remainder passed through the hole to the front and clipped.

The button loops were made from three different colors of embroidery floss braided together. The National Trust robe has similar loops. Each loop is 2.75” long with 1” between and 2” between each group of 3.
Buttons and loops were stitched on with embroidery floss. I did not have enough to wrap the shanks, but fortunately they are covered by the fur.

I cut the rabbit fur into 1.5” strips with the fur facing the trim. When cutting fur it is critical to only cut the leather and not the hair on the other side. Hair that has to be trimmed away can be cut with scissors later.
When joining the strips, I did trim the hair away from one edge to reduce bulk on the seam.
The entire outer edge of the coat, the cuffs and the sleeve openings are edged in rabbit fur. This was hand sewn with cotton thread as the silk was cutting the leather.

I should have padded the edges better because rabbit is notorious for breaking where it bends. I did not count how many hides I used, and I recycled a few from other garments. When sewing rabbit, it is important to use large stitches, as short stitches will break the leather. Machine sewing will weaken it.
 
After each join, I pulled the fur out from under the stitches to hide them.
On a side note, American rabbit is best to work with, Chinese is the worst. I used both here and there is a marked difference in the quality of the fur. Chinese is very, very brittle; and it stinks.  Buy garment quality furs, there is a difference between that and toy or decorator's fur. 
I picked out the machine basting on the armholes and backstitched the sleeves in place with heavy linen thread. I then turned the lining under and whip stitched that in place with cotton thread.
If I have time during War Week I will cover the raw edge of the fur with silk ribbon (I did not). I found very little information on how this was finished in period, and have always turned it under or covered it with the lining. This was not an option here as the skin was too brittle.