(Well!  I just realized I never wrote about the latest demo our group did, which resulted in a finished object for June.

June 4-5 was the Idaho Renaissance Faire in Caldwell, Idaho.  Frustratingly, it coincided with our first triple digit day of the summer, and some truly torturous weather.  The grass was very diligently watered, which kept the site humid as well as hot.  I know most in the SCA have done Pennsic in all its humid glory, and many just got back from fifty year, which sounds like it was also pretty muggy, but for a high desert girl like me, it was really difficult.

We didn't do any dancing, as we often do at demos, because it was too. dang. hot.  I spent most of the day camped out with my distaff and spindle, talking about fiber with people and working on my latest bit of spinning with the period spindle.  I got a bunch of sample fiber with the spindle (pictures here), which I've been spinning up with the intention of weaving a little sampler.  The white was rather kempy/hairy and uncooperative, but the next darkest, the ecru, was very fine and soft.  I think it may  have been alpaca.  I combed it and dressed my distaff, and spun it worsted.  As sometimes happens, my fingers wanted to spin this very thin, so it got thinner and thinner as I went along, and may end up needing to be plied.  I had fun, but man did it take me forever.  I'll nab a photo at some point, and try to work on being consistent.  Just because I *can* spin thread on this thing doesn't mean I have to.

Here's a picture from Saturday (credit: LaJohnna Honey), with my hubby and I looking as hot and sweaty as we felt.  I wore an underdress and sideless surcote the next day (scandalous!) and eschewed the head covering, but still felt pretty wilted by the end.

I was impressed with our group for coming out in the heat, setting up a beautiful area, demonstrating, sharing art, and chatting.  We have some possible new members out of it, and the fighters were amazingly tenacious even in the heat.  Most impressive of all is how quickly we've all learned to drop those pavilions and hit the road.  With eight of us or so we had everyone tidied up, packed, and on the road in less than an hour after the second day.

Coming up: lots of chatter about Gomez's pelican garb, my kirtle, and upcoming events.

Almost a whole month without an update!  I'm terrible.  I have been slacking off even though I have another finished object from May to share, and plenty to talk about as I learn more about 16th century men's garb and work on my friend Don Gomez's outfit for his Pelican elevation.

I haven't had a lot of energy lately, and I kept forgetting to take pictures, which is what really held me up.  

Anyway, here's my other finished project for May, a t-tunic to go with the brown linen trousers I made.  These make pretty serviceable SCA pajamas for cold evenings or morning lounging with a pair of boots, my furry hat, and a belt around the waist.  I've worn the trousers under my dresses for warmth a few times too.

The tunic is very standard, rectangular construction, underarm gussets, small gores at the sides that extend from waist to the bottom hem, which covers my hips for warmth.  I used leftover green linen from Brynjolfr's trousers, hand-hemmed the neckline, sleeves with linen thread, and then did a simple chain stitch embroidery in red cotton (hey, it's what I had, and these are pajamas!) around the sleeves and neckline.  

For sleeping in, I just wore this over a long-sleeved teeshirt.  Obviously, an under-tunic might be better, and I will have leftover linen from my vigil shirt project that might work for that.  I will also probably make a wool over-tunic for more warmth, since I'm always cold at night, no matter what precautions I take.  The hot water bottle I brought to celtic revolt to put in bed with me at night was a stroke of genius though.

If I were to make another of these, and I probably will, I'd taper the sleeves so the openings are smaller and fit closer on the wrist.  I will probably go back and change that at some point, but I haven't bothered yet.

Here are a couple photos with not great lighting.  First is a view of the tunic overall, second is a neckline detail image.