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