Take a Deep Breath...

 Working multiple projects at the same time seems to lead to prevent boredome and create a lot of project progress, but not much in the way of updating my journal! Despite the long silences, I have been working consistently on the following items;

 
“Museum of Bath” style shirt for hubby

Sock patterning (forthe_fin)

Bandoleer stringers for hubby & self

Mending (general gear up-keep)

Gardening (I really need to post an update on this – we have *lots* of seedlings now!)

 

I don’t have photos and info on all these projects online yet, but I did snap some shots of the patterning and the work done on the MoB shirt this weekend.

 

( So here you go! )

Hubby spent the weekend cooking amazing food (filet minon au pouvre and chocolate ganache torte...*yum*) and keeping us all entertained (Gluckhaus after dinner was both cut-throat and fun!) while I was burrowed in with these projects. He *is* fabulous and totally deserves a flash new shirt, even if he's right about it being a little too nice for a regular soldier. He declared a half-dozen times, "You're trying to make an officer out of me!"  Now why would I do that to someone I love?!? *giggle*

The visit with the_fin  and M was a blast - he's got a nice girl there! We did a lot of BSing and just generally enjoyed each others company. the_fin  shared some new music from Idiot Stare that is going to keep our feet tapping for some time to come (when is the rest of the record coming out!?!). M was a lot of fun, great to chat with and didn't blanch when the three 'Ren Geeks' started going off about faire and reenactment. *chuckle* Now that takes tolerance! 

After our company left, the weekend ended with some gun cleaning ("I love the smell of blackpowder in the morning - HooRaa!"), TV catch-up and a nice cuddle. We missed the presence of shadowd1  who was waylaid by a bad back, but we are hoping to catch up with her soon!

I wish I had another two days off! *grin*

Two packets expected in the mail today; one from Jas Townsend, full of their lovely woolen socks (I really need to learn to knit!) and the other from our friend amatilda and her hubby (of  Legendary Costume Works) with our leather bandoleers/shot pouches...I have been forwarned that the leather bits are highly '*squeee* worthy' and that I may wish to don a spare set of undies before opening the package....

*grin*

I finalized the embroidery on the hubby's new shirt last night - he's really worried that it is "too fancy" for a soldier and I had to point out that the embroidery stitch and drawn work were a very simple pattern and didn't scream money. I know he'll be happy to wear it; I just don't want him to be self-conscious about it since he is very concerned with maintaining a 'simple soldier' image. I think the shirt is simple by the standards of the worked shirts of the period, but fancy by the standards of most landsknecht reeneactors. *herm....*

Anywho, once the embroidery was complete I stayed up (until around 1:15 AM) putting the loops on our lean-to/tent tarp for this weekend. It's more of a wind-and-sun block than a tent - but that is all we need!  Hubby had made up the necessary stakes and will be finalizing the uprights today. The whole bundle (including ground cloth and three wool blankets) will be packed into a rough 'back-pack' to be hiked in.

I am really happy with how portable our overall set-up for SRS will be this year!

....

But I am getting too old for this "no sleep" shit....*grin*

Edit: ( Peeectures! )

Not much to report on this front and only one *new* picture (so no cut). I finished off sleeve number one at 12:46 AM last night. One sleeve down, one to go! This morning, I got up before my alarm, did the garden and house chores that are my normal AM routine and then sat down to rework the red thread detail on the updated shirt front.

Got it finished at 7:33 AM - just enough time to throw on some clothes and head to work.

Yes, I showered!

Updated shirt front:


I think it looks much nicer with the double row of drawn thread/stitching on the sides than it did as a singe row...



I have to get the other sleeve done tonight, as well as the roping on my packbasket. That means I will be spending *all* my spare time today and tonight working on these projects...and not studying...for the German test...that is Monday.

*head desk*

EDT: As of 11:47 PM the shirt embroidery is done. Now to assemble the pieces tomorrow and to work on the handsewing over the weekend!

It's OK, I get to drop one score...*le sigh*

Well, I did say I got a lot done this weekend. With the School of the Renaissance Soldier coming up next weekend, I knew that hubby could use a second high collared shirt for the event. His breast plate strap digs into his neck too much for his open necked shirt to work well at any event where his armor is going to see use.

So, I started out with a plan to make a simple version of the JA 'Museum of Bath' shirt. I have made this sort of shirt before for the hubby and he likes them. I already planned to hand-sew the shirt (OK, OK, I am going to machine the straight seams and then french seam by hand). At any rate, this was going to be a very simple linen shirt.

( And then something in my brain went *snap*...be careful, there are a *lot* of photos under here... )
So, the shirt is not so simple anymore - but I am going to be much happier with the results. It should easily be done by Sunday of the event, and gives me something to sew on while we are there. I will have to make him another, simple shirt later...*chuckle*

EDT: Damnitalltohell. I just took another look at the shirt front on my lunch break. I need to pull the stitches on the pulled thread pieces and make another row to match up properly with the collar. Obviously I was running on fumes when I did this part the first time. Thankfully, it is an easy fix and will only set me back abou 30 minutes of work!

EDT2 (4/14/09): Shirt front re-prepped and ready for embroidery tonight!