I think you could only suggest that it's suitable for homespun, given the colour and the coarseness. No reason why you shouldn't make sacking out of it though...

Maerwynn

There's a section on construction techniques in Crowfoot, E., F. Pritchard & K. Staniland, 2001. Textiles and Clothing, C. 1150-c. 1450: Boydell Press, pp150-98. Also complete garments from Greenland in Østergård, E., 2004. Woven into the earth : textiles from Norse Greenland, Aarhus; Oxford: Aa...

Don't bother with lustre longwools (e.g. Wensleydale) - they're a post-Agricultural Revolution innovation. A good introduction is the section by Ryder in CBA Research Report no 40 ( Medieval Industries , 1981) - freely available here This is now slightly out of date and more than a little vague but ...

Paul Atkin: reading through several books, i cant find any evidence of loom weights from a warp weighted loom been found in this country after the tenth century, anyone out there know any different?????????????????????? Yup, that's a large part of the evidence for saying that the two-beam loom larg...

Yep, that's the thing, Guthrie. Google is a bit rubbish for finding two-beam looms, also called tubular looms or tapiters looms or vertical looms (and probably other things). There are a few pics here: http://larsdatter.com/weaving.htm . Otherwise head for a library (and possibly an interlibrary loa...

Hi Ariarnia Warp-weighted looms are pretty much out for the 12th century in the UK, sorry. They'd stopped around 900 in towns but linger on till about 1100 here and there, particularly in rural places. In their place were two other loom types: the two-beam loom, which arrived late in the 9th century...

Assuming Carus-Wilson's identification is correct, there's a considerable amount of 2/2 broken diamond twill excavated from Northern Europe. Some at Coppergate , York, some in London , for example. Look in the archaeological reports for pics; these books should be in libraries. It's a cloth-type wit...

More Codex Calixtinus here: http://www.amazon.com/Miracles-Santiago ... B0000007F1.

Maerwynn

At TORM, I spoke to a lovely woman from the Clarences (sorry - rubbish at names :oops:) who was working with Sarah Thursfield, and she mentioned that she was organising a day for all the newbies in the Clarences and other 15th century gangs in the area to get together for a kit making day and a bit ...

why have hats all but disappeared from our society in a matter of decades? Probably in part due to with the advent of central heating and car transport for the masses. Few people now need to be out in the weather for any period, so hats are unnecessary. But it's probably also due to just plain cult...

Oooh, I think I need to go to Carcasonne. That's gorgeous.

Can I nominate the Papal Palace in Avignon or perhaps Aigues-Mortes

Maerwynn

How about this website: http://www.eattheseasons.co.uk/ ? It lists all sorts of exotica but you can just ignore these.

Maerwynn

This is a good resource: http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/

Guess where I got mine? (all of them...)

Maerwynn

When my mum was an au pair to a rather grand Franco-Belgian family in the 70s, their kids never celebrated their birthdays, only their namesake saints' days.

OK, not evidence, but...

Maerwynn

Had the pleasure of meeting Karl at an event some years ago. He is a very nice chap

Oooooh.... wobbly knees here. You lucky thing!

Maerwynn

You look absolutely stunning and I am green with envy

<wipes drool off keyboard>azxscvbnm,.;

Maerwynn

I like the "droning". If sung properly it ain't dull: grab me at a show and ask for a demonstration! Frankly, I'd be doing a mass/office for the music and poetry and nowt else since I don't believe it either, but I do find it aesthetically and intellectually satisfying. So burn me! Maerwynn

Fetchbook (which is awesome: http://www.fetchbook.info/) says Half Value has it

http://www.halfvalue.com/display.jsp?type=book&code=193006408X&associate=fetchbook-20

Maerwynn

I've been thinking about making myself a hood for my Saxon kit for a while, but when I got round to looking at my books I found no evidence at all for them. Anybody know of any? I mean the separate hood, the over-the-head-and-shoulder-cape thingy, rather than a hood attached to clothes like a monk's...

I agree, their behaviour was disgraceful.

Incidentally, what about the acceptability to the church of doing the monastic hours at a show, since they are still used?

On the plus side, as far as I know they don't require a priest though.

Maerwynn

I had always assumed that re-enacting groups were both non religious and non political Yes, the groups are, but every group is attempting to portray accurately a period which had both politics and religion. Recreating the politics doesn't bother people because the issues being argued over are out o...

Aha, Rumbly, I'm getting closer to working out who you are! Fisc isn't full a authenti-team member though she was in training for it. She's definitely attached to the team as a consultant for late Saxon embroidery though - I'm not sure how official this is. Workmonkey: :shock: I read that section of...

Speak to Chloe and especially Fish on the authenti-team in the Vike - PM me for email addresses.

I suspect the answer is to leave it blank. What stitch are you using?

Maerwynn

Go for the Stenton (I like Stenton) and the Campbell (pretty pictures!) which'll probably be more than enough for the summer. The Campbell has an extensive bibliography too. You tend to find that there's nothing between these two (and their ilk) that are general histories, and stuff that focuses on ...

my wall of books:

Waaah! Library porn!

Since you've shown me yours, I'll show you mine... I'll post a pic on Monday. Not very big at the moment because of moving house regularly, but I do have sheet music in it too.

I'm told I do a good Bene Gesserit impression in my wimple

Maerwynn

Thank you, Karen. That looks like something that could be done as an interactive display at a show - extra usefulness!

Maerwynn

So does nobody know how the earlier cords were made at all?

Maerwynn

Tabby weave linen, but I'm afraid I don't know what weight. Fine though.

My long wimple was long enough to go round my head once and tuck into my belt at the back on both sides. Any shorter than that and long wimples are a pain! I much prefer my new half-length one though.

Maerwynn

There are loads of ways of tying a wimple. Unfortunately the two most commonly seen reenactor ways (circular fillet over the wimple like http://www.vikingsonline.org.uk/resources/gallery2006/img_7109.jpg and the headscarf tied at the back of the neck like http://www.vikingsonline.org.uk/resources/ga...

That's right. It's very comfy. In practice I do taper my sleeves towards the wrist. On my last pattern they were 9" deep at the shoulder (cut straight, not curved, and set to a straight edge on the body), about 6" at the elbow, and 4" at the wrist. I have also ( :shock: ) cut the body...