Viking weekend, Archeon

The weather during our summer vacation hadn't been great. So we were really happy that we had nice and sunny weather when we where in the Archeon.

Our home away from home.

We where standing in the Roman area of the Archeon.

Our son working on his reflexes.

But he prefers to do this!

And got me infected with the virus as well.

My husband made me a quiver based on viking era finds from haithabu.

Nalebinding another pair of socks.

Finally a picture of us together!
And a really nice one to boot.

Made by Dajana Heremic - Fine Art & Craftsmanship

IJsselfestival Zutphen

Summer hasn't arrived yet in the Netherlands. What we have at the moment is better described as the rainy or monsoon season. Considering this, the wetter on at the IJsselfestival wasn't too bad. We had some rain but it didn't rain all day and it wasn't the type of rain where you feel like the sky is falling down. Something we had a few days prior to this event. Big bonus, we could still walk around without our feet sinking into the mud. So we actually had a good day. If the weather stays bad for longer periods of time you just lower your expectations! Although I am quite fed up.
The weather forecast was one of the reasons why our son didn't join us. It's the end of the school year and he was studying for some final tests of the year. It did pay off, some of his grades are back and they are pretty good. We where fortunate to have friends of another sibbe join us for the day and across the field there was another sibbe of good friends. So we weren't lonely!

Time for some photographic evidence!

Our banner.

My husbands wood carving always attracks a lot of attention.

As does arrow making!

Ofcourse both ladies were nalebinding. 

I have a pair of socks that I have to finish!

Preparing meals was a important part of daily life 

and the public always loves to see it. 

This is why I'v started to prepare authentic meals at events.

I'm still very much a beginner but I do enjoy it.

I wasn't too fond of the taste of the dish I prepared but the others liked it and I came down with some stupid virus that evening. So that is probably the reason why I didn't like it. Still I would be nice to have more recipes, currently I am using the Viking Cookbook which is nice.

http://www.trollshop.net/produktinfo/bookreviews/viking-cookbook.htm

An early meal sounds really nice as well but it is quite expensive. Do any of you have it and what is your experience with it? 

It;s sold out in a lot of place but it's still available at:

http://www.spa-uitgevers.nl/ (The Netherlands)

Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Vikingmarket Schothorst Amersfoort

The early medieval has been really growing the last couple of years. This year it had almost doubled in size compared to last year. Still it manages to keep the relaxed and friendly atmosphere it is famous for.

It was really warm about 26C, which is warm for Dutch standards. So most of us, including me, choose to wear only our linens during the warm hours of the days. While others frowned upon it and wore a woollen layer as well.

I am not from the early middle ages so I can't tell which option is the most authentic. For me it was common sense to wear only a (sleeveless) linen tunic during the warmest hours of the day. I have been sick from the heat before and I was trying to avoid getting sick again. In my humble opinion our ancestors would have been just as practical.

I did however miss my apron dress because al my nice vikingbling is attached to it and without it I did feel kind of boring and plain looking. I am a peacock, I can't help it.

Usually I forget my straw sunhat. We have many more wet events during a year than warm and sunny ones but I was really happy that I did bring it. It really helps keeping a cool head.

We had such a good time that we didn't get around to making a lot of pictures.

Viking market and the Rangers Apprentice Days at the Archeon.

Due to circumstances my husband and I weren't looking forward to our first event of the year. We even thought of not going but our son really wanted to go. So ofcourse we went!
Not much kids his age still voluntarily join their parents in the weird hobby living history basically is. So if the brat wants to go and it is humanily possible, you go. End of discussion (for us that is).

Our decision to go was blessed with great weather and the company of our wonderful friends. I ended up being really happy we went.

Our kids playing with the wooden canoes after closing,

one of the reasons our son loves to go so much!

Keeping an eye on the kids.

Even doing chores is fun here.

And yes even I agree with that..

Here I am nalebinding yet another pair of socks

because my son has outgrown all of his.

But the very best thing of this event was...

Meeting the author of the Ranger's Apprentice

and Brotherband and getting an autograph 

in a his lastest book.

Mr. Flanagan turned out to be not only a wonderful writer

but also a very nice person. 

First event

Our first event this year Dag van het Park (Day of the Park)  at Capelle aan de IJssel was blessed with beautiful weather and the company of friends.

My son loves all, well most, creatures great and small.

So he was really happy when he got a chance to hold Pjort,

the little owl from Stephan and Diana from http://www.widoeghe.nl/

I spend most of the day nalebinding socks

 for my husband.

Ofcourse I was delighted when I got a chance to hold

Pjotr as well

Our next event will be an early medieval/viking event at whitsun in the Archeon. I am currently working on a new clothes for my son. He has grown quite a bit since the end of the re-enactment season, last year. And  is almost as tall as me now.

After the Archeon, Castle House Bergh will be next on our list! 

Autumn colors

I always feel a bit sad when I put away my summer dresses in storage and take out the autumn and winter (and often a large part of spring) clothing. But I do love the colors of autumn, so when I came across this yarn I immediately fell in love.

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I had been wanting to do some broomstick lace crochet for a long time but was scared of because the technique looked quite complicated. When I saw this yarn the idea of making a simple broomstick lace scarf popped up in my mind again. On Ravelery I found this wonderful tutorial in English and Dutch, although I read English fairly well, I do prefer a tutorial in Dutch when I am learning a new skill.

I started on the scarf yesterday, while I have a lot of costuming projects, with deadlines approaching fast and household chores that needed to be done as well. I managed to do most of them and still work on the scarf as well. I am happy!

The other project I am working on is a combination of cuirass and french vest bodice for a friend.We do not have enough of the lovely petrol blue velvet for a cuirass bodice, so I am trying to combine it with a vest bodice. Alas the vest bodice pattern is cut several sizes too small, so that is why I am using the cuirass bodice pattern as well. It's one of those projects that seemed simple enough at first but is much more complicated than I thought. On the other hand I do like a challange!

The other project is a 1840's work dress for myself, both projects need to be completed at the beginning of December.

My viking hangerock or pinafore or apron dress had become pale after wearing it for a few years. As it is still fine, it has only one patch to cover up a burn hole. I decided to dye it again to refresh the color.

Here you can see how much the color has faded. The darker band is normally covered by my tabletwoven band, protecting the color from light. It has been dyed with union skins which is know for it's light sensity. 

The apron turned out darker than I had planned, next time when refreshing a color, I will use half of the original amount of dyestuff. The silk scarf, woollen yarn and small patches of wool fabric are from the second dyebath. The small patches where to try if the woollen fabric I bought a few months ago where dyeable with natural dyes.

I also finished my husbands woollen viking nalebound socks, that I started on during the vikingmarket in the Archeon.! Which means I can cross one of my winter projects of the list.

I also made these two cute amiguri owls!

The yellow one is made with Baby owl ornaments by Josephine Wu. And the blue one with the Confused owl by Karissa Cole

So I finished a lot of projects but also started a lot of new ones. 

Vikingmarket Archeon

Our son making bone dice. 

He was gone most of the time playing with his friends,

 only to resurface at mealtimes. 

Because we where there for four days I actually got a lot of crafts done.

I hemmed a white linen undertunic, sewed a tabletwoven band to my, finally, finished

hand sewn green woollen tunic and did some nalebinding.

Nalebinding socks for my husband. 

Didn't finish them so I'll have to finish them at home.

He really needs a second pair of socks!

Wood carving 

Making salad with fresh chard, unions, fennel, radishes and honey

Our camp.

We had the times of our lives, the weather was great, the company was wonderful and the atmosphere almost stress free. (No rain helps an awful lot). At night the kids swam and played with the canoes. We walked barefoot for most of the time and picked blackberries.
Too bad that reality kicked in yesterday when my son had his first day of school and for me there was ofcourse the laundry!

I was really sad because this was my last, early medieval, event for this year. But there is going to be a blue dyeing workshop/event at Schothorst which hopefully I will be able to attend. It will be nice to be around people with the same interest and work on things together.