FFF II

Fiber, Fabric and Fighting II

Class Listing

Tablet Weaving

  • Vicountess Rosalind Ashworthe: Tablet Weaving: Twist Patterning
  • Master Herveus d'Ormond: 3/1 Broken Twill Tablet Weaving
  • THL Emmelyne de Marksbury:Were Tabletwoven Edgings Really Tabletwoven?

Embroidery

  • Lord Justin Lymner: Couching
  • Countess Genevieve du Vent Argent: Bayeux Tapestry Technique
  • THL Bridgette Kelly MacLean: Punto Tagliato: Voided Cutwork on Linen
  • Mistress Constance Grey: L'Art du Broiderer - Goldwork
  • Mistress Constance Grey: L'Art du Broiderer - Design Concepts
  • Baroness Elizabeth Talbot: Getting it by the Neck

Braiding

  • Lady Ynes Garcia: Investigating Fingerloop Braids from Natura Exenterata
  • Lady Ynes Garcia: Intermediate Fingerloop Braiding - 1-person, 7-loop braids
  • THL Phiala O'Ceallaigh: Doing it Yourself: Multiperson Fingerloop Braids for the Lone Braider

Spinning

  • THL Emmelyne de Marksbury: Silk Reeling Demonstration
  • THL Phiala O'Ceallaigh: Spun Silver Thread
  • Iseaulte Thomaswyf: Long-draw spinning

Weaving

  • Mistress Cori Ghora: Beginners' Welcome Intro to Harness Weaving
  • Mistress Cori Ghora: Understanding Drafts and Weaving Terminology
  • Mistress Cori Ghora: Math for Weavers

Tapestry Weaving

  • Mistress Alicia Langland: History of Tapestry
  • Patrikia Maria Agrissa Sgourina (aka Mairi): Tapestry Weaving 101
  • Patrikia Maria Agrissa Sgourina (aka Mairi): An Overview of Coptic Tapestry Weaving

Clothing

  • Baroness Elizabeth Talbot: The Many Skills of Clothing Making
  • Leah Janette: Uncommon Clothes in Period Art
  • Mistress Filipia: Sewing Solar (projects/questions)

Other Stringy Arts

  • THL Emmelyne de Marksbury: Accessorize your Documents with Tongues, Tags, and Seals
  • THL Bridgette Kelly MacLean: Intarsia Techniques for Knitting
  • Lady Ursula von Liste: Documenting Dye Sources
  • Cighfa Nimblefingers: Natural Dyeing Practicum
  • Baroness Alexis MacAlister: Basic 3-D Felting
  • Haraldr Bassi: Making Wooden Weaving Tablets
  • Lord Egill the Dane: Fancy Knots
  • Mistress Thora Sharptooth: Fringes Four Ways

Miscellaneous

  • Rosalind Ashworthe / Phiala O'Ceallaigh + anyone else interested: Ice Dragon warm-up

Class descriptions

Basic 3-D Felting
Baroness Alexis MacAlister
Attendees will make a small pouch and will leave with an understanding on making hats, boots and shoes along with felted rugs w/multiple colors felted in.
Fees: $2 for materials and a hand-out
Audience level: basic
Student limit: 15
Time: 1.5 hours

History of Medieval Tapestry
Mistress Alicia Langland
Inspired by the recent novel, "The Lady and the Unicorn," by Tracy Chevalier, this introductory class will attempt to answer some basic questions about medieval tapestries:

  • Who owned them, and why?
  • Who made them, and how?
  • Where can we find out more about them?

No limit (handouts will be available for 15 people).
No fee

Punto Tagliato: Voided Cutwork on Linen
THL Bridgette Kelly MacLean
A form of cut and openwork on linen - dating from the Italian Renaissance and often worked white on white.
Materials to bring: a small pair of needle pointed scissors.
Fees: ? Instructor will provide 10x10 linen squares with sampler drawn on it for 7 students, Along with needles and thread.
Handouts will also be available for up to 12 people.
Time: 1 hour

Intarsia Techniques for knitting
THL Bridgette Kelly MacLean
Bring your needles and some yarn and learn how to get both hands into the act, knitting with two colors in the round (sometimes more) - Also a discussion of Intarsia usage in pre-1600 knitting.
Time: 1 hour on Saturday afternoon (1pm?) followed by an informal knitting session
Student limit: 5, but auditors welcome
Audience level: intermediate
Materials: Bring a set of needles (4-5 dpns) and two (at least) colors of yarn

Natural Dyeing Practicum
Cighfa Nimblefingers
Hands-on mordanting and dyeing. Bring yarn to throw in the vats. Time: 1 hour intro session on Saturday morning, with followup throughout the day.
Fee: none

L'Art du Broiderer - Design Concepts
Mistress Constance Grey
Tired of the same old knotwork? Want something really great to work on? Learn to work from medieval sources to develop and personalize your embroidery. This class examines how to find and develop a concept and how to plan a custom embroidery and discusses planning details of thread and fabric weights, specialty applications and matching the type and style of embroidery to the project. This class assumes some experience with embroidery, but you don't have to be able to draw!
No class limit, first 20 people get the handout.

L'Art du Broiderer - Goldwork
Mistress Constance Grey
Ready to go for the gold? This class looks at period goldwork techniques and application. Come see real gold thread and the affordable counterparts, learn tips and tricks for applying gold and talk about appropriate ways to incorporate gold into your embroidery. This class assumes a good comfort level with standard embroidery stitches and techniques.
No class limit, first 20 people get the handout.

Intro to Horizontal Weaving - 4 shaft loom - Hands on
Mistress Cori Ghora
Will include warping:

  1. measuring a warp
  2. sleying the reed
  3. threading the heddles
  4. tie-up
  5. beaming the warp

basic weaving:

  1. working the foot pedals
  2. tabby
  3. some twill variations

and removing a woven fabric from the loom.
Students will see and do all steps of physically placing the thread on the loom and weaving it off. The class will cover the basics and get the students started. The loom will be available through the rest of the day for students to weave their sample.
Class limit: 6 (maybe more if there's interest)
Class cost: $5.00

Intro to Horizontal Weaving - 4 shaft loom - Theory
Mistress Cori Ghora
The basics of weaving on a horizontal loom with special attention to a basic four shaft loom. Brief discussion of how a loom works and most of the class will cover drafts and what those weird graph paper patterns mean. How to draw down a pattern and, if time permits, how to draft a pattern from fabric.
Class limit: no limit
Class cost: $1.00

"Why do I have three skeins left over?" Or MATH (ick) for fiber artists.
Mistress Cori Ghora
Covers general fiber math and some specific areas: Spinning, Weaving, Knitting, Fabric, maybe more. This class will attempt to take the fear out of fiber numbers, help artists better plan their projects and answer some common questions (like "what does that number on my cotton thread mean?")
Class limit: no limit
Class cost: $1.00

Fancy Knots
Lord Egill the Dane
The Double Boatswain's Whistle Knot, aka. The Chinese Button Knot, and the Turks Head Knot can appear identical at first glance. I will teach the Button knot and one variety of Turks Head. This should be a fun and useful comparative study. This class is to help those doing fiber research, as many fancy knots are lumped under the title of "Turks Head" and Museums are rather fussy about dismantling things. Hopefully the students will be armed with some knowledge on knots helpful in future research and reconstruction -- a start anyway.
Handouts will be available.
Time: 1 hour
Class limit: ?

The Many Skills of Clothing Making
Baroness Elizabeth Talbot
A class that addresses period clothing construction by breaking it down into the various separate skills that go into making a cohesive outfit. I'll identify these skills then talk a little about each of them and their effects on the overall outfit, using some of my own gowns as illustrations of these ideas. The ideas discussed are relevant to any period, and can be of use to any level of experience.
Time: 1 hour on Saturday
Fee: none
Class limit: none

Getting it By the Neck
Baroness Elizabeth Talbot
How to rework a straight embroidery pattern to go around a neckline, and some useful tools for the process. Plus a little bit about neckholes and fitting them, just because it's useful to know.
Time: 1 hour on Saturday
Fee: $3.00 charge for the handout
Student limit: none

Accessorize your Documents with Tongues, Tags, and Seals
THL Emmelyne de Marksbury
Learn a variety of durable, beautiful, period methods for affixing seals to documents. Discussion and light hands-on.
Time: 1 hour on Saturday
Student limit: 10
Audience level: Appropriate for all levels and interests, from scribal to string.
Fees: No fee, but a tiny donation is welcome for worksheet and string.

Were Tabletwoven Edgings Really Tabletwoven?
THL Emmelyne de Marksbury
Explore the evidence for two different techniques for making edgings on clothing, and try them both out.
Time: 1 hour on Saturday
Student limit: 6
Audience level: Appropriate for all levels and interests. No experience with tabletweaving is needed.
Fees: $1.00 donation is appreciated for handout, tablets, string, needle and fabric.

Bayeaux Tapestry Embroidery
Countess Genevieve du Vent Argent
Hands-on embroidery class, learn the embroidery stitches which were used in making the Bayeaux Tapestry: laid and couched stitch and outline stitch. Kit includes wool embroidery thread, a needle, linen fabric with a design to embroider. Hoops and scissors are available to borrow or bring your own.
Time: 1.5 hour on Saturday morning, possibly followed by open embroidery workshop Saturday afternoon
Student limit: 10 kits, people may also sit in.
Fees: $3 fee for kit; handouts available

Making Wooden Weaving Tablets
Haraldr Bassi
Students will make wooden weaving tablets using various hand tools. Discusion of different methods and materials as well as hands on making tablets that anone can duplicate with commonly available tools and materials. Materials fee will be based upon class size as the goal is to send as many tablets home with students as possible.
Time: 1 hour
Fees: a few dollars per dozen tablets, depending on attendance

3/1 Broken Twill Tablet Weaving
Master Herveus d'Ormonde
3/1 broken twill double-face tablet weaving allows designs with strong diagonal elements. This class will present some historical information, along with discussion of theory, structure, and drafting patterns. The transition to and from 3/1 repp will also be covered. There will be time for drafting a pattern and weaving at least some of it. A two-color warp of about twenty cards will be sufficient. Simple looms with practice warps will be available for use or purchase.
Auditors welcome.

Long-draw spinning
Iseaulte Thomaswyf
In this class spinners will learn the basics of the long draw and use of a quill wheel (Charka or Great Wheel) and support spindle. We will be using fine wool, silk, and cotton.
I will also be available in the evening to tutor students who want to improve their drop spindling and wheel spinning techniques. I will have some fiber and a limited number of spindles and my wheels available for folks to try.
This is an Advanced class limited to 4 students. Observers are welcome.
No fee, but spindles will be available for sale after class

Couching
Lord Justin Lymner\

  1. See: COUCH . 2. A method of embroider consisting of gold threads laid on the surface of the cloth and held down by threads of bright red silk coming from theback of the material. Ancient methods of couching were numerous, with zig-zags, wave patterns, and all manners of diapers being produced by the position and arrangement of the stitches that controlled the gold thread.
    Couching
    As per the definition above couching is generally though of as being a period way of using metallic threads; this was because the metallic threads were too precious and to fragile to be used in other methods of embroidery. However, couching was also used for non-metallics. A prime medieval example of this is the Bayeux Tapestry. This class will be presentation, with the possibility of some limited hands on.

Uncommon Clothes in Period Art
Leah Janette
A slide show of over 200 images of women wearing styles of clothing
not ordinarily seen in the SCA
Time: 2 hours on Saturday afternoon
Student limit: none
Fee: none for black and white handouts, a limited number of color handouts will be available for $2

An Overview of Coptic Tapestry Weaving
Patrikia Maria Agrissa Sgourina (aka Mairi)
There are numerous extant examples of tapestry weaving from Egypt from about the 3rd century to the 7th or 8th century. This class will look at numerous extant examples and discuss the distinctive elements of Coptic tapestry weaving, as well as the techniques and equipment used to achieve them.
Time: 1 hour
Fees: none

Tapestry Weaving 101
Patrikia Maria Agrissa Sgourina (aka Mairi)
An introduction to tapestry weaving techniques, concentrating on basic techniques of joining colors together. Materials will be available for five students (with a materials fee of $7.50 if you want to take them home with you), but more than that number are welcome to participate and learn.
Time: 1 hour
Fees: $7.50 to keep materials
Student limit: 5, but auditors welcome

Spun Silver Thread
THL Phiala O'Ceallaigh
Medieval metallics were frequently made from a thin strip of metal wound around a silk core. Experiment with spinning silver for brocading, embroidery, etc. The real thing adds that glitz to your projects!
Time: 1 hour on Saturday
Fees: $2 for silver and silk (may be changed)
Student limit: 6, but auditors welcome

Doing it Yourself: Multiperson Fingerloop Braids for the Lone Braider
THL Phiala O'Ceallaigh
Tricks for managing many loops, and hints for applying them.
Time: 1.5 hour, plus practice time in the evening
Fees: None
Student limit: 10
Audience level: intermediate to advanced

Vicountess Rosalind Ashworthe
Tablet Weaving: Twist Patterning
Learn a technique to pattern your tablet weaving, only using one color. And get to play with silk!
Time: 1 hour
Fees: $1 pre-threaded cards provided
Student limit: 6
Audience level: beginner to intermediate

Mistress Thora Sharptooth
Fringes Four Ways
Looking for a way to add documentable string complexity to a sewing or embroidery project? Learn to work freestanding strips of fringe four different ways (rigid heddle, tablets, and two finger-manipulated methods) for use on banners, pillows, hangings, towels, and the like. Demo and hands-on.
Time: 1 hour
Fees: none; materials provided. If possible, you can help by bringing scissors, C clamps, and/or some yarn you'd like to use for fringe.

Mistress Thora Sharptooth
The Philosophy of Reproduction Textiles, or, 1001 Rationalizations for Playing with String
Roundtable discussion to consider the different motivations for doing what we do, and how our motivations help shape our approaches. The intent is to shine light on our often unrealized assumptions rather than to cast judgment on which motivations are "righter" than any others. The plurality of our approaches ensures a richer set of experiences and outcomes, and it is important for each person to examine his/her motivations *before* putting heart and soul into a project that might not be designed to answer the questions you really want to answer.
Time: TBA
No limit

Vicountess Rosalind Ashworthe and THL Phiala O'Ceallaigh
Ice Dragon Warm-up
We want to see more textiles on display! We know there are many talented artisans in the Kingdom. We can help with inspiration, research, documentation... start now, and be ready by Ice Dragon, or the competition/display of your choice.
Time: As long as people are interested in participating.
No limit, all are welcome.
Bring ideas, works in progress and documentation questions.

Documenting Dye Sources, a place to start
Lady Ursula von Liste The class will cover how to go about researching colors for your time period and location. Bring source ideas and titles to share.
Time: 1 hour on Friday evening
Student limit: 20
Audience level: Begining to Intermediate. Attendees should know dye terminology, such as what a mordant is.
Fees: None

Investigating Fingerloop Braids from Natura Exenterata
Lady Ynes Garcia
This class takes a look at the fingerloop instructions found in the book Natura Exenterata (NE). While NE has been used as a source for medical and knitting history for years, only recently has the loop-manipulation braid community begun looking at this book as a source for fingerloop braiding. See and discuss the patterns and one woman's interpretations of them.
Time: 1 hour
Student limit: 10 students
Audience level: all levels
Fees: none, students get hand-outs and braid samples

Intermediate Fingerloop Braiding: 1-person, 7-loop braids
Lady Ynes Garcia
In this class learn how to work with two loops on one finger to make 7-loop braids. Please bring a copy of Compleat Anachronist #108: Fingerloop Braids if you have one.
Time: 1 hour
Student limit: 5
Audience level: intermediate
Fees: none, students get string for braids