janewilliams20

 I just got reminded that I'd been intending to get to some of the "Four and Twenty Blackbirds" events, and in particular the one in Spalding on the 1st/2nd of September. August has flown past, and that isn't very far away at all. Early Tudor, I'm told. Time to think through what I've got, what I need, and what the differences are.

Well, I could wear my houpellande, the one I made for Coronation years and years ago. It's early, but I'm a kitchen skivvy, it must be a hand-me-down. Better, though, would be a chemise and kirtle - linen kirtle, by choice, in this sort of weather. I've been pointed at a pic of the sort of thing I need - short sleeves, not too fitted. Yes, I could do that - I drafted a cutting pattern over lunch, planning on raiding the fabric stash when I got home. (At this point my costume-making friends will be nodding, the the others will be going "you what???? Yes. No pattern, I really don't need one for anything this simple. It's a question of attaching rectangles and triangles to each other).

So, once home, I cleared the piles of clothes from the lid of the fabric stash, and went diving. LInen? Yes - but anything heavy enough isn't big enough, and vice versa. I need about 4 yards of 60", and all I've got in that size is underwear-weight white linen, black cotton (why?) heavy wool, silk, or velvet. So I need linen, and I need it fast. Herts Fabrics is an option (though I don't like the £10 delivery charge, I might drive south and visit) or I've left a message with Bernie the Bolt, who's likely to be somewhat cheaper.
Edit: Bernie's daughter does Hitchin market on Tuesdays. So I'd have Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday morning, for sewing. Possible, but tight. I'll email him bakc, and we can have a phone chat tonight.

What else? I raided the drawers of reenactment gear that haven't been looked in for ages. Yes, I have several chemises, and should be able to get into all of them. I have headwear. I have a belt pouch and belt - a rather nice "bollock pouch". Shoes? This may be a problem. I used to have a  very nice pair of Tudor shoes, but lymphodaema meant I couldn't get into them any more, and I'm pretty sure they've been passed on. I can't find them, anyway. Looks like I'll be in Dave's dark age boots, the furry ones. I can't yet find any aprons, but I'm sure there's plenty around, and I can easily run up a fresh one if needed.

If I can be sure of having a solution to the "what to wear" question, then I can try to book accommodation. If that isn't an option, the place is an hour and a half's drive, I'll day-trip - but I'd rather not.

Edit, as a thought occurs: one of those chemises is linen. Quite heavy linen. I could dye that, maybe? It's almost one-piece, though, not quite the right style (C13, I think?), but at least I know there's enough material there.

I have now read the web-site for the Oyster Fayre. It is not "medieval", as I had been told. It is C15-C16. So my plan of using my C13 kit will not do. Me, panic? Well, I did some very brief research into what was for sale in the way of C15-C16 kit, noted the delivery time, then looked at which of the "for sale" options I could probably make in an evening, then emailed clothsprogs, because this is a Costuming issue. He explained why my research had been All Wrong, moved me back a century, and we had Option 1: I make a houppelande in an evening and a half. But there was also Option 2: and after some measuring, and after he phoned me back tonight, that's what we're going for. Tomorrow night, I catch the 18:19 from Biggleswade. It arrives at Finsbury Park at 18:53. There I meet (and hug) clothsprogs, who hands me some Far Isles loaner garb. And I catch the 18:58 back again: or more likely, the 19:28. Home by 20:03. Giving me enough time to pack.

Edit next morning: plan worked, hugs and chat exchanged. Once home, dress proved to be 3" too long. Pinned, ironed, shift tacked up over breakfast this morning, dress may follow suit tonight (probably while I'm there, wearing the C13 that will do for the first night).