tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55579728365555594232024-03-05T09:49:40.615-05:00WynmerestowWynmerestow - a step back into the 11th century. A small but dedicated group, we are building a longhall and other buildings as we practice experimental archaeology in crafts, arts, sciences and technologies of 1000CE.Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07049476969325691637noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557972836555559423.post-85494178741150724802011-09-19T09:25:00.000-04:002011-09-19T09:25:03.242-04:00Demo and Cool Experiments.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBMESoCcPkDMPaKLZOT0ldd-Hu8JIWjv4jmHoKZe9af4KfVwSHfeJgyGVpwb3CPzVeWSgtSOwQdZXaMl1dBFfVNvqrshyNmZQa31VSD4gRsheTyGfAd6VknbBCWOhSb4OX1aYPzWnAdw/s1600/tripod.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBMESoCcPkDMPaKLZOT0ldd-Hu8JIWjv4jmHoKZe9af4KfVwSHfeJgyGVpwb3CPzVeWSgtSOwQdZXaMl1dBFfVNvqrshyNmZQa31VSD4gRsheTyGfAd6VknbBCWOhSb4OX1aYPzWnAdw/s200/tripod.JPG" width="200" /></a>This weekend, our group participated in a fabulous Norse themed event. Our main themes of the weekend were early period cooking and wood turning. We had two cooking fires going, an impromptu totally non-period bread oven experiment and a pole lathe, with a very patient wood turner who spent oodles of time showing people how to use the pole lathe and letting a myriad of kidlets have a turn using foot power to turn the lathe.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeb3z3l5FZ74PurjNodE60G_oCjzlNJAteBJWGkvMB3_eLWgtA5gq9hUtSQS1JVUIHiOwPqmXyXj4EaLi2MuTcE91ch_Am0dOefbC3TLCvY0g4K2RdKZzNXaEN2Liek0x7ycmIN9bxbo/s1600/flat+bread.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeb3z3l5FZ74PurjNodE60G_oCjzlNJAteBJWGkvMB3_eLWgtA5gq9hUtSQS1JVUIHiOwPqmXyXj4EaLi2MuTcE91ch_Am0dOefbC3TLCvY0g4K2RdKZzNXaEN2Liek0x7ycmIN9bxbo/s200/flat+bread.JPG" width="200" /></a>We had pots one one fire for boiling water, heating cider, cooking veggies, making stew and frying sausages. The second fire started off with a dye pot, but reality is that I can either dye or make bread and never had enough time for both. Quickly, the dye pot was removed and we kept the flat breads cooking and the spit soon held a huge roast beef for our dinner.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiH2Y2nzcuvCJ_m5YHxJvq3jjIh4gwTlXIikfhJlRFfvXR3LXBM2ERe6GP99Kg8kVYNkgD2WHjO4956avtLsUaCSfliTwq95Oacs_9t-uU997DNU78haQD4bW0AaRtOKfPzO4_al9oeoY/s1600/bread+oven.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiH2Y2nzcuvCJ_m5YHxJvq3jjIh4gwTlXIikfhJlRFfvXR3LXBM2ERe6GP99Kg8kVYNkgD2WHjO4956avtLsUaCSfliTwq95Oacs_9t-uU997DNU78haQD4bW0AaRtOKfPzO4_al9oeoY/s200/bread+oven.JPG" width="200" /></a>The bread oven was definitely a modern construct. The land owners had hoped to make a real cob oven, but didn't have the time to get it done this summer. Instead, they found all these materials for us to make a temporary oven with, which we had to play with. This type of oven uses residual heat to cook with. It took over 4 hours to get the oven hot enough. We then scraped out the fire, cleaned off the ash and promptly stuck a loaf of bread dough in, forgetting the "soak" period or the timing in which the oven temperatures get to even out. The first loaf burnt to a crisp on the outside, but the inside was devoured quite quickly by people waiting to see our results. The next 3 loaves cooked nicely, taking slightly more time than each previous loaf. There wasn't enough heat to do multiple continuous baking like a true cob oven would hold, but enough for 3 loaves of bread was a pretty exciting result.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAsmTuEHEH1wH_aZNmJMmTUMGV_4WqeoxCWNF9DUEfL1lntfHuXc7Os1fBWllFEks5IpgUsB6RmC7jyzDymwbB5uB0XwWwdpstb2jUVqo-9deenazPjcjwCDOdxhAfAI8kIzFOo-NzUc/s1600/bread+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAsmTuEHEH1wH_aZNmJMmTUMGV_4WqeoxCWNF9DUEfL1lntfHuXc7Os1fBWllFEks5IpgUsB6RmC7jyzDymwbB5uB0XwWwdpstb2jUVqo-9deenazPjcjwCDOdxhAfAI8kIzFOo-NzUc/s200/bread+1.JPG" width="200" /></a> It was a very cool experiment. We learned a lot from this and will be able to adjust our own cob oven in the future. It was suggested by one member that we should have two doors. None of the period examples I've seen have two doors and it is pretty obvious that we can't afford to lose the amount of heat that having two doors would entail. We lost enough just opening the one door and removing a loaf. Another member suggested a long and fairly tall prototype, which I think won't work as well either. This experiment gave rise to lower and rounder ideas, which is what we see in the outdoor bread ovens still in use today.Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07049476969325691637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557972836555559423.post-91211171886432566862011-07-22T13:25:00.002-04:002011-07-22T13:37:13.311-04:00Rafters go up!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFyn1XBiMhWcl8xux2IqQfMuRmKl4arvN3sKW_jiyOSUnonI4oT1hywoiECGpuOcsudvHf21cKsHsAUGcUUMD2YdiY80wEqypaRl1nuoCFVEIssbY86HdPJIdk1SHHT8NMpgMn1g-CfrCF/s1600/026.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFyn1XBiMhWcl8xux2IqQfMuRmKl4arvN3sKW_jiyOSUnonI4oT1hywoiECGpuOcsudvHf21cKsHsAUGcUUMD2YdiY80wEqypaRl1nuoCFVEIssbY86HdPJIdk1SHHT8NMpgMn1g-CfrCF/s320/026.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632232043591272306" border="0" /></a><br />Thanks to our friends in Torvik, we managed to get all of the wall plates and ridge pole, as well as half the rafters on the new kitchen!<br /><br />Despite the heat we had one of the largest crews we've ever had. As a result the work went very quickly. We had people placing the rafters, others were nailing them in place, and still others were using the chainsaw to cut the rafters into shape.<br /><br />Much of the time was also spent making the half laps in the wall plates. Lots of people got to play with the chisel and mallet to get the shape just so. Mark's mallet took quite the beating (literally) and looks like its been through a war zone!<br /><br />Thanks again for all the help guys, hope to see you soon.<br /><br />BethRy;ynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08221225089282818876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557972836555559423.post-84305620046894152322011-06-20T08:56:00.000-04:002011-06-20T08:56:13.928-04:00Stooks<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZqDRNsQmFYo8ewTHMLWttCmBM1WFZJbiLPdYdkRpS0y8XvEtvcR_rHA4wfLSQi630LU6ouAY_GgUSXg0DbBbkkJEIcLl51rBu4A8Oou43H_Iu6IJCisLY53hhhhPuXqyRLWZA7q7EFU/s1600/longhall+stooks1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZqDRNsQmFYo8ewTHMLWttCmBM1WFZJbiLPdYdkRpS0y8XvEtvcR_rHA4wfLSQi630LU6ouAY_GgUSXg0DbBbkkJEIcLl51rBu4A8Oou43H_Iu6IJCisLY53hhhhPuXqyRLWZA7q7EFU/s200/longhall+stooks1.JPG" width="132" /></a>On Sunday, we were finally able to get to the longhall. We were warned the grass was over knee high. I believe however that it grew between that warning and when we got there as really, it was thigh high grass. One of the members brought a scythe and a sickle. Later in the afternoon, a second scythe arrived. The grass was cut, placed into nice piles. We then made stooks or shocks of the grass, so it would dry nicely. The owners of the farm are sheep farmers and will be able to use our hay stooks for feeding the sheep this winter.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ8recKf8QrryssGWf83Dy7weO1Da4247W1rhETXIsdPMezrOcPb6Pcla6Y_2ycfXcI7JSzi04u_a9KSmeR9hbNE90rDjcBI4GBryQd3D9lxXCq6Rv053eAXiJyI2SqPqLYz62ku3RHBw/s1600/longhall+stooks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ8recKf8QrryssGWf83Dy7weO1Da4247W1rhETXIsdPMezrOcPb6Pcla6Y_2ycfXcI7JSzi04u_a9KSmeR9hbNE90rDjcBI4GBryQd3D9lxXCq6Rv053eAXiJyI2SqPqLYz62ku3RHBw/s320/longhall+stooks.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>One of our members took a course on how to make a cob oven. We've had plans for one in our kitchen area. The skeletal frame is up and we're ready to put the roof on. With a tape measure and some innovative thinking, we figured out where the best place for the oven will be. Now we just have to figure out how high to make our tables/work surfaces. We had waist high in mind. That however turns out to mean very different things to different people.. 31 inches for me and 45 inches for our tallest members. We're still working on that one!Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07049476969325691637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557972836555559423.post-6275696996824174992011-03-27T21:21:00.000-04:002011-03-27T21:21:41.274-04:00More Bayeux Stitching<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1rHc30I9TwwZMoUlNZbhCIux3HtIiX1YhS4fcAVaSjtHNECOoZF4yQFcYdUDbst9Gt0mFxj1XDezbBob1tMyYdxLcbZW4q3r3zcokOFf2nksJMY4rlCGX5LO_1C0AA5kg3npRO56YB8/s1600/blue+horse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1rHc30I9TwwZMoUlNZbhCIux3HtIiX1YhS4fcAVaSjtHNECOoZF4yQFcYdUDbst9Gt0mFxj1XDezbBob1tMyYdxLcbZW4q3r3zcokOFf2nksJMY4rlCGX5LO_1C0AA5kg3npRO56YB8/s320/blue+horse.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NkgZa302OOker-MEVNFTYRhmnTskuVPFB8mbTITr8q8nDAAHzKYEf2Bsod3LsZxiHYCZyCU2pZjYTJ3cTQc2FGrep68JUTXIDYUNtQ-JeaZa-8kC4uXctAwi9ItOjzrmU9tokvrFkvc/s1600/bayeux+bag.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NkgZa302OOker-MEVNFTYRhmnTskuVPFB8mbTITr8q8nDAAHzKYEf2Bsod3LsZxiHYCZyCU2pZjYTJ3cTQc2FGrep68JUTXIDYUNtQ-JeaZa-8kC4uXctAwi9ItOjzrmU9tokvrFkvc/s320/bayeux+bag.JPG" width="320" /></a>This is the final creature on the set of cuffs previously posted. They are ready to sew on the new gown! They will be machine washable due to using superwash wool, which will be a nice convenience. The yarn is very thin so it took quite a while to embroider the two cuffs, with only 3 creatures on each cuff. Imagine how pleased I was with my speed when my next two projects seem to speed along, despite one of them being a some what larger design! <br />
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Yes, this one is larger than the blue horse. However when I thought about it, the decrease in embroidery time wasn't really that much. First my threads are a tad thicker, so better coverage but I also forgot to track a couple of days time, so who knows, it may have taken more hours, although I doubt it. The little green linen bag has a handspun, wool lucet cord drawstring, is lined with an oatmeal coloured linen and is mainly stitched with linen thread.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZiPkUbyW542WJ7Y1YbNBnBxiVkzjV_qpMDGB8IF8PJOpsXQ6bNOGdJWu592IhB1MJr5In8nhNbhjlx4WEZ9LlvfR9DzPIElwgWE_3jKd5t-lggEp-CscBSiiQUbG3WhT7vPfo7StpuKo/s1600/bayeux+dogs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZiPkUbyW542WJ7Y1YbNBnBxiVkzjV_qpMDGB8IF8PJOpsXQ6bNOGdJWu592IhB1MJr5In8nhNbhjlx4WEZ9LlvfR9DzPIElwgWE_3jKd5t-lggEp-CscBSiiQUbG3WhT7vPfo7StpuKo/s320/bayeux+dogs.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>For some reason I keep thinking of these creatures as dogs although I think they may actually be lions. There are a couple of different maned creatures/cats on the Bayeux Tapestry borders. One set of them looks an awful lot like real male lions, with full manes. These are perhaps representative of lions, although I keep saying dogs when I look at them! The first one I stitched is green and the second will be dark blue. The linen I used here is coarser. I won't do that again. The stitches pull against the linen more easily, so you have to be much more careful when stitching. <br />
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The next step in this project will be to spin and dye some wool yarns for a future tapestry / wall hanging for our Longhouse. Of course it won't live there, but I can bring it out when we go to play.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07049476969325691637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557972836555559423.post-76065478542171026332011-03-03T13:53:00.000-05:002011-03-03T13:53:07.730-05:00Bayeux StitchI'm making a pair of cuffs for a new gown. Normally I tend to wear working woman's clothing because I like to play around with dye pots, bread making, cooking fires, spinning and weaving. If I get a stain on a washable kitchen tunic, I don't tend to care. This gown will be a little bit nicer, yet not by any means high status. It's a madder pink colour and will have grey/buff linen embroidered cuffs. Possibly an embroidered neckline too, but I may get distracted by then so I'm only focusing on the cuffs, mainly because cuffs will show whereas if I'm wearing a veil, the embroidered neckline probably won't. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYPMOQlvCHQMlXAaGQ-asMvLSzOg74yanZJvha0Xi8ER_Pz-EOMXtCcVS9Q2g2KxoQjUhsv_VloLjc0j8KsWN4dptrPKCmwXn-OXLXG2AzGNajqrfiVZsV74qw_1-1f_4meg87CKZ1gk/s1600/bayeux+cuffs+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYPMOQlvCHQMlXAaGQ-asMvLSzOg74yanZJvha0Xi8ER_Pz-EOMXtCcVS9Q2g2KxoQjUhsv_VloLjc0j8KsWN4dptrPKCmwXn-OXLXG2AzGNajqrfiVZsV74qw_1-1f_4meg87CKZ1gk/s320/bayeux+cuffs+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I'm using the Bayeux stitch for the embroidery. I like the Bayeux stitch, which is my main reasoning for this, although it is a good, Anglo-Saxon embroidery stitch. There isn't a lot of evidence it was used on clothing but 68 metres or so of<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayeux_Tapestry"> evidence</a> that it was at least used.. The threads are wools. I didn't dye or spin these. They are commercial yarns that are pure wool but machine washable for convenience. The centre beasts are not only reversed but the colours will be reversed as well, with one being black with white and the second being white with black. I might actually get this dress done in time for an in kit day sometime this coming spring or summer.Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07049476969325691637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557972836555559423.post-2138514446058169472010-12-09T13:16:00.000-05:002010-12-09T13:16:21.805-05:00Hood Project Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9OiDLehagUcGlUecJwlyQPh16nVYLxOh-CN5JHnT35ojmcObRXntIm4Wf5kzHzUZtQNgOK39wEr6nCMHRvw4yOzvkrU8tL_WWNHbDEuLTLKTBmUHfvWlF3lOEY_ZHxn8YlBHRxyz-jY/s1600/hood+fabric.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9OiDLehagUcGlUecJwlyQPh16nVYLxOh-CN5JHnT35ojmcObRXntIm4Wf5kzHzUZtQNgOK39wEr6nCMHRvw4yOzvkrU8tL_WWNHbDEuLTLKTBmUHfvWlF3lOEY_ZHxn8YlBHRxyz-jY/s1600/hood+fabric.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9OiDLehagUcGlUecJwlyQPh16nVYLxOh-CN5JHnT35ojmcObRXntIm4Wf5kzHzUZtQNgOK39wEr6nCMHRvw4yOzvkrU8tL_WWNHbDEuLTLKTBmUHfvWlF3lOEY_ZHxn8YlBHRxyz-jY/s1600/hood+fabric.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a></div>It's off the loom! Finally. If I hadn't decided to spin the fibre, it would have been done ages ago, but since I did, my projected timeline got skewed by a variety of things. It really shouldn't have taken so long to weave off. I think the lack of colour and the time of year got in the way of that, as well as a couple of SCA events and my Master Spinner 2 class. It doesn't matter though, it's done. I will wet finish it and dig out my hood pattern. Winter is here you know, and a hood is a good way to keep warm!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9OiDLehagUcGlUecJwlyQPh16nVYLxOh-CN5JHnT35ojmcObRXntIm4Wf5kzHzUZtQNgOK39wEr6nCMHRvw4yOzvkrU8tL_WWNHbDEuLTLKTBmUHfvWlF3lOEY_ZHxn8YlBHRxyz-jY/s1600/hood+fabric.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9OiDLehagUcGlUecJwlyQPh16nVYLxOh-CN5JHnT35ojmcObRXntIm4Wf5kzHzUZtQNgOK39wEr6nCMHRvw4yOzvkrU8tL_WWNHbDEuLTLKTBmUHfvWlF3lOEY_ZHxn8YlBHRxyz-jY/s320/hood+fabric.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07049476969325691637noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557972836555559423.post-37581197732019383372010-11-19T15:09:00.000-05:002010-11-19T15:09:57.166-05:00Hood ProjectOf our group members, virtually all of us are weavers of some fashion, whether we're experienced or not. We got together late this summer and decided that we would do a group project challenge by weaving yardage, ostensibly for Saxon hoods. We set dates for getting the warp wound, loom dressed and fabric woven off. The first two dates came and went, with most if not all of us not meeting our deadlines. One of us had to back out due to school commitments - Master's degrees come before playing. Another had life get busy and hated the project currently on her loom. She found it difficult to weave off, until she finally changed it. Changing the tie up made the project fun again, because she isn't fond of twills. A third cryptically said that her warp hated her.. I'll leave that one up to your imagination as much as mine came up with some brilliant scenarios. Me, I kept putting things off due to Master Spinner homework, then the next Master Spinner course and finally because I was spinning and weaving my fibres. I'd made a small change which resulted in a major increase in yarn needed, so I had to do lots more spinning.<br />
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It seemed like it took me forever to dress the loom. Just getting back into the swing of weaving after a few months hiatus was difficult. Once I really sat down and started threading heddles, it only took a couple of days though. I've somewhere abouts 670 some threads, so while not a massive project, it's big enough. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2cOrT5bcAIg3nGmzO3q41uY_cnkSVyAkQXYagYd_mkiAfs-ZFHax7Idzq3AJbyu2mzW59Md4QzGP40cqN_pTAYbFJRakzc3VxWUPzFDLOmJzzWaA-5q-oRnOlbBXcXd8p8IxG14vMCk/s1600/hood+project.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2cOrT5bcAIg3nGmzO3q41uY_cnkSVyAkQXYagYd_mkiAfs-ZFHax7Idzq3AJbyu2mzW59Md4QzGP40cqN_pTAYbFJRakzc3VxWUPzFDLOmJzzWaA-5q-oRnOlbBXcXd8p8IxG14vMCk/s320/hood+project.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Yesterday I finished winding the yarn on and did my test weaving. Today, if I actually get myself to my bobbin winder, I can start weaving! I present the first half of my Saxon spin patterned hood project.. now to hopefully get it woven off before the 2nd Sunday in December.Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07049476969325691637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557972836555559423.post-45834584609948684192010-09-21T10:10:00.009-04:002010-09-21T10:48:22.439-04:00Blacksmith - Hammering Out Ideas<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3LXkQRxsQ4ToWzV_PaW8x7q5gnXehwxcqoSVTqxszx_1F0YZdGvQ1vzOQOAS28oxTLbTbDkwqJjcU6DtWeCJB9bZegx36scDoQSMKiQhtat1yd_2ZlnLpjHr1ARbLT_K2QM3nTNA9sTMH/s1600/Althing+forge+2009.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519378441144659106" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3LXkQRxsQ4ToWzV_PaW8x7q5gnXehwxcqoSVTqxszx_1F0YZdGvQ1vzOQOAS28oxTLbTbDkwqJjcU6DtWeCJB9bZegx36scDoQSMKiQhtat1yd_2ZlnLpjHr1ARbLT_K2QM3nTNA9sTMH/s320/Althing+forge+2009.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The building project this weekend was great. There is something about that kind of early style timber framing that is incredibly satisfying - even though we are using chainsaws and modern tools (we're enthusiasts not experts) it still was great fun. As we were working, I kept glancing over at the six concrete footings where my forge is going to be. I can't wait to start that building project, but I realize it's down a ways on the list. I can see my forge at the longhall so clearly in my head that I can almost hear the anvil and smell the charcoal smoke. I can't wait. Maybe next summer I'll set up my travel forge rig for a weekend at the farm. It looked awesome at the Althing event and it would look equally so next to the longhall. Not quite the same as having my own actual forge building, but it would still be great fun.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>My blacksmithing plans for this winter hopefully will be working on the locking and security hardware for the longhouse main doors. I have some plans that I'm keeping secret for now but I hope they turn out as I picture them in my head. I'm going to be working on these projects in my classroom forge since it is the only forge space I have right now (until my home smithy gets built - eventually), and it will have to be afterschool, so this could take me a while. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557972836555559423.post-71143950075924147662010-09-19T22:04:00.003-04:002010-09-19T22:14:34.732-04:00Our Longhall<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGAQX7hXEAI_czYAC1JvI78bp9seplMRI1Z5oga2jS89ftmR3JzVAhFD0zh52wwff8gUi7bwC9xaTztp3QekmNiS8bHk81_gsBRxOll4YnJmLVxi2XKC8ADaqiL5wvm8TyQkHx_1RQMs/s1600/longhall1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGAQX7hXEAI_czYAC1JvI78bp9seplMRI1Z5oga2jS89ftmR3JzVAhFD0zh52wwff8gUi7bwC9xaTztp3QekmNiS8bHk81_gsBRxOll4YnJmLVxi2XKC8ADaqiL5wvm8TyQkHx_1RQMs/s200/longhall1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518812964748321906" border="0" /></a><br />The longhall has been under construction for several years now. In a hidden corner of a member's farm, we constantly are adding to our playhouse. It's rather drafty but dry. It has shutters, doors and newly added is a hideaway closet to stash modern items and safety equipment.<br /><br />Today the first posts went up on the kitchen area. It will have a common area and beside it an area with a central hearth and bread oven so we can cook our meals on site. We've had to make certain adjustments due to our rather harsh and extremely varied climate, but we're doing our best to make it using 11th century techniques. We've also planned a forge for the blacksmith and a weaver's shed as future projects.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqF91lQSydbilrXlnrKSu4Uh7rx-Bh5vQb5zMVuaVJrtNwiafSdExP5vP5g2MsW9QKsSg8lLgBf0zKWUlKkq4aVhlabdQAMd1HIvIqk3Nebhspeb6oaTP7o6ZIB98XSVeu3ssKhrrZ-bw/s1600/al+and+footeJPG.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqF91lQSydbilrXlnrKSu4Uh7rx-Bh5vQb5zMVuaVJrtNwiafSdExP5vP5g2MsW9QKsSg8lLgBf0zKWUlKkq4aVhlabdQAMd1HIvIqk3Nebhspeb6oaTP7o6ZIB98XSVeu3ssKhrrZ-bw/s320/al+and+footeJPG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518813219120313602" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVTKEdFn4DTRr7v2eGE9CQl8Bmeorlr8I2h-ctgkwXW7h3wnSGfAPlBnwA28I_zKck4-k2dmNHpCJtoEyO5q08OpHKsOwmNxv1DdvjQn11xJ1y6QPfKN_CX6dXZGP73dy9SowV0I4tOM/s1600/al+and+footeJPG.jpg"><br /></a>Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07049476969325691637noreply@blogger.com1