Roz gets armored

Finally, some progress.

I figured since the felting failed rather dismally the other evening, that I would try something a bit different. Using the same technology as for the planned cuirboulli for the lamellar, I actually made a gorget. I need one in any case, so it wasn’t really a wasted effort, and it did give me a chance (on a much smaller scale) to make sure that I have the process down.

I made a pattern out of poster board, which I cut out to test on my neck for fit. Then I added about a half inch all the way around to allow for the leather shrinkage. I forgot to pick up a thermometer to test the water, so I used the boiling water guess as best you can method. Seems to have worked…

I did forget to allow for padding, but I am hoping that I won’t need to allow for much. (If I do, anyone with a smaller than 16.5” neck need a nice cuirboulli gorget?)

I will take the thng to the demo tomorrow, and the guys can tell me if it will pass or not. It probably won’t be totally dry, but that is ok.

Oh, and Her Grace Melisande has replied to my request to carry a favor in the Iron Rose tourney “You betcha! I would be thrilled and delighted to support you on the field.” I just have received word that The Pennsic 34 Iron Rose Tournament has been scheduled for August 13th (Saturday) at 12noon, and will be held on the main battlefield. This means I have to rearrange my travel plans a bit, but that should be ok too.

Mess. A huge mess.... At least the kitchen counter is really clean, as is half of the floor.

I have watched (and even participated in) felt making. I have read a couple-three articles on the subject. I have raised the sheep (and goats), I have sheared, I have cleaned nasty wool and I have dyed- both Rit and natural, but for the life of me, I cannot seem to make felt. Like a lot of things that look just too easy, this isn't.

I don't know what I am doing wrong. The wool I carded the other evening was a mixture of raw and dyed--- some of it with Rit and some with natural dye stuff. I hope that this is the reason the felt didn't work. I have this really lumpy non-square piece of half-felted wool mess.

I am pretty sure that the karakul wool works for felting (at least that is what I have always heard) while the cashmere will not. I will start over again once I shear Bubba over the weekend. I really wanted to have the felt rectangles so that I could do the leather right over the top of it.

Well, those of you that really know me (and love me, although considering how much you harass me...) know that I cannot spell for crap. While I can edit other people's work for grammar and spelling mistakes (no comments from the peanut gallery) I have a hard time reading and catching my own mistakes...

So, I am going to go take some more dugs and play with the times on my wool carders, and finish making some felt since it is a beautiful evening, and I have two more hours until dark.

Luv yas too, Caitlin. ;p

Well, I started feeling better tonight, so I thought I would get back to work.

So I made felt. OK, so I started to make felt. I had a display I made up of several different samples of wool for an A+S competition some time ago, that it was time to do something else with. I now have a 19 qt tubby full of wool bats, ready to make into felt.

Yes, felt is related to armoring. Remember earlier I mentioned those leather finger gauntlets? And the helm padding made out of felt? I am the cheap one here, so I am going to make my own felt rather than try to locate and buy the harness felt....

I participated in a bit of the felting a couple years ago at Artisan's Row with Mistress Derbhail, but have yet to really get into the felting on my own. The first step (after shearing the sheep and cleaning the raw wool) is to card the wool. I bought a nice set of Ashford cards at Pennsic a couple years ago, and actually had to get them out of the box and put them together last night. Wool cards look like the dog brushes that have the little metel tines on them, but are a bit larger. You use the cards to comb the fibers out, to get them all aligned into a single direction.

I will post a link here to some class notes that Mistress Derbhail uses to teach felting. I am going to develop a "Felting for Fighters" class to teach at events, once I decide what in particular is the "must know" stuff for fighters when it comes to felting. Just think, if you make your own felt for armor padding, you never again will have to search for an Art/Sci entry for those dual lists (the ones that you need an Art/Sci entry to enter....).

I recomend taking care of things before they get out of hand....

I have had some dental work that has needed to be done for a long time. Unfortunately, I thought it was more important to take care of some other things first. Big mistake. Had oral surgery on Monday, and have been pretty much out of it since then.

At least the drugs were good. If you like drugs, I imagine.

Hopefully, everything will be back to normal by Monday, and I will be able to get back on the program....

// posted by Roz @ 12:49 PM 0 comments

What an absolutely beautiful day today. Must have been pushing 70 or so, and the sun was shining. Got an early start, but I didn't get a chance to work on any of the armor.

As I feared, there is a huge crack in the form for the arm guards. I really don't think it is going to effect the functionality of the thing, I should have taken better care though. Maybe I will run and get another 4x4 and carve another to display at Kingdom A+S, along with the rest of the completed armor (assuming I actually get anything done by then. At the rate I am going, I am going to be lucky to get any of it done in time to even authorize before Pennsic. That could put a definite crimp in my plan.

I did, however, get the Dreamstone XXVI token carved today, and about 25 of them cast. Only 175 more to go..... I am having a bit of issue getting the writing to cast, but I had so much help from David that I really couldn't concentrate enough to figure out the problem. I am sure I will get it figured out tomorrow.

I also got the tourney fence loaded on my trailer for Dreamstone. Only took me a little over an hour, but I may never bend at the waist again. At least I don't have to feel guilty about not working out today. hehe So, what is this fence thing?

Take a look at this picture of TRM Meridies, at Fall Crown List last year (where they became the Heirs),

or this picture of Duc Orlando and Lord Stephen at Dreamstone XXV:

or this picture of the field at Dreamstone XXV (Do you know these fighters? Please tell me who they are...):

I highly reccomend this beautiful addition to your group. The plans origionally came from Earl Daffydd of Clan Oldcastle, Atlantia. My barony, the Barony of Bryn Madoc (spearheaded by your truly and the lovely Mistress Caitlin), built this fence for the twenty-fifth annaversary of our signature event, Dreamstone. Cost us (2004 in Athens GA) about $400 total for 400 linerar feet, including the uprights. Your group might be able to do with less, but we generally have to run four rings for Dreamstone. The fence has also seen service at Meridian Fall Crown List last year, and is loaded and ready for Dreamstone XXVI next weekend. Transportation can be a bear (I have a 4x8 flat-bed trailer that it fits perfectly on) and of course, storage. And, something we had not really considered--- after three uses, the fence needs a fresh coat of paint. All in all, it is a very worthy investment.

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Sister Sabre of Enlightened Compassion.

Get yours.

Hmmmm, what's yours?

I should have known better. I finished the form for the bazubands . I started carving it Wednesday night, after scrounging the 4x4 out in the rain. Like I said, I should have known better, because now I have these horrid little cracks in it. The cracks wont hurt the functionality at all, especially since the thing is going to get wet again, but heck. Now I can't (or rather wont) enter it into A+S as part of a "from the ground up" entry. Oh well. Did I mention I am making felt? Remember way back when (at least a week or so ago, hehe), on the Ironrose list, Master Ekkehardt said to use harness felt to line the different pieces of armor (including the helmet- peeyu). When I asked about harness felt, we got into a bit of a discussion about what it was and where to get it. Then it occurred to me--- BUBBA!! We have the resources sitting right out there in the pasture. So, last night I started cleaning last years shearing. Bubba, if you don't know, is a Karakul sheep. Karakul is the wool that is mainly used to manufacture Persian rugs. It will work wonderfully. But boy, does it stink. Next weekend is Dreamstone, but the weekend after (April 30) is my official sheep and goat shearing day. Weeeee.....

Bummer.I should have moved on the lamellar plates sooner (dang pouch is WAY too light just now-- money, you can always make more but it does take time). White Mountain Armoury is out of plates, and there is no telling when they will be back in stock.Time to go to plan B.I have been doing even more research on cuirboulli, for the gloves and for elbow and knee protection. Duke Cariadoc has two excellent articles online on his hypothesis on how cuirboulli was made in period. The first, titled The Perfect Armor was published around 1991, and has several ideas and patterns of things to make, as well as instructions on the process using wax.The second, The Perfect Armor Improved: Water Hardened Leather, was published more recently. Most folks use wax to harden the leather, but why would it be called cuirboulli?? He points out that the period term for hardened leather is "cuirboulli," which translates as "boiled (or cooked) leather." That is not the natural way of describing the wax hardening process. Indeed, I have to agree with him on that.But these articles have opened my eyes to a couple other things. There is no reason to not cut the lamella out of leather, and use the water hardening process. We already have a stash of 8 oz leather (which he says will shrink up to about 10oz during the process) for gloves and stuff. Once we cut out the big pieces, we will have tons of scraps big enough for the lamella.I think this is really going to work for us. I can see several advantages to using all leather, except for the helm. Lighter weight, it should breath a bit better, and we can make all of the pieces ourselves. I can see that we are going to have to be careful when we get finished fighting for the day... leather, being organic, is going to mold if the conditions are right. So, we are going to have to make sure that conditions are never "right". heheThat article also includes instructions on how to make bazubands - arm/elbow protection. Master Geoffrey carries these, and the ones he has are very well made, it is just that at $140 a pair..... I am going to have to figure out a way to make more money, or at least more money faster. And I think I can make them besides.I started carving the positive form pattern out of a 4x4 tonight. I started out by gouging a negative form, but darn it, the 4x4 didn't have enough circumference for my forearm (a bazuband made in that form might fit David, for another couple weeks anyway). At least, once I get one bazuband done I will have the negative form to use for the others.

Did I mention the folks on the Ironrose list are great?

I have discovered an inexpensive way to get my hand protection-- heavy leather/felt finger gauntlets. Master Ekkehardt wears them for all his forms - combat archery, siege, pole, sword and shield, framea and shield, etc.... He gave pretty detailed instructions on the list (I will ask if I can publish the instructions, or maybe once I start constructing them I will post it all here, with pictures and everything.

The Meridian standards say that hardened 8 oz leather is considered rigid material, so I am pretty sure these will pass muster, as long as I harden the leather. Time to research cuirboulli.....

Ya see, there was this really way cool dude named Duke Gyrth Oldcastle. Many folks probably know Gyrth, or have heard of his style of fighting. I became acquainted with him through my friend Mistress Caitlin (one way cool chikadee, by the way). She is a member of a sept of Clan Oldcastle. Since I needed a place to stay at Pennsic a couple years ago, she said I should camp with Oldcastle. What a GREAT group of folks. I always wanted a household like that....

Anyway, Duke Gyrth, rest his soul, was the patriarch of Oldcastle. Last year at Pennsic, he agreed to train me if I got my kit together. Unfortunately, I did not get my kit together in time, because last winter, His Grace passed from this place to a better one. I feel motivated to dedicate my first entry into the Ironrose list at Pennsic to his memory. I hope that Her Grace, Melisande, allows me to carry a token on the field, so that all may see the great respect I hold for her, and for His Grace.

Shhhh. Don't tell her, I haven't had the chance to ask her yet.

What a, ummm, memorable experience the whole thing was....

I like having a plan, and sticking to it. I plan my schedules with plenty of time in advance, to work out details or any kinks that can occur, and generally even have a back-up plan. Derbail and Calaija, my sponsors wanted me to not freak out, or make myself ill planning the elevation day. They wanted to do it all, as a gift to me, for all of my work in the past, etc. Against my better judgment, I said ok, that I would relax, and not worry about things. I really did try to stay out of everyone's hair, to let them do their thing. Really, I did.

My good friends Caitlin and Angharad were doing the food. Caitlin was also doing my garb (yay, new clothes!!) I asked questions about the food and the garb. I asked Derbail and Calaija about the ceremony; I had a great deal of input, which I liked, and I was told the person who had written it would be making copies in binders for the actual "event". Another of my friends wanted to have a nice scroll done, since it was 15 years before I got my AoA scroll, my GoA scroll looked like a first grader had done it, and my other three scrolls had not been too swell either. I kept getting told all was well and under control.....

It was storming and a very nasty night on Friday. The vigil was scheduled to start at 7:30, but at that point there were not that many folks on-site, including Caitlin. Caitlin did not get back into town until late Friday, and by the time she got on-site, I was nearly a beside myself. As it turned out, she had arranged to borrow suitable clothing from a couple of different folks. I was really grateful, as I thought it looked smashing.

We got underway around 9:30 (so Caitlin had time to get the food set out and for more folks to arrive on-site). By 1:30, I had had enough, and thankfully my very dear friend Thorkatla (and one of my most vocal non-peer sponsors) came in, and said she was the last one waiting to come and speak to me. We chatted, then moved a cot into the vigil tent so that I could sleep there, because that tent was drier than the one I had been planning on sleeping in. Unfortunately it took us too long to set up the bed. Despite the fact that Caitlin, Irina, Derbail and Calaija had already closed the main tent down, another 6 people showed up. It was almost 3:00 before I was able to say goodbye to them.

So, I finally got in bed. Notice, I did *not* say that I was able to get to sleep. By this time, it was really raining, and the wind was really blowing. I lay on this too narrow cot, freezing my bottom off, just waiting for the whole tent to come crashing down on my head in the high winds. Caitlin had brought me a beautiful bouquet of red and white roses (they were supposed to bring out my girly side...). She put them on the table for me in the vigil tent. Thorkatla had convinced me to shove the cot up against the tablecloth, to limit the airflow under the cot (there were also some other little hangy things the rest of the way around). As I said, it was very windy, and the whole tent was shaking. The table was near to, but not right against, the tent wall. My cot has right against the table. So, some time between 3:30 and 6:30, I was baptized again, this time with rose water rather than holy water. (Does that make me an honorary lady of the rosewater?)

I was freezing, and just gave up on sleeping. I went into the hall, to try and get warm. The cooks were already started on breakfast, so I just sat there, trying to get warm. Court (and the elevation) was scheduled for 9:00am. Folks started trickling in, and by 8:00am, friends, who were busily trying to calm my nerves, surrounded me. You have to understand, I don't think I rattle easily (despite some people saying that I do--- maybe they are right). But, understand, I hardly slept the night before, and I had not brought any clothes with me. The borrowed vigil clothing had to be returned, as the owners were planning on wearing them Saturday. And Caitlin had left site to go home (after she closed the tent down), to finish up the last bits on the elevation clothes she was making for me. By 8:45, I was really going nuts. Thankfully, Caitlin arrived right about then with the new clothes (they looked perfect, by the way) and helped me get dressed. We got back into the hall in plenty of time to sit and wait for the Crown.

That was when I found out that the copies of the ceremony had not yet arrived. Irina and Derbhail were scribbling on a sheet of paper to try and re-create the ceremony. Thankfully, another ceremony was happening that morning, so they were able to grab one of those copies and make the appropriate changes. Yes, we had ONE copy of an altered ceremony. Not the beautiful ceremony that had written in advance, but it was ok. Court progressed, the other elevation happened. As they were doing the huggy thing, HRM asked if anyone else had a script that they might like to share. Derbail ran up with the script, and we were shortly "on".

The rest was kind of un-eventful--- comparatively speaking, at least. The Crown worked well with one script, and I was able to remember the appropriate responses. Those peers who spoke for me nearly undid me, they said such nice things. Duc Orlando spoke for the Royal Peers, my good friend Christina spoke for the Pelicans, Loric spoke for the Chivalry, and my sponsors, Calaigha and Derbail spoke for the Laurels. I was able to swear my fealty without prompting, and without too much of a quiver in my voice. I take fealty very seriously, and I have always said if you cannot give fealty without prompting, you probably shouldn't be swearing it. I was very moved in that I was swearing for the first time as a peer. Quite a heady experience. The queen placed the medallion around my neck, the king stepped back and commented that it looked "right" and should please all of those members of the populace who had been writing them, as well as the Order.

Then, the Crown following the borrowed script, instructed the herald to read the scroll--- which had not been finished. Nor had anything been placed in the herald's folder. Poor guy got a very stricken look, flipping thru the scroll case. I quietly said "Fake the scroll". The King did not catch that, and looked expectantly at the herald. I repeated the fake the scroll line, at which point the herald looks up, looks at me (I said it again), smiles, and said "Well, congratulations." The populace laughed, and the king told me to get up and greet my new order... all 35 of them.

I greeted Mistress Rosemunde with a "Hello, Mistress Roz" and she replied "Hello, Mistress Roz. Just remember, you are still The Younger." hehehe

And then it was done.

Whew.