Tag: Accessories

PGC2019: Meisterin Christian Baier’s Pearl and Garnet Goldhaube

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Category: An accessory your persona may have owned, made, used, or gifted. “With scarfs, and fans, and double change of bravery, With amber bracelets, beads, and all this knavery.”

A gold silk goldhaub, decorated with small garnet and pearl beads


Persona period inspiration and use:

Goldhaubes were the coifs / “hairnets” worn by women of the 16th C Saxon court.  The dowry of Magdalene of Saxony lists a number of haubes, most with pearls and some with metal ornaments, or spangles. At least one of these haubes was noted as having been made by Magdalene’s mother, the Duchess, so this could be a project that a noble woman might make for herself or for a family member or friend.Christian is not fond of hats and headwear, but finds these haubes are generally the least annoying appropriate hair covering.  

This haube is intended to match an under-construction red velvet gown with guards of yellow and white silk brocade.



Design, Materials and Construction: 

These haubes were variously constructed, some appear to be made from embroidered or patterned fabric, some from cords knotted or constructed into a net; illustrations suggest that these were less likely to be made using more traditional hair-netting techniques like sprang, however men in this period wore “hairnets” which do seem to be made more often in those techniques.  Haubes were usually made of gold cords and/or narrow wares, or gold fabrics, often patterned in black; and were usually embellished with pearls, spangles and other ornaments.

Materials: gold metal-thread net fabric, lined with silk, pearls of two colours, garnets, metal thread, and gold cord. The haube is lined with fine bright yellow silk to both ensure the haube more closely tones with the brocade of the gown’s brocade, and to hide “fake” hair used to imitate haristyles of the period.

Construction: the fabric was embellished with pearls, cords, and semiprecious stones; lined with silk, and attached to a decorative band also decorated with pearls and garnets.


Reference:

  • 1526 Nürnberg wedding record:  H. Doege, “Das von Questzische Hochzeistbüchlein, 1526”, Waffen und Kostümkunde, 1922. 
  • Schulordnungen, schulbücher, und pädagogische miscellaneen aus den landen deutscher zunge: Im auftrage der Gesellschaft für deutsche erziehungs- und schulgeschichte, Band 34.  Translated here: https://jillwheezul.livejournal.com/tag/magdalena%20of%20saxony
  • Goldhaubes in Textiler Hausrat, Kleidung und Textilien von Nurnberg, 1500 – 1650 by Jutta Zander-Seidel, p.119-125.
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PGC2019: Lady Melisande de Massard’s Mittens & Socks

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Lady Melisande enters a cozy pair of mittens and a snugly pair of socks in the category “With silken coats, and caps, and golden rings, with ruffs, and cuffs, and farthingales and things“. 

“When camping I find it most convenient to clothe myself in Norse garb – comfortable, easy to work in and easily laundered!

Some of the members of the Heorot household were planning a household event where we would spend the weekend camping in a living history style. Originally planned for an Easter weekend I thought to myself ‘this could be a little chilly – what I need are some mittens and socks!!’. 

I purchased some pre-spun, natural wool, and with a wooden needle and the kind assistance of Lady Katherine (who showed me the Coptic stitch and how to get started), I first tried my hand at a pair of mittens. The first mitten is a little mis-shapen but I was a lot happier with the second which is much more evenly shaped. I was surprised at how quickly they made up and, encouraged by how the mittens turned, out I purchased more wool and got started on a pair of socks.

Looking at images of extant finds, and reproductions (and again with help from Lady Katherine when it came to the heel!) I gave it a go. Sir Callum had given me the gift of a beautiful new needle made of antler – such a different experience using that over the wooden one! I love it! I would like to have used a contrasting coloured wool for the last few rows around the ankle (as per some of the extant finds) but not having any suitable wool at the time I shall leave that for another pair. The socks are so comfortable and the mittens lovely and warm. 

We had to postpone the camping weekend but I’ll be ready to go when we set another date – I just hope it’s not in mid-summer!”

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PGC2019: Solvi Gyldersdotter’s Hand Woven Front Dress

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Solvi shares a hand woven front dress that her persona may have worn in the category “with silken coats, and caps, and golden rings, with ruffs, and cuffs, and farthingales, and things.”

Materials and techniques:
Using a rigid heddle loom and some wool given to me I wove a front panel of a dress.

The rest of the dress is fabric that was also given to me. My challenge to myself was to make a wearable garment with that fabric and since the fabric wasn’t enough I decided to have a go at weaving a front panel.

Persona Inspiration:
My persona is from the early Viking age.

Solvi enjoys weaving and exploring possible fashion looks and enjoys wearing her creations. She is a creative type and often wears out of the ordinary viking fashion making the locals talk – “Well that isn’t traditional” and “That’s different”

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PGC2019: Solvi Gyldersdotter’s Shoes

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Solvi has two pairs of shoes to enter in the category “with silken coats, and caps, and golden rings, with ruffs, and cuffs, and farthingales, and things.”  In her own words:

“Iron age shoes – for summer
Viking shoes – for winter

Materials and techniques (how was the item made and what materials were used):

My iron age shoes and Viking shoes were made using

  • leather, 
  • hand 
  • leather hole punch, 
  • hand stitching, 
  • sisal rope and 
  • shoe glue.

Based on the pictures I have seen on pinterest while doing a quick search for viking/middle age shoes.  These shoes are based on those looks. 

Because of my high arch I also made myself some arch supports with leather and leather leftovers. Custom made is so awesome.

I added the rope soles as the leather was a bit slippery on a lot of surfaces and the last thing I wanted was to end up on my bottom at events. 😉 and the rope soles add grip as well as helps the shoes last a little longer.  Sisal rope is hard wearing. That technique of adding rope soles is used in the 13th century. Its origins can be traced to the Occitania and Catalonia areas of the Pyrenees on the Spanish and French border. Ref: https://startupfashion.com/fashion-archives-a-look-at-the-history-of-espadrilles/  As most things ended up on the silk road I thought that these type of “technologies” would have been combined sooner or later, in true viking form…. Not necessarily documented in texts and in visual arts which we often refer to.

I have tested both these pairs of shoes on most surfaces…. Tarseal, shingle, gravel, wood walkways, carpet, lino and grass. All but lino are great and safe to walk on – Lino is still slippery but I could add some silicone to the bottom if I am too worried about it.

Persona Inspiration (when and where is the persona from, and how might they have
used / experienced this item):

My persona is from the early Viking age.

Solvi’s husband is a merchant on the Silk Road, is away for many months, and often brings home goods for the love of his life. Sometimes in the form of leather, fabrics and other useful items.  Solvi needs shoes for both summer and winter to keep her feet protected from the elements. So she made these shoes for her own comfort to wear. Solvi likes combining different techniques to improve comfort, safety and practicality…. Sometimes looks…. May be one day those plain winter shoes could be altered with a pretty design on the top, when she figures out how, and when she has the time.”

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PGC2019: Meisterin Christian Baier’s Double Dolphins Brustfleck

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As a companion piece to the “M&M” dress, Meisterin Christian enters a beaded brustfleck as an accessory her persona may have owned, made, used, or gifted in the category “With scarfs, and fans, and double change of bravery, With amber bracelets, beads, and all this knavery.”

Persona period inspiration and use:

Christian is a woman of the court in early 16th C Saxony.  Clothing of women of this court are recorded in art of the time, most notably (but not exclusively) in the portraits of Lucas Cranach.
The Brustfleck (Breast piece) or Brusttuch (Breast cloth) is the decorated piece that covered the front openings of clothing, over the linen layer, found in many styles, in early to mid 16thC German women’s clothing, including the clothing of Saxony.

Brustflecks for Saxon court gowns of this period are generally made from brocade and are variously decorated with slashing, pearls, and embroidery.  Pearl embroidery could be in geometric or floral/pictorial designs.

Christian has a number of brustflecks, but not a floral/pictorial one.  I’ve been meaning to do one of these for ages, but I’m fairly inexpert at embroidery, and there were times in the past where obtaining small real pearls was difficult and expensive. This brustfleck was made for the M&M dress (one of the illustrated dresses has a floral/pictorial brustfleck, while the other has a geometric design).

Design, Materials and Construction:

Design: the particular design here is copied from the dress of Emilia in Lucas Cranach the Elder’s portrait of Sibylla, Emilia and Sidonia of Saxony, 1535.  This is a fairly common design, with scrolling flowers and two heraldic dolphins.  I am a member of the Order of the Dolphin of Caid, in fact I received two Dolphins, so this design seemed appropriate.

Materials: the Brustfleck is from made from a gold metal thread and black silk brocade (matching that of the dress guards), interlined with linen canvas, and is lined with fine linen.

Construction: the brocade was interlined with canvas.  The design was simplified and modified to fit the size of the brustfleck and the available pearls.  The design was transferred to the fabric, the embroidery is done in several sizes and shapes of freshwater pearls, and outlined in fine gold cord.  The whole was then lined with linen.

Reference:

  • A number of brustflecks (and their value) are recorded in wills are included in Textiler Hausrat, Kleidung und Textilien von Nurnberg, 1500 – 1650 by Jutta Zander-Seidel, pages 149-150.
  • Portrait of Sibylla, Emilia and Sidonia of Saxony, 1535, Lucas Cranach the Elder.
  • Illustration of Maria and Margarete in the Saxony Stammbuch: Das Sächsische Stammbuch 1546, http://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkansicht/dlf/56803/1/cache.off
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PGC2019: Mistress katherine kerr’s Acqua de Lavanda

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Under the category of “To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, To throw a perfume on the violet”, Mistress katherine kerr shares her adventures in the arts of the stillroom.

“A lady of worth should smell sweet, so it is a pleasure to use plants from the garden and spices from the kitchen to make a tisane suitable for my hair, my face and my linens.

I like having a nice-smelling spray when I’m ironing my linen garb, but the recipes for Queen of Hungary Water always seem chockful of ingredients. As a starter, I decided to try Acqua de Lavenda, from Gioventura Rosetti’s Notandissimi Secreti de l’Arte Profumatoria , a book of 30 cosmetic recipes published in Venice in 1555.

I poured 2/3C of acqua vitae (in this case plain vodka) over 1/2C of dried lavender flowers from my garden, and let the mix steep in a screw-top jar for three days. (Countdown had jars with my KK sigil on them!)

To the resulting dark brown solution, I then added 1/4C of rosewater, 3 sticks of cinnamon and 6 cloves. Rosetti has the liquid distilled in an alembic, which I didn’t have. So I sealed the jar tightly and placed it in a pot of gently simmering water for around 15 minutes.

The jar’s metal lid showed a pleasingly indented form, indicating it was sealed with a partial vacuum. From there it went into a dark cupboard for four weeks for more steepage.

The mess was strained to remove the soggy lavender and spices, producing a dark honey-coloured tincture. The scent is on the spicey, rather than lavendery side, much to my approval. I look forward to trying it as a hair rinse or ironing spray — probably diluted with water 1:3 or 1:4 times, as seen in the smaller bottle.

I now have a jar of Queen of Hungary Water currently steeping away in the cupboard , but I think the liquid to plant matter ratio may be wrong. I’ll know in a couple of weeks.”

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PGC2019: Mistress katherine kerr’s Torse and Lambrequin (Mantling)

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Mistress katherine kerr’s latest entry falls into the category of “Is this a dagger I see before me?”

In her words:

“I felt it my duty to help my consort present a good-looking corpse..er..combatant on the Field of Mars and so decided to make him a torse and matching lambrequin to adorn his helm and make it easier to identify him, alive or dead.

The torse and mantling are commonly depicted in heraldic illustrations, the torse being a twisted roll of fabric holding the billowing drapery of the lambrequin or mantling.

German Wappenbuchs (rolls of arms) show the use of torse and mantling in heraldry; illustrated manuscripts like the Nuremberg Tournament and Parade Album show knights riding into tournaments with torse, mantling and crests.

Album: https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/22.229/

Both torse and mantling reflect Sir Radbot’s livery colours of argent and sable, with references to his rat charges in the form of a number of small metal rat charms on the torse and rat dagging on the mantling. The torse is a general match to my own consort head roll, and has a long tail of silk, as seen in the Schembert Carnivals.”

 Schembert Carnival: https://publicdomainreview.org/collections/radical-fashion-from-the-schembart-carnival-1590/

https://www.lesenluminures.com/artworks/categories/4/9486-p-schembart-ldquo-hiding-beard-rdquo-carnival-book-p-c.-1540-1550/

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PGC2019: Master Brian’s Spoon

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Master Brian’s crafty wee spoon and case is entered under two categories: “With scarfs, and fans, and double change of bravery, With amber bracelets, beads, and all this knavery” as well as “‘Fore God, you have here a goodly dwelling and a rich”.

My persona’s parents were Genoese traders.  Once we left the siege of Caffa in 1345, we traded around western Europe.  Accommodation varied a lot and it was handy to have my own cutlery.

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PGC2019 Baronessa Ginevra’s Candle making class

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At Firey Knights II, and again at Golden Flight, Baronessa Ginevra taught how to make dipped beeswax candles.

Across most of the period we cover, beeswax is an appropriate and good option for candles.  It casts a brighter, clearer light then rushlights, so you can read or work by it, and it doesn’t drip as much as the modern alternatives of paraffin wax or soy.  Dip candles use less wax than some other means of candle production, and are simple to produce – just ask the children who made their own!

(Thanks are due to Ladies Gisla and Vigdis for the photos of their candles, because Ginevra realised she forgot to take any during the classes)

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PGC2019 Mistress katherine kerr’s bracelets

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My father spent much of his life in Europe, as a member of the Scots Guard at the French court, then as a hired soldier and engineer-trader in Italy. I found this string of Baltic amber chips in his coffer after he died and had them made into bracelets. 
I had a very long string of Baltic amber chips waiting for a suitable project. I don’t play Viking so didn’t expect to use them, but a mention of amber bracelets in Shakespeare has inspired me into action. So I have strung on silk groups of the chips interspersed with freshwater pearls; this is a common style for the 16C in both Venice and Scotland. Bracelets were generally worn in matching sets, so I made two for me; an additional one was a tad long so it has been donated to Baronial largesse.

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