...ars sine scientia nihil est...

If you have come looking for information on medieval Korea, be sure to visit my website where things are hopefully grouped together coherently.

http://www.medieval-baltic.us/korea.html

If you're looking for information about medieval sign lexicons, and language, see:
http://medieval-baltic.us/msl.html

I think they've updated their database with more photos!

See: http://unimus.no/foto/old/fixedsize.html (for small screens and netbooks, like me) or http://unimus.no/foto/

Here are the photo ID numbers for the shirt (BRM 31/2)(skjorte) from Guddal, including close-ups of the neck.
BRM_31/2 (gives you two photos of the full-length shirt)
030986 (full-length photo)
030987 (full-length photo)
030988 (full-length photo)
030989 (full-length photo)
030990 (full-length photo)
030991 (full-length photo)
030992 (full-length photo)
030996 (close-up of weave)
030995 (close up of edge)
030994 (close up of neck)
030993 (close up of neck)


For the striped tunic (kjortel) with pleated & split side-gores of awesome (BRM 31/1):
030979 (full-length photo)
030980 (full-length photo)
030981 (check out those stripes!)
031002 (it says it's of Løpegang, so I think it's focusing on the seam finishing/alteration?)
030983 (side split)
030985 (side split)
030982 (gathering at the top of the gore)
030984 (a gore)

Other:
031000 (BRM 31/3, described as a blanket or cloak here)
031001 (BRM 31/3)
031003 (BRM 31/3)
030997 (BRM 31/3)
030998 (BRM 31/3)
030999 (BRM 31/3)

031004 (31/4, a plaited band)


I'm now pretty sure that the way I interpreted Vedeler's description of the shirt collar, and her diagram, is probably what she intended (from looking at the colour photos). Not entirely sure how the collar closed though - anyone?)

Via Florentine Scot:
( Cut for meme-age )

We have a new addition to the household. Please see Aslan's journal for the announcement, and obligatory adorable photo.

Would it be wrong to put a new (and I do mean new, not just scrounged off another machine) sewing machine motor on a 95 year old machine?
I very strongly suspect this particular Singer (same type as this one) previously had a motor added, given that it came in a 1960s case which wouldn't accommodate a handcrank. Otherwise it'll just sit there with no way to easily power itself.

Oh, and for all the people who have been asking, here is a list of (working) sewing machines I now own...
( Read more... )

Sewing machines currently being cannibalised for parts include the same model of Lada, three rusty things, and the Singer Futura... turns out the motor had overheated and fused the plastic gears sitting directly above it together.

Not sure how well-known this is:

Handwritten: Ten Centuries of Manuscript Treasures from Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin
http://www.nla.gov.au/exhibitions/handwritten
Date: Saturday, 26 November, 2011 - Sunday, 18 March, 2012
Location: Exhibition Gallery, National Library of Australia

( Description from their website... )

The official English translation of "The Skjoldehamn Find in the Light of New Knowledge" is available as a downloadable .pdf at http://www.ceilingpress.com Dan Halvard Løvlid has checked it for errors and approved the translation.

The full thesis translation is finished, is being checked for errors now, and will be available soon.

Enjoy!

Gwynnyd

I'm hoping someone will have some idea of trends in applique/decoupage work, because I'm curious to know if this decoration is from a particular era.



I'm figuring the machine this case belongs to has had at least two owners during its' 60 years of service -- one of them painted the case and managed to accidentally paint the sewing machine itself. Someone else then seems to have had the idea to use it as decorative furniture because they super-glued the bobbin winder tire in place, put not-quite right looking decals on the bed, covered the entire machine in clear gloss... including the paint splatters and then eventually it wound up at an op shop. With a motor, but none of the cables. At some point along the way, the machine probably was dropped, because the tension stud was bent.

Photos of the head when I put it back together again, right now rather vital pieces are soaking in kerosene.

I think I shall call her Echidna because of her cactus decoupage.

I haven't used a sewing machine since the Lemair (they make washing machines and fridges these days) decided it didn't want to work any more, a few weeks after it's service warranty expired. Which was about 4 years ago.

Not entirely willing to spend more money, I just started handsewing more, but long straight seams are boring! And I spend so much time sewing medieval stuff, I don't have the time or patience to handsew modern clothes, too.
I pondered my options. A new machine is out of the question - too expensive and too much plastic that will break, given what I put the Lemair through - but if the problem wasn't with the electrical bits, then I would have a better chance of fixing it myself.

Enter my very exciting new toy: A treadle-powered Singer from 1939 (according to the serial number). I downloaded the instruction manual, oiled her up and gave her handwheel a spin... It works! It's like spinning on a wheel only everything is cast iron, and it is much quieter than the motor-operated Lemair ever was.

This is going to be fun, it needs a little TLC, but I think it's worth it.

I know someone, somewhere was looking for instructions, so I hope that someone is you!

Viking Brooches Using Sculpey III Clay, Part 1 and Part 2 by Caitlin ni Dhubhghaill
Downloadable as PDFs from:
https://sites.google.com/site/trimarispeers/laurels/caitlin-ni-dhubhghaill