By the time this publishes the big dance recital will have passed. A studio showcase in a fancy theatre, and my first public solo-performance. I sewed myself a big belly-dance belt for the explicit purpose of taking up more space on the stage and highlighting some of the movements. It… Read More »Big Dance Belt
Northern Ireland was surprisingly wonderful. You don’t hear very much about the country as a tourist destination. The Northern Ireland flag isn’t even an available emoji on my phone! Months ago I read a book on the history of the Island to have a better understanding of the division and… Read More »Inspirational Tour of British Isles, Part Two: Northern Ireland
Dance troupe photoshoot part 2, inside, red costume! Like two weeks ago, these are just a few of my favorites. We are very fortunate to dance in a beautiful old mill building. The best part was no mosquitos inside, and we had the place mostly to ourselves on a quiet… Read More »Troupe Shoot Part 2
The studio where I dance hosted a photoshoot for our very cute troupe so that we will have some proper shots to share with venues for show promotion. Here are a few of my favorites from part one, outdoors in blue. There is a river that runs right behind the… Read More »Troupe Shoot Part 1
Dance has taken center stage since I finished my last painting a month ago. There were two large performances in March that the studio troupe and I were focused on for the first half of the month. The first was for a Burlesque show on International Women’s Day! We were… Read More »Dance, Dance
Plague Faire 2024 potluck was on another level. Everyone stepped up for the first ever competition potluck and the masses were well fed. To incentivize extra effort we provided prizes for the first and second-place dishes to receive the most votes for best-dish. Jake donated a disc to the cause… Read More »One-Shoulder Cape Prize
On the last weekend in June we spontaneously headed off to the Robinhood Medieval Festival in east-central Connecticut. When the weather forecast called for a break in the heat and humidity and promised a cool, dry, cloudy, blustery day, we were all in! I love a cloudy fair day, even… Read More »Robinhood Medieval Festival 2024
The hand-embroidered medieval silk cap is finished! Sometimes worn as a base-layer under a hat or veil, but also sported alone, I wanted a cap that was both fancy and good for the hair, so I used real silk in a champagne color. The shape is based on St Birgitta’s… Read More »Embroidered Medieval Cap
My latest masterpiece is complete. Inspired by illustrations of 14th century noblewoman’s dress, adapted for modern ease-of-wear. Does anyone else ever feel rushed for time in a dress that takes 10 minutes and a second-set of hands to lace up or get out of? For those certain events were time… Read More »Cinnamon Rust Medieval Gown
Have you ever heard of a sontag? It’s a historical women’s shawl that was worn wrapped around the body and tied at the waist to keep the arms free for work. It was probably in widespread use before the American Civil War, but that’s about when it started showing up… Read More »Crochet Sontag Shawl
I’ve been making a new dress for the 2024 cool faire season, and to make the project take much longer than usual, I decided to add intricate hand-embroidery to the shoulders. I’ve done minimal embroidery on small projects in the past but am so in love with texture wherever I… Read More »Sleeve Embroidery
Who doesn’t love having two garments with the storage requirements of one? Also, the best costumes have a lot of layers. Therefore I have sewn a vest and belt set which is fully reversable! Pattern created by Frankenstein-ing a women’s tunic pattern, I actually had one side of this vest… Read More »Gold Vest and Obi Belt
I’m diving back into drafting my own patterns while further exploring the most efficient use of fabric. That’s right, sewing with rectangles. Last year I obtained a free bag of fabric from my local buy-nothing group, in which, were two one-yard, 60-in-wide lengths of knit polyester. One blue, one pink.… Read More »Blue Free-Size Caftan
Another year of plague, another Family Plague Faire. Our annual backyard Renaissance Faire turned three this year and continues to expand in attendance becoming a staple pre-holiday potluck. This year we moved to the third week in November, ever searching for that weather sweet-spot. This year we came pretty close… Read More »Family Plague Faire 2022
Happy Halloween, everyone! Somehow after a vow-renewal and a mini-moon to Florida we still managed to have a spooky costumed Halloween-weekend. This holiday is a priority. So what did we wear? Saturday we sponsored a hole at a spooky Disc-golf tournament where we won the costume contest in our raiders-from-the-north… Read More »Halloween 2022
Oh my, have I ever written a negative faire review before? I don’t think so, but here we go, Lords and Ladies. The Massachusetts Renaissance Faire was not what we were looking for this year. I don’t know if it was the heat causing last minute cancellations or if the… Read More »The Massachusetts Renaissance Faire 2022
At the beginning of June Jake, myself, and several friends had a beautiful day at the Robinhood’s Medieval Faire in Harwinton, CT. We made a whole day of it, stopping for breakfast before the faire while the dogs were at their doggie resort. Starting the day well nourished, we had… Read More »Robin Hood’s Medieval Faire 2022
With faire season 2020 cancelled, my social cadre and I are planning our own socially distanced, hygienically responsible backyard fair for the future if our local numbers continue to improve. It will be black-death-themed, of course; our own little plague party, except not in a crowded palace. Time to get… Read More »Prepping for Plague Faire
I’m in denial over the cancellation of much of my Renaissance Fair season. This consolatory accessory is a custom bottle holster to re-purpose glass kombucha bottles into faire-bound drink containers. Sewn from a thin and soft faux-leather, this was my second attempt at making such a holster. My first attempt… Read More »Pirate’s Bottle Holster
Another lower-half accessory crafted for the troupe’s use in our performance at a Celtic Belly-dance Fusion show earlier this month. Part kilt, part high-slit bella skirt, this apron brings Egypt to Ireland in a way that feels very punk-rock apocalypse to me. The design is a simple two-13-inch-wide-pleated-panels secured together… Read More »Celtic Fusion Apron, Punk Rock Apocalypse.
This was an especially fun year at the Vermont Winter Renaissance Fair, perhaps because we spent more money than usual…. First, they lure you in with free samples of everything: mead, jam, syrup, vodka, rum… Once you’ve been sufficiently liquored for free, which is basically the best part of this… Read More »Vermont Winter Renaissance Fair 2020
The troupe has a Celtic-themed belly dance show coming up in March for which we are preparing quite the little dance number. To tie our look together on stage, we ordered 30 yards of the same miscellaneous cotton plaid, from which we will each be making a garment–or rather I… Read More »Celtic Plaid Belly Dance Pants
Functional pouches are a life-saver in costuming. Purses, cell phones, car keys, and wallets do not time-travel well, and can only make the journey when well hidden inside a decorative bag or pouch. For the upcoming Winter Renaissance Faire in Vermont I am planning to wear black leather armor, but… Read More »Re-purposing Army Surplus Bag
I thought the dog already had a new costume for Halloween this year? Yes. She does. But this idea is just so cute. Give the people what they want. What they want is more dog photos in costume. Earlier this season I sewed Tovi, our almost-two-year-old Belgian Malinois mix a… Read More »Cardinal Dog Costume
What the heck’s a scooptacular? It’s an ice cream party on a farm with animals and vendors and fall things. What completes a fall party? Dancing witches, of course! It just so happens that I belong to a troupe of witches who will trade event coordinators our dance-entertainment for money.… Read More »‘Scooptacular’ Dancing as a Witch
Our second trip of the season to the Connecticut Renaissance Fair. Absolutely perfect weather–a crisp 60 degrees for a high, with most of the day stalling in the mid 50’s was ideal for layering; our preferred method of using our plentiful garb. I am most fond of cold-weather fair going… Read More »Connecticut Renaissance Faire 2019 Round Two
I had dreams of sewing Jake a very traditional Viking tunic. Something long, loose fitting, and functional. When I found several yards of sombrella fabric with a visible weave and stiff hand on clearance, I thought it had the perfect rough look if you ignore it’s forever fade-resistance. Jacob had… Read More »Orange Sensational Viking Long Tunic
I have too many projects in progress at once, and therefore nothing newly finished to show you. So instead, we’ll all have to settle for a quick works-in-progress post. I am making Jake a new tunic and just finished this elaborate neckline last night. It took considerable time to make… Read More »Works in Progress, Fall 2019
Well, the dog is ready for Halloween. A few weeks ago we brought Tovi to the Connecticut Renaissance Faire, and everyone had such kind words to say about her Master Splinter Costume. We won tickets to return to the fair later this season, and I can’t have my pup wearing… Read More »Little Red Riding Hood Dog Costume
I really didn’t think I was going to have a blog post for you today, as I haven’t finished anything in a while and I’ve been so busy enjoying the summer sun. Many projects remain in progress, but I haven’t really had the time or desire to put in the… Read More »Striped Summer Dress
Last weekend we had a beautiful day at the Faire! Mutton and Mead is an annual celebration in Western Massachusetts with a casual and merry mood. It is one of the few proper “Medieval Festivals” in the area, similar too, but not to be confused with, a Renaissance fair. Essentially… Read More »Mutton & Mead Medieval Festival 2019
Whipped up this new belly dance belt a few days before a performance to match this bra that I made a few years(?) ago. I had plenty of extra fabric lying around from the bra top, a super comfortable performance stretch. The pattern was simple enough: a rounded triangle essentially,… Read More »New Belly Dance Belt
Now that I’ve purchased the base for an armored ensemble in a breastplate and back-piece from Medieval Collectibles, it’s time to add my own shoulder armor to take the look to another level. This children’s body armor is perfect for me because it’s made for the very small and is… Read More »Leather Spaulders and Pauldron
This shirt was a learning experience and an adventure. I am no expert in men’s tailoring and Jake had some very specific requests for this former curtain found at a local Saver’s. He spied the curtain amidst other discounted second-hand fabrics and I told him that there was enough there… Read More »Blue Zipper-Front Peacock Men’s Shirt
Another pleather bodice for the books. This one in an incredible metallic green scale pattern sourced from my local fabric warehouse. I used the same pattern as my last brown bodice with slight modifications to the front so that it would close fully instead of leaving a gap. The two… Read More »Green Dragon Scale Bodice
A year after the big move I was still searching for a good fit in a new dance studio when I enrolled in a 3-week advanced winter session of Belly Dancing in a not-so-local movement arts space. Wanting to impress my new classmates with my array of dance attire, I… Read More »Brown Harem Pants for Dance
Halloween isn’t a season, it’s a way of life. Actually, I did make this hat for Halloween 2018, but haven’t made the time to post about it until now. I’ve always felt my costume collection was suffering by it’s lack of a proper pointed hat. Most of the things that… Read More »Witch’s Pointed Hat
Another quick-sew to use up some fabric lying around my studio; I made a reversible red and blue bubble cape with hood and yoke. Some subtle red paisley lining fabric leftover from one of Jake’s earlier jerkins seemed like it would make a good red cape of cloak. A red… Read More »Reversible Costume Cape
Jake needed another pair of viking pants in a different color. Lucky for him, our bed sheets decided to rip in the washing machine, and I wasn’t going to let all of that good cotton go to waste. So here he is in his new pair of giant pants featuring… Read More »Gray Viking Pants with Side Panel
More costume accessories to showcase! My ultra-functional canteen bags! Ever been to an event and not drink enough water? That’s every event, right? I try to drink a lot of water every day, but it’s really hard when you’re busy having fun walking around at a convention or fair. So… Read More »Viking Costume Pleather Canteen Bags
Here’s a closer look at the simple Viking-inspired hat that I made as part of Jake’s winter Viking kit, worn at last weekend’s Vermont Winter Renaissance Fair. The shape is super simple, and historically based but also still popular today. I used a Luxe fleece instead of wool because of… Read More »Closer Look at the Fleece Viking hat
No, I haven’t even seen the History Channel series. I prefer to get all of my information from books, lecture series, and historical reenactment. I cannot get enough information on Viking clothing, lifestyle, social structure, combat strategy, trade habits and armament. It’s all I’ve been sewing lately in preparation for… Read More »So I’m Really Into Vikings Right Now.
Finished at least until I decide to do some huge hand embroidered design on the back. This Viking age coat is made from “Luxe” fleece from Joann’s an embellished with a woven trim, polyester bands on the sleeves, and lots of hand-stitched embroidery. I patterned the coat myself and it… Read More »Men’s Viking Kaftan Is Finished!
Every costumer has wrestled with the issue of where to put their cell phone while in costume. Some costumes can’t have pockets, and often times carrying a purse clashes with your look. But in order to move through society we need to have some money and an ID on us,… Read More »Quick Underskirts Phone Pouch
This past weekend Kelley and I attended Granite State Comicon as vending artists in their Artist’s Alley and Dealer’s room. I had a wonderful time and met some really cool people! With Halloween coming up, many of you asked if I had a store online or made custom masks. Yes,… Read More »Post-Granite State Comicon
This weekend (Saturday and Sunday), Kelley and I will be exhibiting and selling our wares at Granite State Comicon! You can find us in the Artist’s Alley, booth number 907. I’ve included a map below with our table circled. Granite Con will be held at the Radisson Center of New Hampshire,… Read More »Granite State Comic Con
Renaissance Fair Season is upon us! I love spending a day out in the woods with the fairies and jesters, celebrating the late summertime magic. The first Fair on my list is King Richard’s in Carver Mass, and to make sure I make the most of my Fair day, I… Read More »Preparing for King Richards Faire
Remember all of those fairs I have been vending at? Well, I have accumulated a bit of new work that I haven’t had a chance to photograph and share with everyone due to the chaos of fair preparation. I still have lots on my plate, but now that two back-to-back… Read More »Spring Leather
If you were unaware, I teach a manga class for children every Wednesday night in Medford, MA. Last week we were creating some characters for Halloween, and while the kids were concentrating on their task, I whipped up these little doodles. They seem to like it when I draw with… Read More »Manga Doodles for Halloween
I want to say thank you to everyone who came out to the open house this past weekend at the Western Avenue Studios. I had a great weekend and made a lot of new contacts. I practically ran out of business cards and promo bookmarks, and I am very grateful… Read More »A Successful Open House.