While the focus of this blog is historical costuming, I have the last five years branched out into som fantasy comstuming. They all (or most) have their ground in some kind of historical clothing, so I think that they can be fitted into the blog. And besides, it is my blog, so I can do what I want ;) This week I decided to make their own collected page for them, which can be found in the list of costume categories in the bar to the left. Or through this link. Venetian 16th century gown, and a cape modelled after a 16th century German gollar.

I don't do much 16th century these days, and when I do I rarely wear them. I did, however make a fantasy Venetian gown from synthetic taffeta for my Halloween photoshoot in October that made me want to go there again. This is some of the fantasy photos. So I need a new one, because not only is my Venetian gown that I made in 2019 way too small for me now. And I will probably never be that thin again. But the one that I made this summer is too big already, thanks to quite a lot of effort on my side. So I will make another one, from the same pattern as the fantasy gown. And I will get around to wearing it. Maybe for Drachenwald's Spring Crown in Northern Germany in april next year. My plan is to make it from green thrifted cotton velvet curtains, inspired by this painting. Yes, I do love green.

Ingen regering i en demokrati kan ledas av en person som försvarar, legitimerar och till och med uppmuntrar folkrättsbrott, krigsbrott, brott mot mänskligheten, ockupation och folkmord. När Israels bestialiska arme systematiskt riktar in sig på att mörda civila - en stor majoritet av dem barn, använder svält som vapen, jämnar sjukhus och skolor med marken, fördriver hela befolkningar på flykt för att sen avrätta dem blir  Ebba Busch uttalande och djupt människofientliga samt avhumaniserande...

This was my first medival week on Gotland since 2016, when I was over for three days. My last whole medieval week was in 2010. I used to go (almost) every year between 1993 and 2010, and we always camped. And often brought our children. So this was a very different week: The first time I stayed at a B&B, The first time since 2003 (except for those three days in 2016) without children. They are now 30 and 21, so they have their own lives. I had a marvellous time. I have not yet decided if I miss camping at Visby. I can camp at Double Wars, which doesn't require bringing a car and trailer on a ferry. There is also much less stuff to take care of afterwards. I have washed the linens, spot cleaned or hand washed the wool and silk gowns, cleaned the shoes and greased them. No big tent to dry, Anyway: Photos! Sunday: Arrival by plane, and getting to the B&B. Took a walk down to the market, where I met Hans Gunnar from Eikthyrnir , got a nice beer, and bought some seriously pretty shoes. With a rubber sole attached so I won't slip on the cobblestones and die. Or at least hurt myself. Wearing my 13th century wool cotte, that I made in 2004. And have worn at practically every camping event since then. Look at the pretty fringe that I sewed to the bottom of the new striped gown. And the sexy red shoes. The hose are my very patched linen hose from 2005. Also used A LOT. I might have to make new ones, because they are falling to pieces. Early bed time, because I had fallen asleep at 1 am that morning, and woken up at 3 am. Monday: Sara and I went to the market. Which is quite fabulous. Some not so period trinkets and fantasy clothing, but also awesome things like fabrics from Historiska Rum, The Historical Fabric Store, Medeltidsmode, and Korps/Ravencraft. The two former are all about reproduction fabrics, while the two latter are cheaper, and you can still find _really_ good stuff. And reproduction pottery from Krohns Krukmakeri etc etc. There were sellers of plantdyed fabric and yarn, of armour, of musical instruments, of black smith work, and of many other things. And entertainment. This is Arkadia. I wore the striped gown, and Sara took a photo of me in the botanical garden. The bwlt is tied high, early 14th century Italian style, and the knitted cap is also Italian from this period. I made a post with both documentation for the style, and a knitting pattern. it is here. Hollyhocks. Then Sara and I went to watch what turned out to be one of the absolute highlights of the week: "Sveriges medeltida landskapslagar - the musical". Yes. It is a musical about the Swedish medieval county laws. Yes, it is fabulous. * Note: If you for some reason have a need to read the Nordic medieval laws, but don't read the Scandinavian languages, there is a quite new series of scholarly translations published by Routledge. You can probably access them through a university library, at least through ILL. My old supervisor Prof. Thomas Lindkvist did the one on the oldest Swedish one: The Västgöta law. After dinner made by Sara she had a lie down, and I went swimming in the sea, and for an evening walk. Tuesday: Tuesday meant mimosa breakfast at Hans Gunnar's market tent. There were lots of us, both from the SCA, and other people. A great time was had. This was before the market opened, so we could have our orange juice and bubbly bottles on the table. I wore my printed wool gown from the early 14th century. And afterwards I bought three metres of striped wool from Historiska Rum (link above) that I have lusted after for moths. It might have been the mimosa, but I am happy anyway. Then I went to a three hour workshop in high medieval music ( I sing, I don't play anything well enough for this) with dr Karin Lagergren and Gustav Näsman Olai , who also plays in the medieval ensemble "Medeltidsbandet Själ". It was so much fun. I really miss singing medieval and renaissance music. Of course the workshop was held in a medieval building. Then we had dinner, and it was evening, and I went swimming and walking again. It was windy and fun waves. Here I am wearing my handspun, handwoven cotton dress. It ought to be a half linen/half cotton weave, but I couldn't get both that and handspun and hand woven. It is an Italian style from c 1300, where half cottons was used a lot for lower class clothing. You can read about the dress here. Because, if you didn't know this already: I rarely make anything without documenting the shit out of it. Wednesday and Thursday will be the next post.

Våra hav står nu inför ett nytt hot: Djuphavsgruvdrift. Men nu har vi möjlighet att stoppa industrin innan den börjat. Skriv under för att skydda livet i havet!

Tidöpartiernas konstanta attacker på aktivister och demonstranter är inte värdig en demokrati – lyssna inte på deras varningar.

I made this to wear to the Barony of Gotvik's investiture (SCA) in March, when my friends Alfhild and Mattis stepped up as baroness and baron. She is mostly doing 16th century, and I wanted to match. Due to unforseen circumstances I ended up working in the kitchen instead, so I never got to wear it. And then things happened, and Double Wars, and more things, so I never took any photos of it. But today hubby and I went out to the yard outside our block of flats and snapped some. My inspiration was images like this from the middle of the 16th century Venice. There may even be a page about it later, when I am out of the madness of grading that always comes with the end of the semester.

Fartyg från den israeliska flottan har anfallit al-Hudayda i Jemen, rapporterar israeliska medier.