Mari-Liisa Varila
@mlvarila.bsky.social
Early English books | manuscript and print | between medieval & early modern | PhD | Lecturer, English @utu.fi | PI @titaraproject.bsky.social | she/her
Coffee break and stab binding
October 3, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Coffee break and stab binding
We spent this evening telling kids about Old English and manuscripts at the Science Night organised by Lounais-Suomen LUMA-keskus (photo by them). Excellent work matching OE/PDE/Finnish words, reading manuscript facsimiles, and writing with dip pens 🤩 @titaraproject.bsky.social @koneensaatio.fi
September 17, 2025 at 6:20 PM
We spent this evening telling kids about Old English and manuscripts at the Science Night organised by Lounais-Suomen LUMA-keskus (photo by them). Excellent work matching OE/PDE/Finnish words, reading manuscript facsimiles, and writing with dip pens 🤩 @titaraproject.bsky.social @koneensaatio.fi
We tested our project’s tabletop role-playing game Written in the Stars @ Ropecon. It focuses on alchemists, astrologers and magic practitioners – and their communities – in medieval and early modern England. Launch in Finnish & English in 2026. @koneensaatio.fi @utu.fi @titaraproject.bsky.social
July 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
We tested our project’s tabletop role-playing game Written in the Stars @ Ropecon. It focuses on alchemists, astrologers and magic practitioners – and their communities – in medieval and early modern England. Launch in Finnish & English in 2026. @koneensaatio.fi @utu.fi @titaraproject.bsky.social
Lisäksi tapahtumassa pääsee kokeilemaan hankkeemme Tähtiin kirjoitettu -pöytäroolipelin testiversiota Kokemuspisteellä lauantaina ja sunnuntaina
July 1, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Lisäksi tapahtumassa pääsee kokeilemaan hankkeemme Tähtiin kirjoitettu -pöytäroolipelin testiversiota Kokemuspisteellä lauantaina ja sunnuntaina
Ropeconin ohjelma on julkaistu! TiTaRa-hankkeen tiimoilta pidämme siellä paneelikeskustelun historian pelillistämisestä. Kiitos tuesta @koneensaatio.fi!
July 1, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Ropeconin ohjelma on julkaistu! TiTaRa-hankkeen tiimoilta pidämme siellä paneelikeskustelun historian pelillistämisestä. Kiitos tuesta @koneensaatio.fi!
Getting to paint tiny badgers is definitely one of the perks of playing TTRPGs
June 16, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Getting to paint tiny badgers is definitely one of the perks of playing TTRPGs
Finland 10 pm. May is definitely one of the best months to be here. Two excellent days of the @emodgral.bsky.social conference done, one to go. Enjoying every minute!
May 23, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Finland 10 pm. May is definitely one of the best months to be here. Two excellent days of the @emodgral.bsky.social conference done, one to go. Enjoying every minute!
New book edited by @emodgral.bsky.social project members! www.brepols.net/products/IS-...
March 4, 2025 at 5:44 PM
New book edited by @emodgral.bsky.social project members! www.brepols.net/products/IS-...
Visited the National Library of Finland today. Still pretty
November 21, 2024 at 12:07 PM
Visited the National Library of Finland today. Still pretty
One day of snowfall and suddenly it’s a winter wonderland
November 21, 2024 at 7:02 AM
One day of snowfall and suddenly it’s a winter wonderland
Project wellbeing day @titaraproject.bsky.social style = pizza, snacks and role-playing games!
November 7, 2024 at 4:28 PM
Project wellbeing day @titaraproject.bsky.social style = pizza, snacks and role-playing games!
The scribe, nearly 4, writing from dictation. Double vowels and consonants are still challenging and the shapes of K, M, and N are not yet quite clear. She asked me not to say any word that contains an R because she “doesn’t know how to write it”.
October 30, 2024 at 4:59 PM
The scribe, nearly 4, writing from dictation. Double vowels and consonants are still challenging and the shapes of K, M, and N are not yet quite clear. She asked me not to say any word that contains an R because she “doesn’t know how to write it”.
The kid (nearly 4 already!) drew a unicorn
October 19, 2024 at 8:16 AM
The kid (nearly 4 already!) drew a unicorn
Came to Aarhus for a conference, randomly noticed there’s a folk festival this week, ended up seeing Flook and dancing with Danish folk dancers 🤩 Also, they played some lovely new sets they’ll be recording soon!
September 28, 2024 at 4:00 PM
Came to Aarhus for a conference, randomly noticed there’s a folk festival this week, ended up seeing Flook and dancing with Danish folk dancers 🤩 Also, they played some lovely new sets they’ll be recording soon!
In Aarhus this week for the Nordic Network for Renaissance Studies Conference. Recommendations welcome: sightseeing, restaurants, bookshops, escape rooms…
September 24, 2024 at 4:58 PM
In Aarhus this week for the Nordic Network for Renaissance Studies Conference. Recommendations welcome: sightseeing, restaurants, bookshops, escape rooms…
Getting started with a new paper. Next: the first session of our jointly taught Middle English course! 🤩
September 10, 2024 at 6:51 AM
Getting started with a new paper. Next: the first session of our jointly taught Middle English course! 🤩
Just received my copy of Recipes and Book Culture in England, 1350-1600, edited by the brilliant Carrie Griffin & Hannah Ryley. Looks excellent inside and out 🤩
August 26, 2024 at 4:54 PM
Just received my copy of Recipes and Book Culture in England, 1350-1600, edited by the brilliant Carrie Griffin & Hannah Ryley. Looks excellent inside and out 🤩
the winter strikes back (once more with feeling)
April 23, 2024 at 4:11 PM
the winter strikes back (once more with feeling)
Day 2 of Dies Medievales 2024 (Helsinki)
March 8, 2024 at 8:16 AM
Day 2 of Dies Medievales 2024 (Helsinki)
Our modern Narnia
January 19, 2024 at 4:40 PM
Our modern Narnia
3-yo’s first signature
January 12, 2024 at 5:20 PM
3-yo’s first signature
Today: Utuling doctoral programme retreat at Harjattula. Talked briefly about scheduling one’s writing and participated in a panel discussion + supervisors’ meeting. Lots of food for thought, and nice to be off campus for a day.
December 14, 2023 at 2:28 PM
Today: Utuling doctoral programme retreat at Harjattula. Talked briefly about scheduling one’s writing and participated in a panel discussion + supervisors’ meeting. Lots of food for thought, and nice to be off campus for a day.
There are some incunabula in our uni library, although sadly no English ones. Here’s a fragment we used this autumn to discuss hand-drawn initials in early printed books (apparently from Beauvais’s Speculum Naturale, pr. Anton Koberger, so maybe ISTC iv00293000?).
October 24, 2023 at 3:54 PM
There are some incunabula in our uni library, although sadly no English ones. Here’s a fragment we used this autumn to discuss hand-drawn initials in early printed books (apparently from Beauvais’s Speculum Naturale, pr. Anton Koberger, so maybe ISTC iv00293000?).