madPete

oooh, a couple more cooking utensils arrived, a label, strainer, and fork. This is probably it for the big stuff, so I may have to make a trip to tandy to look for some leather to make the utensil roll.

Ok, made some progress on the watchman cloak this morning. Advice is, find the widest material you can. I started with 5 yards (YES 5 YARDS) 60 inches wide of a charcoal (mixed black and white) suit weight wool. I made one of these for my youngest with just slightly heavier wool and cotton flannel blackwatch (green and black) lining. And it seems plenty warm and reduces the weight somewhat (warm enough for Arizona so take that with a grain of salt). The plan is for long cloak (mid calf or ankle) with a shoulder cape and lining. I would plan no less than 5 1/2 yards of 60inch wide. Having said that wool is not inexpensive. I found somewhat of a deal on 5 yards already cut that came in 2 pieces. But a full on coating weight wool is gonna be at least $20 a yard and maybe closed to 35-40 depending what you choose. And dont forget, you need only slightly less for the lining. I chose a heavy window pane linen bought from Joanns online. So a significant investment! If you want to do a cloak that goes half circle, you will have to piece it at least minimally. There are several ways to do it, but I chose to extend the corners at the bottom, like wings. I figured it would be less distracting and use smaller pieces than a horizontal seam halfway down the cape. As it was, I scrimping for fabric already. I would like to have used one large piece instead of two smaller pieces but wasn't sure I could do that. If I make another I will get an extra half yard to make it happen. With the shoulder cape and the half circle, it has pretty much used up that 5 yards. Altho the material has no pattern, there is definately a grain. The outside (rightside) grain is vertical, inside is horizontal. so if you have a patterned material you may need more to match seams. I'm doing the seams by machine. Its a lot of yardage to hand sew and I did the shoulder cape mostly by hand, especially the hemmed edges and front. I'll do likewise hemming the bottom and front edge of the main body by hand. First photo is a rough example of the target - a men's watchman cloak. I was surprised how many originals I found that were red (mostly later 18th century tho) Next photos are the shoulder cape, the overall size and the pieces (or wings) I used to extend it.

Personally I would just accomplish whatever repairs it needs, maybe strengthen the corners if needed. The outside looks rustic which is good. As you have time you can put a new lining or embellish as desired.

bububuuuuut... I thought you were French! Oh well, that explains a few things about hte auction LOL

For those needing shoes... on the facebook forum "Authentic Pirate Living History 1690-1730" this popped up...

So are ye bringing a company or a battalion? 😁

A tumpline is a great idea, didn't think of that. The forged utensils I have so far are fairly light, gonna skip the tripod. We already have to coordinate with some one to bring the bigger stuff, like a pot. I supposes we could always makeshift a wooden one on site

Here's the breeches. Still need buttons/buttonholes, leg bands and possibly more adjustment in the rear

I've been working on kit the last month or so, but been pretty lazy about taking pictures of progress: - Made a bedroll I can throw down at the barracks or ?. Its mostly done save for some leather straps to secure the roll and maybe also to sling over the shoulder. Its basically an attempt to disguise my inflatable mattress inside a linen mattress cover. Add a wool blanket, leather strap and wallah! Between this and my hammock I should finally be covered. - Started a pair of period linen breeches. They are getting close, but still adjusting the pattern to make the fit comfortable. - Collecting/Building a traveling cook implement kit. Flying in and cooking period food in a period setting with period tools is a bit daunting at best, so we've made some compromises. It starts with having the basic implements in forged iron for camp. Will have to rely on somebody bringing cooking pots as that gets a bit awkward and heavy for flying. But, until we get a bit more accomplished in cooking for the masses on period equipment, we will likely cook at the offsite rental unit and transfer to the cooking pots in camp as needed. I will make some sort of traveling bag for the implements, either in leather or heavy linen, probably in the form of a rollup bag. But can't really start this until I have accounted for everything I need. High on the "To Buy" list is a long fork, a ladle and maybe some tongs to grab food with. - A wool watchman's cloak. I have a short sailor jacket in wool, but wanted something with more coverage and warmer in case of foul weather. I've seen a few of these around and they seem very versatile and may even substitute for the wool blanket in the bedroll. I've got some charcoal wool and some window pane linen for a lining (same as bedroll) [Edit] - Following on WIlliam's suggestion to weather our kit... wear my apron when I cook at home to get it a little more "used". It still looks new save for a couple small stains

If you would like to try stiffening your hat with shellac flakes, I can send you some. I have a big baggie full and it only takes a couple tablespoons per can of denatured alcohol, then all you need is a spray bottle. LMK. I'm gonna start another thread for my kit rather than hijack your thread 😀

Well, I did find this about a month ago... Appears to be near new. 2.5 gallons. I need to order a bung and a tap for it

Yes! wrap in old canvas and store cold drinks in them

I haven't found any material since before Ft Gaines. It's kinda dried up here

There was just a post for crews at Long Beach to reach out to the organizer a couple days ago, so they are starting early this year. I'll let you know when I hear anything else about camping. There's usually food and such also in camp.

Storm provides a rare glimpse of a 112-year-old shipwreck Marnie Hunter, CNN Mon, January 15, 2024 at 8:06 PM MST·4 min read 102 Vicious winter storms have pummeled much of the US in recent days, bringing bitter cold and hazardous conditions. In Maine, where record-breaking storm surges have caused severe flooding, the weather also brought a rare glimpse of a 112-year-old shipwreck at Acadia National Park. The two-masted schooner Tay ran aground on Mount Desert Island in July 1911, resulting in the death of the ship’s cook. The Tay, captained by I.W. Scott of St. John, New Brunswick, sprung a leak during a storm, according to an article that appeared shortly after the wreck in the Bar Harbor Record. Captain Scott tried unsuccessfully to make it to harbor. “The main sheet parted and then he lost his main boom. Capt. Scott attempted to stand off shore under head sails, but he was too far in and was swept inside the breakers,” the article recounts. “The Tay struck hard and was dismasted fore and aft at the first shock and began to go to pieces rapidly.” Some Acadia National Park visitors were able to see a large section of the ship’s impressive bones on Mount Desert Island’s Sand Beach after a storm on January 10 brought the wreck to the surface. Bar Harbor local Molly Moon, whose family’s ties to the area date back generations, went to the beach at low tide on Thursday, a day after the storm, to take photos of the wreckage at sunset. “It was a rare experience, to peek back at history that has been buried just below our noses for over a hundred years,” Moon told CNN Travel in an email. “I was reminded how blessed I am to live in this beautiful area and relate to the rich history here.” On Thursday, the shipwreck Tay was drawing visitors to Sand Beach in Acadia National Park. - Molly Moon Moon is not the first person in her family to see the wreckage emerge. “My grandmother saw sections of it uncovered in the ’50s, my mother saw the hull unearthed in the ‘70s, and I was fortunate enough to see it return above the sand presently in 2024.” With more bad weather over the weekend, the sea seems to have reclaimed some of the wreckage. Ben Sprague, of Bangor, took his family to look at the ship’s remains on Monday after hearing about it from social media and news reports. When he visited, the visible wreckage was in pieces. “They are not really connected together, but they are still in pretty solid condition. Cool bit of history!” Sprague, who didn’t know about the shipwreck before it surfaced last week, wrote to CNN Travel. “It’s pretty amazing to think of all the times you’ve been to Sand Beach and walked on the sand above that shipwreck without even realizing it,” he wrote in a Facebook post on Monday. Acadia National Park did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for more information. The park, which was established several years after the shipwreck, is mostly located on Mount Desert Island, the largest island off Maine’s coast. According to a notice on the park’s website, there was “significant damage” throughout the park from the January 10 storm. Park areas remained open, except where noted in the NPS advisory, with visitors taking in the shipwreck’s appearance. According to the 1911 Bar Harbor Record article, there were six crew members aboard the Tay, as well as the captain and the captain’s son. The cook, J.B. Whelpley, of St. John, New Brunswick, died in the wreck. According to the Bar Harbor Record, the ship was carrying lumber from St. John to Boston. A load of shingles was lost but planks carried below deck washed ashore. A National Park Service account says the Tay’s crew took refuge in the local Satterlee family’s summer home after they managed to get ashore. The family built a boat house using the salvaged lumber to honor the shipwreck. While the ship’s wreckage has revealed itself before, the recent sighting was the first in decades, according to Bangor Daily News. The century-old wreck isn’t the only historic site in the state impacted by recent storms. Flooding in South Portland swept away several historic fishing shacks. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com