Tudor MercWench Smith

Yes! He might have more details on that! I was talking to Alan a little bit during the event about it cause he was picking my brain on what I would suggest for improvements as well, but it was a passing conversation, so anything further the Quartermaster might be privvy to would be helpful in the planning phase.

It honestly also solves most of my project list as we would no longer need to figure out functional ways to disguise coolers and create more hides, so I'm all for it being laz...were in, I mean, an advocate of work smarter not harder. I'll reach out to Alan after the holidays and see about getting measurements of the space next to the kitchen and see if it is logistically feasible there with the earthworks and then see what type of tent might fit

I'm glad the idea sounds reasonable to minds other then my own, considering the fried state I have been in the last few days lol! My immediate thoughts are it would go best in the small alley between the edge of the kitchen and the earthworks, as it is not a trafficked area, it wouldn't block or impede line of sight or access to the kitchen, etc, but I am not sure how much space there would be, if the ground is level enough to put something up, and/or if we'd be able to stake something down without digging into the earthworks, which the fort might have feelings about. Perhaps we can call upon Alan to get some measurements and advise if such a thing would even be feasible.

I think that is kind of my thought process on this - I definitely don't want to spend significant time *IN* the kitchen, but if in order to make that happen, I dedicate the in between times to helping organize it, I am happy to do so. If all I have to do is muster up some organizational devices and help run some sign up geniuses (which I can then play with and turn into fun period correct written duty rosters to post on the kitchen wall), it's well within my skill set wheel houses both from real world and period persona. Plus, it gives me one more things I can be bossy pants about!! Lol Speaking of tents though - I just had the thought that maybe a small "lean to" style tent off to the side or back of the kitchen might be an excellent solution; think of it kind of like a butler's pantry, where we can stash coolers, moderns, etc, that will be closed to public view, but that will still afford us easy access to things without having to stack and cover everything, and will become an easy spot for anyone picking up duty in the kitchen to know the answer to "Where does this go?" . . . it goes in the pantry.

I really truly want to state this for the record - it was absolutely no problem to step in for any reason, and was more then happy to do so for such an important reason. Like - stating that so unequivocally! You have absolutely NOTHING to apologize for, and I need to apologize if any of the sassing/spit balling made you feel like you need to!! It just got me pondering best ways to be prepared for when extenuating circumstances like this come up, which initially started for me last year, actually, when I was the last to find out I was handling the kitchen lol!! How best to support you (or whoever), or make it easily accessible for anyone to plug in as needed, and also make it that you (or now, again, whomever) is in the roll of cook DOESN'T get to the point where they aren't enjoying the event cause too much of a burden falls on them to do it all. I don't live nearby, per se, but driving does seem to be the most efficent way for me to travel, so with that, and the fact that I tend to end up in there, seemed to well position me to handle some of these bigger item things that won't travel easily farther distance but won't necessarily be able to be kept on site. So, all this to say - if you still want to have the "role" of "Cook", (with whatever level of cooking might actually contribute to your enjoyment), I am more then happy to lead the charge on getting volunteers to handle the "organization" aspect. Like I said previously, if we can get a solid schedule of "watches" for the kitchen, so all the actual WORK of the kitchen doesn't fall to one person, I think it would work better, and would mean no one gets overly burdened or thrown in.

Speaking as the person who gangpressed you into that assistance . . . . sorrry!!! But honestly, the kitchen issue is one I have been stewing on for a while, and there was a bit of discussion about at breakfast on monday as well. One of my personal white whales for the next year is to collect and craft a few basic . . . . let's call them "framework" items, that I think will go a long way to making the kitchen much more "plug and play". Not so much actual kit and gear, but more like fixtures. Namely designated immediately accessible, permanently disguised coolers a visually appropriate yet immediately functional wash stand, that will at least come closer to meeting modern sanitary procedures, and can have a more systematic process for crew volunteering/voluntolding dish duty. a few other "disguise" features that will serve as quick and easy stash spots (think barrels, crates, baskets, etc) Collecting/making significantly more period correct food storage options (glassware, stoneware canisters and bowls etc, and a ton more beeswax wraps) so that if there is leftover food in modern accoutrement again, instead of figuring out where to stash it out of site, the easiest response will also provide more "set dressing" Alan also mentioned to me that the fort is going to be doing some construction on the kitchen in the coming year that should provide more storge which would go a long way to helping keep things more readily organized. My intention with this is that it will be easy both ways - if there is a designated cook for the entire event, they can utilize these however they wish to set them up, but if there isn't any one person, or delays/complications, or there are shifts of people, or if poor random redcoats have to get told to go adios some moderns there is some semblance of organization that it's not as baffling of a task. Basically this is entirely self serving - not at all as a complaint, but twice in a row now I have kind of become defacto more responsible in the kitchen then I was prepared for. Which I am absolutely fine with, but I am tired of being caught out on it. If I can bring this "minimum framework" it helps me if I am having to plug in on the fly, AND helps out the whole company even if I don't. To coincide with this, I'd love to see actual pre-scheduled, pre-volunteered "watches" for the kitchen. Nothing too structured and militant - we are pirates after all - but just a way to know someone is already on task to clear away moderns after breakfast and someone else is starting dishes without having to scramble. I am also happy to kind of spear head this, as it feels fitting within the "Steward" milieu, duty rosters, paperwork, etc etc etc. Otherwise, any other AAR I can think of are all personal - I want to continue to finesse the "Rum" ration. I am going to spend the year testing and perfecting a recipie so I don't have to keep buying the store bought NA stuff, I would love to actually build a correct "ledger" for marking who recieved ration, and I want to actually gather up all my sources and have them a little more prepared so I could turn it into an actual scheduled "station" or scheduled "programming".

Love this!! Was definitely going to corner you at the event to finish picking your brain about it if you hadn't circled back to it on your own anyway! lol I can live with a 20-30% range! I was never under any illusions that it was "common", for sure, even with all the painting I have been finding, but just that it is actually a somewhat documentable period practice, rather then being completely "interpretive". But, since the very identity of what I am portraying (a woman on a pirate crew) is probably in a similar, if not more skewed towards "rare" end of uncommon, the margins actually feel like a very natural pattern. And I mean, I think "narrative" actually does play a factor in this - if I was attempting to portray a more reputable woman, in a different situation, it wouldn't make sense for "her" to fall into that "20-30%" that would just shrug and throw on a men's shirt instead of a shift, based on availability of garments, functionality, etc. It weirdly makes it feel more accurate for the particular theme I am going for, if that makes any sense. I want to build my kit based of what is accurate to period, yes, but also accurate to "persona", so I am still giddy about it, and your rating does not dissuade my giddiness but rather feeds it. LOL! Also, I love that used clothing market was a thing -and once again I find the need for there to be an early modern adaptation of the song "Thrift Shop" THIS! Having done several men's shirts from this time, and a handful of women's shifts from slightly earlier (but that are still pretty similar in cut and style) and watching lots of videos and looking patterns for women's shifts for this period, construction and dimension wise, there is not a huge amount of difference - usually just the collar line, from what I have seen. It is not only what drove my interpretation of these images as men's shirts in the first place, but again the historical interpretive questions of "but why wouldn't they?" I do fully intend to do a woman's shift at somepoint for when I am going "proper girl" mode, but for prioritizing/maximizing the most use out of the fewest garments, being able to functionally use men's shirts for both is great, and being able to pin it back to some period examples makes me feel better about it.

Breakfast - Apron progress notes - fabric prewashed to remove the starch/sizing - ironed and cut into 2 - base hem finished along selvedge (though for the next one I might hide the selvedge into the twill tape/gathered waist to keep it looking neater and less modern) - natural twill tape waistband cut and soaked in tea to stain closer to wool color. Settled for linen cotton blend twill tape (the best Venn diagram result I could find of price/materials/availability/quantity/,etc). Silk thread, waxed with beeswax block. Should have it done by tomorrow depending on how work treats me today. After that, Frankenstein-ing a new sleeping mat, last minute adjustments and mending of slops and mantua, and if there is time, button holing the frock coat but that can be a to do at the event too

Wool for apron is here! The color is lovely, and I think it will be perfect once I pre-wash and get any sizing off of it! Bonus, the 1 yard I got will actually be enough to make 2 aprons, so in theory I can try to sell one to "offeset" the splurge on the fabric and moreso, getting nice wool twill tape instead of cheap cotton twill tape, as well as nice thread. While I would struggle getting the pricey notions for myself, if they increase "value" on a sellable piece, it make sense in my lizard brain. Pics to follow once I get started. T-minus three weeks and here I am starting a whole new project, that might also involve me having to make dye for wool twill tape!! Wheeeeeeeee!!! I love the smell of procrastination panic in the morning!!!!

So I pulled the trigger on the plaid. . . .The blanket nature didn't deter me from the coating so much as I just didn't like the color as much, and the plaid was even less expensive. But I had to get something 65% off and $1 shipping. So, just about the time I finish my cotton flour sack apron, I will have a wool one to do up. Bad influences, all of ya!

that is an excellent idea! I will have to keep my eyes open for a good length of wool in the right weight for the right price. I'll start with cotton and then plan for that for the next. Edit to add; Lucky me!! Fabric Mart is having a 65% off wool sale today! Eyeing up these guys - They are all the nice modern wide width fabrics that I can't imagine needing much more then 1-1.5 yards. I am leaning most towards the plaid worsted weave cause of my previous rabbit hole research on checked aprons, and I feel like the colors would work well with all combinations of my existing kit, and the slight pattern will give 'depth' to the over all look. But the twill coating feels like it would have more of the fire safety/pot holder features lol just due to the heavier weight

Thank you kindly Mistress Diamond! New skirt if finished and I am well pleased with how it came out. The order of proceedings I took definitely gave me better results and I love that it was all hang done with (almost) entirely accurate materials. The volume, gathering and drape really is a vast improvement. Pics of finished product are hard but I'll see what I can accomplish. I have now moved onto my apron. I had two fabric options...one a king sized 100% linen pillow case that i do not actually need on my bed, or a pack of very all cotton nice flour sack towels I got at Aldi for like 4$. I wanted the "authenticity" brag but I also recall how messy I can get in the kitchen so I am going with the cotton, at least to start with. If I have time I still might do up my linen for a "fancy" version. Fun feature of the cotton though is I am actually having to piece two of them together which I feel gives at least a taste of some historicity since piecing fabric was extraordinarily common.... Oh the cap front....in phoned it in and did a custom order on Etsy to get something cut in that unique style I've been chasing. Pics to follow once hair pins arrive lol In the meantime have started pulling everything else out and evaluating for mending/resizing before december and should be all set in time

She paused only long enough to mark the Captain’s place on deck—Durand at his side—then shifted the heavy roll of canvas higher on her shoulder. With the heel of her free hand she ground at the corners of her eyes, hard, as if she could shove the sting back inside. One more slow breath, ribs aching with it, and she turned toward the great cabin to finish readying the quarters for their French guest.

I looked for linen tape at both those places but they had nothing in the color, just white and natural, and I didn't want to mess with attempting to dye, so the cotton I found was just off amazon so modern dyes should help reduce the issue.

Good looking out! I did make a point to pre soak and wash my fabric like I always do, but the thread and the twill tape I got for the waistband I have not . . . too late for the thread but that is small potatoes. Waistband I should set to soak. It's cotton though (grumble grumble accuracy grumble), and mass produced, so I feel like it's less likely to bleed then the fabric was. It will probably get another wash once all together as well, just to get rid of any additional leaching.

As promised....actual updated... Over the last two days I have been chipping away at replacement red petticoat cause it doesn't require much thought. Because it was a bit of a vanity splurge (technically my existing red skirt was fine, but I had unwittingly purchased a blend when I made it and my gathering was not even front and back) I decided I was going all in on the "accuracy" meter, just cause a high level of accuracy was actually accesible to me..... So linen skirt, linen thread, hand stitched. But if I was going all in on accuracy I decided to actually be y'know, slightly less slapdash in my process. So I actually did the thread pull method to ensure my cut line was accurate.... I actually ironed down my hem so it would stay even.... Got that good-good thread and waxed it with the stub of an old beeswax candle.... And away the hemming went (first, before gathering to ensure it stays even and straight....also assisted by using the selvedge edge at the bottom....work smarter not harder) Finished hem last night and started on the side seam... About halfway through first pass, but since I am french seaming again I will need to go back over it once I get it sewn together So there we go...proof I can act so things and actually do them kinda ok when I put mind to it and manage to sneak out from under ye olde executive dysfunction....

Kit expansion items that I "cheated" by thrifting, not making . . . . "Monmouth" Cap . . . . Technically modern construction, but real wool, same shape, and felted (probably due to someone not knowing how to wash wool without it felting lol). I like to think it gets the job done for a mere $15 and 0 nervous breakdowns from trying to remember how to knit. . . Also added - Wide tartan scarf for Sunday Scottish Shenanigans - again, technically modern piece, but a large wide rectangle of tartan wool is not exclusively modern coded. Probably to be worn as a shawl/wrap. This for the low low price of $30. For want of knowing the clans of any of my recently discovered Scottish ancestry (thanks AncestryDNA!), and County Kildare Irish Tartans being basically a custom order and never stocked anywhere, I defaulted to an Antique Dress Stewart - cause, well, the Stewarts were my favorite royal house, and honestly . . . I just liked the word play of Stewart/Steward. I swear, apron, cap and skirt updates will happen soon! Considering we are down to like what - 4 weeks? - till the event, I have no more time to shilly-shally!

Tudor took as much note of the other Marine’s struggles as she did the brightening sky that waited above deck, and whatever delay it caused was only noticed because it caused the slightest delay in her reaching the great cabin, where she might at least find a corner to compose herself before anyone marked her emotional unravelling. She had to keep moving. Holding still at this point would see her collapse, and she refused to give Saltash even that small satisfaction in death. She would see his hammock borne to the great cabin, and Durand safely tucked into it, if she had to snivel like an upset child the whole time she would be accomplishing it.

She broke. Not something she did easily or well, especially in the company of others or many. She tended to attempt to fight her battles as if they were targets for assassination—mercilessly, with little fanfare and as few witnesses as possible. Since dawn she had not cried once. She did not cry for herself. She did not cry for Dash. She had kept such a tight leash on all emotions—even fury, for anger makes a heedless commander. She did not cry for what had happened, or from any sense of weakness. The first salute startled her. As something that fell in some nebulous position halfway between officer and crew, she was not entirely unaccustomed to any shows of deference, but typically they were reserved when she was fulfilling a specific role—given command of the deck in lieu of another officer—or delivering specific orders directly from the Captain. A deference given to the role she filled or the rank that she was emissary of, not something she herself had. She mirrored the gesture, more by rote than reason, as she pondered on it. The world had no respect for her. Born to no one knows who, and having dallied in everything from gutters to gilded courts, in a life far too full folded into far too few years, nothing she had ever done or been on her own had been respected. As if to spite the world, she always fought tooth and nail, demanded what scraps of respect she could string out from people. The Watch Dog, the anomaly that it was, was the first place that the fight was leastwise not so hard. Saltash reminded her though, that no matter what it would always be a fight. The second salute left her a burning feeling in her chest, as if she had been stabbed, and quickly was losing the ability to breathe. All those that came after flooded her. She managed to disguise that harried gasp for air behind the hefting of the loosely bundled canvas onto her shoulder, and she prayed that the light dimmed by the cave-like nature of the underdecks of a ship would make the unbidden tears that she tried to quickly squint away go unnoticed, and that the shaking of her shoulders would be interpreted as struggling under the weight of canvas, and not sobs pushing to escape the throat she choked them down. In hopes that would all be missed, she just returned salute to all that offered it, as she made her way in the wake of Eric and Treasure.

Waistcoat of Theseus lol

ooh, thank you for the link. This is a rabbit warren I have wanted to go down at some point, but have not prioritized yet!