Tudor MercWench Smith

I puts the cover I have for my little inflatable mattress to shame! It's making me wonder if I need to put an upgrade to my bedroll on my to do list lol

Really, I think my project is wining the fight, but I didn't hear no bell yet. Honestly, I've mostly been faffing about with little bits of nothing. I need to buckle down and find a good pattern for, most importantly, a waistcoat, and decide if I want to use any of the questionable fabrics I already have in my stash or try to source something better for one. That's the item I am going to most need. Everything else from Gaines is serviceable, but that was the item that I most wished I had. Any reccs on patterns now gladly being accepted.

I did contemplate this as in my collection of reference photos I saw that and thought it looked the most "pirate", but based off the style of the trunk, and the provenance of where my person would have gotten it, some fancier trunk hardware I think would make the most sense. But to avoid that exact hand pinch-y-ness I am making sure that I am checkin dimensions on it and looking for something that's at least a 5-6 inch diameter so it's not hard to fit a hand through. For reference, below is a comparison between an extant (earlier period, but again correct for provenance) trunk I found photos of online and the trunk I'm refinishing. I picked this particular reference as the example to model off of based off similarity of shape etc The handles on the period example also look like the drop "hinged" style too, which should also help with grip for lifting. I am sold on those. I am pretty certain I will grab some of the corner backets, but not sure I will shell out the money for the front strapping or faux locks. The existing lock is broken and has no plate on the front.

Ok the cooking utensils are swoon inducing! Bed roll looks super nice too.

Ok...image heavy post incoming! First project (while fabric is washing and I search for good patterns) is my FB free-score chest!!! Here it is in all it's "glory". Definitely antique. Probably late 1800s so we'll out of period. But dove tail joints and square nails and a simple style that is similar enough to extant 17/18th cent chests I've seen pics of. As you can see, there are definitely damages. Big crack in the top, chipping at the corners, splinter base frame bar. Finish-wise, the top is all torn up and if I had to guess it was sitting in water at some point cause there is a clear line around the bottom. So now I have choices to make.... - Do I repair the actual damage? If so what techniques are period or at least won't look obvi modern. - do I strip/sand/refinish? - do I add decorative metal strapping/faux hinges/locks/handles etc to make it look more correct period ooooorrr...do I leave it pretty much as is except for a good scrub with Murphy's oil to maintain the weathered look as would be befitting a chest that made two laps around the continent, a trans Atlantic journey and eventual life bouncing around on various pirate ships? (And thereby also maintaining whatever historical integrity the piece has in its own right? things I'm pretty certain will happen no matter what: - include chain on the inside to keep the lid from falling too far back and stressing the hinges - handles of some kind. Based on holes/damage on the side, it looks like it might have once had some. - a fabric lining, to both help keep my clothes from snagging but also to cover up the scratches on the inside that I can't help but think they are finger nail marks 🤨 So what is the thoughts of the crew?

I probably should stiffen it....I just loved the floppy hat aesthetic for some reason. And honestly I don't mind the thread hijack but your own thread will probably get better attention for your projects 🙂

*Ding ding ding* Round two!!! Three months out till the next event and here's my project list for my own kit, in no particular order Mend - hem and buttons on the last minute shirt I was working on at Gaines ✅ (finished before I even posted the list so I could feel like I was ahead of the curve) - hem the purple petticoat from Gaines - mend the grey short slops, probably put in a gusset - possibly alter the black booties I have to make them look more period - possibly re-pleat red petticoat - reinforce some weak points on my stays - reshape hat, find new pin Make - waist coat (top priority) - scarves, head and neck - 3rd skirt - 3rd pair of slops - under drawers - Mantua, possibly - apron - knapsack - women's shift - bum roll Shop for - more stockings - frail/grass basket Gear - Chest/trunk refinish (possibly my next project, found one for free, antique but not period, needs a few repairs and refinishings and I have to decide if I want to add hardware to make it look more period) - better/more dishes and cookware

Probably what I need for motivation! I ended up phoning in Halloween due to personal issues so another year with store bought costumes and then we finally ran out of bed sheets with neck holes and bathrobes that would suit for the annual st Nicholas day play at church, so last week and this week have been dedicated to five quick n' dirty byzantine tunics. so maybe by Christmas I can find time to do my mending from ft Gaines and start on all the additional kit I want. But by then.... will definitely need motivation!!!

What....you need more then 24 hours?? Bounce back faster! Lol jk jk Glad you made it home safe finally

Am I going to have to actually learn about nautical navigation now, to lean into this joke? I feel like I have to learn nautical navigation lol...

I suppose I should finally sign the muster officially at this point rather then just considering myself a stow-away.....

Ok.....so it's been almost a month since Massacre Island, so I have to ask......what's next!?!?

One of us! One of us!

Is this where we all start to chant "one of us! One of us"

Omg! What a good find!

You have barely even STARTED recovery mode! Lol. You do remind me that waistcoat needs to be on my agenda.....I like the jacket made but let's be honest did not wear it for more then five minutes......

Working on planning phase for Halloween costumes....made difficult by the tiny mutineers not wanting to commit to a costume theme.....maybe I can convince them to be pirates and then at least my outfit is done lol!!! After that, agenda is mend the slops I popped seams on, finish the hems on the last minute shirt and petticoat. After that is the shirt I owe Stynky then after Christmas I might take a stab at stays. I might also wait on those til I can get a custom measured pattern. We shall see....

I believe it was something akin to "I'll take the two women and one other"......now if only he'd say it in bad French lol

Despite the mostly sleepless night, Tudor arose with something tantamount to her usual vigor. Groggy, with aches and pains that would not let her even pretend to forget what had happened, but in the turmoil of the night, she had fathomed new depths of herself. Hardships had always acted as a chrysalis for her, a way to take herself down to the very essence and rebuild herself into something both the same, yet new. The events of the day before did not break her, did not change her position on this crew or even tarnish the uncommon trust she had started to build amongst her crew mates. As such, she could not and would not continue to lay a-bed and wallow, even if she was technically still confined to the cabin, by the Captain's orders Stretching as she walked over to the chipped shaving bowl, she made a mental note that they would have to procure a new one, or seek a skilled tradesman to see it repaired. A silly small thing, perhaps when the ship itself still was far more damaged, but she could not right the ship. This she could. There was a recipe for a paste like substance floating around in her memory - perhaps even a temporary repair could suffice. Before she could manage to summon it however, she realized the water in the bowl was still a murky copper color, fouled from cleaning her face the night before, and would not do so well at the task now this morning. Instead she walked it over to the window, opened the hinges pane and dumped it, using a deep breath of the fresh wind and salt spray to energize her, where splashing her face would not. Turning back into the room, she took note of Ajay. She had not so much forgotten that he was in the room, but rather, they had spent the night in the same room but yet in different worlds. Those two realities had now returned to one, and she smiled at his presence. The sense of security his presence had given was one of the things that had let her march through that parallel existence with no fear of assault from the other. She noticed the tooth, clearly spat from where he sat, and wished there was anything she could do to help him, but at a loss for where to even begin, she instead just shot him a smile. "Thank you for sitting watch last night. I apologize, I am sure it was not very restful." Knowing there was a very little chance of him fully understanding the words she had said, she hoped at least the sentiment would carry through. Rather then waiting for an answer she set about gathering up the oilskins and waistcoat the Captain had left in a heap on the floor, laying them out better to finish drying, and finding joy and solace in the mundanities of otherwise righting the room, all the while listening to the voices that carried down faintly from the deck, to see if she could gather any update on the ship's situation.

So I didn't get any pre pack photos and some of these will be posted in the event page but here's some shots of the results of effort in action for those that didn't get to see it in person. Notes to self.... re-enforce seams even if it seems tedious linen drawers wouldn't be a bad idea, slightly heavier weight shirts might seem too hot but won't be as bad as having to wear multiple layers over the hankie weight, custom sized stays pattern is in my future Taking a breather for a week or so, then focusing on Halloween....then will probably be back to projects come November

Technically at Fort Conde; "OY!!!! I NEED MAN HANDS!"

Have raided the spoils of New Orleans airport.....

First leg done! Changing planes then on my way...

Cases are loaded up for the early flight in the morning!!!