michaelsbagley

Yeah, I've been fighting with myself all morning about bidding on it.... Not knowing what the "reserve" amount on it has been one of the main reasons I haven't bid on it yet... That and fear of my other half's wrath at me spending money on a "frivoulous" purchase in midst of moving expenses...

For those who may be interested, I was browsing eBay this morning, and came across this item.... Hanger Sword on eBay The seller claims it is an AD 1650 to 1700 hanger sword, based on what I have seen in "Swords and Blades of the American Revolution", I am leaning towards believing the provenance claimed by the seller. It's worth the look even if you aren't interested in buying it.

Another resource for those considering tarp tents (whether making it oneself, or purchasing an already made tarp).... Tarp Shelters This web page (also available in a downloadable PDF file for your convenience ) has dozen of different setup for both square and rectangular tarps.

I've gotten quite a few patterns as well... I think I am at about 8 patterns now between myself and my girlfriend..... But on topic for this thread, I just finished hand sewing a shirt from this pattern package. It looks great, based on a suggestion within the notes, I made my shirt from two similar but different fabrics (off white linen, and ivory linen) to give the shirt more of a feel of being the clothing of a man of modest means. I also used the fabric buttons as described and discussed in this thread... Shirt Closures Thread And also illustrated at the bottom of this web page.... Recreating 16th and 17th century clothing web site I'm currently alternating between working on the button holes of the riding outfit for my girlfriend, and an unlined slop contract style waistcoat for myself (I'm going with different colour and material, mushroom grey slightly/subtley fulled twill wool).....

I'd be fine with having officers... As long as there was a firm understanding that their authority only existed for the sake of the display, and any even pretend authority of said officers disappears completely after/off hours. I'm sure that probably didn't need to be said, and please do not think that I am trying to imply anything with my desire to see that the line gets firmly drawn on this... I've just had some pretty bad luck with social politicking when it comes to re-enactment over the last couple of years... That said, I firmly intend on portraying the average pirate #(insert random number here), and have no real interest in if and even who the officer(s) will be...

It's still a long way off, but I am very determined to go (but can't guarantee it quite yet).... So with all of that in mind, if I go, I will be driving from central Ohio. If there is anyone from that area who is interested and could benefit from a ride, please let me know. With a bit more effort, I could arrange to go slightly out of my way to pick up anyone in southern Ohio, western West Virginia, or I don't imagine Eastern Kentucky or Tennessee would be too far out of my way either. Or if there is anyone from Western Pennsylvania, Michigan, or Indiana who would be willing to drive themselves to Ohio, they could park their vehicle at my place and we could share a ride the rest of the way. I'm not sure if I am going to try to marathon drive the 20 hour trip (having extra drivers would help with this), or break it up over two days with a hotel stay after a good full day's drive (or camping, if on a shoestring budget). Just an option for those who may be interested.

A friend of mine once made a handsewn wool tent and used this exact same means of testing... It worked well (both the tent and the means of testing it)... I've priced out hemp canvas for the size I need... and well let's just say I can't quite afford that this year... I know I have seen cotton/linen blend canvas for a pretty reasonable price before (I think it was a 55/45% blend). A quick search on google has found me some of this, but in colours I would rather not use. Does anyone know off hand a link to a seller of this type of material that has "natural" colour? For others that may want to do an upgrade from cotton canvas (which sells at most Walmarts for as little as $4.44 a yard) but can't afford to spend the $16 to $20 or more average price for Hemp or Pure linen canvas, this may be a good middle ground if it can be found. Edit - in case anyone may be interested in the linen/cotton canvas for cheap on sale, but only in colours, here is the link -> Linen/Cotton Blend Canvas While I didn't find the specific link I was thinking about when I wrote my previous post.... I did enough searching around to learn that linen/cotton blends are called fustians... and then a google search and some browsing through the results found me this Fustian canvas source that is AMAZINGLY cheap. in various weights... Fustian Canvas source It seems that Fustian canvas can be got for almost as cheap as cotton canvas for those who are leaning towards making their own shelters.

All of my brief research on period paper led me to the conclusion that linen pulp paper (mostly from linen rags) was the most commonly used type of paper for the period. Now linen paper is both expensive, not easy to get, and not particularily easy or cheap to make in any quantity, so if this concept gets enough interest and buy in from enough people to make it happen (and approval from the camp organizer), it would almost definately be done with the use of cheap modern photocopier quality paper for the sake of economy, time and resources. For period look, I am suggesting mostly size, look, layout, fonts, possibly writing style in the "news articles" etc. Trying to actually make a reconstructed period newspaper would most likely be taking the idea to far. If my understanding is correct, the pamphlet's primary purpose would be to explain the purpose of the camp and give the spectators some basic understanding of what is going on and why we are there. Most of the pamphlet's will find their way to the waistbins, but if we can make the look more like a "keepsake" by giving them a more period feel, there is a distinct chance more of them may wind up being taken home as momentos by spectators rather than being skim read and tossed in the trash. Thanks for the information on the sizes of folios for the period, that is a great place to start for sizing the theoretical newspaper, if it winds up being a go. I guess there is no point in debating this, it's really a matter now of volunteers offering to help write, and the camp organizers giving permission should there be enough people interested in making it happen.

The photocopiers in my office (and other offices I work in) and I assume photocopiers in many offices handle up to 11 X 17 inch paper.... The "newspaper" could be designed on regular letter or legal paper, then blown up on the photo copier to the larger size... It still may not be full size, but we could still aim for a scaled version of the look and feel. Go with the whole balance of costs with easily available materials, but as close to authentic look as possible. And even if we wanted to stick to what is printable on a home computer printer, we could still aim for the style and look of a period newspaper, just very scaled down in size. Aim for authenticity, but comprimise and go for a true period look when perfect authenticity isn't feasible is what I say.... It's an idea, and idea that would require the work of a few people, I can help to an extent, if there are more interested in running with this particular idea, we go for it, if not, stick to the simple basic booklet. To tie this idea in with another concept, as there is not many "roles" for women as women, in a careening camp, this concept could help justify a woman as a woman for a newspaper hawker.

This post jot buried way back durring the ship's namming..... so I'm posting it again......... To take this suggestion a little further, if a creative person wanted to get really into this project, they could do the booklet in the style of a period newspaper. I am not particularily great at creative writing, but if there were people out there that would contribute copy/articles/writing, I would happily take on researching the look of period newspapers and the formatting of the booklet. If this is something enough people are interested in doing or collaborating on, splitting this into another thread may be an idea.... (moderator.... Oh, moderatorrrrr....) I already have some fonts that are period correct, I found those while doing some research on books and bookbinding for the period a month or so ago.

Just to counter the good Captain's points... I have been re-enacting for some years, and have dealt with insurance companies for events (mostly in Canada albeit), and I have never seen tents or the type of tents even mentioned on event insurance coverage. I fully admit that this may be different in the USA, as I am still relatively new here and have not been involved in insurance matters for events on this side of the border as of yet. So this may be something worth looking into for the organizers. Short version: Outside of arson or serious misbehavior with fire (neither of which do I find likely), untreated cotton canvas should not have any real risk of catching fire. Long version, please read on... On tents themselves, I have made my last three period tents (for different periods) out of untreated (neither waterproofed, nor fire resitant) cotton canvas. I have always kept a respectful distance from the camp fire (never closer than about 15 to20 feet away) and never had any concerns or worries about fire. To take this further, during one event I was at with my first tent, the smokers were not allowed to smoke in public view, and as my tent was closed from public view for the event (hiding some modern conveniences, I was still a bit a newbie to that period at the time), my tent became the smoking resort for four days (I was a smoker at the time and didn't mind). There were 5 or 6 smokers at the event, 2 heavy smokers, 2 moderate, and 1 or 2 light smokers, and my tent did not spontaneously combust through all of this smoking traffic. This event was also at the beginning of August. I think that fact should be a strong testiment to the need to not worry about cotton canvas catching fire... Edit - This post was not meant to sound pissy or condescending. I truly hope no one has taken it as such. I am in a strange place today and have been coming across more curt than I intend to (This has been implied to me on another unrelated forum today). My sincerest appolgies if I have offended anyone.

A friend of mine once made a handsewn wool tent and used this exact same means of testing... It worked well (both the tent and the means of testing it)... I've priced out hemp canvas for the size I need... and well let's just say I can't quite afford that this year... I know I have seen cotton/linen blend canvas for a pretty reasonable price before (I think it was a 55/45% blend). A quick search on google has found me some of this, but in colours I would rather not use. Does anyone know off hand a link to a seller of this type of material that has "natural" colour? For others that may want to do an upgrade from cotton canvas (which sells at most Walmarts for as little as $4.44 a yard) but can't afford to spend the $16 to $20 or more average price for Hemp or Pure linen canvas, this may be a good middle ground if it can be found. Edit - in case anyone may be interested in the linen/cotton canvas for cheap on sale, but only in colours, here is the link -> Linen/Cotton Blend Canvas

Thats great news for you! I'm very curious as to whether the company sends you the design plans, or if they send you full sized construction plans and have done all of the lofting work for you. If you can, please let me know when you get the plans! Best of luck to you as always!

I've finished the petticote, and I have the coat fully assembled, I'm waiting on the fabric for the waistcoat, but other than that, it's coming along nicely... But, I'm stuck.... I've searched through the Pub's archives, and found TONS of good information and links on buttons... But all of the information seems to be geared towards buttons for male clothing, or does not specify gender, which leaves me wondering, as the contexts of the threads with the information seems to be "male clothing oreinted". (Sorry about the bad run-on sentence) The notes with the pattern suggest the covered ebroidered wood buttons (passementerie, which I am certain I don't have the patience to do), or domed metal buttons... None of the domed metal buttons in any of the links and information I have found seem to be distinctly female. These two links seem to have the most useful information I've been able to find... GoF's web page on Period Materials Artifacts.org's page on period buttons Would the plain shallow domed buttons be right for a woman's riding outfit? If so, would brass/bronze/copper alloy or white tin be the most appropriate (or either)? Or is there something better and more appropriate out there that I am just not finding? I'm anxious to finish this outfit off so attention can be returned to my outfit, so any quick answers would be greatly appreciated!

Count me in, as I have bought both the Exquemeling and Johnson book over the last few weeks and just finished my last peice of fluff reading and was about to delve into those two books.

Just to be a smart a** about it... The US is the THIRD largest grower of grains... Russia is number one (yes even post Soviet Russia produces more), and Canada is number two.... But you still make a good point, importing items from other countries that are produced at home, just because they are cheaper from the other country because of that country's unfair wages is the underlying issue of a lot more than this problem. Smart consumerism and "buying American" is still an option just about everyone can make for themselves... But few people choose to pay the sometimes significant amount of more hard earned money to excercise that option... This problem has existed for so long, it is actually getting more and more difficult to even find or buy local goods....

And a google search found me these... You'll need to scroll about two thirds of the way down the linked page.... History of Pendant Lamps To find these lamps... and

In an effort to revise this thread based on the interest on a different thread... I did find this... From Esquemeling’s Buccaneers of America Page 20. "Such is the vellow saunder, which by the inhabitants is called bois de chandel, or, in English, candle-wood, because it burns like a candle, and serves them with light while they fish by night. Here grows, also, Lignurm Sanctum, or Guaiacum. Its virtues are very well known, more especially, to those who observe not the seventh commandment, and are given to impure copulations! - physicians drawing hence, in several compositions, the greatest antidote for venereal diseases, as also for cold and viscous humors. The trees, likewise, which afford gummi elemi, grow here in great abundance, as doth radix Chince, or China root. Yet this is not so good as that of other parts of the western world. It is very white and soft, and serves for pleasant food to the wild boars, when they can find nothing else."

There is this thread in Twill about lighting.... Lamps and lighting I'm in the process of reading it myself to see what suggestions or sources there may be out there.... Or if more research needs to be done on the matter by some brave soul...

Although my attendance will be in constant question until probably October or possibly even early November, I know that if I do attend I will be driving... And when ever I drive to a re-enacting/camping event, I always bring both my iron tripod setup and some cast iron skillets/pans... If they are needed, I'll lug them to camp, if they are not, they'll keep my van company.

That's awesome! Did you stick to the plans from your first post? r did you find something you liked better in further searching? Either way, please do share your progress both in tale and photos if you can!

French Maids! Unfortunately my trip to Toronto was cut short so I didn't have time to visit the museum and take photos, nor did I get to do any book shopping...

After re-reading Kass's post a few times... I just have to ask... I know this information could be heavily questionable, but I have been told that soldiers during both the American Revolution and during the North American War of 1812 were required to provide their own uniforms and that they were not issued, and it was the soldiers wife that made the uniform more often than not (not a sexist comment, just stating what has been posed to me as history). Also, that while the uniform had to match the criteria of the military unit, there often was slight variation in the colour (different fabric suppliers and/or variable dyeing results) and to a lesser degree variation of cut as well to the uniforms. Have I been mis-informed? Or possibly only half informed and is there more to this? If what I have been told is true, would it not hold for earlier history as well?

Rats, I'm going to be in Toronto visiting again this weekend... I've been considering a visit to the Royal Ontario Museum while I am there visiting... If I make it to the museum, I will make sure I bring my camera and snap some pictures of any colonial military uniforms/clothing they may have. I visited Historic Fort York last time I went to Toronto, but the few uniforms they have on on display (I beleive they are extant peices) are from much later time frames (War of 1812 or later). I'll also be checking out some of the book stores while I am in Toronto... You'd be suprised at how many more "British-centric" books are readily available in Canada than here in the US. If I find anything really good I will definately buy, and send any pictures that may be of use.

If your going to suggest Osprey as a starting point, there are these two books as well for the time frame... British Army 1660 to 1704 Marlborough's Army 1702–11