RustyNell

Ohh didn't know it was a secret.... oops! I thought it was the smartest thing I'd heard in weeks. You took a load off my mind by sharing that...didn't mean to out ya. I work and am too busy if i had to sew it all by hand it would be a year before I could wear it. Still, I plan on doing a little hand work as well - maybe even some embroidery. And I have some handmade lace my grandmother made, yards of it, just waiting for the right thing to put it on. Kate you used a machine for those channels didn't you? That would have taken a heck of a lot longer than 4 hours. more like 4 days at the least. Curious about Cheeky's question about the cane reed is it tough on your hands?

Ok wow thats BIG! Thanks!

this looks really similar to the pattern I already use - gore and all. Thanks Captain Sterling your a dear!

GREAT WORK!! and wow, thats a lot of channels - I must say I commend you Lady Brower for doing yours by hand. But Good Lord woman!! thats insane. 4 hours on a machine would take 4 months by hand, at least for me it would. Its honorable but I think I'll take miss Mary Diamonds advice when she told me she was PFC - I was puzzled being a military brat and ex- Navy myself my first thought was PFC??? --- Private First Class????? Then in all her finery she confided, "Pretty F'in Close" - I almost died laughing when she said it, standing there in her mourning clothes - anyway she gave me the lovely and much welcomed benefit of the 10 foot rule. If they can't tell at 10 paces, I'm good. Bless you Mary! I love my sewing machine. Thanks for sharing the pictures Kate and for everyones advice.

my feet......

Awesome! I so enjoyed reading that. You've both inspired me to start keeping a journal. My memory fades so quickly. There are moments I'll never forget no matter what, but its nice to have all the little details you noticed in that moment to reminisce over. Thanks for sharing that. Loved the photos as well.

yeah blame it on the school computers - sure its not those "Sticky Fingers" lol BTW I really appreciate all this textile conversation. Just the research I need to do and discuss. I don't want to waste any more money on non PC fabrics. the stitching can't be seen from a distance but texture of the fabric stands out like a sore thumb if its wrong.

Oh I agree there is no way two people could just show up and fight. Body size, strength, speed, a lot of things play into this that don't apply to standard dance choreography. I am not delusional where this whole concept is concerned I by no means expect that any system would allow people to show up and just start swinging. Still a day or two of rehearsal with someone who already knew the same fights, using the same fight language and choreography, and who has repeatedly studied the same basic moves ....goes a really long way. Where a day or two of rehearsal for two people who have no concept of the other fighters system or study or moves, would be baby steps in comparison. I'm just interested in making steps, and creating tools to bring us closer to a common goal. I don't expect to people to show up, pair up and fight. Thats would be well....stupid. Here's my best analogy: I could send every musician on the pub music to a bunch of songs for their particular instrument and we could get together and play them somewhat decently. Still if we wanted to sound any good, we'd have to run through the songs for a few days. If everyone had done their homework it sure wouldn't take long before we sounded halfway decent. Not half as long, as it would if I walked into a room of non musicians handed them instruments they had never played and asked them to play twinkle twinkle together. The songs simple enough and they all know it but the LEARNING CURVE! sheesh.

Your awesome!! Thanks I wanted to peak at that thread because I thought you might have pictures of works as they progress. I've found seeing the progress of a piece to be really educational. .Some of the links that Kate Souris gave me had some easy petticoat instructions and I've made skirts without patterns before it was just a matter of understanding how the waist ties were made. It doesn't look too difficult. I actually have a great pattern for a chemise, seems perfectly fine to me, unless you feel otherwise. Simplicities Fashion Historian 7215, I've taken a few shortcuts with the neckline ie using a draw string rather than a fitted neckline. Only problem is I used cotton and it should probably be linen, am I right? I will probably make a couple with different sleeve lengths in linen. Redarding the mantua, I had no intention of starting one yet, not until I've finished my stays and some PC clothes for Chrispy as well. I'm not really sure a mantua is something that Nell would wear anyway. I don't think it suits her character she''s far too "informal" (<---trying to be PC in another way)

Patrick I had something similar to this happen once. I was lucky though..... because there were no weapons involved it was hand to hand. (I toured with a Hollywood CA girls boxing troupe in my early 20's). Still when a staged fight is suddenly real its not fun. People who are angry shouldn't fight, the person in charge of the fighting needs to know their fighters, and more so fighters need to know each other. I had been touring with this girl for a month but I didn't really know her well. Thankfully though she started it, I finished it by taking a dive and stopping the fight. I wasn't going to play that game. This happens. People get angry or jealous and they snap and make bad decisions. She's lucky... actually we're both lucky.. I wouldn't stoop to that level or we both could have gotten hurt, not that fists could do near the damage of a blade. Some people simply don't have the temperament, I do agree you have to know who your fighting, most of all people need to communicate. On another note: Someone said bruises are inevitable. I don't agree with that a bit. No one should be making any body contact, so there should be no reason to get bruised. The technique we use is that the actual strike comes from the block, not the strike at all. The person striking casts the blow and stops it outside of contact, the actual sound and force comes from the blocker. Since a block is not designed to connect with a body but is designed to stop a blade its ultimately SAFE! This way its up to the blocker to make it look real. Of course, you have to feel confident enough that your opponent is strong with their points and that they will stop their blade outside of any physical contact. Thats why its important to practice your points around the fighter your fighting to get their body shape and size into the equation. You have to trust each other NOT to hit! Only then are you willing to get in close enough to really CONNECT your blocks to their strikes with the right force to make it convincing. I really don't think its impossible to have a universal system. After all I can't help but re-iterate that this really is choreography its not fighting, at least it shouldn't be. In the end its nothing more than a series of moves strung together to give the illusion of a fight. That's choreography...and if dance can have a common language that communicates movement across the globe, its not impossible for this to happen in fight choreography. Its just a matter of defining OUR common language. If fighters across the country were schooled in the same language, if the movements and series of movements were given the same names, and fight schools taught them, it could happen. Hell you could be certified in it. Its a shame that I can go into a dance studio anywhere in the country, in the world for that matter and study ballet, its the same everywhere, so I can continue my practice and better my skills, but I can't do that with stage fighting. Wouldn't that be grand if we could fight anywhere!! Imagine if for whatever reason you had to move from Cali to the Carolina's, and you could pick up where you left off, join a troupe and not have to start over and learn a whole new system.? I think many fight masters fear if we go to a universal system that we'll all look the same. I disagree. Let me assure you, just as dance choreographers develop their own style, sharing a system will never make us fight alike. People inject their personalities into their choreography just like dancers, fighters all have a style. When I think pirate I can't separate myself from the great swashbucklers of the Hollywood era films and all the great pirate stories I've read as a child and an adult. The sword fight is an integral part of our history, both real and imagined. Anyway... I'm dreaming I know... still, my intention of this thread was to put a bug in the ear of the crew fight masters among us. To maybe inspire them towards something like this. Its apparent to me that the growing pirate festival circuit seeks to be different than the other re-enactments ie Medieval, Ren, civil war etc., just thought this might be an area to develop to make pirate festivals really stand apart from the rest.

Where is this progression thread that Captain Sterling speaks of. I can't seem to find it and the links on here aren't working. Hoping to save myself a lot of time and trouble by doing as much homework as i can before I start sewing. Thanks for your help, please! Nell

The first picture is Jose Santiago De Le Muerte, not Chrispy and Yes he is a Boney No Robin and Leatherback are not a couple. Oh and Nicole Andryko is Morgan Drake, who is in the Sacred Heart crew. They are the same person her pirate name is Morgan Hope that helps a bit

wow the skirt on the left looks to be ermine... I can just imagine how gorgeous and heavy it is.

tear

naked

LOL that is hilarious!! ROFLMAO I didn't know your wife was Greek!! That explains a lot!! LOL I'm first generation American in my family on my moms side, she's from Kavala moved to the US when she was 10. You and Chris should bond I'm sure you have a lot in common LOL.. I remember the first time I took him to meet the family - Easter! I don't think he was ever the same. When we saw Big Fat Greek Wedding at the theater, there was a moment in the movie when there was nothing particularly funny but he was laughing hysterically and couldn't stop and I was like.. "Wot??" Wot??" And he turns to me and says, " I get it!! You can't help it, its genetic!"

aye ya canny BEAT the pub!