I am a big lover of games. I have a number of period and period-esq games and I am slowly adding to it. I’ve added a section specifically for games to make them easier to find.
Cluain hosted another magnificent event over Labour Weekend, October 21st to October 23rd. As always this was at the marvellous setting of Braythwayte Manor just outside Rotorua, New Zealand.
We had 3 days of camping, eating wonderful food prepared from scratch in the camp’s open kitchen and cooked over a fire. There was also dancing, music, fighting, archery, games and craft work.
Labour weekend camp is less structured than most and is very much a ‘bring what you want to work on’ style of camp. While my current health doesn’t allow for much in the ways of physical activity I did spend time playing games and talking with friends both old and new.
So a lot has happened. Most of the articles that were here have been archived. I’ll mostly be using this as a home for the things I do with-in re-enactment as Sympkyn of the Moor. Events I attend and projects I work on. Hopefully this time I’ll actually update things regularly.
In this project, I am making a leather box for a friend of mine.
The box design I decided to use has a joined lid so was to be made out of a single piece of leather. The final dimensions were to be 8″”x5″”x2″”. The pattern for it looks like this
I cut the basic shape out but left the corners in for the places that would be stitched together, the grey areas on the pattern. These I cut with V gouge instead of a knife so that I had a mitred edge to work with.
I also used the V gouge to cut the hinged lines so the box would fold. I decided to leave the final cutting of the lid until after I had made the bottom of the box so I could adjust if needed.
Once I had the piece ready to be sown I cut stitching groves and marked where the stitches should go.
For the actual sewing, I used 2 curved needles and waxed linen thread. I pierced the leather with a straight awl but did this at an angle so that it came through the leather on the mitred edge instead of the back of the leather.
This meant that once I had sewn the piece up there would be no stitches visible on the inside.
After I had completed the bottom of the box I then cut the pieces for the top. These were cut, pierced and sewn in the same manner as the base.
After the box was complete I decided that the sides of the lid needed attention as they weren’t sitting as I liked.
These will be reshaped to a curve.
The box is going to be used to hold so modern medical gear so needs to be securely closed. I have two options for this. One is to add a buckle the other is to add ties by punching 2 holes through the front of both the bottom bit of the box and the lid and passing some cord through. I need to check to see what the person I am making it for would prefer.
The final touch will be decoration. I am thinking of carving the top with the Rod of Asclepius.
This is the symbol of the greek god associated with medicine and is a single snake coiled around a rod.
The “Hundred Years’ War” between France and England (1337-1453) was an episodic struggle lasting well over a hundred years, for much of the time without any conflict. The battles were both violent, but also occasions when ideals of “chivalry” were … Continue reading
The “Hundred Years’ War” between France and England (1337-1453) was an episodic struggle lasting well over a hundred years, for much of the time without any conflict. The battles were both violent, but also occasions when ideals of “chivalry” were … Continue reading
In the 14th century there were four main forms of bow, the longbow, the English bow, as used by the English, the short bow, as used by the southern Europeans, and the crossbow. Each weapon was used in different ways … Continue reading
