Stuff ramble
So, why is it that some people have this odd idea that building things with period techniques or period materials is something that is only done for A&S contests and displays?
Why not do it cause you want to do it, enjoy doing it or want to investigate how it was done?
Why should some one elses opinion be what drives you in doing it?
Part of it is a time thing - do you want an X or do you want the experiance of having made an X in way Y? I can see why you take the modern conveniences when you want an X (maybe a tent say) for Festival and it is only 2 weeks away ... really. Gosh, when my brain, body and the sewing machine are working together, it gets the job done. You may also have heard the swearing over the ether when it didn't. And there is nothing like the incentive of a major event to do a bunch of cool things for.
But equally fun is making X for X's sake eg sewing a pair of tunics using a bone needle and thread taken from the fabric, using a period cut, with historically plausable stitch types. That weight wool (diamond twill), the bone needle worked nice and smoothly and the tunics have held up well through two major camping events. And yes, while I did womble by an A&S display with them (at CF), this was more spur of the morning for feedback and discussion - the documentation ended up being an A4 handwritten note which may or may not have had the references I could remember spelt correctly. Not the best starting point for a discussion...
Which does lead onto the point that for all that the doing it yourself is fun, there is that little bit of the brain which likes the acknowledgement when someone else notices and compliments you on it. Depends on whether you treat it as icing on the cake, or the cake itself (assuming you like icing and cake - can't stand heavy marzipan... but that is something else entirely).
And also there is the danger of wanting to work on new shiny X, Y or Z cause it is practicing a new technique or is a new challange as opposed to what you have done before but is useful and needed. The current example of this for me is an embroidered bias cut bliaut. The old bliaut isn't that old (started after Festival 2005 and finished at KWDS 2005), still fits nicely and is good for the few speccy occasions that it is worn to and will be competing with the new one for occasions to wear it... but I am still in the middle of making the new one. And Z is in perpetual need of tunics and trousers that can be rolled in mud and charcoal and hot sparks and sharp impliments without the maker's heart breaking over the damage done* or the user feeling guilty over having done the damage (more likely). Besides, it is always useful to have tunics you can play in the sand in :) At which point utilitarian dirt coloured linen/wool with enough fabric left over to patch things over the next few years is the way to go. And it does keep the hands occupied in front of the TV or on the bus and there are a few things to improve on that you didn't quite get right the last time... but it isn't as much fun...
And we are doing it cause it is fun.
* I would note that I make 'em to be worn and used, so not really an issue on my part - hand sewn does not mean irreplacable and sacred. Which leads back to the utility and use of period techniques and materials which sparked this in the first place. And having achieved full circle I should probably head off to sleep...
Why not do it cause you want to do it, enjoy doing it or want to investigate how it was done?
Why should some one elses opinion be what drives you in doing it?
Part of it is a time thing - do you want an X or do you want the experiance of having made an X in way Y? I can see why you take the modern conveniences when you want an X (maybe a tent say) for Festival and it is only 2 weeks away ... really. Gosh, when my brain, body and the sewing machine are working together, it gets the job done. You may also have heard the swearing over the ether when it didn't. And there is nothing like the incentive of a major event to do a bunch of cool things for.
But equally fun is making X for X's sake eg sewing a pair of tunics using a bone needle and thread taken from the fabric, using a period cut, with historically plausable stitch types. That weight wool (diamond twill), the bone needle worked nice and smoothly and the tunics have held up well through two major camping events. And yes, while I did womble by an A&S display with them (at CF), this was more spur of the morning for feedback and discussion - the documentation ended up being an A4 handwritten note which may or may not have had the references I could remember spelt correctly. Not the best starting point for a discussion...
Which does lead onto the point that for all that the doing it yourself is fun, there is that little bit of the brain which likes the acknowledgement when someone else notices and compliments you on it. Depends on whether you treat it as icing on the cake, or the cake itself (assuming you like icing and cake - can't stand heavy marzipan... but that is something else entirely).
And also there is the danger of wanting to work on new shiny X, Y or Z cause it is practicing a new technique or is a new challange as opposed to what you have done before but is useful and needed. The current example of this for me is an embroidered bias cut bliaut. The old bliaut isn't that old (started after Festival 2005 and finished at KWDS 2005), still fits nicely and is good for the few speccy occasions that it is worn to and will be competing with the new one for occasions to wear it... but I am still in the middle of making the new one. And Z is in perpetual need of tunics and trousers that can be rolled in mud and charcoal and hot sparks and sharp impliments without the maker's heart breaking over the damage done* or the user feeling guilty over having done the damage (more likely). Besides, it is always useful to have tunics you can play in the sand in :) At which point utilitarian dirt coloured linen/wool with enough fabric left over to patch things over the next few years is the way to go. And it does keep the hands occupied in front of the TV or on the bus and there are a few things to improve on that you didn't quite get right the last time... but it isn't as much fun...
And we are doing it cause it is fun.
* I would note that I make 'em to be worn and used, so not really an issue on my part - hand sewn does not mean irreplacable and sacred. Which leads back to the utility and use of period techniques and materials which sparked this in the first place. And having achieved full circle I should probably head off to sleep...