Have you ever known some fact about something you do, yet can't recall how you learned it? How frustrating!
The moy bog gown has been my go-to dress in the Society for Creative Anachronism since I started (back a day or two ago).
You see, to me, the logical choice when playing with a living history group was to learn more about my own Irish heritage. And in my historic researching infancy, I had limited choices of clothing for c.1450 Ireland.
Laying out the pattern...
One outfit looked rather dubious to me...only because it seemed rather froofy. That dress would limit me to standing around and looking the part, or accepting the risk of tearing it to shreds.
The other option, the Moy Bog Gown, seemed a better fit (see what I did there?). As an active person, I loved the notion of being able to tuck up my skirts and run or bend or carry or stoop.
Now, I have made clothes all my life, yet at the time, I had limited knowledge of drafting a pattern from scratch. I felt grateful when I found a pattern online from Reconstructing History.
I'm sending a nod to Kass McGann for the difficult task of patterning this dress from the scraps remaining in the National Museum of Ireland.
For me, by ordering a premade pattern, with so much other stuff to learn as a newbie in an organization, I did not have to learn the new skillset of drafting patterns too... well... not yet.
Finding my sources... again...
Nonetheless, over the years I have researched and studied Irish history and their clothing and have learned much.
I mentioned before, this is my go-to dress and I have made dozens for myself and others. I also have made dresses to wear in my modern life from this pattern.
As well, many of my compatriots have encouraged me to teach a class on the odd and particular construction of this garment.
So... it's time to put all that knowledge I have acquired onto paper for a class handout.
A bit of blood during hand-sewing makes it a bonafide project...
All my free time this past week (and mayhaps into next week) has been dedicated to researching WHERE did I get the knowledge in my head. After all, one does have to cite sources and let people know where they can then find the information, too.
When the researching boggles my mind, I set it aside for a wee bit to sew a new gown for the event.
My constant companion.
The class I'm teaching is at the end of January at the SCA Clothiers Seminar in Kansas City. Grin. Surely I have enough time to write the paper AND mock up examples AND make a whole new hand-sewn dress. Grin.
I'll finally have all my references in one place... well... until farmers and archeologists find more cool old stuff.
I'm sure this will turn out well... and I may just teach the class again. Grin.
Comentarios