History Today

Name: Kathelyne
Other names: Cathelina (persona), Kathleen (old persona) kath
I’ve been involved since the beginning of 2005, but I had a break between July 2006 and 2007 as I was looking for a new group- I kept sewing and researching in that time.
What I like most: I love the sewing and the pretty dresses, but what I think I really love are the ‘moments’. When you are off fetching water, and look around and you could really be in the time period of your persona, or late at night round the campfire which roasted a whole pig during the day, laughing about the day gone by, walking through the encampments seeing different bits of historical life. Those sort of moments
Period: Currently I do Italy (specifically Florence, most of the time) 1480 (research period 1470-85) as that is the time period of the new group I have joined.
Other periods: I have done a little bit, and love 1460-80 Flemish and Elizabethan. I love most 15th century actually! I love the pretty dresses of later errors too, but don’t know even enough to say what eras I like! I do like regency though.
Groups: I am in a small new group in Brisbane, Australia, called Condottieri that has some lovely people in it. 

Thanks for reading!

The Public- love 'em or hate 'em,for most of us they are an important part of what we do.  But boy do they ask some odd things!
My brother was cooking some fish over the fire one evening, and was asked if the fire was real.  Well, yes!  Then he was asked if the fish was real.  Well, yes! He was hungry!

I know people who have been asked if food was real, if babies and children were real, if weapons were real, if anything you can think of was real, including one person who had to be stoped from picking up buening charcoal to see if it was real.  

Also the "do you live like this all the time?"

Another thing, is parents giving children miss-information.
"No, of course that fire's not real, that would be dangerous! its done with lights"
"No, that armour is plastic, go hit it" (this child was fortunatly stoped by the re-enactor before it could injure its hand on hard steal
"Sure you can hit your brother with that sword, they were doing it so it must be safe!" (again, re-enactors made sure the child did not get hold of said sword, and parent was told yes, they are dangerous.)

So what questions/comments have you heard that made you chuckle or shake your head?

This is my dress diary to date for my latest dress

18/2

Starting a new dress…

( cut for text and pictures )

This dress is entirely hand sewn, all visible sewing is done in silk thread, all unseen sewing is just done in synthetic thread, I would have used all silk if I had enough. Please excuse the dorky hair and bad photos as usual. Later this year my group are getting some proper photos done outside, so I will have nice photos and not ones in my messy bedroom taken with the camera’s timer!

10/03
Since I last posted I haven’t done much- but I have new shiny photos. 

I have pleated the second large panel, and sewn both to the bodice. I have also half put some trim round the neckline, and am going to add embroidery to that. I still have the mini panel to peat and attach, and have to sew all the panels together (yes, I should be doing this by sewing all the panels together, pleating them then sewing them to the bodice but I get impaitent to see how it will look), sleeves to do, and to hem the thing.  I have to draft an improved sleeve pattern too!

I took some photos with the sleeves from the other dress for fun.. 


( cut for pictures )   

If you want to see a bigger version of the first pic, then you can full view it at my DA http://kathelyne.deviantart.com/art/1474-80-Florentine-NEW-PICS-77691651
For those that like to download HUGE pics, you can do that there too.

 Thanks for reading!