Medieval Crafty Wench: Ideas, thoughts and general musings

Hi!
I'm Catherine Sears alias CraftyWench/MedievalCraftyWench or HecatesCat.

I'm a child of the early 70's, married (managed one year so far!) and have a gorgeous and wonderful daughter who will be two in May and is the apple of my eye. I've recently given up my work in counselling and am looking to work from home doing crafty things.

Pete. Isabella and I walking down the aisle at St.Mary's Church, Stafford. from our wedding to Bella's Christening.
We had a steampunk themed wedding and had a fabulous day

I've been making and sewing things for as long as I can remember. My Mum knitted and sewed for us (I have  younger brother) as children and I copied from fairly early on. I can remember remaking dolls clothes and still have my first try at cross stitch!

My brother and I with his dog Poppy (who unfortunately recently passed away)
This was taken at Stafford Castle, for my parents Christmas present)

In 1992 I started doing Medieval re-enactment and I can't believe it's 20 years this year! I literally started the week I finished school and haven't looked back. Although the small person is currently restricting attendance, it's something I love. My passion for sewing has led me down the route of Fifteenth Century Fashion and I'm lucky enough to be good friends with Sarah Thursfield who wrote the Medieval Tailor's Assistant (the re-enactors bible when it comes to clothing). I've worked with her on projects for museums, been to her classes, helped with classes and researched for her. I wouldn't be as accomplished (and I still have a lot to learn) as I am now if it wasn't for her.

This is our Medieval Group, the Clarence Household. Pete and I are the ones in Orange on the far right. I'm rather heavily pregnant.
I've just realised it's the same kirtle as the one I'm wearing in the picture below!

Sarah's sister Ruth Gilbert, has been a massive inspiration to me over the past couple of years as I've got to know her. Ruth has recently got her M.Phil in knitting, I believe the first in the UK! She has helped me with my drop-spinning (Spinning with a drop spindle) and encouraged me when it comes to textiles. She is an amazing knitter and weaver and one of these days I'm going to borrow her for a week!

This is me learning to spin at a market with Ruth and Sarah.
I'm in kit, though I don't wear the masses of stuff from my belt any more.
I am actually enjoying what I'm doing, I'm just frowning because I'm concentrating!

While I was pregnant with my daughter I started to crochet. I'd done a little  (I've managed a hat) before and my fabulous friend Kellie Sweeney helped me to learn (Kellie spins, knits, dyes and sews. She's a member of her local spinner, weavers and dyers guild and a fount of knowledge) and I managed a baby blanket.

This Christmas my Mum gave me some knitting needles and my lovely husband, Pete bought me a book on different knitting techniques and stitches. I'm slowly working my way through the easy ones so far, and I'm loving it. I'm making squares and they are going into a blanket as I finish each one. My wonderful Mother-in-law, Joan, has helped me enormously. She is very encouraging and has helped me when I've got stuck. I've recently started going to a  knitting and crochet group at a local cafe and cake shop called the cupcake queen. They are absolutely lovely and very inspiring

I decided to start this blog as a place to write and talk about inspiration, what motivates me and what my ideas are. At the moment my lovely husband Pete and I are both out of work, mostly for health reasons. Pete has a passion for cloth (wool fabric that is) and helps, voluntarily, our friend Lindy on her market stall, the Cloth Hall, selling cloth. He's become incredibly interested in sheep and the differences in fleeces. We've recently found a fabulous place where alpaca and a couple of rare breed sheep fleece is easily available. Unfortunately it's in Lancashire and we're in Staffordshire, but on the other hand it's a five minute drive from his parent's home. So oh dear, another trip to the see the In-Laws (who I adore) what a shame! Kellie has offered to lend me a spinning wheel so I don't have to drop spin everything and who knows, we might actually manage to spin the fleeces we have in the loft! I say we as Pete wants to learn too.

I want to do more sewing, knitting and crocheting. I want to make medieval (fifteenth century) children's clothes and try selling them, as well as make bespoke medieval clothes. I'm hoping the childrens stuff we can expand to other era's and periods eventually, but only with much research as we want to make things as accurately as possible for a reasonable price.

Bella in her medieval kit, Stafford Castle, September 2011
I handsewed her linen shirt and kirtle, which is wool and fully lined in linen. She's also wearing handsewn breeches underneath
Her shoes are hand sewn and made from an old Beaverlamb coat.
I tablet wove her belt in linen from the Mulberry Dyer and fingerbraided her cord.
Her drinking vessel/pot is from Jim the Pot at Trinity Court Potters

I'm hoping to update this blog a couple of times a week, so please bare with me as I'm rather new to all this!