Preparing for Athenaeum II

I know…I’ve been away for some time! Lost the password, struggled with other projects, yadda yadda yadda. But I’m back. I’ll be working my way back through my projects to document what I’ve done as well as publishing new stuff.

Athenaeum is a brilliant idea from the mind of Master Charles (et al) to have an artisans’ display. Last year, they held it in a great room and artisans got a table to display all the cool stuff they make. It was a huge success! I got to display a breadth of skills (lampwork, tablet weaving, knitting, spinning, natural dyes, and Frigga the Loom). I got to chat with dozens of other artisans, share ideas, and make business arrangements (I make socks for you and you make flags for me, etc.). It was great fun and exhausting and amazing!

I signed up again this year, but asked for a small table where I will display my depth of knowledge in tablet weaving. I have been weaving up a storm, trying to recreate as many different patterns as I can find from 500 BCE to the 14th century (the art rather died out around that time due to dramatic changes in fashion).

I have learned so much in these last couple of months that I’ve been focused on this endeavor. My proudest so far is figuring out how to turn this drawing of an extant piece into a woven band.

My biggest setback at this time is a method of display. I have a few ideas, but no idea which is going to work best. I think what I might need is a series of horizontal rods to tie or roll them onto, although I’m leaning more and more towards partially rolling and then pinning to avoid it completely unraveling.

Then labeling all the pieces…I’d love to have something small to pin on them that has my name, the date of the original, location (country), and maybe some other details, like if it was originally brocade or woven with silk or metal.

I was also asked to do a piece of tablet weaving for Her Royal Highness as a gift to someone in Caid. We discussed it with a few others (my apprentice sisters and Mistress) and decided on an Egyptian Diagonals pattern. I’m about halfway through the pattern now.

I’m also putting together some gifts for the Laurels, Pelicans and other dignitaries. I picked a bunch of rosemary from my garden a few days back, so I’m drying it and will bag it up. I’m also planning on making something edible to share: Millionaire’s Shortbread, from a challenge from last year’s event.