June 2026: Darn It
June Goals
Garb:
Any pre-Pennsic repairs. There are a handful of seam repairs and finishes that need doing so my garb is in good shape for Pennsic.
Add details to the black saya to make it more fun to wear
Get my brown shoes conditioned and possibly re-soled
Classes:
Write Encapsulating Your Wardrobe class
Prep Grabby Hands for in person instruction at Pennsic
Please excuse the really horrid picture quality. Who knew white on white was hard to photograph?!
Apparently, when I said “a handful” of repairs were needed, I forgot I only ever really sit down to do repairs about once a year. Several handfuls were necessary. Thankfully, every summer, I like to use the virtual session of University in June to sit down to my mending and knock it out. Realistically, I should probably also do that for Winter University, but here we are.
Ultimately, the following garment counts needed minor repairs:
4 dresses (three sayas and one unfortunate slip of a seam on the tunica strictoria)
4 camisas
2 cofias
4 pair of calzas
That’s certainly not nothing, but it’s really great to also get to see my clothes be clothes and not just costumes. It’s a very silly distinction, but in my mind, repairs and adjustments are a sign of living in those clothes and not just treating them as an art project. I will admit, I do have several outfits that are more art project than clothes (the Green Striped Saya, my elevation outfit, the Persona Pentathlon outfit, etc.) but several of those are largely just because of the environment we live in.
I did get to try something I do not do a lot of during these repairs- darning. One of my camsias had a couple small holes in the fabric itself, so I made a rough attempt at darning those closed. I am not good at this, it is not a skill I practice often, but I am very pleased with the results considering that.
The newly improved Kaguya-Sama Saya
The black saya did get its glow up too! I added some red guards down at the bottom, which have the added benefit of giving the bottom of the skirt some added stiffness and fullness. I also ended up adding some bands around the bodice area. Evan made the unfortunate observation that it resembles a little bit the school outfits from Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War, so now this is officially the Kaguya-Sama Saya. I don’t make the accidental cosplay rules, I just follow them. The alterations were completed in time to wear to the St. Clare up in Aethelmearc. I did not manage to get a picture of myself in it, but I did get a picture of it on Lady Catherine.
The hairpiece for finishing off my Roman arrived, and I managed to cut it down (it had two parts and I only wanted one of them) and get it sanded finished this month too. So thrilled to see that capsule complete now!
And speaking of capsules, I made really good progress on Encapsulating Your Wardrobe this month. I don’t do a lot of modern fashion research, so learning about the roots of the modern capsule wardrobe movement, it’s place in fashion history, and its ties to feminist movements was really fascinating. The class is outlined out and I have begun the writing of the handout. I’d love to get this one to a place where it can be taught online too, so the slide deck I make might eventually include pictures of the Roman project itself. To be determined, because I don’t plan to do the deck before Pennsic. My plan for Pennsic is to keep that one very conversational, with the handout and possibly a worksheet option (kind of like my worksheet for Grabby Hands).
And speaking of Grabby Hands, I have settled on how I want to give that class. I’ll be bringing my tablet and projector with me so I can project on the side of the wall in a tent. At best, my class tent will have power, and at worst, I have my portable, solar charging battery. I’ll print out 10 copies of each handout, inclusive of a worksheet, and might print out a couple additional worksheets or ask people for email addresses so they can be emailed the handout and worksheets at a later date. I’ll also be printing out my garb terms dictionary to bring with and pass around.
The brown shoes were the last thing on my pre-planned to do list and were easier than anticipated. When I originally bought them ages ago, a non-slip sole was glued to the bottom. That sole came right off and the leather underneath was exposable and in good condition. I was able to clean and condition them no problem and look forward to wearing them at Pennsic.
Unplanned was a last minute dress. Bea had some linen she was looking to offload and it’s a beautiful gray-blue color that felt perfect for a summer dress, kind of like the light blue one my last washing machine ate after a single wear. So naturally, I got an itch and it had to be made. I kept it very simple, a double layered interlined bodice, single layer skirt in my standard saya pattern. Where I do want to decorate it a bit is doing some couched embroidery on the hem with some pretty light blue cotton embroidery floss I have in a fairly large quantity. My plan for July is to make some long cord or braid out of it and then couch it down in some scrolling trefoil patterns at the bottom for a little bit of weight and structure to the bottom but not too much. As of writing, the bodice and skirt are assembled, but need to be attached, hemmed, and have eyelets added to get to wearable.
The rest of the month has been very focused on Pennsic prep. I have a new tent, which has been a dream of mine since I joined the SCA. Making that tent a livable space for Pennsic and ways to use it locally is now the name of the game. I’ve been doing a lot of research on floor materials, storage, lighting, and other amenities to make it comfortable, and I cannot wait to debut it at Pennsic. I naturally already have future-facing ideas. It’s a wedge tent with a door at either end, and if I am creative, I could probably get poles made to use it as a day-event in a lean-to style. I’m planning on asking around at Pennsic for someone who may be able to make those poles for me and help acquire the auxiliary ropes and stakes I think will be necessary to make it work.
July Goals
Garb:
Finish the light blue saya to wearable.
Stretch Goal: get the couched embroidery done.
Classes:
Finish Encapsulating Your Wardrobe class
