keeping busy

Just got back from a storytelling event at Kirkleatham. I’ve spent some of my spare time this week making a basic Anglo Saxon male outfit for one of the event participants.

Gareth (not my gareth, another Gareth) was compering the Saxon fashion show – some historical stuff, me doing a bit, but mainly kids from local schools who’d been making saxon inspired tee shirts and jewellery (sorry, I didn’t take pics of that becuase I wouldn’t be comfortable putting other peoples kids on the net without explicit permission) and some ethically inspired fashion by Rachel Powell. Rachel was one of my students on the young roots Saxon textiles project about six years ago, and has made a career based on what we did.

The lady is not me, but our local mayor, wearing one of my costumes, an old one made about fifteen years ago. Its one of my favourite dresses, but everyone else who wears it always looks better in it than I do.

I did take the chance to get a close look at the mayoral chain of office whilst she was getting dressed though. I’d always sort of assumed those things were made from gilt plate for the sake of economy, but no, its made from solid gold – you could knock someone out with that pendant!