It’s been awhile. Kitty and I have been engaged in long discussions about time drag and what we want to do in the future. The amount of misogyny and prejudice in certain time periods is depressing. Guns are nice, but I’m having a hard time getting excited about recreating conflict and nothing else. Deckard’s rain coat is […]
Read more "High Life under the stairs"A quick Preenacting update. Detective Deckard’s coat is a strange one. Aside from the color choice, external pockets and cuffs, the outer sleeve is actually part of the back shoulder yoke. The shoulder pads improve the shape, but there is no seam there. The yoke is also padded, and there is only one button. The […]
Read more "Interlinked"A weary veteran of years of service, this knapsack is a nice copy of what the British Army used at the end of the 18th century. Sadly, the original dates to 1794. Interesting thinking by learned men (Mr. Rees, Mr. White, Mr. Kirk and Mr. Melius, for starters) has shined a light on this subject recently. This […]
Read more "Knapsack"Among the annoying traditions of some 18th-century British Army units (including the 7th Foot,) is buff leather belting dyed bright white for field use. Soldiering, even the pretend kind, is hazardous and unforgiving when it comes to fashion. Between the belts, the hat trim, and the small clothes, white seems a poor choice. The larval […]
Read more "the Curious White Ball"The Museum of the American Revolution is an interesting place. Not just because of their take on the war, but the way they structured their first large public event: Occupied Philadelphia. The museum’s forecourt became a public market, with the 17th Regiment of Foot and the 40th Foot’s Light Company quartered nearby. This would have been enough for most sites. Instead, […]
Read more "Context"Here is the finished bearskin compared to a 1778 drawing of a grenadier by Philip James de Loutherbourg. The height difference is apparent, as is the grenadier’s badge at center back. The cord pattern on the 7th Foot cap is completely conjectural, but is similar to surviving examples. Insanely talented Alexa embroidered the Regiment’s badge […]
Read more "The Royal Fusiliers in Canada, 1774"Crank up the Vangelis, y’all. Somewhere in this pile (circa 1950-81) is inspiration. If any of this looks interesting to you, start here. You might bump into Adam Savage. Actual props and costumes have become big business, and like surviving historic clothing can be expensive. Charles Knode created this coat from silk herringbone for Harrison Ford. No doubt […]
Read more "Future Noir"Whoa. Has it been that long? Well, shit. Getting thrown chez Calash leads to more adventure than anticipated. There have been excellent discussions, several detours and few new rabbit holes, but progress continues. This chap, discovered by Kitty, provides some cool details about bearskins. Turns out the lining comes right down to the edge of the […]
Read more "Preenacting"Mrs. Delaplace (her name is lost to history) is worried. Strange people appear from the woods and ask pointed questions about the fort. Ticonderoga was more “composed of decayed wood and earth” than a fortification in 1775. Fortunately, the stone barracks are serviceable. Captain Delaplace worked his 23-man guard hard. He acquired livestock, and made […]
Read more "A Perfect Day"So THIS happened. Miss Kitty talked me into it. Honestly, I don’t feel like I have much to say, but together we could be helpful. We’re both obsessed with excruciating little details that most folks ignore. Speaking of which, thanks to Kitty and Alexa for lending their special brand of insanity to the bearskin project. The cord machine was […]
Read more "Bag It"