Glass beads and boar tusk, Oh my..........

So I had all these beads laying around and I wanted to do something not metal related so I created a few necklaces for myself and Oona.

Sorry for the bad photos... I need a better lighting setup.

Oona's new shiny stuff:



My necklaces:

Copper Shoulders and other projects

So, my armor project is moving along slowly. There are many other things I have been doing, including setting up the workshop and forge in the backyard and getting the garage shop in a more organized condition. Up until now I have really only done armor pieces for myself but I was asked by a friend if I could make some copper shoulders for his new lamellar armor.

Well, I happened to have some copper sheets sitting around and I figured it would be a break from what I am doing for myself. The result was a shiny pair of shoulder cops. All that is left to do is add holes for attachment to the armor and holes around the edge so my friend can trim them in leather to tie in with the look of the lamellar.

A couple days before Celt Wars XII (April 3 - 5) I decided to make a belt buckle and tab from a piece of cow bone. I had read about a couple finds where bone buckles were found and then I read that a couple were found in Gamla Uppsala from the proper time period. These were found with both wool and silk on them. So, I figured why not make it for myself. It was an easy work with a coping saw and a hand drill. Now, I just need to decide on the design and get that carved. Then this winter I will learn to card weave and make a colorful belt for it.

This weekend I will be getting some leather strap for my armor and to make a new belt for Oona. I will also be making myself a belt. I am thinking about taking the buckles off my war belt to use for the project. My war belt is a little tight and I think a 3" or 4" belt might serve me better. Then I will use the leather from the war belt to make a sheath for my fighting saex. At least that is what I am thinking at the moment. I may change my mind by the time I get to the leather store. ( If you are in the Washington DC, metro area check out "Tricks of the Trade" in Great Falls, VA and support your local retailers. )

Leather rain hood

Well, I have had this deer tanned cow hide sitting around for years. I had always planned to make a leather rain hood out of it but just never got around to it. Last weekend I finally made the hood. I can document it as far back as 50BC and as far forward as 800AD, so well within my time period.
It is simply a pillow case with 2 open sides attached to a yoke collar. This was a simple project and it should help keep me dry on those rainy days at events. I hope to get some better pictures at some event.

New Hat

Well, I have the big, hot sheep skin hat but I wanted something that was nice looking, period and not as hot. So this weekend I made a new leather hat with wolf fur rim. The wolf is from a vintage coat from the 1950's that I bought cheap on eBay. I even made a wool tassel for the hell of it.

Medieval Game Board

So, I get board sitting around camp and wanted some period games to play. So this weekend I made a game board. I based it off some pre-viking and viking finds of game boards. On one side is a Tablut board and on the other side a Merels board. The playing pieces are glass and the king is a deer knuckle bone. The board is a piece of oak with the playing surfce wood burned into the board.

New Belt Pouch

Well, I was sitting on the couch one evening before Blackstone Raids and decided to make a small belt pouch. It only took a couple hours while watching TV. It basically cost nothing since it is from scrap leather that I bought at $5 a bag sever years ago. I have used the scraps for many pouches and things. So, here are the results.

Well, I have been quiet on this blog because I really have not been doing much but, now I am back into making stuff. I Have been working away the past couple weeks.

I made a chain necklace for Oona.



I made a bunch of leather pouches for dice and stuff.



I am also making a sacle skirt for my armor.



Busy, busy, busy........