Arts & Sciences

Craft projects

These are all of my projects that don't fit into a dedicated page linked above. I'm something of a jack-of-all-trades and tend to make something because I need it, I want to give it as a gift, or the subject caught my interest.

Belt and Kese

Two accessories made as part of a ensemble for the 24- hour sewing event "Revenge of the Stitch VII" (see link for the other garments made and the entire outfit).

The belt is simple undyed leather with a brass buckle that has been hand-stitched in place, based one seen in Moroni's portrait of a tailor.

The "Kese" is Ottoman Turkish purse made of silk with a braided drawstring and glass bead embellishments. Hand-sewn; based on an extant one from the Topkapi Palace Museum.

Alquerque Travel Set

A board game mentioned in 10th century Arabic sources, with rules documented in a 13th century Spanish book by King Alfonzo X. This one incorporates the board into a drawstring bag.

Shoulder Bag

Functional canvas bag with multiple pockets based loosely on an extant Frankish one made of leather found at Krefeld-Gellep, 6th-7th century.

Weapon Rack

A collapsible wooden storage rack for rapiers, daggers and other equipment. Designed and built collaboratively with Gabriel Ambrose of Hitchin.

Free plans posted here.

War Dart

A 6 foot long, steel-tipped javelin with feather fletching. "Darts" of this kind were used for both combat and hunting in the 15th and 16th century, and could be used as both a thrown weapon as well as a spear in personal combat. They appear in French, German, English and Italian sources. There are several variations, including those with barbed tips, wooden flights, and some that carried incendiary payloads for use in naval warfare.

Ottoman Belt Quiver

A Turkish horse-archer's quiver. Stitched entirely by hand. Based on an extant quiver held by the Badisches Landesmuseum in Germany.

Settle

A portable bench with a chest under the seat. The back-rest also swivels and serves as a handle for carrying. Made of pine boards to reduce weight.

Hand-knit fingerless gloves

Knitted in the round with double-point needles.

Girdle Book

A girdle book hollowed out to conceal a cell phone.

Pavise

A simple, flat pavise (freestanding shield) for use in Armored Combat involving missile weapons. Plywood with hand-carved oak handle. This was made flat so that it could double as a side table with an additional stand (not shown).

Canvas Tarp Shelter

Simple single-pole hunter's shelter assembled from a canvas tarp, ash spear shaft and cordage.

Music

My singular bardic pursuit is instrumental music, particularly wind instruments.

Recorder

Tenor, Alto and Soprano

Turkish Ney
The longest is a "Kız" and the shorter two are "Süpürde." The darker one is a two-piece walnut ney made in Bulgaria.

Ocarina

Are they period? Yes and no...
Clay "vessel flues" have been around for thousands of years, and the gemshorn (top right) is essentially an ocarina made of cow's horn from the 15th century. However, the name "ocarina" and the characteristic teardrop w/ mouthpiece design (top left) was invented in the 19th century.

Xiao (簫)
Key of F

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