Quilts 1700 - 1945

The busy weekend started bright and early on Saturday morning. I was up and getting frocked into my tartan early Victorian bustle gown. The had dawned for our trip to see the quilts exhibition at the Queensland Art Gallery. The exhibition was put on by the QAG in conjunction with the V&A Museum, so it was quite a treat to be able to make it to this show.

This time, I took my mum along. We hopped on a train into the city and then made our way over to South Brisbane. We spent some time taking photos in a lovely walled garden inside the Gallery complex while we were waiting on our final costumer to join us.

We then made our way (after many photos both taken on our own cameras as well as other Art Gallery patrons) into the exhibition. On offer was a special ticket and luncheon deal at the gallery café which most of us opted to go for - $30 included the $15 ticket entry, as well as a glass of champagne, finger sandwiches, mini pie, lamington and meringue. More than enough food to satisfy me, and for such a good bargain.The exhibition itself was amazing. The earliest quilts on display dated from 1700 – 1720 following up with quilts dating into the 1940s. The biggest one on display was the Rajah, a quilt made in the 1840s by convict women on their way to Australia from England. It was amazingly well done with embroidery and neat patches all put together by hand. I was very impressed by one quilt from the 1940s which was put together by Girl Guides aged 10 – 14 for their leader while in a Singapore prison. It was touching to see the work these girls had done in secret by using pieces from their own clothing, and rather fantastic that it has survived this long. My favourite though, were the Georgian pieces. For me it as a great opportunity to see the fabric that were used (left-over pieces from gowns and cut up old gowns) and the neat little whip stitches that held them together. I am planning a regency quilt myself, and this has really instilled in me the way to go about creating it. I also now really want some polka dot and coloured regency gowns, having seen fabric used in a quilt of the time. Unfortunately, no photos were allowed inside the exhibition, but I did by the gallery book which is abundant with information and photographs.

I did however, get some photos of the other paintings on display at the gallery from the regular all-year displays at the art gallery. These are my favourites. 

Afterwards we sat down to our lunch before moving onto the pop up shop attached to the exhibition. I was delighted to see hello kitty / liberty collaboration items for sale and sucker that I am, stocked up. There were many very tempting books available, but I know that I already have enough on my plate that I don’t need to try and take up another form of handicrafts. We were stopped again for yet more photos, before we decided to make our way home, and none too soon and the rain that had been threatening all day started to come down.

As for what we wore, my cousin and I chose to wear our early bustle gowns. I was originally planning to wear a Georgian piece, however my bustle is one of my roomiest costumes and I had been ill with a stomach bug recently and dreaded the tight lacing involved to fit into the other options in my wardrobe. That, and a silk crinoline is not a great idea when inclement weather threatens.

The other four attendees chose regency. In hindsight, it would have been more comfortable and I probably should have gone with that as well. My mum was one of them. A while ago, I had made her an open robe to go with her yellow gathered gown as a gift and she really hasn’t had much opportunity to wear it, so was pleased to get the chance. I love the colours in the fabric, and am glad that she does as well. She also chose to wear the shower cap turban I made for her as well. I tell you, best idea for gifts ever, the only downside, is trying to sew in secret when you live in the same house.

Saturday at Abbeystowe

What an weekend. On Saturday, I attended the Abbey Medieval Festival for the first time as a re-enactor. Originally I had planned to be there for the whole weekend, but sickness got in the way and my body was just not up to handling two full days out. I spent Friday evening throwing together everything I needed and packing my car – ready to be up early to get out to Abbey and set up. I rose on Saturday morning at 5.30 (urgh), dressed in my 15th Century gown to the best of my ability and got on the road. It’s not an easy task dressing in a tight side lacing kirtle by yourself, especially when the eyelets are a bit too tight for the lacing aglets. At any rate, I arrived on site just after 6.30am, unloaded my car and got into setting up my shade and table (after having one of my fellow re-enactors lace up my kirtle). We got the site all set up in no time and had enough time before the public arrived for a touch of shopping and purchasing food.

I knew right off the hat that it was going to be one of those days. First, I realised that I had left the belt for my gown at home (it needs a belt to fit properly). Then I realised that the handkerchief linen veil I had spent hours hemming, was ironed and neatly folded on the dining table at home. Finally, the role of linen I was going to bring for display was also left on the couch at home. I persevered though. In the end, I bought a belt from one of the stalls and I had thankfully taken the leftover fabric from my veil to display, so I tore off another strip and just used it as an unhemmed veil.

As for my costume, while I didn’t get my smock made in time (I just used a long chemise from another outfit), I did get the headdress complete to wear and thankfully had the green kirtle and blue Burgundian gown that I had made a few years back that I was able to wear. I really like how the horns that I made finished off the outfit and balanced out my outfit. I was disappointed with the headwrap I had to wear last time I used the outfit, so the horned headdress was a blessing. I made them up out of the book “The Medieval Tailor’s Assistant”, so it really made for a simply pattern drafting process. The veil really completes the look well.

My other new thing for the day was my first attempt at a medieval pork pie. I had found a few recipes on-line and decided to try my hand. So, to be the helpful little fiend that I am, here is what I did (with a few adjustments so that it will be better next time). Please be aware that my pastry recipe is not one from the period – I wanted it to be nice and edible. Many medieval pie pastries were quite thick and sometimes inedible as something simply to preserve your meat in.

 Ingredients:
600g – 800g pork steak
1 cup beef stock
1 cup red / white wine
2 Tablespoons Honey (omit if you are using a sweet wine)
2 Tablespoons Gravy Powder
1 tsp gelatine (to help the pie set properly)
½ cup diced dates
½ cup raisins
4 Tablespoons fresh grated Ginger
Cornflour to thicken

Pastry:
2 cups plain flour
2 cups self raising flour
120g butter
60ml water

22cm spring form pan

Method
Dice your pork into small pieces and put in a saucepan with a little oil to brown slightly. Add the beef stock, wine and honey and bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 – 40 minutes (will help soften the meat). Add gravy powder and gelatine. Add enough cornflour to thicken your mixture enough to satisfy – you want the innards of your pie to hold together when cool. Allow the mixture to cool. Meanwhile make your pastry. Mix the flours together. Rub the butter through with the tips of your fingers. Add water and mix into a dough (you may need more water to get it to come together). Roll mixture into a ball, cover in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Line the bottom of your springform pan with baking paper and heat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (moderate). Roll out 2/3 of your pastry on a lightly floured bench and place into the springform pan as the base. Stir the diced dates, raisins and ginger into your meat mixture and pour into the pastry. Roll out the remaining pastry and place on top as the lid of your pie. Trim off the excess pastry leaving a 2cm edge. Roll the edges in to seal the pastry. Cut a few slits in the pie lid for steam to escape. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes. You can either serve it hot or allow the pie to cool before refrigerating. We ate mine cold the next day, and it was lovely.

All in all though, I had a lovely day at Abbey and find that I much prefer to be a re-enactor there than a member of the public. In the end, I did shop a bit, and bought a few re-enactment supplies – a pottery cup and bowl, a wooden plate, dress pins, 3 brooches and a couple of belts. Not sure I want to be sleeping out there though next year – it’s very dirty and cold, and I love a hot shower and my waterbed too much to give that up. Let’s just hope that I am not horribly sick with a lovely sinus infection next year.

Next up

Next on the Agenda is the Abbey Medieval Festival this weekend. Originally, I was planned to attend all weekend, but since I have been so sick and am still not 100%, I have decided to cut it back to only attend one day. I just can’t afford to take more time off if I get sick. As it is, I have not been able to get all of the sewing done that I was planning. Last weekend, I struggled with making appropriate headwear – cursing over 5 patterns before finally throwing in the towel and moving onto something else.

At any rate, the plan is for 15th Century European. Thankfully, I already have one kirtle and gown that I am able to wear. Shoes are taken care of too, but I don’t have the time to make a pair of hose – they require far too much fitting for me to get done this week after work. I did however get a pair of horns made as my headwear (I adore the horned styles) and am currently working on hemming my hankie linen veil. Supposing that I get the time this week, I would really like to make a shift. I have it already cut out, but just haven’t had the time or energy to make it. And, at this rate, the second kirtle that I was working on will be taken along as my sewing project for the day. After all, our encampment is to be set up as a group of fabric merchants and seamstresses.