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1

Workshop

Tablet Weaving

Saturday Morning

Tablet weaving is a method of producing narrow textiles such as straps, belts and trim. Most tablet woven bands are very strong and sturdy. Tablet woven bands can range from simple and easy to elaborately patterned and very time consuming. The oldest known reliable evidence for tablet weaving comes from about 400 B.C. Several tablets and some tablet woven material was found at an archeological site in Spain.

In period, tablet weaving was most highly developed in northern Europe, especially in Scandinavia, and was also used by the Anglo-Saxons. Many medieval pieces were ornate silk ecclesiastical vestments, or wrist and head bands brocaded with gold or silver, but others were much simpler. These may have been used as belts or straps. Tablet woven borders were sometimes woven into larger textiles. This helped to set the warp spacing and provided sturdy selvages.

2

Workshop

Naalbinding

Friday Afternoon

Naalbinding is a Scandinavian technique for making a sturdy, elastic fabric. Naalbinding produces a fairly tight fabric, and unlike knitting doesn't ladder when you drop a stitch. It shapes easily, and is an ideal candidate for socks, mittens, and the like.

The naalbinding technique predates the development of knitting, and has been known from Chinese hats from 1000BC, and in Europe from at least the 1st century AD. It was used by the Coptic (Egypt) peoples for socks, and the Vikings for socks and mittens. In the middle medieval period it was used to make very fine gloves and hose, and continued in minor use after the 16th century in items such as milk strainers and rugs, as well as traditional items.

3

Workshop

Loom and Weave Spinning

Sunday Aftrnoon

Cloth making was the largest Of the medieval crafts and it is in cloth making that the first industrialization occurred during the Middle Ages. By the Middle Ages, the location of textile production was usually a household where the man was the weaver and the women prepared and spun yarn for the loom. All cloth was woven by hand on a loom and the most common materials of this time period were wool, cotton, silk, and linen. Each of these materials had its own production and most of them required the contributions of more than one individual. Manufacturing techniques remained unchanged over a long period of time.

Because of the time involved, it took many hand spinners to supply a single weaver. And, initially, weaving was difficult to do because the first looms used were vertical. By the 12th century, horizontal looms were used that allowed the weaver to sit while he worked. These looms most likely were adaptations of earlier silk looms developed by the Chinese and transferred through traders.

3

Workshop

Fabric Dyeing

Sunday lunchtime

Dyeing was a precursor to embroidery, for in order for it to be worth applying a separate thread to fabric, the thread must be sufficiently different from the background fabric. Dyestuffs which made bright, fast colors and items dyed with them, were were valuable trade items that drove trade routes throught to the modern age.

Wool - naturally white sheep wool takes dyes extremely well and was the staple fabric for hundreds of years in Europe. Naturally colored sheep were also common, and colored fleece could be used both for its original color and overdyed to make darker colors.

Linen, hemp, nettles, and other bast fibers - Bast fibers are more resistant to taking dyes but with proper techniques will hold fast colors.

Silk, Cotton - India and the Middle East were the premier centers of dyeing for cottons and silks early on and maintained their reputation until the advent of modern dyes.

Tannins from leaves, bark, wood, and nuts were often used alone or as a mordant. Cottons and linens in particular dye better when pre-mordanted with tannins. Tannin and iron combined to make dark brown and black was one of the most basic, effective, and earliest of dye recipes.

Most dyes are organic, being derived from plants or animals.

4

Presentation

Fortifications of the Crusades

Sunday Afternoon - before the Fort fight

Jamie walker presents a report on the fortifications of the Crusades based on his recent trip to the East.

5

Workshop

Tattooing

Friday and Saturday lunchtimes

Temporay tattoos in Celtic and other period designs will be available from trained body painters using brush and Airbrush techniques.

6

Workshop

Firebreathing and Twirling

After Dark

The basics of Breathing and Twirling Fire for fun and display. Bring a broomstick or similar for twirling and a glass bottle for fire breathing practice.

7

Workshop

Sharp Weapons Vs Armour

Sunday Morning - before Tournaments

8

Workshop

Forging/Bronze Casting

Intermittently - at the discretion of the smith

Forging will be running throughout the event at a dedicated forge.

9

Workshop

Troggle/SnodGaffle

Saturday Lunchtime

Using wool or linen it is possible to produce strong cord which can be used for tent ropes, belts, ties for cloaks and other garments etc.

Historically, the method comes from Norway, where a metal disc was excavated which archeologists discovered was used to twist or cord silver wire for jewellry during the viking era using the same technique.

10

Competition

Archery

Saturday Afternoon

11

Competition

Knife and Axe throwing

Saturday Afternoon

12

Game

Ankle Shooting

Afternoons and Evenings

13

Game

The Grand Leech Races

Evenings at the Tavern

14

Game

Rope Skipping

Whenever suits

15

Game

Tug of War

Whenever suits

16

Game

Leper's Soccer Match

Whenever suits

17

Competition

Brewing

Sunday Evening

18

Workshop

I33 Swordsmanship

Sunday Morning - before Tournaments