u/JesseIrwinArt

Pattern/guide is from “The Medieval Tailors Assistant” second edition. Fabric is wool, and all sewing was done by hand. The decorative trim on the wrists is some plaited embroidery threads sewn to the otherwise-unfinished edge of the fabric.

What better addition to my 14th century medieval outfit than a nice pair of mittens! I was pleasantly surprised that these fit on the first try, as they don’t have a premade pattern, just a guide to tracing your own hands to mark the pieces to cut out.

First picture is the split mittens, aka three-fingered gloves. Second picture is me testing them for their cat patting ability, with positive reviews from Billy the cat.

I wanted to make something small for my 14th century outfit, so I decided to make some gloves. I used the instructions in “The Medieval Tailors Assistant” second edition. All seams are hand-sewn, and the material is wool.

I’m surprised and pleased that they fit on the first try! I tend to sew off vibes and tracing body parts more than actual measurements, so it’s always nice when something fits without needing adjustment.

Now I need to decide whether to do anything to the cuffs - it’s felted wool, so it’s unlikely to fray, and the fit is tight enough when putting them on that I’m unsure if I should add the bulk of even a small folded hem.

Pictured are my palms, the back of my hands, and then Billy the cat being very pleased with the cat-patting ability of the split glove technology.

On Saturday I was knighted by the Lord and Lady of Abbeystowe! Now I am Lady Jesse, Knight of Abbeystowe.

This was an event as part of the Abbey Museum supporters program, wherein a limited number of donors get early tickets to the Abbey Medieval Festival and a “knighthood”. All titles mentioned in this post are for fun, and aren’t actual legal titles (as far as I’m aware at least).

The ceremony was a recreation of actual knighting ceremonies. It was performed in the Abbey Church, with the Lord and Lady of Abbeystowe and the Knight Commanders of Abbeystowe, and the Abbey Church priest.

We all had our hands washed with rose water before we entered the church, as a symbolic representation of the 24 hours of prayer and contemplation that the real knight candidates would have performed. Then we entered the church and were seated according to our years of knighthood (years of donating to the museum).

Before the knighting ceremonies, there was a new ceremony, to appoint a Herald of the Knights of Abbeystowe! The new Herald was not told in advance of her new role so she was very surprised and pleased. She received a red mantle and a white staff, to symbolise her neutral role on the battlefield as messenger, observer, and judge, and also a dagger and a pendant, to symbolise the promise of the Knights Commanders to protect her whenever she may need them.

Then the knighting ceremony began for the new knights. We were each dubbed a knight by the Lady with a sword blessed by the priest. She tapped us on the shoulders and head with the sword, invoking a saint with each tap.

Then we were dubbed a knight for a second time with a gauntlet wielded by the Knight Commander. He tapped each of us on the shoulder with the gauntlet, saying “May this be the last blow that you receive without returning”.

The balance of power between the church and the secular world was precarious at times, so they decided who was in charge of making new knights by just having both groups do it at the same time.

Then we received the charter of our order, and a pendant and a red belt pouch, and were seated again.

The returning knights were then reaffirmed in their knighthoods, in a much shorter ceremony. The priest marked each of them with a cross on their foreheads with oil blessed by the Holy Sepulchre. Then the priest said a general blessing over the group. Then they received a badge to mark the years of their service and a new belt pouch. And the ceremonies were finally over!

We all went back to the “tavern” (the church hall) for a feast of medieval-appropriate foods, and endless wine and mead and beer. It was all very fun and delicious.

I’ll write about our clothes in a comment as I think I’m probably near the character limit by now.

The braids are made with cheap hair extensions that I’ve plaited and folded and then roughly sewn onto my preexisting linen fillet. I didn’t sew them on very strongly yet, just in case I needed to reposition them.

I folded them so they’re a bit less than chin length, so there isn’t a ton of excess braid flapping about to hit me in the face.

It looks a tiny bit lumpy at the top under just a St Bridget’s Cap, but adding a veil or a hood hides the lumps well.