Viking sewing

I'm going to Lofotr/Borg viking market and since it's my first market this season, of course there's stuff that needs doing before I can go. It's usually cold in Lofoten, and this summer has been rainier and colder than usual so I'm preparing for the worst. (It's no fun to live in a tent for five days if you're freezing your arse off.)

The stripy and red fabrics are wool.
The off white is a silk noile/raw cotton blend.

When I was moving from Oslo about a month ago, I was suddenly faced with a tiny problem of 30 metres of fabric that suddenly materialized in one of my closets. (Strange how you buy a few metres of fabric here and there and it adds up to ... far too much.) Some of the fabric I had plans for, so I cut out the pieces I needed, gave the rest away, and wow, there was a lot less to pack.

I came home to the nicest postcard ever.

I was very lucky with the pattern,
 cause I forgot to check to make all the stripes go the same way..,. 

I made a woolen birka coat in a loosely wowen twill bought at Borre last year. Looking at the fabric now I'm not sure how period correct it is, so it will have to be a last minute resort this year and then transition to my modern wardrobe. I'll make a better one for the next season.

Since I knew it wasn't 100% period anyway, I decided not to waste time handsewing. It's machine sewn, with polyester, and lined with a blend of silk noile/raw cotton. Not period, but very warm, which might be needed. (That noise you're hearing might be period purists screaming somewhere in the distance. Extremely sorry.)

I did better on my next project. My half circle cloak made me feel like a failed larper who had stumbled into a viking market, so I cut it up and made a shirt. It's sewn in diagonally woven wool from Skaar Tekstil, and sewn by hand with woolen thread.

It's supposed to be male clothing, so this is the first viking project where I haven't fitted anything or snuck any shaping into the pattern. It'll be used to the shirt I dyed last year, but first I need to make pants. (I think I'll snuggle into this shirt outside markets as well, it's so comfy.)

The nalbound socks from last year have been darned so many times I just gave up on them, so I made a new pair. Woolen socks don't generally last long with me as I use them almost year round. In my eternal search of sock yarn that will last more than a few months use, I made a compromise with these socks... 20% of this "wool" comes from the nylon sheep...

Restringing the beads for a new season.

A few days ago I realised waltzing around a market in one serk for five days probably wouldn't be very good for anyone involved. (Looking like a viking doesn't mean you have to smell like one.)

So I started stitching together a new serk. The construction is a variation of the Eura find. I was amazed at the layout - barely any fabric is wasted!