Mary Ostler http://www.maryostler.com Elizabethan Wood Butcher & Builder of Things Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:35:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 en hourly 1 Turkish Carpet Project v1.5 ~ More Cartoons http://www.maryostler.com/2010/03/turkish-carpet-project-v1-5-more-cartoons/ http://www.maryostler.com/2010/03/turkish-carpet-project-v1-5-more-cartoons/#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:29:41 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=1817 I was asked how the cartoon was coming. The answer… Slowly!

I will be starting a whole new cartoon soon, as this first one was just to work out some pattern issues. The first problem being the lack of a middle section in the original painting., Thanks to a suggestion from Mistress Agnes, I have decided to try  filling it with repeating element from the black border section.

Second issue is filling the strange flattened triangle sections that are part of the centers border. Maybe a squidy Cthuhulu like pattern.

The inner portion of the carpet has to be shrunk by 4 knots the whole way around, This is easily done as there is a 2 knot deep border that doesn’t affect any of the complex pattern bits.

This is a computer cut & paste model of what the carpet will look like when done.

I also started doing the math. There will be ~ 132,000 knots in the carpet (not including selvage and start/ end flat weave sections). Each knot using ~ 2″ of wool which works out to 21,933 feet of wool (7311 yd. / 6685 m.)

Still looking for middle eastern / turkish looms in period, and type of wool, and dye stuff.

Fun & Stuff & Things.

]]> http://www.maryostler.com/2010/03/turkish-carpet-project-v1-5-more-cartoons/feed/ 0 Pride & Prejudice & Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls http://www.maryostler.com/2010/03/pride-prejudice-zombies-dawn-of-the-dreadfuls/ http://www.maryostler.com/2010/03/pride-prejudice-zombies-dawn-of-the-dreadfuls/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:00:13 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=1800 In 2009 an unlikely NY Times bestseller hit the shelves. Somewhere between Stephen King, Dean Koonst, & V.C. Andrews sat and unlikely novel. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
Well it’s a year later and Quirk  Books, out of the goodness of their Quirky hearts, have released on the unsuspecting public a prequel to the original book. Enter….
Pride & Prejudice & Zombies :D awn of the Dreadfuls



Once again The Bennet family children are coming of age, but this time its not all  balls & restoration society life. With the discovery that the deceased are not as dead as one might hope., Mrs. Bennets plans for favorible marriages for her daughteers take a back seat to Mr. Bennets need to equipe his children with the skills to survive.
Based loosely on Jane Austins beloved classic Pride & Prejudice, author Seth Grahame- Smith manages to warp and twist the original premise into something much more diverting.  The characters remain true to their original characters, yet at the same time learn what they are really capable off.  Flirtation, Society Status, and killing all mixed together into a frothy blood smeared slurry. What more could you want.
Is it a literary masterpiece…No. Will it be in demand 50 years from now…probably not. Is it a fun quick read that will keep you turning the page… quite possibly. All I know for sure is I enjoyed it a lot and will be talking it up at the local bookcrossing meetings.

Quirk Classics Contest
Quirk Classics are giving away 50 prize packages of a retail value of over $150. Visitors to their site that drop the name of of my blog (MaryOstler.com) are automatically entered into the contest.
Included in the prize packs
o An advance copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls
o Audio Books of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters
o A password redeemable online for sample audio chapters of Dawn of the Dreadfuls
o An awesome Dawn of the Dreadfuls Poster
o A Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Journal
o A box set of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Postcards

Random Posts

]]> http://www.maryostler.com/2010/03/pride-prejudice-zombies-dawn-of-the-dreadfuls/feed/ 0 Turkish Carpet Project ~ Turkmen Tent Band http://www.maryostler.com/2010/03/turkish-carpet-project-turkmen-tent-band/ http://www.maryostler.com/2010/03/turkish-carpet-project-turkmen-tent-band/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 05:12:09 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=1798 While researching  the Turkish Carpet Project, I found an interesting sub section of the carpet weavers. Turkmen Tent bands are straps that go around the outside of Yurt like dwellings. They are partially knotted just like Turkish carpets but with backgrounds of plain weave. The majority are symmetrical knots but…heres the kicker… The knots happen on the open upper shed. This makes for a jagged edge to the patterns, and a pattern on the back side of the band is obscured.

I made a quick sample to try out the style. The first few wefts were done with the same sized crochet cotton as the warp threads. This caused problems when the knotted sections were incorporated.  The knots were keeping the sheds open instead of cinching down on the weft thread. Once I changed the weft to the same sized yarn as the knots, the problem went away. The knots also had to be at least one double warp in from the edge, otherwise the threads pull free.

The open shed knotting seems to be even more tedious than the normal method. I will have to do some more reading to see if there is a specific reason for knotting the bands in this manner.

]]> http://www.maryostler.com/2010/03/turkish-carpet-project-turkmen-tent-band/feed/ 0 Niddy Noddy http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/niddy-noddy/ http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/niddy-noddy/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 03:55:12 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=1789 Last minute commission came up the other day. I was requested to make a Niddy Noddy. Its a tool used to wind skeins of  yarn. I have made one before, but entirely turned.  The period images that are kicking around show a turned handle (usually with cross bracing) and curved boards that the yarn winds around. Since the person asking for it is a persona wonk (bless them all) I forced myself not to go turning crazy.

More images of the quick build after the jump.

Used some scrap oak I had kicking about. I have used up a large amount of my cutoff  pile so beggars cant be choosers. I would have preferred a fruit wood (or almost any wood that is close grained).

Marked the center and1″ from each end.  The end winding boards will be drill around 1″ deep so I need to be careful maintaining the right diameter  on the handle to fit the end holes snuggly.

Made a test block so I could make quick checks on fit.

The winding end boards had a 1/2″ hole drilled  1″ deep .

Checked the fit again.

Marked out the cut pattern on one board. I cut out the piece on the band saw as I wanted to get this done quickly.

I then scraped all the tool marks off the piece, and the filed the edges so that all the sharp points were gone.

I used the first piece to transfer the pattern to the other side.

One side is fixed in place with a wood dowel pin. The other side is left unfix so the niddy noddy can be stored flat.

Finished Noddy.

Noddy on its first test run. Not sure I was doing it right. The winding seemed a little awkward so I am sure I was doing it wrong.

The wool skein twisted up and ready for the dye pot.

]]> http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/niddy-noddy/feed/ 0 Kamloops Court House ~ Woodworking Images http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/kamloops-court-house-woodworking-images/ http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/kamloops-court-house-woodworking-images/#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:14:49 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=1772 Tir Righ Investiture 2010 happened up in Kamloops (Shire of Ramsgaard) this year. There will be a post on the event in the next few days, but wanted to dump the plethora of pictures I took of the Court house now.

This site was a sight to see. The detail to woodworking through out the building was a fantastic surprise. Western Canada does not have a lot of spectacular building to play in. The Majority of our province is under 100 years old. The days of splendorific building were for the most part over by the time the logging and mining camps grew into cities. Small little pockets of awesome here in BC make me want to play in countries that have centuries (milleniums) worth of history.

I am stifling my enthusiasm and letting the images speak for themselves.

20+ images after the jump.

]]> http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/kamloops-court-house-woodworking-images/feed/ 1 Plywood Bowl v2.0 quick little thang. http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/plywood-bowl-v2-0-quick-little-thang/ http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/plywood-bowl-v2-0-quick-little-thang/#comments Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:44:26 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=1745 JUst a quick post as I am headed out to an event.

I was requested (told really) that I make a plywood bowl for my aunt’s birthday.

This is the first plywood bowl I have made with an inner lip. I left the wall a little thick as I was worried about the laminations separating if I cut it too close. I have previously made a very thin walled plywood bowl, that has now broken in a couple of pieces… Live and learn I guess. Turned out pretty nice, although I did see a little tear out on one side of the bowl. I looks nicer after a few coats of wipe-on-poly.

http://www.maryostler.com/2009/09/plywood-turned-bowl/ Link to another larger bowl I made for another aunt. This one has step by step photos in the post.

Cheers all!

]]> http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/plywood-bowl-v2-0-quick-little-thang/feed/ 0 Turkish Carpet v1.4 Cartoon Time http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/turkish-carpet-v1-4-cartoon-time/ http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/turkish-carpet-v1-4-cartoon-time/#comments Mon, 15 Feb 2010 01:53:20 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=1737 I have been puzzeling over what the center elelment on the Holbein carpet should be. I think the problem I have had is I have no idea what the size I have to fill is. That means I have to start the cartoon. This may not end up being the final cartoon as I have to match the patterns on the different borders. The center element can be stretched, and the outside corner piece can be stretched or shrunk. Its the black circular pattern on the inside border that has to work out to match evenly.

The way its working out, I suspect the finished carpet will be somewhere around the 2.5ft wide to 4 feet long. The painting has two central panels, but I have chosen to do the single central panel. All the coolness, and half the knotting.

I also did a bit more work on some sample pieces. The grey element on the right represents the color in the painting that I can just barley see. I still am not sure if its dark blue, grey….or a brighter color that has darkened over the last 400 years. I really do not know much about paint color changes in renaissance painting.

A shot of the back side. You can tell on the red & white central pattern that the three warp threads caused problems with stretching out the pattern. The grey thread on this sample is wool, unlike the other colors. It makes for a smother field on the front side. The acrylic wool tend to keep to itself causing an effect that looks a bit more like the ambassadors painting. The final project will be in wool, so I will have to think on whats causing it. Perhaps if I cut the pile down even lower the grid would be more obvious.

]]> http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/turkish-carpet-v1-4-cartoon-time/feed/ 0 Turkish Carpet Project v1.3 http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/turkish-carpet-project-v1-3/ http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/turkish-carpet-project-v1-3/#comments Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:43:41 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=1725 Did some more experimenting with the Turkish rug project.

I was having trouble trying to get the same number of knots on the warp compared to the weft. I decided to tie the knot around doubled up warp threads. It worked very well as for the first time I have matching knot counts.

I also tried this sample with a woven salvage edge. If the edge was starting to curve a bit on one side of the sample I could just do an extra wrap and the warp treads between rows forced the drooping side to even out. I also tried cutting the pile down very low right from the first row. It makes it so much easier to deal with cutting down the pile later. The grid like pattern from Holbein’s “ambassadors” finally looks like what I am getting from the samples. everything is nice and square. Happy. I have decided to do the Persian knot rather than the Turkish. It just makes for a nicer square pixel.

I also tried out a different parttern from the rug. A repeating found in the border near the edge of the carpet.

For this sample I tried to use three warp threads separating the rows. It didn’t cinch down the same, and the knots pattern went to 8weft x 6.5 warp.

Next trying to figure out how the repeating pattern connects in the corner as it is not shown in the painting. Still thinking on the center panel. I will have to make a complete random guess as nothing else seems to fit this rug pattern.

***possible corner cartoon***

n a very happy note, my dad made me my birthday present a couple of weeks early. Using an old propane tank that can no longer be legally filled, a pressure gauge, valve, and some old hose (and one purchased air nosel), he has made me a portable air cylinder. I don’t have a need for a full air compressor, but some times it is nice to be able to blow out all the wood dust from machine parts.

woot.

]]> http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/turkish-carpet-project-v1-3/feed/ 0 Status Update http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/status-update/ http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/status-update/#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:56:55 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=1714 . I have been a little busy and /or sick for the last little while. I do have stuff to post, but am waiting for some final finishing.

Sherbert the Entari is slowly chugging along. Its possible it will be done for investiture, but I am starting to doubt it.

I didn’t kill my Mulberry Tree over the holidays. It is starting to bud in the carport. This means the Silkworm project may be only one more year away. It all comes down to how much growth I get this year. I really should get it in a bigger pot soon.

I am working on a turning project for my mom. It involves hundreds of pencil crayons being glued together. I have turned alot of stuff thats been laminated together, but never anything quite like this. It just might kill me =D.

I am building a game board based on a version of Hnefatafl, but it reminds me more of the Irish game Fidchell. I am calling it Boot Licking Toadie in tribute to the whole weirdness of the C______ War politics. The bootlicker with the help of the Toadies have to avoid being captured by the significant Minority all the while trying to suck up to the assorted senechals living in the corners of the game board.

Working on a Pilgrim Badge cast in a stone mold. Stove broke, so I am stuck for the moment.

More research on the Turkish Rug. I think I have my design sorted out except for the center element. Still looking, and thinking of dying my own wool. I have to figure out a rough estimate of the wool I will need, and then figure out if I have enough capacity to dye everything at once. If I can I dye, if not maybe not. Don’t want to thave the colors change mid carpet.

Still going to give the orange turmeric dye one more shot, then I will share the good and badness of my recent dyeing stuffs.

etc….

]]> http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/status-update/feed/ 0 Day of Dance / A&S Defenders 2010 http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/day-of-dance-as-defenders-2010/ http://www.maryostler.com/2010/02/day-of-dance-as-defenders-2010/#comments Sun, 07 Feb 2010 19:55:24 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=1709 Day of Dance and A&S defender happened this weekend. A smallish, but fun event all told.

Milling masses gather

Lots of images after the jump.

Dr Carus displayed a banner at the A&S display, he also brought a slew of books.

Her Ladyship Aelana Cordovera displayed Icon painting, and period bookwork.

Lord Tomas deCourcy talking about his A&S entry “Venision Pie”.

Mmmmmm Pie.

Her Ladyship Alienor Sans-Argent (stealthy apprentice) also entered the A&S defenders contest. She was experimenting with gilding fabric.

Bad picture of Alienors display.

This was the first event where I was gamesmaster for the Barony. I didn’t manage to run a tourney for this event, but I did managed to see numerous people playing 9Men and tafl.

Speaking of Games, and horrible ,horrible mistakes….

Their Excellency’s swore me in as their officer, and then handed me a stick with a pointy end. I am going to convert it to a banner pole as me and pointy sticks mean bad things will be happening shortly.

**update: Since a few people have express concern over the fate of the gamesmaster’s rod (that sound mildly dirty), I was not planning on altering the existing wand at all. I had thought of trying to make a duplicate rook that would friction fit the doweling. The registered gamesmater banner would slip over the dowel. To my knowledge I have never seen the thing before last night, and I suspect it usually only makes an appearance at officer change swearing in ceremonies (I could be wrong).  I had thought as a banner wand it would get seen at a lot more events. I also was planning on running it by their excellencies before I proceeded on this idea, as I did with getting permission to mark the boards property of Lions Gate last night. Thank you for your concern, it is appreciated and noted. **

More Gaming…woot!

Lord Adam Fairamay set up shop, and was selling sundry wooden textile tools. I always like talking to him, as it always turns into a conversation on building ideas.

There was dancing in the Red room. I am ashamed to have no spent more time up there watching. They had two teachers come from down south to teach dance, and I have no pictures. Bad Mary…no cookie! I even missed the Turkish Whirlly dancing… doh.

Mistress Sara de Bonneville of Blatha An Oir & HL Catherine of the Rowan Tree, Barony of Borealis thank you for coming out and helping.  HL Rhiannon, and Lady R’bya also to be commended for teaching dance.

HL Uilliam taught a basic brewing class in the kitchen. We got to sample some of his brown ale, porter, and the banana waffle beer (flying monkey – Belguim yeast brew). There were also classes & presentations held on LG Sergeantry , Kumihimo braiding, and book binding guild, and brewers guild.

Court inevitably happended. Tomas took the A&S defenders title.

His Lordship Hradi inn Rakk got his long delayed sergeants Scroll from Viscountess Amanda.

Her Ladyship Rhiannon ap Gwynedd was sworn in as Mistress of the Dance.

Her Ladyship Anika Steif was sworn in as Exchequer. (long overdue)

A certain Ladyship celebrated her birthday… Cake!

More Dancing.

The Bar Babes, and the local connoisseurs.

Overall … Fun Event.

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