Amphorae

The level of detail still visible is pretty remarkable on this piece of bread which was preserved in that fateful eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Intrigued? Read more here.

In case anyone was looking for a nice little house... Caverswall Castle should fit the bill.

As someone who wakes up during the night feeling frustratingly refreshed...and then struggles to rise in the morning, I found this article to be a kind of vindication. Apparently the way we sleep has changed. For more information you can visit the link here .

The Court of Phillip the Good (I love the variety of styles within the same color-scheme)

What on earth could that title mean? Well, everyone is very familiar with the iconic Tudor style; bell sleeves, triangular skirt with forepart, square neckline, gable or french hood, puffed undersleeves etc... And we're also rather familiar with Elizabethan style; ruffs, little hats or headdresses, higher or filled-in necklines, stiff skirts, padded sleeves, lighter colors etc... But what about something in-between? As a professor, I like having garments for my students to see, and something in a style somewhere between the two would help them to visualize how clothing evolved from one idea into another. With that in mind I present the inspiration.     Elizabeth of Austria, 1570 And now, to find the fabric and start on the chemise!

I admit to having a morbid fascination with historical deaths, as any long time reader of this blog knows, so this video from the producers of Mental Floss was right up my alley. Enjoy!

It's done! I ask your indulgence for the fact that the outfit does not entirely fit the form, as I myself am very small and still need to carve it down a bit to make the form me-sized. Until we have a reliably sunny day (maybe this week?) I won't be able to put it on and take nice photos outside. The project took about 18 days to accomplish and was machine-sewn except for where the stitching would show. The time crunch required it. The pattern was adapted and draped in places, and straight out flat-patterned in some areas. The bodice is corded with hemp cording, which can be found at most craft stores, or even with the garden supplies. The material is linen with some silk taffeta for the sleeves, and a cotton chemise. Future photos of the gown on an actual person will prove that the sleeve doesn't fit half so awkwardly as it appears to in this photo (grrr). As the research images appear to show, the gathered sleeve and the straight sleeve are made as two separate on...