I've been getting requests for an update on this project here and over at Kickstarter. You guys are right, it is overdue and I am sorry I haven't been more responsive. You deserve better.
There are two things going on that have led to the delays. First, there is the absolute avalanche of data. I have so much good information from other researchers as well as the huge amount of information I collected on my research trips, especially the month I spent in Europe examining garments. It's been hard to figure out where to draw the line for how to focus.
There is so much raw information and I want it to be good.
It has also been a difficult couple of years for me personally. I've been working a lot, and this year in particular has been a year of loss. I've lost two family members, five friends and my 17-year-old cat. At one point, three dear friends were all in active cancer treatment. Two of them continue their fight.
A few weeks ago, one of my dearest friends lost his battle with cancer. He was my travel companion, research partner and guardian on the Europe trip that included his wife, a brilliant potter and ceramics historian who I call a sister. I am honestly shattered.
I also know that he would be so mad at me if I let this loss and the others get in the way of this project, and art in general and my connections to the people I love. I've been in an electronic 'hibernation' for months because social media has amplified these losses we've suffered and that isolation needs to end.
So that is the personal side, and if you'd like to say a prayer, pray for my friend Dennis and his beloved wife Teresa. His loss is vividly and widely felt.
If you are in the SCA, his persona name is Master Mikal Halfdan of Meridies, master archer and most excellent cook. His wife is Mistress Kerstyen Gartenierin of Kerstyen's Zeramika
So, on to the practical;
The chapters for this book are of two kinds: pattern chapters and 'background' chapters like Textile Structures and History, Research Methods, and Historical Background
Instead of making you wait until it's complete, I want to release two chapters at a time: one background and one that contains the analyis of one extant garment, complete with pattern and instructions. That way I can publish the information as I finish it as well as incorporate your feedback to make it as useful and interesting for you as possible. So I'm going to concentrate on a couple of chapters at a time.
All of my Kickstarter backers will still receive a complete electronic and/or physical copy of the entire book at the end of the project as well as receiving the chapters before they go on sale to the general public.
I also want to go ahead and fulfill the Kickstarter rewards that I currently can, which would be the reward level with the hats/headdresses. I'll be contacting you soon to let you choose the specifics.
I want to thank everyone for all of the support and encouragement and patience. Many of you are dear friends, many of you are students and others of you have introduced yourselves to me at SCA events and I want to thank you for all of your kind words of support and encouragement, and most of all your feedback and questions and suggestions of reference materials.
Thanks for your patience and understanding. I'll try to be worthy of them. Dennis would be really mad at me if I wasn't.
There are two things going on that have led to the delays. First, there is the absolute avalanche of data. I have so much good information from other researchers as well as the huge amount of information I collected on my research trips, especially the month I spent in Europe examining garments. It's been hard to figure out where to draw the line for how to focus.
There is so much raw information and I want it to be good.
It has also been a difficult couple of years for me personally. I've been working a lot, and this year in particular has been a year of loss. I've lost two family members, five friends and my 17-year-old cat. At one point, three dear friends were all in active cancer treatment. Two of them continue their fight.
A few weeks ago, one of my dearest friends lost his battle with cancer. He was my travel companion, research partner and guardian on the Europe trip that included his wife, a brilliant potter and ceramics historian who I call a sister. I am honestly shattered.
I also know that he would be so mad at me if I let this loss and the others get in the way of this project, and art in general and my connections to the people I love. I've been in an electronic 'hibernation' for months because social media has amplified these losses we've suffered and that isolation needs to end.
So that is the personal side, and if you'd like to say a prayer, pray for my friend Dennis and his beloved wife Teresa. His loss is vividly and widely felt.
If you are in the SCA, his persona name is Master Mikal Halfdan of Meridies, master archer and most excellent cook. His wife is Mistress Kerstyen Gartenierin of Kerstyen's Zeramika
So, on to the practical;
The chapters for this book are of two kinds: pattern chapters and 'background' chapters like Textile Structures and History, Research Methods, and Historical Background
Instead of making you wait until it's complete, I want to release two chapters at a time: one background and one that contains the analyis of one extant garment, complete with pattern and instructions. That way I can publish the information as I finish it as well as incorporate your feedback to make it as useful and interesting for you as possible. So I'm going to concentrate on a couple of chapters at a time.
All of my Kickstarter backers will still receive a complete electronic and/or physical copy of the entire book at the end of the project as well as receiving the chapters before they go on sale to the general public.
I also want to go ahead and fulfill the Kickstarter rewards that I currently can, which would be the reward level with the hats/headdresses. I'll be contacting you soon to let you choose the specifics.
I want to thank everyone for all of the support and encouragement and patience. Many of you are dear friends, many of you are students and others of you have introduced yourselves to me at SCA events and I want to thank you for all of your kind words of support and encouragement, and most of all your feedback and questions and suggestions of reference materials.
Thanks for your patience and understanding. I'll try to be worthy of them. Dennis would be really mad at me if I wasn't.
