Koroneburg Renaissance Festival 2019

Squeee! I finally got to attend the Koroneburg Renaissance Festival that happens in my hometown. A few years ago, I wrote about discovering its existence and wanting to go. But then it was canceled, and in spite of signing up for updates, never got one. I forgot about it and continued going to the one in Irwindale.

Then I saw someone post about the near one on Facebook, and I got excited all over again. Not only did it look like it was actually happening, it had already happened for years! What?! How did I miss it and for years? It didn’t seem that long ago that I was researching it. Turns out it was 2016. Oh well, I know about it now. We went and I loved it.

Comparison: Koroneburg Renaissance Festival to the Irwindale Pleasure Faire

Both fairs are super fun and hopefully I’ll continue to visit both. The most obvious difference is that the Corona fair happens on its own site and has permanent structures. I really enjoyed the look and feel of the place.

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Dragon Cloak and New Crochet Costume For Ren Faire 2019

Sometimes, what you’re working on doesn’t turn out how you hoped. I have no one to blame but myself. I wanted to wear my dragon cloak on a return visit to the Renaissance Faire, but I wasn’t sure what to pair it with. I had some leftover yarn from the fringe of the cloak and thought I could work with that on an outfit. The idea being that the outfit would match the cloak. I had a vague idea of how the outfit would look but nothing concrete.

That leftover yarn didn’t last long (it looked so much bigger when I started). I used it on the skirt portion and soon ran out. I honestly didn’t want to  hunt for more on an experiment I wasn’t sure was even going to work. Plus, I bought that yarn ages ago, on sale, and so it might have been discontinued. But honestly, I didn’t look.

However, I had plenty of that same yarn but in a different color (it was a good sale).

So… I kept the experiment going but had to think about the best way to mix the colors. I decided to continue the skirt in the new color and make the top with the new color.

Hmmm…will this work?

This was kinda pretty.

I mixed in some thin yarn I found in one of my bins. It was a pretty cream color and it had belonged to my mom. I definitely wouldn’t be able to get more of that! I had to think real hard on how to use it without running out (I failed miserably on that score).

Having doubts again.

So when I ran out of the cream colored-yarn, some more thinking and scheming was warranted. I found the perfect ball of yarn that matched the lighter part of the skirt, again one that belonged to my mom (and I couldn’t get more,) and used that.

This project from start to finish was very freeform and very experimental. And when I was done?

This might work.

Renaissance Pleasure Faire 2019

We had a great time as usual at the Renaissance Faire. We go every year and this time around, I wore my crochet fairy doll costume. Let me tell you, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to pull it off but it was a big success. Faire goers responded really well to it, especially the wig and the wings. Ironically, most people didn’t even notice the doll or that we matched, until I pointed it out, and then they loved her.

Here I was right before we left the house.

Once there, we let the revelry begin!

By the end we were exhausted but happy. 🙂

If you’re curious about past years, here they are!

2012-2015 This link shows pics from those years since I didn’t individually post about those visits.

2016

2017

I couldn’t find a post about 2018 and was wondering why not. Could it be possible I didn’t post anything? Then I found two pictures in my photo archives on my computer and I was wearing an outfit that had no crochet in it, like at all! Still, I wonder why I didn’t post about it? It’s not the greatest pic but at least it’s proof I went! I was starting to doubt. 🙂

I was with my sisters and don’t have permission to post their pic but I loved going with them.

My Day at The Renaissance Faire

I agree!

Hubby and I headed off to the Renaissance Faire dressed in our finest attire. We pulled into the entrance and dutifully paid our parking fee. We drove down the long road towards the back of the reservoir to get to the fair. As we got closer to our designated parking area, hubby asks if we should park in the preferred parking area. He asks me that every year and every year I say the same thing.

Off to the Renaissance Faire!

A mere hour before I was set to leave for the Renaissance Pleasure Faire in Irwindale, I was tenacious in my determination to finish a few more pieces for my outfit. I know, craziness, but it was absolutely going to happen. It should have happened before but life sometimes gets in the way. Plus, I wasn’t inspired like was I was that hour before we were supposed to leave, honest.

I wanted to have a true mermaid necklace, and I already had a table full of shells and beads strewn about so I knew it wouldn’t take me long to quickly piece something together. I already had the shell picked out, namely because it was one of the few that already had holes in it, but it was pretty too and would look perfect as a mermaid necklace.

All I had to do was string some beads. Plenty of time!

Look at all that mermaidiness!

The next priority was a mermaid purse. I obviously couldn’t make one from scratch and I had planned to throw my stuff in my hubby’s bag, but when I woke up in the morning, I had a stroke of genius (or insanity). I remembered my first attempt at a Bavarian square that wasn’t much of a square. I’d had no idea what I was going to do with it but now I knew! The colors were even close, not exact, but close enough. I sewed up the sides and added a handle and voila!

Just big enough for my phone, my comb and some makeup. The rest still went into hubby’s bag. 🙂

I finished it all off before hubby woke up. Score!

And then it was off to the Faire.

I always love going to Ren Faire. There are so many things to look at from the wonderful outfits, the booths, and the fun performances. I’ll post about our trip soon. 🙂

Freebie Friday – Crochet Mermaid Crown

So I don’t have an actual pattern for this crown but I’m free-ly sharing my process and ideas for the crown and am still (loosely) considering this a freebie.

Yesterday, I shared some beautiful crowns from the web and my bright idea to make one of my own for Ren Faire. I had plenty of yarn, a bag full of shells and vague ideas waiting to get out.  I was planning to wear my mermaid outfit made out of crocodile stitches. I guess I should have tried on my outfit first, before I started the crown. As usual, I jumped in feet first, got the crochet part of the crown done, and then tired on the outfit. After all, it should fit, right? Why wouldn’t it? Maybe because I put on a little weight? Well, it fit, but I wasn’t so sure I looked good in it anymore. Oh well. I had started the crown and I was still going to finish it. I can wear it even if I don’t wear my mermaid costume, which I haven’t completely ruled out yet.

Strategy

To begin, I needed to make a crochet crown to act as a canvas for my creation. After I did that, I stared at all my shells and looked in my jewelry drawers for sparklies I could use. I pulled out all my beads and buttons and stared at those, too.

Below is my first attempt at adorning my crown. I had small, pearly beads I liked. I added them after and not during the crocheting. I sewed them on, nestled in the picots. I also added a zircon I had. I added the pointy conch-shells by making two rows of single crochet and sewing it onto the back of the picots with little pockets for the shells. They kept falling out but once on my head, they stay put.

It’s getting there.

I like it but it needs more.

Denial: Crochet Mermaid Crown for the Renaissance Faire

It’s Renaissance Faire time! We are going this Sunday and I want a mermaid crown. I’ve been seriously considering my outfit options. I usually sew (I use the term sew loosely) or crochet something new. I start off in denial about how much time I have to make something as I almost always wait till the last second to actually start. But this year, I think I just want to wear something I already own. You see? No one is in denial here. Considering I only have three days before we’re going, I think I’m making a pretty smart decision here.

I decided my mermaid outfit can once again appear at the fair. However, I never really liked the head-dressing I originally made for it. Sooooo, that means I need to make a new crown/headband/tiara thing to complement the outfit. I see all the head shaking already. It’s only three days! But I can do it! Seriously, I’m not in denial.

I moseyed on over to my friend, the internet, and did a little search on crochet mermaid crowns. I’ve been drooling over photos on Etsy for a bit. Mainly, I was looking for inspiration. I was hoping lightning would strike me with some amazing (easy) idea on how to make one. I wasn’t finding anything at first, but then, I found a really pretty one that I thought I could emulate.

This mermaid crown is gorgeous!

Renaissance Faire in My Back Yard!

There is a Renaissance Faire that happens in my home city???!!! What???!!! I’ve been trekking all the way to Irwindale (about 40 miles away) to go to the faire and I have one practically in my own back yard! Obviously I have to check it out. It’s called the Koroneburg Old World Renaissance Festival. I already bought tickets for The Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire in Irwindale, the one I’ve been going to for years. We are still going but if this one is as good, we will be going there from now on.

Dragon Cloak coming along

I just spent a wonderful few days in San Diego with my family. We were fortunate enough to be very close to the bay. It rejuvenated my soul. I brought along my dragon cloak (that has been a WIP forever and I’ve been making for the Renaissance Faire) for those down times when everyone just wanted to lounge. I only had the opportunity to pull it out once but it was really nice with the breeze blowing through my hair and my hubby sitting next to me. We even had a few visitors.

They stayed with us awhile 🙂 Do you see the seagull in the background? He joined us too!

Renaissance Faire

Yikes! Is it almost time for the Renaissance Faire? My hubby and I go every year and I wanted to finish a new costume I wanted to  wear. I thought I had all the time in the world to finish my ‘dragon’ cloak! I vaguely remember putting it down in frustration a while ago and was contemplating ripping it back and chucking the whole project. I was using the crocodile stitch that I absolutely love but this project was so large, it was straining my hands and wrists. I just threw it in a project bag to think about later.

Well, later is here! I was cleaning my office/project room and came across this WIP and kinda set it aside. But as time went by, I started getting more and more emails about Ren Faire. In my mind, it was still an event way off in the future. But I suddenly realized that it was just around the corner. It starts in April and runs through May. If I want to finish my cloak, that’s not much time. This cloak is very time-consuming since I need to take it slow.

The road so far.

I decided to go for it and see if I can finish it in time. First problem, it’s been so long since I last worked on it, I forgot what I was doing. I’m not following a pattern, just a notion in my head so it took me a few minutes to shake out the cobwebs and remember what my original plan was. Since I couldn’t remember, I just started a new plan and started crocheting…very slowly…(didn’t want to strain my wrists again). Luckily, I had left the hook I had been using in the bag. At least I didn’t have to try to remember what size hook I was using! Unluckily, I was using a hook that has two different sized ends on it! I’m pretty sure it was the end with the larger size. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it!

I finished a couple of rows before bed and was feeling hopeful about the cloak’s ultimate completion. Second problem, I was using up a lot of yarn and I was suddenly worried I would run out before I finished. I can’t just run out and get more of this yarn. My sister gave me several skeins many years ago and I’ve had them for many more. I know I wouldn’t be able to buy more. That got me thinking about redesigning the cloak (in my head) in a way that didn’t use up as much yarn. I wanted the cloak to reach down to my feet but I’m flexible. If it falls short and I run out, I’m okay with a shorter cloak. It’s hot when the fair is running so maybe it would be a blessing in disguise to be forced to make a shorter cloak. Always think positive!

Now I am armed with a new plan and the hope that I can finish the project. Then I need to figure out what I’m going to wear underneath it. What does the slayer of a pinkish dragon wear? 😉