London Town Immersion Day 2020

The Runaway. Photo by DriftingFocus Photography.

Winter is cold. I don't care if it's 2020 or 1771, it's cold. Honestly, despite all the science, it's colder for us in 2020 than it is in 1771 for on reason alone: HVAC. Subfreezing temperatures feel much colder to someone who is accustomed to a 70 degree climate on the regular. Enter London Town Immersion, where participants willingly throw aside modern conveniences for a weekend to rough it out 18th century style. And I mean rough. For the weekend we are living in non-insulated, lapped buildings that you can see light and the outside through the slots in the siding and roof.

Lasting the day in such an environment is not as bad as you would think given the proper application of 18th century chap stick (beeswax and olive oil), the night is a different story. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

I participated in the LT Immersion Day last year, and had such a grand time that I did it again this year. This year though, the wife came too. She worked in the kitchen all day as a convict servant and kitchen maid (while 14 week pregnant), and I caused trouble in the town, well in between minding the oven and making sure everything else was operational.

Allie roasting coffee in the fire. Photo from DriftingFocus Photography

For this year, my friend Jacob and I were portraying runaway convict servants on the lam and en route to somewhere else outside of the realm of where no one is looking for them. As runaways, we were posing as itinerant laborers working for food and shelter during our travels. We used fake names, had fake back stories, and hoped that no one realized that we looked like the guys described in the reward posters that were posted around town. It was a heck of a lot of fun.

In between that, we were causing general mayhem in town by pulling visitors into our shenanigans and through unexpected letters that were delivered to other interpreters causing rifts and dramas that were so much fun to watch. There was also supposed to be a foot race, but the bad weather unfortunately prevented decent visitation for the day so there was really no point to it.

Sleeping in the cold: two linen sheets, 4 wool blankets, and a beg rug

Speaking of bad weather, it was not the greatest. Friday was just bone chilling cold. Saturday started with snow, which eventually turned to sleet, and then freezing rain, which leaked through the ceiling of our house and caused us to relocate since our sleeping space was soaked.

One thing that I have come to realize about cold weather, is that we are simply more wimpy about it than our historic counterparts. No one likes being cold, no doubt about that. Modern people are simply not used to the oppressive and constant cold that people hundreds of years ago experienced. The most common thing that I hear from 21st century reenactors is their inability to sleep because their feet are cold. It's true, cold feet really do prevent people from sleeping. Once you start getting used to it after a few cold events, it does get easier. I think that I've finally reached that point because I slept like the dead in the 20 degree weather.

New Year, New Stuff, Something Else Cheesy

Me on January 1 2020, wearing the coat that I finished on NYE.

It's a new year. I could do a year in review post, but honestly it would be a long list of metrics that no one cares about and garments that you will never see because I'm terrible at taking pictures. Long and short of it though. During 2019, I completed 78 projects (that a project every 4.67 days), sewed over 300 buttonholes, participated in about 12 large events (many small ones in between), volunteered over 100 hours in historic interpretation, grew as an tailor, maker, interpreter, and mentor, and was terrible at updating this blog.

The growth thing was big for me in 2019. I grew a lot, honed and upped my abilities by taking risks and challenging myself to do new things that I didn't think I'd be capable of at the beginning of the year. The results show. Looking at my kit at the start of 2019 vs the first day of 2020, the difference is very apparent for the better. The super sweet handmade shoes that I got at the end of the year also help :-)

How can you achieve this level of awesome dear reader? Get out there and do history. Don't just read about it, drool over clothes and look at what other people are doing. Do it yourself, if you want to get better.

Figure out your goals, do your research, and get to it. Yeah, some things you make are going to look terrible, but you have to practice. I'm sewing all the time. I do at least 2 hours a day, with a toddler, and a demanding job. If I can do it, so can you. That's how you get better.

The most rewarding thing for 2019 was mentoring two of my friends to start making their own clothing. Luckily, they get the luxury of fitted patterns to start with, but I won't begrudge them that added bonus.

2020 is gonna be a fun year. New event, new challenges, and a new addition to our family. We are expecting either a new man at arms or camp follower this summer. Good thing I didn't get rid of any of the 18th century infant clothing that I made last go-round. We're going to need it.