celtic day

When we left the mainstream schooling system, I was thrilled to think I’d left my costume making – and specifically my last minute costume making – behind. No more book week, no more theme days. Freedooooommmmmm

Famous last words.

Because if there’s one thing a bunch of homeschoolers love more than a niche interest? It’s celebrating other people’s niche interests with a dress-up day. Last week, we were invited by the homeschool group from the next town over to join them for a Medieval Celtic Day. Sounds like fun, says us, let’s dress up.

Butterfly came to me, the night before, with phone in hand. “Mum,” says she, “how hard would it be to make this skirt for tomorrow?”. I looked at the photo. I looked at her. I looked at the photo. I looked at the clock. I looked at her.

“Are you mad?” I asked.

“Probably, but can you?”

“Sure”.

It actually was quite simple to take her inspo image and create something out of thin air and scraps that was close enough. In my wardrobe, I had a gorgeous linen dress that I’d bought and worn last Christmas Day. Somewhere in the madness of hosting and serving, though, something got spilled on the dress that wasn’t coming out. Originally, my plan was to cut the skirt above the stain and make it a cute little sundress for the beach and weekend bbq, rather than a longer tea-length dress for hosting Christmas and attending work lunches with Mr Barefoot. Until, that was, I pinned it up and tried it on. Mutton dressed as lamb was my first thought. No-one needs that much leg, was my second. Throwing it across the room in horror was my third. Even for Miss14, it would have been far too short. The plan was cancelled and the dress was shoved in the top of the wardrobe while I sulked and tried to come up with a new idea for the beautiful linen.

Instead, the plan found me. I sliced the top of the dress off, grabbed the scraps of my failed Frocktober dress, and got to work. While I worked on the skirt, she and Beetle set about making daggers out of printer paper (as you do). The skirt considered a success, we packed everyone off to bed, and I was up early the next morning, pulling a length of faux leather from my destash sale box. Using a very formal method of costume design called “wrapping my kid in the fabric and making some snips to mark where to cut it but make sure you don’t cut their clothes”, I helped her make a waistband/corset style thing, also found via Pinterest (the only social media she’s allowed, and by golly does she make the most of it). We laced it with yarn, and used some offcuts to make Beetle a belt as well.

From their wardrobes, we pulled a white linen shirt (for her), and a sage shirt & beige trousers (for him). I raided Butterfly’s wardrobe for a pale green linen shirt which I paired with a long mustard skirt I made back in 2020. Boy2 swapped his usual red tshirt and jeans combo for an olive t-shirt and jeans combo (close enough, I figured), and brought his katana. Butterfly and I plaited the sides of our hair and pinned it back, and then I sent her to the container to collect my basket to pack our lunch in.

In amongst all the last minute costuming, I managed to get a load of peasant bread in the oven. On our way out of town, I stopped at the shops for some ham and cheese, some apple poppers, and a bag of grapes to make a bit of a medieval style meal. We had a super fun day making crowns and family crests, jousting and playing tug-o-war. We learnt more about the middles ages, heard a bagpipe player, and learned some Celtic words (and some interesting facts about the different languages in the Celtic family). A sword fight, some Irish dancing, and a quick clean up, and we were on the road to home again.

Such a fun day! Next on the homeschooling calendar – another art walk hosted by yours truly. That’s today’s job, to get that finalised and details out to the attendees. We need to do some school work and I want to visit a friend and then somewhere in there I need to pack a bag and catch a flight to the big smoke (yes again!). The Christmas Craft Museum is coming together nicely, and I spent the weekend setting up my advent planner. There’s some charity knitting to finish and kindles to charge and all kinds of Monday jobs demanding my attention. A new week, a new chance to make some creative magic. Happy Monday friends, lets do this!