Medieval Weekend at Herstmonceux Castle (part 2)

After a 2.5-hour phone call to my sister (yes that's right, my ear is buzzing now) and of course no sewing being done, I wanted to tell you about this lovely wood-worker (I'm sure there is a better word for this, see below) who gave us a demonstration at Herstmonceux of how one makes a dibber. A dibber is a wooden poke thingy that you can use to make holes in the earth while planting seeds.

World, meet Phillip, the pole lathe turner (or so one of the other re-enactors called him)

He starts off by chopping some wood and making it all nice and roundish

With this really sharp looking blade thingy (dont you just love my expert terminology LOL)

Then he puts it in the contraption and turns and turns and shapes it

Bit by bit....

...it is starting to take shape

While the bf looks on

And the wood-worker's wife makes ribbons

Sawing off the last bit (thats one big saw!)

And then he offered it to the bf asa present, he was so sweet!

Which of course merited a picture :)

I thought it was quite fascinating really. The things one can do without electricity... I dont have a closeup pic of the dibber but it looks quite cool. It is all sanded down (using wood shavings!) and even has his trademark on this was was burned in the wood using.. wood shavings.

Well, that was the dibber thing. Still need to take some pics of the purchases and then of some outfits and then I can post about how I found the button stall... danger danger! ;)