A New Name!

It has been a while since I posted. I have been busy! I was Crown for a while, what a wonderful experience.

And I have been trying to get my Korean name to pass. I will know come February 22, 2015 whether my Korean name will be accepted. According to my heralds it looks good. :D

Cheongju Han  한 (韓)한 (Hangul) 韓 (Hanja) is a family name that dates back to the Silla Dynasty 57BC to 935 AD.
The given name - JeongMi –정미 is one my Mother-in-law gave me. 

I made the decision to switch persona five days before our coronation. LOL I had been playing with the idea and decided to go for it. What is not to love about Korea anyway.

Update:  Since this was posted my name did pass!  It is Jeong, Cheongju Han or Han, Jeong. I will take it since this opens the door for others. :D

Silver Leafed Chima

My latest project is a silver leafed Chima to go with my bad ass Korean outfit for Crown Lyst.

A Chima is a wrap around skirt that wraps around the chest. Modern Chima have straps but for this one I am not adding them.  I am going to make the Chima full length even though it is a secondary skirt so that I can wear it later.  I will just pin the front up so you can see the Red Gold Leaf Chima that will be under it.  

This is a Cobalt Silk Chima.  The silk I obtain from Silk Baron.  Love the Silk Baron, he has wonderful colors that are 54" wide.   

I use cotton for the dress band and Chima ties.  Once I have cut those out, I then pleat my silk.... and pleat.... and pleat..... and pinning the silk to the dress band.

  

  Once I did that I sew the pleats down to the dress band.  I then sewed the dress ties to the band.

 

 

Once the band and ties are attached I hand stitch the raw edges down. Then the fun part.  Silver leafing.  I use a modern gold and silver leafing kit that is designed for fabric from Laura Murray Designs.  The kit comes with directions on line.

   

 I used a stencil for this one.  The adhesive is thick and you will have to play around to get the right amount on.  It also helps not to be rushed like I am.  He waited until the last minute to tell me he felt like fighting..... men.  :P

Once the adhesive is dry, you lay the leaf over it and iron on.  I use parchment paper or a paper towel then iron.   Rub hard or the leaf wont stick! 

When the leaf has cooled carefully peal it back.  

  

I had some issues with the stencil - I usually like painting it on but ..... I had short notice.  :)  Love my man.  

Update:

The finished product:

 

Phoenix Jeogori

I am making a new Hanbok!  It will be a 100% cotton with a black Chima and Phoenix Jeogori.

[Going to publish this I will be updating as I finish the project so check back soon]  

The phoenix fabric is not period because it is too modern and busy.  But it is pretty! And we all LOVE looking pretty don't we! :)

From what I have learned so far the phoenix more than likely would have been embroidered (Chasu) or gold/silver leafed unto fabric.   Also the phoenix and dragon design were restricted to Royalty during the reign of Chongjons in 1043.

But enough of history - onto pretty.

Because I wanted to display the full phoenix image, I obtain an extra yard of the phoenix fabric.  Also I knew - just knew - I would cut the Jeogori wrong and get my left and right sides switched.  Which I did!  ;)  I cut my lining fabric a little longer this time to account for the full image. I lined the body so you cannot see the negative of the printed image.  It also gives the Jeogori weight which helps it lay correctly.

  

For the collar I used a medium weight craft interfacing which I still doubled up.  This makes the collar a nice and stiff and gives you a beautiful triangle at the neck.  Sewing the liner onto the Jeogori is always tricky for me but this time I think I did ok.  

  

   

I like hand finishing my Jeogori and Chima - it just looks better.  I use a simple hem stitch to flat felled the raw edges.  I recommend that you somehow finish the edges on the inside of you clothes.  This will help them last longer.

 

 Almost done!

Wonderful, Pretty, HAIR!

Wonderful, pretty, HAIR!  No outfit is complete without it.   

In Korea your rank and social standing was reflected in your dress and hair.  Just as Medieval Europe had sumptuary law so did Korea.  Much of Korean society was based on Confucianism.  By understanding Confucianism we can better understand Korea.  

There were 13? levels to the social structure of Medieval Korea.  I do not know them all but a good overall view is as follows:

Royalty

Yangban - Nobility and high ranking military

Joong-in - Middle people

Sang-min - Common

In the SCA we all start out as lesser Lords and Ladys.  As we have fun, we earn rank, something that did not really happen in Medieval society.  How does this relate to our hair?  Your rank in the SCA can be reflected in your Korean dress and hair. After all the SCA also has sumptuary laws.  

You can be any class you wish but I recommend the Joong-in or Yangban class.  I would not dress as the Royalty unless you or your significant other is a Royal Peer.  My significant other is Count Yoan Moon Yang which is the only reason why I wore the Wonsam (ceremonial top coat) and Gache (wig) that is in my profile picture. 

  

I am going to outline the hair style by rank as would reflect SCA rank.  This is just a recommendation and you do not have to do this.  After all the idea is to look FABULOUS! 

Men

Simple - Until they were married they wore their hair in a simple braid.  When they marry, they wore their hair in a top knot.  Done!

Women

Little girls and unmarried ladys**.  [I have just read in Korean Heritage Vol II by Hollym that a girls hair would be rolled into a chignon and pinned with a pinyo or Binyeo when she turned 15 as a right of passage.  Was this true in period?  Maybe after all young ladies were usually married by 16.  :)  will update as I learn more.] Also wore a simple braid tied with a Daenggi (red ribbon).  I have my daughters do this along with a Baetssi - hair ornament on top of the head.  I do not know whether the Baetssi is period but it is such a nice touch that is SO Korean.

   

    

For these next hair styles I recommend getting pony tail extensions if your hair is no long enough.  

For Women who do not want little girl hair and Non-AOA hoders.  A simple hair style would work such as this one.  My own hair is in a simple bun with the hair extension wrap around my head with a red ribbon. 

 

AOA level holders

I braid my hair into a pony tail then add my pony tail extension and then wrap my own hair around the extension.  

    

I then add my cheopji (a hair ornament for ladys) securing it to the sides and back of my pony tail.  I also do not know if this is period but is also a nicevery Korean touch. There are simple ones and very pretty ones.  The one shown is much more ornate and best for a GOA holders or higher.

    

I then wrap the extension around my pony tail pinning it as I go. 

   

And there is a basic hair style.  At this point for AOA holders I would add a simple Binyeo (hair stick)

 

 

GOA Holders

Once you receive your grant level award you can add more BLING like these to your hair.   

 

Peerage and Royalty

Lots more BLING!  I joke with my friends that if I do not have 10 pounds of BLING in my hair then I am under-dressed.  :)  Arrange your pretties until you are happy and enjoy the day. 

 

Now keep in mind this is all just a recommendation and you can make your hair as pretty as you like.  :)  The most important element is the bun and in my opinion the Binyeo. 

Getting started

The Hanbok is traditional Korean dress.  The time period I am focused on is the Joseon or Choson period from 1392-1897.  Having spoken to others in the  SCA  who also have Korean persona, the Joseon period is treated as one long unbroken time.  The basic Hanbok - skirt and jacket were the same but the length of the jacket would go up and down.  It has been a challenge to find information on the length of the jacket.  :)   

My first Hanbok was based on the Folkwear pattern #141  Hanbok pattern.  This has a very modern cut jacket or Jeogori so it really is too short for SCA time frames but it is a great place to start. 

This is my second Hanbok.  I lengthen the jacket and added some embroidery.  I found linen to be very heavy and now prefer cotton.  I use a handkerchief linen for the neckline - Dong Jung.  I wipe stitch it on so I can take it off and wash it separately.

Here is another wonderful blog that has information on the Hanbok  Andrenang.blogspot.com


 

Beauty of Korean Clothes

As a member of the SCA I love medieval art and clothes.  I have really fallen in love with Korean clothes thanks in part to my soon to be hubby.  The Hanbok has its own unique beauty to it.  I also love the way you can fix your hair.  :) 

I am going to use this blog to document my attempts at making Korean clothes.  As a western finding information on period Korean clothing is not easy.  There are several books I am wanting .... oh how they cost $$$.  But that is the way it goes.