Noblesse Largesse Gift Exchange

It's been a few year since I participated in the Noblesse Largesse holiday gift exchange, but I thought I'd give it a go. The recipient's time period was a little earlier than the source material for the hood, but I figured it should still work for a few centuries earlier as hoods are pretty universal in make and model. The construction of the hood was based upon a fourteenth century hood found in Baynard's Castle, London UK. [See original source material at Opus Elenae's website.] 

The recipient's heraldic colors are blue, green, and gold. I chose celery green and periwinkle blue woven silk, lined with khaki colored linen. It is, as they say very demure and very mindful. I tacked down gold wool yarn at 4 and 7 centimeters from the edge, then added faux pearls in trefoils every 9 to 10 centimeters.

Hopefully, they will like it!

• Inspiration
• Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
• Bodleian Library MS. Bodl. 264, pt. I
• Flanders, Tournai
• French, Old (842-ca. 1400)
• Materials
• woven silk, linen, wool, cotton thread, and commercial faux seed pearls.

Inspiration.

Finished project.

Award of the Purple Fret - January 2025

The Award of the Purple Fret is an award given by the Crown to individuals who have been recognized for service to a group, office, or Kingdom.

• Source: The Walters Ex Libris
• Title: French Book of Hours
• Origin: France, Central (Rouen)
• Date: 1420-80

The scroll was created on pergamenata with Windsor-Newton gouache, Bombay Black India Ink and 24 carat gold leaf. The text reads as follows:

Pay heed to the words of Kilian and Jalida, beloved sovereigns of the Middle Kingdom. They wish to publicly recognize their faithful subject Chrysanthème des Prés for doing great acts of service, especially when providing nourishment to the masses and wish to bestow upon her the Award of the Purple Fret. Done this fourth day of January, Anno Societatis LIX (59) at the Twelth Night Celebrations in the Barony of Middle Marches.

Finished work.

In Process.

Inspiration piece.

Crafting Websites for SCA Events

Royal University of the Midrealm held their fall event in Barony of the Fenix on November 9. After some hemming and hawing for a few weeks I submitted to lecture on a subject that has been floating around in my mind for years titled Crafting Websites for SCA Events.

The topic of the class was less a tutorial on how to use a particular platform to create a website and more a focus on what information was required, essential, or nice to have on an event site, plus a few recommendations. This could honestly be used as a primer on how to steward an event if you were interested in an outside opinion from a person who had done it a time or two.

As always, your mileage may vary or you are free to have other opinions. I welcome feedback if you have any through the usual means of contact (i.e. email or Facebook Messenger.) I would like to again thank all who attended the class in person or online and to any who may look at the slide deck going forward.

Additional thanks to Claricia for all the things and to Roana for the use of her laptop due an unfortunate string of events directly related to a bad charging cable for my laptop. And of course, the staff and leadership of RUM for making it so accessible!

An exploration of how to build event websites tailored for the SCA that resonate with our modern medieval community while enhancing attendance and minimizing confusion. This class will guide participants through the essentials of creating an effective website, covering key topics such as planning, platform selection, functionality, technical requirements, and promotion.

Traveling Hats at Grand Day

The Fellowship of the Traveling Hat recently held session at A Grand Day of Tournaments hosted by the Barony of Cynnabar in Pentamere (MI).

Rather than a traditional class session, Grand Day was advertised as an all day hat salon strategically located in space between armored and rapier lists. Over the course of the day, Her Grace AnneMarie and I were able to guide participants through the construction of thirty-five hats in all colors, shapes, and sizes. We saw many familiar faces over the course of the day which yielded very few pictures! 

Special thanks to everyone who showcased their hats throughout the day.

Photograph by: Duchess AnneMarie de Garmeaulx

A Hat for Crown Tournament

On Thursday night, I was preparing for Crown Tournament and decided to throw together a more interesting black hat without the usual pink accents. I stretched the hat once on my head using the steam method to elongate it, then proceeded to shape the rest to the desired fit. I marked a 2.5 inch brim line from ear to ear, then tapered down to the front point, however I added a partial scallop to it after cutting an index card to a desired size and shape, then carried the pattern around the brim. 

While at the hotel, I tacked down the center peacock feather, but wasn't pleased with the slight turn of the feather, so I pulled two off of my charcoal grey hat and tucked them under the brass finding Sir Amadon Raudbjorn of Northshield gifted to me at Pennsic.

Overall, for a few hours of work it turned out nicely!

Fanciful Flowers

Per fess indented
flory at the points
sable and argent 

My husband and I have been entering Middle Kingdom Crown Tournaments for about the last five years. I've traditionally dressed in his heraldic colors (black and gold) which can lead one to feel like a marshal, however this year I decided I wanted to spice things up and dress in my own!

For the average bear a change from black and gold to black and white isn't much, however the color scheme in the Midrealm is all but synonymous with a household I am not a member of! And the line of division on my heraldry is striking, but exceptionally daunting to recreate - the dance, or dancetty was fitting at the time of heraldic inception as I was heavily involved in the dance community and my name in the Society is from Florence, Italy whose heraldic identifier was an exceptionally fancy fleur-de-lys! 

I chose to attempt the line of division using wool and used the familiar Londinium Hood pattern. I changed it up a little; instead of the inverted gore installation (Opus Elenae) I chose to try the method as described by Morgan Donner in the hood video linked below around minute marker 14:15. The gist being you lay the right side of the gore under the basted edge of the hood. It's hard to explain, see video for details! Ultimately, I found the Donner method of construction to be quick and easy to do, especially with with hand sewing.

After the hood was constructed, I went back and measured the average width of the dags from the expansion pack and created my own dance dag for the zig zag, which was about 4 inches in width. Prior to cutting, I added a the natural Pendleton wool of a similar drape underneath, then tacked it all down with an inverted hem stitch. Then I proceeded to add the laser cut fleur-de-lis tips in position with a similar stitch to keep them in place.

Resources:

• Morgan Donner Hood Video (14:45)
• Opus Elenae Londinium Hood Video
• Opus Elenae Londinium Hood Pattern
• Opus Elenae Londinium Dagging Expansion

Inspiration doodle.

A heraldic dance.

Fleur-de-lis tips.

Flory at the points!

Finished project!

Traveling Hats at Coronation

Shaping a hat.

The Fellowship of the Traveling Hat recently held session at the Midrealm Coronation of Kilian and Jalida in Constellation (IN).

Duchess AnneMarie and I, with the assistance of Lady Claricia and Baroness Antonia, were able to lead a class of (at least) thirty people in making (at least) thirty-five hats.  The class session held several repeat attendees, much to our delight, plus many new people eager to try their hand at new accessories. It was great success with many learning opportunities on both sides.

Thanks to Sir Bran for the pictures!

During the lecture.

Shaping and ironing.

Magenta Madness

Midrealm Coronation.

Dame Roana and I took a walk near the end of Pennsic to Royal Blue Traders to source some wool for cool weather projects. Having just finished the purple and teal hood, I decided to try my luck at another,  but one with a little more sparkle to it. What I found however was (in retrospect) a light weight magenta wool that existed somewhere between eye blindingly red and pink, thus I was sold! 

I acquired a yard and a half of the wool then created a classic 14th century dagged hood, courtesy of Opus Elenae's base pattern paired with the dags expansion. After some back and forth thinking each dag would be turned into a strawberry, I opted to let this bold and beautiful wool stand on its own, especially after adding the  printed diamond weave cotton as the lining.

Sir Bran was kind enough to take a picture (or three) of its premier at Midrealm Coronation. Here it is paired with a charcoal bycocket adorned with peacock feathers, green pin on sleeves, and the pewter plaque belt created by Crispin.

Resources:

• Opus Elenae Londinium Hood Video
• Opus Elenae Londinium Hood Pattern
• Opus Elenae Londinium Dagging Expansion

Inking the dags.

Instagram teaser!

The dagged hood is finished!

Traveling Hats at Harvest Days

My meager display of hats.

The Fellowship of the Traveling Hat recently held session at the Midrealm Harvest Days in South Oaken (OH).

When Crispin and I decided we were attending Harvest Days, I reached out to the event steward to see if I could secure location indoors to hold session, despite the classes being themed after games and we were quickly scheduled! Shortly after arrival Mistress Aveline showed me the space, I set out a meager display of items in advance of the class. Little did I know that throughout the day people would stop me and ask when we were starting, which started to make me a little nervous. 

Thankfully, Lady Miriana was in attendance and was gracious enough to be my assistant during class. Because we needed it! We had a much larger group of people in attendance than expected! We were able to make between 25-30 hats in the time allotted which was incredible, considering I only had one iron! (Insert a very long story about my new steam iron missing a part.) 

I consider this a learning experience - one iron is definitely not enough! And in order to not limit the size of class, an assistant is definitely needed. I cannot thank Miriana enough for being such a rock star! And thanks to Raziya al-Zarqua' for photography!

Shaping hats.

Blessing of the hat.

Traveling Hats at Mounted War Games

The Fellowship of the Traveling Hat held the inaugural session at the Midrealm Mounted War Games in Constellation (IN).

The class session was held in the main populace building near the far back corner of the room and was our first official outing as the Fellowship. Duchess AnneMarie and I were trying to figure out the best method to present the class materials as well as get the hats created for the attendees.  (And holing up in the building with air conditioning was certainly a perk...) Ultimately, we led a class of around ten people in making hats, including a gentleman at his first SCA event! 

Thank you to all who attended and cheered us on and through this session.

A collection of hats.

A collection of embellishments.