Traveling Hats at Better War Through Archery

The Fellowship of the Traveling Hat recently held session at Better War Through Archery hosted by the Barony of Sternfeld in the Constellation region in Indiana.

The class was a traditional in the sense that I presented the materials, then dove directly into hat making. Over the course of the time allotted, as well as the buffer between classes, about 25 new hats were released into the wild, and several on first-time event attendees! As usual, special thanks to everyone who showcased their hats throughout the day.

If you've attended a single teacher session, you know that it can get crazy when the creation of hats begins as you are vaulted to not only subject matter expert, but coach, style consultant, and cashier. Of those moments, which are often very blurred, was a woman who was quietly working on a pink hat. We consulted for the fit of the hat at some point and when I next looked over, she was cutting scallops into the hat -- a bold move right from the start! It was later at the B&B that her story was shared with me -- she was so excited and proud of the hat she created earlier in the day and how she had recreated the scallops off of the teacher's hat. 

It's moments like that which make driving in a car that look like this worth it.

The promotion shot taken on my way to BWTA.

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.