Every Journey Begins Somewhere

People often complement my garb and level of authenticity in it. I've heard people say they wish they could make garb like mine. I've heard people say they don't have the talent to make clothes like mine. However, I didn't start with this garb. It's taken years of practice, research, and more practice, to get where I am.

Let's start with a picture for some perspective, shall we? This is me just before I began in the SCA. When I began, I didn't know what a 16th century English woman would wear, let alone what fabrics or construction techniques she would use. I didn't know that linen and wool were the fabrics of choice. I had never even considered embroidering anything. To be quite frank, I didn't care know, either. I could sew a straight line with a machine, and I could darn a sock, but I did not hand-sew things by choice.

When I first joined the SCA, I joined as a "Rennie" (as we are referred to). I wanted a place to wear more fun Renaissance clothing. I was young and shiny, and knew nothing about the Society. After joining, I was given both positive and negative feedback on my clothing choices, among other things.. Very quickly, I realized there was more to the SCA than just wearing the clothing I love. I began to look through paintings. I began to read about fabrics, techniques, trim, accessories, etc....

I made gown after gown, researching more and more after each one - changing and improving, making each piece a little more accurate. I fell in love with the Armada Portrait and began working to put the pattern from the sleeves onto a red velvet stomacher (after learning what a stomacher is, of course).  I used couched bead-work to create the effect, though I didn't know that's what it was called until many years later. I did it because I though it looked cool. Would I make that same choice today? I'm not sure. I'd need to look into the fabrics and applications of patterns first. Though, with what I know now, I believe it is plausible, given: we know the pattern existed in period, velvets were used in period (though the one used here is synthetic - sometimes compromises must be made due to budgetary constraints), and couched bead-work is prevalent in the mid 16th century as well.

I continue to learn and grow, just as we all do. I am happy to share when I am able. I find teachers and students in nearly every person I meet.

The next time you look at someone and feel overwhelmed by the authenticity of their garb, or the terminology they use, or the knowledge of their art, or their skill with a weapon; remember they, too, started somewhere. They did not join the society as a Master, Mistress, Baron, Baroness, Duke, Dutchess, etc; they began as a bright-eyed, eager student, excited to do something that makes their heart light up. I bet if you ask them about their craft (whatever form it may take), their heart will still light up.

We love to share our crafts, and we share our crafts with love. 

The Lily and the Peacock

I am happy and proud to announce I have taken a student in the area of clothing research and construction. At Wars of the Roses, it was officially announced, Lady Anne de Basillon is formally my student. I have committed to impart my knowledge to her and to learn and grow with her.

If you see her doing something well, please tell us both. If you see something that may need improvement, please tell me. I thrilled about this next step in our relationship and excited to see what the future holds for us both. 

What's in an Order?

I'd like to take a break from my regular crafting posts to talk about a subject I find important. I was having a discussion with a Peer of the Realm, the content of which is irrelevant at this point. In that conversation, we realized that a person we both felt was beyond deserving of a particular award, had not received said award. The conversation went something like this:

Peer: Wait does [person] have their [award]?
Olivia: Yes. I'm sure they do. Do they? It's not listed on the OP. Let me check the Wiki. No, it's not their either. And they keep their page very up to date.
Peer: How is that possible? I was sure they had their [award] years ago.

As I delved further into the matter, I discovered that the person in question was not well-liked by enough of the order to receive the support for the award. This, my friends, I find disconcerting. While the person in question can be quite abrasive at times, there is no denying, they are deserving of the award, based on the standards presented on the East Kingdom website. 

The more I thought about this, the more I thought about another conversation I had a year or so ago regarding someone who was receiving an award. This conversation went something like this:

Person A: Did you know [person B] is receiving their [award] at [event]?
Olivia: Oh? I didn't hear. That's wonderful! And certainly well deserved!
Person A: Uh, really? But they don't do anything to deserve [award]. They just do [thing].
Olivia: Actually, if you really look at what they do, they do [thing], [other thing], [another thing], [one more thing], and all of that is on top of the [thing] you mentioned. Given the parameters of [award], they're well within what is considered deserving.
Person A: Oh, yeah, I guess. I didn't really think about that. I just...well, I had a bad experience with [person] and I guess that sort of sways my opinion.

Now, to be clear, we're not talking about Peerages here. We're not talking about an award that requires specific personality traits to be found deserving. We are talking about Kingdom-level awards, which are typically presented based on merit, experience, etc. 

So, then, why? Why are so many of us so focused on our personal feelings that we would withhold an award from a deserving person? By the same token, when we do have strong negative feelings about people, why are we not keeping our personal feelings out of the discussion? These are merit-based awards. They should have very little to do with how well a person is liked. 

To that end, I ask you to truly consider each nominee based upon their merit. How is a particular award recipient defined? Does the nominee fit those parameters? If you don't feel the person is deserving of an award, is this because their work is truly not befitting? If you have a negative opinion of a person, is this truly the time to air those grievances? 

We should always remember, the words we use toward those not in our favor are a direct reflection upon ourselves. 

~O

Drake Oranwood's Troubadour Scroll Words

A few months back, I was asked to write wording for Lord Drake Oranwood's' Troubadour scroll. My apologies in the delay for getting this post up. However, here's the information for his wording.

When I was first asked, I had one thought about the wording, "It must be in iambic pentameter." Nothing else would do for Lord Drake. So, I began digging around for inspiration. I came across some poetry by Sir Thomas Wyatt, as well as William Shakespeare that I used for inspiration. I've included two of the inspiration pieces below.

Ryght true it is : and said full yore agoo :
"Take hede of him that by thy back the claweth " ;
For none is wourse than is a friendly ffoo :
Though they seme good : all thing that thee deliteth :
Yet know it well, that in thy bosom crepeth ;
For many a man such fier oft knydeleth,
That with the blase his berd syngeth.
~Sir Thomas Wyatt

SONNET 33
Full many a glorious morning have I seen
Flatter the mountain-tops with sovereign eye,
Kissing with golden face the meadows green,
Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy;
Anon permit the basest clouds to ride
With ugly rack on his celestial face,
And from the forlorn world his visage hide,
Stealing unseen to west with this disgrace:
Even so my sun one early morn did shine
With all triumphant splendor on my brow;
But out! alack! he was but one hour mine,
The region cloud hath mask'd him from me now.
Yet him for this my love no whit disdaineth;
Suns of the world may stain when heaven's sun staineth.
~William Shakespeare

The first line of Lord Drake's scroll was taken directly from the first line of the Wyatt poem. The second is a slight alteration of the second line of this poem as well. Apparently I was extraordinarily tired when I wrote the second line, as it follows neither the metre of the inspiration poem, nor the metre of iambic pentameter. Whoopsie!

The most difficult part was working the required language into the metre. This took several days of wiggling and bending the words to the will of the poem.

"Ryght true it is and said full yore ago,“Take hede of him that rounde thy fire dothe presenteth”;Thys Goldsmithes worke and goodley song dothe groBoth voyce and visage for all deliteth.Full many a wondrus tale he recountsWoven stronge wyth thredes of thyne and Owre owneMemoryes. Lo! Have We cause goode to dance,Syng and rejoyse in tyme-cloth he hath sowne.

For as wyth cause We, Brennan and Caoilfhionn,Nobyll King and true Quene of the EasternLandes do inducte to the Order hereinOf the Troubadour, Drake Oranwood doneOn thys third day of October, A.S. L, Owre joyusCoronation in the northerne Baro-Ny of Owre Concordia of the Snows."

Calligraphy and Illimination by Katrusha Skomorokhov Negadieva doch'.

Overall, I'm happy with the first scroll I've ever done wording for. Were I able to alter it, I would re-work that second line to fit the metre, and also perhaps re-work a few of the other lines so it flowed a big more smoothly.

Congratulations (belated, as they may be) to Lord Drake on his induction into the order of the Troubadour!





Source:

http://www.shakespeares-sonnets.com/

Full Body Vocal Performance

In March of this year, Drake Oranwood and I entered a student/teacher relationship. Drake is a talented and accomplished bard in the Society. He has learned a great deal on his own. However, he wanted further instruction to improve his technique. As such I offered to open my knowledge base to him.

Whenever I work with a student, no matter their skill level, I always start with the very basics. So often, the basics are left out in instruction, given that they are, well, basic, and should have been taught when the student was first learning about singing. From grade school and up, some very basic things are often left out of instruction, in order to work on more advanced technique.

So begins our first lesson.

I asked Drake about the warm-ups he does. He gave me a list of some vocal runs and mouth warm-ups he does. He said he spends about 5 minutes doing warm-ups. These are the warm-ups he's always done with the same results; they help to loosen his vocal chords and prepare him for singing.

Something most people don't realize is that vocal performance, particularly singing, is a full body performance. Singers don't just use their mouths and vocal chords; they use nearly every muscle in their body from the bottom of their feet to the top of their heads.

Drake's first assignment was to spend some time trying different full body warm-ups and seeing how they affected his singing. Each person is different. So, a warm-up that works for one might not work for another. Warm-ups can be anything from yoga to stationary stretches, as long as it gets your full body ready to move.

After trying out several different methods, Drake found one that he felt comfortable with. Even one day of a full body warm up made a noticeable difference in his voice.

If you are looking to improve your tone, support, and overall quality, start by trying out different warm-ups. I recommend doing a different one each day that you'll be singing, until you find one that works for you. Don't stop after one or two. Try at least 5 different exercises. The first one you find might improve your quality, but there might be a better one. Once you find your warm-up, use it! Remember to always do the warm-up before performing.

If you have any questions or would like any recommendations, I'm happy to help however I can. Happy vocalizing!

The First Cut

Five or so years ago, I was browsing through the clearance section of a big box fabric store. Now, when I browse through the clearance section of fabric, I don't simply walk by, looking at things. No, I dig around, move bolts, crawl on the floor in an effort to see the bottom shelf more clearly; all in an effort to find that gem. On the bottom shelf, buried under some rather okay looking upholstery fabric was a bolt of crimson red velvet. Mind you, not the highest quality velvet, but a nice medium quality, nonetheless. It had been marked down from $28.00/yard, to $6.00/yard. As I danced my way to the cutting counter, many of  the other patrons ogled my luscious find. As I was standing in line on this very busy holiday weekend, one lady behind me commented on my lovely fabric.
     "That's beautiful fabric! How much is it?"
     "$6.00/yard! I can't believe there's so much of it here!"

     "Wow! I'll take whatever you're not taking."

     "Oh, I'm sorry, I'll be taking it all."

     "What could you possibly do with that much red velvet?"

     "I create Elizabethan court gowns."

The woman at the counter starts to measure out the fabric. 

     "2...3...4..."

     "Are you sure you need all if it? I'd be fine with just a yard or two for some throw pillows." says the woman behind me, still staring at the velvety pool at the end of the cutting table.

     "6...7...8..."

     "I'm sure. I'll use most of it for the gown and the rest for accessories. It takes a lot of fabric to create a gown with a proper train."

The woman in line behind her chimes in. 

     "What about just 1/2 of a yard? I would love to use just a little of it as a trim. There's so much there!"

     "10..11...12..."

I stare, smiling, at the garden of fabric piled on the counter, envisioning the gown that will eventually blossom from this plush bed of rose. "I'm sorry, ladies." 

In all, there were just over 13 yards of fabric. When I went to pay, the new associate at the register allowed me to use a 50% off coupon, leaving me with balance of less than $40.00!

This rather large preface leads me to my actual purpose of this post: my new partlet. (Eventually I'll have a better picture.) I had been wanting to make a partlet for some time. I knew what I wanted, I just needed to get up the nerve to take scissors to the velvet. 

I pulled out The Tudor Tailor and turned to page 70, a page I had visited and read many times before. Having had very little experience with upscaling patterns (and not wanting to risk wasting any of my velvet), I decided to first make a 1:1 muslin of the pattern in the book. I held the muslin to myself and determined that it was far too small. I then took measurements and determined the scale I needed and again cut a muslin pattern. While I realize the first muslin was completely unnecessary, I also realize I was putting off that inevitable moment when the crimson threads would finally be broken. 

Then came the big moment; the one I had waited for, for 5 years: time to cut the velvet! Now, typically this moment in a blog post would say something like, "I cut the fabric." However, this is not a typical blog post. Nor is it typical fabric. I brought the bolt upstairs and laid it on the floor, gently unrolling it a few turns. I pinned the muslin and knelt in front of the fabric with my scissors. 

*deep breath* 

Then, I cut. 

Okay, it wasn't so bad. It was only a small bit of fabric. 

I cut the black linen for the lining and ties, then sewed it all together. I did make one small mistake. I forgot that velvet can't be ironed normally. Whoops! So, now the velvet is slightly crushed in a small area. Though, I'm told it's hardly noticeable. 

Overall, I'm satisfied with the outcome. The pattern was simple to follow & upscale. I've re-learned that you don't iron velvet the way you iron everything else. It will also be easier to upscale a pattern next time I need to. 

Next up: a linen partlet (or 4) for warmer weather. 

Carpenter on the Go

Within the Society, one of the many things I dabble in is woodworking. I say "dabble," but I have been doing real woodworking (from plans to finished product) for more than 20 years. My most recent SCA project was a collapsible table that I had seen many people carrying around at events. I started by looking at my favorite woodworking site to find some plans to work from. I found these plans and went off running!

First, I had to pick out the wood. I found some oak from an old bed frame and an old broom for the structural pieces. I found this lovely piece of idunno wood for the table top. It's some kind of soft wood, which means it scratches easily, but it was what we had that fit the size (and we all know that free is better than $). It will also be easy to replace, when that time comes.

Next, I cut all the pieces out and did some light sanding The legs all needed to be rounded. This required a vice and a belt sander. Very exact work, here. 

Next up - routing the table top pieces and the brace pieces. After this, lots of sanding. And more sanding. And a little more sanding. Once all the sanding was done, I assembled the table, per the instructions in the plans, and generously applied five coats of linseed oil. 

Overall, the project was fairly easy to construct. The plans were well written and easy to follow. If I were to do it again, I would choose a better wood for the table tops. After just 2 uses, there are deep gouges in the tops. I did know this would happen, given the soft wood I used, but I was not expecting it to happen so quickly.