Preparations for June Faire

Well, this week in our manor, the household is busily engaged in preparations to attend the annual June Faire, held in the Barony of Dragon’s Laire.

As reservations deputy for the Shire of Midhaven, I tried to get together a group camp for Midhaveners that will be attending.  However, apart from the Towne of KeyPoynt, which makes their own arrangements every year, there were no takers.  In any event, Lady Avelyn and I inadvertently forgot to pre-register for the event.  ZOUNDS!

Last Saturday, I worked on some modifications to the door of our 18-foot-diameter Mongolian yurt.  Last night, Lady Avelyn took our eldest, Emily, to the manor of Lady Elewys Cuylter of Finchingefeld, where the ladies worked on a modification to the canvas of the yurt.  In the meanwhile, I camped with our sons on the verdant grounds of the manor, and thus was able to make a trial run at camping before next weekend’s event.

Today, Lady Avelyn and I are planning to erect the yurt, also on the grounds of our manor, in order to ensure that it is in all readiness.

In the coming week, I will be working to finish embellishing one of Emily’s dresses, which I plan to use to challenge the rank of Senior Student in the An Tir Guild of Embroiderers and Embellishers.  Lady Avelyn has a long list of sewing to do, mostly more garb for the family.  Finally, of course, there will be the obtaining of needed provisions, and packing the cart for the journey.  We are planning to depart on Friday morning.

My Fealty Oath

On Saturday, 25 February 2012 (a.s. XLVI), Her Grace, Duchess Angharad Banadaspus Drakenhefd, Lion of An Tir, Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Pelican, Lady of the Rose took me on as a protégé and vassal.

This is the oath I took:

Here do I swear by mouth and hand
fealty and service unto Duchess Angharad Banadaspus Drakenhefd
to be Her liegeman and protégé,
to hearken and to listen,
to speak and to keep silent,
to do and to let be
and to apply myself to Her teachings with diligence and attention
from this day forward
until my liegelady release me,
or death take me,
or the world end.
So say I, Michael FitzGeoffrey.

A few useful web links

• A comprehensive and FREE online dictionary of the Anglo-Norman language - very cool, but a little difficult to use:   http://www.anglo-norman.net/

• Medieval Latin Lexicon - easily searchable and a great resource:  http://www.archive.org/stream/MedievalLatinLexicon/NiemeyerMediaeLatinitatisLexicon1976#page/n0/mode/2up

• The Kingdom of Atlantia has a site with thousands of links on all sorts of Arts & Sciences:  http://moas.atlantia.sca.org/wsnlinks/

• Ensamplario Atlantico - a really neat book of fill patterns for blackwork embroidery:  http://string-or-nothing.com/2011/06/25/ensamplario-atlantio-blackwork-filling-collection-pdfs-for-download/

• The online Middle English Dictionary:  http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/med/

Current projects

For my first blog post EVER, I decided to list all the projects I have either in-progress or on my to-do/wish list.

1)  embroidery on the neckline of one of my daughter's dresses - Done :-)
2)  heraldry:  working on resubmissions for the Midhaven populace badge and the badge of the Company of the Tulip; name research for Libuše Makovička, and consultation for an augmentation of arms for Duchess Angharad. - Midhaven resubmissions:  Done :-)
3)  a haversack for my wife.  It will be made of olive-green hemp with a wool lining.  The front flap will be embroidered with a depiction of a knight, making obeisance to his lady, the artwork being derived from an illuminated folio in the Westminster Psalter (c. 1250).  I may card-weave the shoulder strap on an inkle loom.
4)  a sleeve to protect/contain a staff - Done :-)
5)  a reversible herald's tabard bearing the arms of the Kingdom of An Tir, and flipping inside out to bear the arms of the Shire of Midhaven
6)  a belt favor bearing the herald's badge - Done :-)
7)  an An Tir ensign to fly at camping events
8)  a song to honor those of An Tir who have passed into the next world

Potential other projects under consideration

Lady Elewys Cuylter of Finchingefeld

Martha at Gore

1)  appliqued banners for Lady Elewys Cuylter of Finchingefeld and milady Martha at Gore depicting their heraldic devices
2)  tablecloths, napkins, handkerchiefs, pillowcases, seat covers, blankets, etc. either embroidered with various heraldic emblazons or as practice for blackwork
3)  a suit of mail armor
4)  a shield
5)  a heraldic surcote
6)  a liripipe hood
7)  a parti-colored cotehardie
8)  class materials for use in teaching an Ithra class - Done :-)

As you can see, I have a great deal of projects with which to keep busy.