As the new year picks up steam, almost every corner of my head is crammed with ideas. And with the highlight of my SCA year just two months away, it's getting worse by the hour!!
The University of Oklahoma's 33rd Annual Medieval Fair takes place the first weekend in April and is the largest event of its kind in the state, not to mention one of the top 5 or so largest in the nation... and it's FREE!
Even if I wasn't in the SCA this would be a much anticipated weekend, but being in the SCA gives it almost Mecca status. And I'm not the only one who feels this way...
People who haven't come to an event in four years suddenly show up with shiny new armor and fine clothes. People who haven't missed an event in decades are as excited as newbies. Okay, okay, maybe that's a an exaggeration, but it does get people pretty worked up around here, and for good reason. Our local groups see this as an opportunity to widen our appeal, bring in new members, educate the public about what we do, and maybe even show off a little.
Mostly I see it as a test of my abilities. It seems that every year since I was sixteen Medieval Fair weekend has been the time to prepare for and learn new things. The year I was sixteen I tried my hand at sewing my first piece of garb: a far-too-long, off-the-shoulder English-style gown in some heinous fabric I can only describe as a mixture of fleece and felt. I was miserably hot and constantly tripping over that ugly train. I think the next two days of the fair my friend Adena loaned me some middle eastern garb because I was so disappointed. In fact, I don't think that dress lived past its first wearing. I'm pretty sure I threw it out that night.
Last year I was just getting to know my new persona so I spent several weeks before Med Fair making middle eastern garb. I made two new ghawazee coats, two new pairs of froofy harem pants, and a standard undertunic, all of which I thought was period for this new persona -- wrong! -- but I didn't know that at the time so I felt like a goddess all weekend and got plenty of compliments on my new, pretty garb.
This year I know better. Much better.
So, in preparation for this year's festivities, I started working on some mock-ups tonight. I've been experimenting with period garb for several months now after finally learning how to draft my own patterns. Thus far I have only been able to get the salwar down because the entari instructions I had were a little off. But I've been tweaking the pattern and the mock-up I cut tonight appears to be the right formula. I'll baste it together tomorrow and, if it works, I'll tear it apart and make paper patterns off of it (then I'll sew it back together, chop off a foot or so from the bottom and call it a chirka!).
In the meantime, I also need to get a kataginu finished for Ashi. I made him a gorgeous pair of red court hakama for Wiesenfeuer Yule Revel, but he didn't get to wear them because we had to leave the event early. And since he is going to Estrella War in a few weeks, a couple more kimono probably wouldn't hurt.
Anyway, I will have a proper "dress diary" in the next week or so. Until then, thanks for reading!
1. What is your SCA Name? Emine Hatun al-Tha'labii bint Abdullah. Emine means "confident" (something I aspire to), Hatun means "royal lady" (documentable even without my AoA), al-Tha'labii is a nickname meaning "the foxlike" (though probably not documentable), and bint Abdullah means student of Allah (meaning that my persona later converted to Islam).
2. What time and where do you portray? The time is 1540 and I live in Istanbul in the Topkapi Sarayi.
3. In plain English describe your device. I do not have one yet, but my (unregistered) device is a black field with a red faceless fox head. I'll worry about documentation when the time comes, but the fox head adornes my older camping gear.
4. How long have you been in the SCA? Since I was 16, almost 10 years ago.
5. Do you have any special titles you have earned? Not yet.
6. What kingdom and local group do you belong to? Kingdom of Ansteorra, Barony of Wiesenfeuer though I will always consider Namron my homebarony.
7. Do you have preferred colors for your SCA Persona? It seems Emine prefers reds and golds although she does have her eye on a green and gold jacket in the near future.
8. What is your war that you look forward to going to every year? I have only been to one war (two years in a row) and no matter how many wars I attend in the future, The War of the Lilies in Calontir will always hold the dearest place in my heart.
9. Do you hold any offices? I am currently the Webminister for the Barony of Wiesenfeuer. I am considering applying for Hospitaller, but I'm not sure the strain would be worth it at this time.
10. Favorite memory from an event? There are quite a few, but probably my favorite was at my first Lilies War. My best friend and personal SCA muse, Kyna Terricsdottir, and I had shared a tent all war until one blustery afternoon when a storm came up and completely flooded our little temporary home! My beloved Sven Sixstrong loaned us the use of his yurt as he was planning to spend the evening with a new ladyfriend. Kyna and I, both 16 years old, delighted in being able to say we spend the night in Sven's yurt, in his luxurious bed, no less! The icing on the cake was on the next day, whilst galivanting about the woods with Queen Larissa's daughter, Tressa, we stumbled upon the missing "Girls" sign from the bathhouse. With Tressa's help (okay, she did all the work) we retrieved the sign and afixed it to the front "door" of Sven's yurt, claiming it as our own!
11. Are you a fighter? What kind? If I were a fighter I would be the terrible kind. That's why I am content to sit on the sidelines and practice my stitchery while my beloved Lord Ashikaga fights to his heart's content.
12. Are you crafty (making things)? I like to think so, though I have never had the patience to finish anything to the standard I'd like for an A&S project. Someday... someday...
13. Do you teach classes at events? Ha, not in the least, although every once in a while someone asks me a question and in return they get a barrage of information they could've probably done without.
14. Do you play instruments at events? I drum occasionally. I'd like to do it more often, but my drums need attention. I have abandoned them in favor of needles and thread.
15. Do you dance at events? On the sidelines. I'm not terribly coordinated, but I can undulate a bit and I dance enough to make myself happy.
16. Do you feel that there is enough flirting and chivalrous behavior in the SCA? If that is one's goal, there is plenty to be found.
17. Are you a “Black Hat” or a “White Hat”? I'm not familiar with those terms... strange... Someone refresh my memory.
18. What is one of the reasons you’ve remained in the SCA? After 9 long years I am finally starting to find my place.
19. What peerage(s) do you aspire to? Someday I hope to have a Laurel in costuming or fiber arts as those are my truest passions. My lord aspires to join the Royal Peerage so I wish him that success and will follow him happily.
20. Who was Crown when you joined the SCA? Duke Gunthar Jonsson and Countess Sara Penrose
21. If you are a Peer, who was the Crown that elevated you? See question #19.
22. Have you lived in more than 1 kingdom and which ones? I have lived in Ansteorra my whole life and hope to die here a happy woman (although I hope there will be plenty of travel in the meanwhile).
23. Have you helped found a group? I am the Kanpaku (Legend Keeper) of Clan Namu.
24. Have you had any house affiliations? Other than Clan Namu I am a whelp of House Wolfstar, one of the last of the Screaming Spoons and the last of the Sisterhood of the Shorn Heads.
