A Court Baroness!

This was an award that wasn't anywhere near my radar, while I was A&S champion, there is still quite a bit of imposter syndrome here. I am deeply honored that their former Majesties choose me to become one of their court barons. 

This scroll was done by Mysie (Mellisa Vigil) in a early 15th century style, that was inspired by my 1410's black and gold bombard sleeve surcotte that she helped stitch at Griffin Needle Challenge 2023. It also closely mirror's Godefroy's Court Baron scroll given at the same time, both because he was apart of that GNC team and because we are clearly close.

This honor means ALOT to me. I know that my health, financial, and family obligations prevent me from showing up consistently in the SCA in ways that I want to be, and that would be expected of if I were to be recognized as a peer. So instead I focus my precious spoons on the things that I both enjoy and can be picked up and set down as my limitations allow. 

I want to take a moment to recognize that this goes beyond me. I have an amazing support team that allows me to do the things I do. Sometimes it's a fabric fairy, sometimes it's paying my travel costs, or giving me crash space, sometimes it's the moral support to simply get me through the hard days. 

A deep heartfelt thanks to Edwin, Godefroy, Annetja, Meadhbh, and Remi. I simply wouldn't have be able to do what I do without you. You have saved my life in more ways than one. I love you all. 

Now I'm off to plan shiny hat shenanigans! Bisous

Yours in service,

Baroness Isabelle Montfort de Bretagne

A Pyxis!

Well overwhelmed is the word that comes to mind with the recent awards that I've received pretty much back to back. 

My award, done by Goda (Rebecca Gustafson) an embordered silk velvet purse, with tablet woven edging, styled after extant purses. Embroidery is based off a French 14th century extant embroidery fragment. 

Story time! Our household ended up with a tradition after a few of my siblings getting their pyxis at WW camp via a roaming court, in their period undergarments. It's become a household tradition. Godefroy had been threatening to catch me with one for a handful of years.  

This year at St Radgins Faire, he finally was able to catch me. 

Friday, I was deeply on the struggle bus and so after camp setup, I went to wander and found myself a bit tipsy at a bardic fire, when my HH sibling appeared to fetch me back to household camp, which I was a bit put out about, but figured my laurel was checking in on me. When I arrived, a handful of usual crew was around, nothing sus, and I was told it was scotch night, and G said household "needed" to be there. I was bit frustrated I was pulled away for that, plus the hem of my gown was wet and getting muddy from the dew, and I was sweaty from the day, so I decided I was going to give my moody self a moment to decompress in my tent and change my garb. 

Just as I had peeled off all my layers, quite nude, Ethini's standing in my doorway to fetch me. What. why? And I hear my name being called into court. I threw something hastily on, and made my way to the social space to find close to 30 people standing in camp, I might have lightly cursed G, and then I was inducted into the order of the Pyxis. I received an amazing hand embroidered purse from a geek I deeply admire. There were hugs and tears. 

The fact that Godefroy knew me well enough to know that I was going to change was the exact moment he called the royals into camp, He managed to one up his threat and actually caught me in the nude. Add in that he had orchestrated for many of my closest folks to be there, hiding them around the corner as I was hauled into camp so I wouldn't be overwhelmed (or suspect shenanigans), meant the world to me, even if I wasn't quite ready for that in the moment. The purse I received was perfect, I felt so deeply loved and seen. I broke down and cried for a good while afterwards.

This kind of became a core memory for me and I'm so grateful to my people. 

Navigating A&S in Northshield

 After watching a few folks struggle with A&S recently I've decided to write up a guide to help new folks navigate A&S here in Northshield.  I also have it in a shareable Google doc here.

Also don't forget to check out the Kingdom Art's and Sciences Page, there are a lot of resources there to!

A GUIDE TO A&S COMPETITIONS (in Northshield)

By Isabelle Montfort de Bretagne (Raven R Cutrano)

Identifying the kind of competition-  

• Display- You just want to show off your geek, can be face to face or not. You might receive kudos, some informal feedback if in person, and get a chance to connect with others doing your craft. Open to the populace. Documentation is helpful, but this is a good way to showcase your art if you struggle with documentation or being judged.

• Bean count- A display with a bean count, usually not much Face to Face interaction or feedback provided. Documentation is helpful, but this is a good way to showcase your art if you struggle with documentation or being judged. Open to the populace, Note, shiny projects tend to get the most beans.

• Informal- Usually judged entries, at an event where A&S isn’t the primary focus- events like 12th night, or the Barony of Jara’s A&S come to mind. Generally low key. You will have a judge and a rubric that can give some advice and feedback. Expect to be able to provide at least a few pages of documentation for your item. Verbal discourse can be a factor in your score. 

• Formal- A key clue to this is there are divisions, either by level or craft. Kingdom A&S and Griffin Needle Challenge are formal competitions in Northshield. These events lean heavily into academic based documentation. You will be met with a panel of judges and a rubric. You will have a lot more in depth questions asked, and verbal discourse can be a factor in your score. 

Divisions-

• Beginner. This is for people who are brand new to this particular format and want to get their feet wet. Judging is easy and documentation can be pretty informal and judges tend to provide a lot of guidance and support. I recommend at least a page or two of documentation and an inspiration image.

• Intermediate/open. This is the category most participants fall into. There is an expectation of at least a handful of pages of documentation with multiple sources and demonstrates some academic integrity.  My expectations are outlined below.

• Advanced. These are for the folks who know the ropes, are doing deep original research, hand sewing everything, or folks who are getting above and beyond scores in the open divisions. 

Some documenting basics and pitfalls- 

These are some of the things I recommend and look for in a judged Intermediate/open division project. Note- this will be more helpful for physical objects. 

Remember that in Northshield we also accept verbal discourse for documentation if you struggle with writing.  However make sure to include the same information and sources as a written documentation would. 

Research-

• Read the Rubric and the Rules. 

• Look at previous years if the current year isn’t available yet. This will help you determine what level you are at, and the expectations the judges will have. If you can’t find it, please don't be afraid to ask!

• Research and take notes before choosing materials, tools or techniques! 

• You want to make some informed decisions even if the materials are coming out of your stash or being provided by another. 

• Plan ahead and leave time to write up the documentation.

• Keep an outline and/or notes handy while working on the project. 

• Don’t use only one source or image unless you are recreating an extant item. 

• Manuscripts reflect the noble ideal and expense of paint pigments, and are often stylized. 

• Could be a parody or religious convention

• Having multiple sources of information about the same item helps to show it would have been a recognizable and accepted item in period.

• Direct vs Indirect Sources

• Direct source is something that came from the period. Extant items, contemporary documents, contemporary artworks.

• Indirect source is someone talking about something that came from the period. Books, Write ups, research papers, blog posts, Sally says xyz. 

• A good way to tell if an indirect source is credible is if they are following the guideline of a proper source. Try to include as many direct sources as possible. 

• Identifying proper sources

• Have a substantial bibliography

• In text references.

• Images are sourced. 

• Line sketches and patterns reference original sources.

• Extant items, or museum references. Statues, funerary brasses, manuscripts.

• Contemporary documents or writing of the period, for example- inventories 

• Scientific data- Detailed information about colours, size, weave, etc… 

• Recommended by other experts in the field.

• Has up to date information or active research. 

• Author has established credentials.  

• Peer reviewed articles. 

• .gov .org .edu museum or mediaeval scholarly websites. 

• The author isn't Victorian. Exceptions- reprints or copies of period documents.

• With open source such as wikipedia, vendors, or reenacctor’s blogs, follow the links and sources to find out if they are legit!

• Language Barriers- Sometimes a project will have language struggles. Try your best to find credible translations, or a translator program. If you do, make sure to indicate that. 

• Choose a suitable project for a competition

• If you are finding that you are making a lot of substitutions or justifications for a project, then it might not be suitable for a judged A&S competition.

• Ask around for suitable sources for tools and materials. 

• Try to focus your research on a narrow time period, place, and status. It will help both you and your judges. If you have something out of sync you should be prepared to explain why. 

• Are there any religious or status overtones?

• Try to avoid vague statements like ‘possible trade routes*’ or ‘if they had it they would’, or elaborate stories of how it could have been.

Documenting the project-

• Connecting how it was done in period vs how you are doing it. 

• This should be a significant part of your documentation.

• Talk about the period techniques, tools and patterns, even if you aren’t using them.

• AND Show the techniques, tools, patterns you did use. 

• Use visual aids, and take photos of the process.

• Explain the deviations. 

• Don’t skip the basics for uncommon places or items. 

• Some places like the middle east or asian cultures are less known by judges. 

• So you should be prepared to provide more information to walk the judges through your process. 

• You will be asked more questions. 

• “Based on my interpretation I believe XYZ…” is a valid statement, especially if you are looking at an extant piece, an unusual item, or something from a different language. 

• Justifying substitutions and deviations- 

• If your material doesn’t jive with your inspiration, then what other sources show it being used in this context? 

• Is there a cultural, religious, or status significance that influenced a change?

• *Some trade routes are valid, but then be prepared to back it up

• Some materials or practices need substitutions for ethical or safety reasons. Explain and show the modern equivalent. 

• Sometimes period things just don't exist. Explain, and show the modern equivalent. 

• Does it need to accommodate a certain activity or personal limitation? 

• These are some really common pitfalls we ALL struggle with.  

• In my stash

• Time limits

• Too expensive

• Personal preference

For all of these, while valid limitations, we also want to see OTHER reasons why a choice was suitable. 

-For example people can rarely afford/access reproduction silk, so then what makes your fabric choice more suitable than a bedsheet? Is it because the substitute is the right fibre? Does it have a similar weight, weave, sheen, stretch, pattern? Recognizing your struggles and mistakes, and what you'd do differently next time.

Properly referencing the research-

In a judged competition your document shouldn’t read like a blog post. It should follow basic academic standards. 

• Sourcing photos, and referencing sources

• Always provide a caption and a source for any images, not only does it give proper credit, but lets the judges know what they are looking at. Talk about the photo in your documentation. 

• For detailed images it's helpful to print out a full page copy, or have it available digitally. 

• In text citations for ANYTHING that isn’t your original thoughts. If it’s a direct quote, make sure to include the quotations when you cite it. 

• Avoid AI for research writing. It’s a word prediction software, and It’s data is often wrong. Plus it's widely viewed as a form of plagiarism. 

• Reference links in documentation

• When possible provide a printout or at least name a link to the judges can follow it. Don’t forget to include it in the bibliography.

• Pro tip- You might want to pdf a website in case it goes defunct and you want to reference it in the future. 

• A proper bibliography

• All sources are fully named, with author, title and copyright date. Online citation generators are extremely helpful here.

• A mix of online and books  

• A handful of sources with at least one or two being direct sources

• Finding someone to proofread your documentation!

• Read your documentation out loud. It helps catch grammar and mixups, in addition to keeping it fresh in your brain, and reducing nerves. 

• Print out at least 3 copies of your documentation for formal competitions. 

• It's helpful to have a digital copy especially if there are links or detailed photos. 

• Bring any relevant books and resources to the judging.

Expectations- Putting yourself in a judged competition means you will have your craft judged. Whenever possible efforts are made to pair you with people who know something about your craft. You will be asked to go over your project and questioned to explain any gaps in your documentation, as a part of determining your depth of knowledge and skills. This is where having some of your resources on hand is helpful. Questions that you didn't consider often come up. If the judges are focused on a particular aspect of your entry there's probably a learning opportunity to be had and they are trying to get you to connect the dots. 

I know it’s not always easy feeling judged. It can be scary. Just remember the judges have also been in your shoes and are there to help. Shutting down or being defensive makes it harder on the judges to determine your knowledge and skill. Conversely, being positive and open to feedback may reveal helpful knowledge. 

If you are overwhelmed it’s ok to ask for a break. 

I don’t know, I need more information, are acceptable responses, and will often lead to learning opportunities or follow up!

Keep in mind scores are meant to be used to determine your level of skill and show where you can improve. The feedback given should be both positive and constructive. Not all rubrics are the same and also need to leave room for the full spectrum of competitors, So you could be doing extremely well while having 5 or 6’s. If you are scoring low or high you might be in the wrong division. 

If you truly believe something was unfair, or want feedback, reach out to the coordinator. 

Busy Busy Bee!

While I've not been posting much I've not been inactive. 

Quite the opposite! 

The past 6 months I've been the Queen's A&S champion, alongside Godefroy, while she also battles cancer. 

I essentially "Griffin Needled" the coronation garb, without a fitting, from opposite sides of the kingdom, while I was in isolation after Covid left me without any T-cells. There was a moment at an after where I stood on a stool, tore Han's sleeves off, and completely reworked them to fit right. 

Coronation garments after being reworked. Photo by Beck Lyon

I almost finished the shell of my Houppelande for Kingdom A&S, was both a participant and a judge. My documentation for the houpe cand be found here- The Velvet Houppelande ACT I

I created a fur lined Blanket.  

I taught 2 classes and hosted an A&S display at WW. In addition to my feast night and supporting the household. 

I've become deputy Minister of Arts and Science for my barony and am hosting sewing guild meetings, co-hosting aronial A&S completions, and trying to organize some social practices between the outer reaches of the barony in addition to supporting the MOAS. I'm also working on some guides and ways to help prepare new folks entering A&S. 

A&S tokens. Based off jewelry from Ottoman occupation of Kabylie. 

I've done 2 barony scrolls this season. 

Became an impromptu judge for Griffin Needle Challenge. Which was both a joy and a challenge.  

I'm slowly working on my 14th century regional sketches to accompany my class. Which will eventually become a feature in my in progress handbook. 

I'm working on some commission gold work embroidery bands. 

I somehow managed to eek out my own gold silk cotte to accompany both my black and gold bombard surcotte and the in progress velvet houppelande. More to come on that garment in a future post.

All while recovering from near death, long covid, having a handful of chronic conditions, and being a single parent to some very neurospicy young adults, financial struggles, and some relationship upheavals. 

I've become notorious! lol

So much so that I received both a Pyxis and A court Barony! Both of which blindsided me in very different ways. See other posts for those items. 

Godefroy and I as new Baron and Baroness! 

And now I've got fabric, garb, and scroll requests to tide me halfway through next year. 

I've got an event coming up in which my houpe and the kit associated with it must be ready, so you'll be seeing more progress on those items! Woot! 

Yis 

Baroness Isabelle Montfort de Bretagne