Of Banners and Re-Prioritizations

Saturday, we had us a wee local event that we've run for the past couple of years.  (Well, I say "we"; mostly Beth, but I halp!)  The idea is to have a sewing-themed event at just the right period before Pennsic, so people can get help with their projects and/or learn new stuff with enough lead time to implement.  This year was more than usually chaotic, as everyone is covered in bees, but the immediate[1] matter[2] for me was to put together a class on history and styles of banners (with emphasis on what's useful / relevant in an SCA context).  As previously implied, I struggled with focus on this one, as I kept coming across interesting references that I wanted to track down; which in most cases to describe it as "falling down a rabbit hole" dramatically understates the nature of the transaction.

One of the many cool banners
lost by Charles the Bold in 1472.
It's a tiny tiny standard, really,
though I don't know why it doesn't
have his usual motto ("Je lay
emprins") on it.

Ahem.  Anyways.  I produced a thing, and the feedback I got is that it's pretty good, and that I should teach it at Pennsic too.  I'm too late to get it in the hard copy course catalog, but a lot of people are using the online one in preference anyways, so...?  And we've decided, jobs willing, that we're definitely going to go for both weeks, so I could schedule this for the first week and not go completely batshit.   In all honesty, just as with the Elizabethan working clothes class, I feel as if I'm not doing anything super-genius, just collating and processing and contextualizing a whole bunch of data that's already out there, and couldn't anyone do this?  But on the other hand, it doesn't seem like Mister Anyone is, and the core idea is to make good information accessible to as many people as possible.  Maybe my business card should read "I Troll Through Garbage References On Pinterest So You Don't Have To". 

So, there's that job jobbed; but with only five weeks to go it's time to have a long hard think about my previously-expressed priority list.  I need to pare it down more than somewhat, particularly since some new elements are in play.  Without further ado, then, the revised edition, cast in the lingo of my workplace's Project Management Office:

ESSENTIAL

• Kits for tablet-woven edge class
• Handout for Elizabethan working clothes class
• For my dashing consort:
• 1-2 more shirts 
• 1 grub-able T-tunic
• 1 working (i.e., not form-fitted) Elizabethan doublet
• Hem the five sheet walls for the camp
• Hem the last two Queen's Favors and hand them the $*@& off
• Redo the lining on the Big Damn Banner, so I can a) display it and b) send it back to the owner who has been remarkably kind about the whole thing

IMPORTANT

• Muslin of a pourpoint for the commission I have alluded to
• For my dashing consort:
• Finish the wee flat cap
• Ensmallen the 2 prs. Venetians that are too big
• It's possible that I should frob one of them to sit at his hips, not at his waist, so he can wear it with just a jerkin.  It isn't Historically Accurate, but it'll be a lot more comfy for him if it's a stupid hot year.
• Put lacing holes in all prs. Venetians
• Many many lacing cords

NICE TO HAVE

• For me:
• 2-3 extra lacing cords (finger-looped or lucet)
• Tablet-woven headband with fake braids 
• Embiggen eyelets on some of my older gowns
• an apron or two
• A 16th-century working-class petticoat & smock
• For S.:
• Falling collar that can be pinned to shirts
• More shirts
• (He should have more clothes but I want to see how all the other stuff works out before planning the next round.)
• Canvas-work butt-cushions for our X-chairs
• SOME DAMN BANNERS.

I think I can do all of the Essential, maybe a couple of the Important, and I am pretty sure it drops off precipitately after that.

[1] I also ended up with five sheet walls for the Baronial encampment to hem, but never mind.
[2] And I registered two badges for myself!  I'm kinda smug about that, because it means I don't have to sketch hawks displayed on everything I want to heraldically pee on.  Dear Past Me: I hate you (even if your aesthetic taste is pretty good).