As I was cleaning up my apothecary this evening, I remembered something I've taught in classes before... herbs are better stored in glass bottles, not plastic bags! It will help to retain their freshness, their scent... their very essential oils. So don't lose potency in your hard grown, picked, and dried plants... place them in glass, I said to myself.  Hey! That's easy enough. For when you do what I do, you tend to collect jars that would be perfect for this or that, and have several on hand.

Well, things were going pretty well until I got to the really big jar and placed my rose petals inside. Great, there's no lid for this one. Well, that's alright! I also learned about the way people used to cover their jars. That's right - with waxed linen covers. So what did I do next? Well, I grabbed the linen scrap lying on the floor and some beeswax and ... yep, figured I'd create a guide to the process as I went along, so here we are!

• Beeswax
  First, you'll need some beeswax. It doesn't matter what format you bought it in, but it will need to be small enough to melt down at this point. So grate it, shave it, chunk it up, or however you can best manage it. Maybe you're lucky and you bought it in pellets.
• Next, the easiest way to do this is on a stove. So let's head to the kitchen.
• Now, you're going to need a skillet. Something about the size of cloth you're wanting to cover is going to be easier to work in.
• And for the best trick, some aluminum foil. This is to line your skillet!
• Just in case things get too hot, have a grease splatter screen handy.
• A utensil (fork is fine)
• Preferably, go ahead and have something ready that you want to put the cover on when we're done here.

Ok, melt the wax in the foil-lined skillet on medium to low heat. Don't do this on high heat or the splatters will be so bad they'll sound like popcorn. If you get it too hot, don't worry, just put the cover on and turn down the temp a bit. You'll want to let all the wax melt completely, turning clear, before moving on to the next step.


Step 2, put your cloth in. Use your fork to help all of the cloth make contact with the melted wax, turning it over and moving it around until you feel like it's all set. Raise the cloth up out of the pan (holding it over the pan - it drips!) and excess wax will pool to one side if you tilt the pan, making it easier to finish any uncovered areas. If you find you didn't melt enough wax, it's ok! Just add more and continue until done.


The wax layer won't look white until you let the cloth cool, but when you feel ready just lift the cloth out of the wax and let it drip into the foil. As it cools you'll see the waxy look.  When it stops dripping, and feels like you can touch it without hurting your hands, place it over the container you wish to cover.




The best part about cleanup is you can just leave the wax in the foil and store it away until next time after it has cooled, which takes hardly any time at all.



Now, while the cloth is still warm and flexible, just shape the cloth over and around the opening. As the wax dries, it will keep whatever's inside in, and other stuff out, pretty darned well!


No wonder this stuff is thought of as the waxed paper of the middle ages. I think it's even better, though, because of how you can just warm it back up (even just a little hand warmth is enough) and move the cloth somewhere else, and it will form to it just as easily. (Place over opening, cover with your hand, holding it around where you want it to go. It will listen, and stay.)

So, you need some basic garb/costume clothing for the SCA! I can help you get a start on that. If you're ready to start making a few things of your own, I think a few basic T-Tunics are the perfect start.

First of all, you can check out the Known World Handbook for lots of handy patterns.
Second, you can also check the SCA's Chatelaine resources for newcomers for some links to sites with handy patterns. http://www.sca.org/officers/chatelain/newcomers.html
The one I am mainly going to model this post after is on the Introduction to Garb link, under "The Quicker Method -- with wide modern fabric" section.

If you can find a comfy t-shirt that fits loosely, you can use it as a guide to make your first tunic! (After that, you can use a tunic that fits well as your template for as many as you want!).
Just cut around it, leaving room for your seam allowance. Remember, it's better to be a bit loose than it is tight.

Take your fabric and lay it down flat. It really needs to be washed first, and ironed is preferable if it is wrinkled at all. If you're like me you will mentally balk over this at first, but trust me. Just do it.  It will save you hassle later when things don't work out right. It's so much easier to do while the fabric is nice and flat already anyway.

Next, you will cut it out to sew.

One method I used was to trace around the tunic or shirt (actually, a nightgown was my first) with dressmaker's chalk, and that was my line to sew on. You cut out the front and the back pieces and stitch them together.

 Or, just cut the fabric out, plus the extra room for the hem allowance. If you leave a 3/4" allowance, just be sure to come in 3/4" from the outside of the fabric as you sew.



Hem up your bottom hem,sleeves, and if you like, you can just add some bias tape around the neckline for a super easy finish off!  Now, if you want to, you can add some fancy trim around the sleeves and bottom. If you want to wait until you learn some simple embroidery stitches, you can make it look fancy that way too.

Want to know how to do a fancier neckline than the bias tape? Stay tuned for the next posting... we will learn together!

PS, I like this PDF.
http://snowplow.org/sarah/pers/SCA/tunics_stepbystep.pdf


SEE ALSO:

Making a Spiffy Tunic Neckline

Installing Gussets

This is of course not a full class handout or anything.  Just my notes I wrote down during class, so I can remember these things! Thank you Lady Charmayne!


Paper
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- Use a standard size. Folks are going to want to put these in a frame, so make it easy on them.
8.5 x 11, 9 x 12, 11 x 17

- Hot press paper is smooth.  Good surface.
Cold press paper is bumpy.  Bad surface.

- Use acid-free. Card stock is ok to use. Parchment is the period paper, though this is a bit expensive so you can also use pergamenata which is vegetable based. Grab parchment scraps for cheap at Gulf Wars from the merchant there making and selling parchment.


Paint
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Goauche is the paint to use. It's a water-based paint. Mix it with a little water, and use.  It's non-toxic.  Though you can use watercolors (just use less water), goauche has more pigment.

You can also mix your own paints from powdered pigments, if you can find them!
*Note - Russian ones are cheap.  Avoid
Mix the pigments with gum arabic powder and water, and use.
* Nice tip, if you put these inside a little container to mix and paint from, you can just close it up when you're done and keep those nice pigments to use again later!
Griffin Dyeworks sells pigments.

Student grade paint is cheaper and more forgiving.
Michaels and Hobby Lobby craft stores sells a Reeves student grade paint.
Windsor is one professional brand. Newton has a kit online. Hoelbein is top of the line stuff.

Brushes
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Tiny! Use small brushes.  Ok, not like, microscopic, like 3 bristles, but you know.  Just really small ones.
Fake are somewhat easier, because real ones tend to shed.  Doesn't really matter though, either kind.

Stuff for a Kit
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Paint pots or palettes.  Palettes are scriptorium-friendly. Order covers for them.
*Note - never wash these!
A cup for clean water
A cup for dirty water. And make it doesn't look like a beverage glass. Somebody might accidentally drink that dirty paint water. Eww!
Paper towels
Pencils
Eraser
A thin and acid-free liner pen, if you wish to draw over your pencil drawing.
Ruler


Tips
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- Leave a 2" border around the outside. This accounts for a standard matte should the recipient frame the scroll.
- Leave room on the scroll for the calligraphy.
- Try to match the print and the art. You can put a note on the back to the calligrapher about what style to use. It helps them out a lot if you have something specific you're doing, especially.
- As for colors to use, colors that are "period" to use are black, white, blue, green, yellow, red, silver, gold.... some others, maybe? flesh? Not really orange or pink, they might be construed as a faded red. there is some controversy here, though. Surely they had to have used flesh tones since they have people on their scrolls. We do go ahead and use a flesh tone though, because we want to make the scrolls pretty. The recipient is by odds likely not to be a Laurel in the area of C&I.  They will appreciate a lovely looking scroll.  Appearances matter, so fussing over being perfectly accurate is not critical, unless perhaps you are planning on entering this scroll in an A&S competition, in which case just avoid those "other" colors!
- Leave room for words, signatures, and seals!  Don't make lines where signatures go.  But, it is ok to put a small circile where the seal will go. You can use a Dixie cup as a good guide on the size to leave available for the seal - currently in our Kingdom, it needs to be about an inch and a half or on up to 2 inches. You don't have to worry about leaving room for the Beacon Herald's seal unless it is certain scrolls.  That seal is huge!
- Scribe's signature. You should sign your work, but please don't make a blatent obvious mark on the front. A maker's mark is totally fine. But it should be subtle or small. Or, you can just write your name in pencil on the back. If you are painting someone else's art, write "painted by".
- Don't put someone's arms on the scroll unless you have been commissioned to do so.
- Know your group and your Kingdom awards.
Badges for specific awards should be on the design. The can still be given without, but please try to add these. For example, the Meridian Cross has a badge Scrolls for that award have that badge.
The badges are online right here.
*For example there are some widely unknown badges, such as the queen's award Bough
"The scroll must incorporate a cypress tree and should include a small frog in the design."
These specifics can be found in the Meridian Scribes handbook.
Pay attention to the color of the badge. Like for a Sable axe, use sable.

-Calligraphy -- don't worry about adding titles. This will be done later.  The current sovereigns may wish to use a different title than the standard Rex and Regina.


Documentation is not necessary!  But you can write down the source that inspired your desigin on the back.  "Inspired by ____"

Where to go
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Craft stores, Hobby Lobby and Michaels for paints and supplies
Parchment and pigment - you can pick them up at Gulf Wars
Join the Scribes Yahoo and Facebook groups
The Parchment Pursuivent website
Bagatelle

- Sources for art you can use to create original scrolls - original manuscripts, Dover coloring books, the Morgan library online, the Book of Kells, sacred texts, other scrolls - even other Kindgoms'. Bookstores - check the religion and history sections. Use trim to inspire borders!



Styles of Scrolls
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Early - Norse, celtic, No gold.  "Kiddie" like as far as styling.

Middle - Color book, in style.  Flowers and bars. Goldwork.  No people. Scrolly flowers and leaves. Red and blue bars mainly, and "squashed bugs"
(This means the trompe-l’oeil style that emerged during this age, which is "A style of painting that gives an illusion of photographic reality.") In other words, 3D looking art designs that no longer looked just flat.
(good source for this is: Dover book  Ready-To-Use Medieval Herb, Plant and Flower Illustrations: 294 Different Copyright-Free Designs)

And Late - "Rembrant!" Very fancy and pretty. Hours of work, lots of tiny stuff in the background (diapering). Lots of acanthus leaves used in these styles.


Wording.  Check out the typical examples here.
http://www.loggiaserena.com/Parchment/ScrollWordings/ScrollWordings.htm
But don't be afraid to suggest a new wording! Look at other examples and if you'd like to suggest a different text, just include a note on the back. Not all scrolls have to begin with the same old "Whereas."  Be creative.

See also
https://sites.google.com/site/ironmountainnewcomers/activities/scribes
https://sites.google.com/site/ironmountainnewcomers/what-is/regalia

Must write down my ideas to be sure I remember them later.  What a busy time of year. Finishing up A&S project work, preparing for Thanksgiving, and then it is time for Magna Faire!  Thank goodness I will have some vacation days off to tinker.

Thank you Lord William! He has helped me to realize what put  me off so much about the violet oil I created.  You see, I was concerned originally that perhaps something had not gone well because I did not dry the plants before making the cold oil infusion. However this was a common period practice, and is still done today. The risk for water being in the oil turning rancid is there. However with the freshly made oil spelling and looking exactly the same this much later, I know that it is not spoiled, it just smelled funny!  This is no different from plantain oil. It smells very pungent as well. And here's the key.  When you think of violet, you think of the delicate, yet strong, floral scent.  But oil is made from the leaves of the plant, not the flowers. So it smells nothing at all like the flowers.  And, here's the best part. It's not supposed to!  There is nothing at all wrong with my oil. I was just hesitant about it, not yet having any knowledge of such a thing. I have made quite a few oil infusions since then, both dried and fresh plants. I have learned about some herbs which would be best in a heated infusion, and some which are best done cold. And since I started making the infusions, I have made quite a few salves and balms with them, as well. I feel much, much better about this violet oil now.  ^_^

As an ongoing part of my Herbal guild work (SCA activity), I decided to start identifying the plants that surround me.  These things that are normally cut down as weeds have long since fascinated me but now I have found the purpose that drives me to identify them... the desire to learn their historical purpose.  This is a record of my findings.

Some of these, naturally, I will find are not herbs at all.  And some that I never knew were probably will be.

First you must learn to identify the plant by all its parts. Every stage of the plant's life cycle helps reveal secrets to its identity. So you must observe it from start to end.

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Oh, how wonderful!  Look at this link I just came across.  It has the history of Wales in a summarized version right through the run of years I'm looking at.  I've already scoured Wikipedia, but this runs through a nice brief timeline all on one page.
http://www.britannia.com/celtic/wales/timeline/tl03.html

I still can't decide exactly when "she" would have been born but "the name Aranwen Ridhelic is a spelling appropriate for around 1200. The byname comes from 1194, when it appears in Geraldus Cambrensis' Descriptio Cambriae as Ridhelic."

The first Eisteddfod was held in 1176. Was she perhaps a youth at this time? Or maybe she was born in that year.  I was born in 1976 so I fancy this '76 year a bit. 

Isn't this bit quite fascinating?
"According to a popular Welsh legend, Prince Madog of Gwynedd, accompanied by a group of followers, made landfall on what is now Mobile Bay, Alabama some time in 1169."

I have already done a lot more with my herb garden this year than ever before, and the fun is just beginning.  I had started ramping up on the kitchen herbs last year but never used to do too good at gathering all the seeds or leaves before the season end on some of the plants. Roger gave me some plants due to his having to move which I vowed to tend well to!  And they are lovely.  The huge basil plant just started yielding seed so I'm gathering those. I'm drying and storing herbs too, not just seeds, like stevia, and some wild passion flower I found out back. Some of these will get turned into balms and salves... like the lavender, and lemon balm. Some of them will go the kitchen, like the thyme, oregano, basil, savory, and marjoram. A few plants I just don't know if they'll actually yield enough to do anything with.  Even if they don't, I'll scoop them up and move them indoors at season's end - rue, and parsley. But then there are others that are nice and full and ready now and I should start using in the kitchen right away!: texas tarragon (tastes pretty much the same as the original kind), the thriving parsley from Roger, and finally some chives. Not sure how the onions are fairing.

And yet others have been trying to get going, calendula and johnny jump ups, both making it but not yielding like I wanted, so that I could use them for some concoction or other.  But I will be patient. 

Of course too there's the cherry tomato plant and leeks we have been using, and the roma tomato that is just beginning to form fruits.

And then there's the late seeds I started. Lavender since only 1 actually grew in the 1st round, sage I thought I no longer had, woad I've never had but so thrilled to have strong sproutlings of on the 2nd try, more calendulas, and they're all shooting up quite well so far. Oh, and cilantro! I thought they weren't going to sprout.

And then there's the later seeds that can get sewn - lettuce, and fall calendulas. But since I started more calendula late, I will probably skip a third planting there.