Hints from Nanna Gellis

This is the beginning of what I hope will be an ongoing series of hints to make your SCA life easier.  I have been in the SCA for nigh on to 30 years, and I have picked up a few tricks and invented a few more.   This is going to be one of the one’s I personally came up with.

A little over a year ago I started playing with the idea of changing my look and building a period kit for my personae.  If I planned to play 13th Century Scots then I needed all of the appropriate garb.   I read, and searched, and due to a lovely coincidence, I decided on a side less surcote or “Gates of Hell” gown to be my “go to” piece of garb.  This meant I would need to wear veils with them, which I have avoided like the plague.   I again researched and played with lengths and drapes, and styles and fabrics.   The end result was a shortish veil and wimple to hold everything together.

I am a warmish person by nature and would prefer to dress like our beloved “Maddog,” in little but woad and a smile.   Some how I don’t believe I would get away with it.  I then also searched the internet for lightweight and breathable fabrics.  I found both sheer and handkerchief weight linens in a variety of colors.

My first expedition out in this was to a large demo we had in January of 2017.  I spent part of the day running to the bathroom and fixing my veils and trying to find lost veil pins.  If the ladies of the Middle Ages had the same problem I had, then the basements of museums must be full of lost veil pins!!  I started the day with seven and came home with two.   Over the next several months I gave this some thought.  On one outing there were corsage pins purchased.  These would not have the most period of looks but the size and weight were good as well as the quality of the pin itself.  Another outing, and while these were better, I still lost a few and the whole thing was not as secure I wanted or my bodily movement required.  I have figured that I am not as quiet, demure or as graceful as the ladies in period.  In a moment of pondering while driving around on errands, I had a piece of inspiration.  The truck and I pulled over in the turn lane and made our way to AC Moore, and I went to the earring and jewelry department.   There I pick up a couple packs of earring backs.

The trial run for this was at our Rossini Festival Demo, and my veils and hat stayed on for the whole day.  I had wind, and rain and small children, and the veils and veil pins stayed on and in place.  

Now, to keep up with the said “pins and ends,” I have made a small pillow to put in a small box.   One of my next projects will be a hat and veil box, so those don’t “go a missing.”