The Seven Heavenly Virtues, and Gentleness

Okay, so this is not strictly A&S related, but as this is a personal growth blog I'm sticking it here anyway. This forms a huge part of my philosophy and world view. You could call this my "credo."

As we get older, I think there's a tendency to kind of stop thinking about what we do and who we are as something which is changeable. There's a lot of research out there that suggests your personality is pretty much fixed at a very young age!

That might be true, but there are many things and aspects of my life which I am always trying to improve. There are many personality traits I'd really like to grow out of, and others that I'd really like to grow into. I am surrounded by people who I really admire with many traits I hope I can acquire as I get older and more mature.

I find that it can sometimes be a bit helpful to meditate on virtues, and how they might be better expressed in my life. I think self-reflection is pretty important. I think of these very often and consider them guiding principles.

One day, I'd really like to embroider the seven heavenly virtues onto something I can take with me everywhere I go (like a token or something) so I can remember them all the time.

Castitas - Purity of thought and action; faithfulness to family and friends in word, thought and deed; resistance to temptation, vindictiveness, or gossip

Temperantia - Restraint and temperance; avoidance of gluttony or over-indulgence; careful consideration of one's surroundings and the needs of others before speaking or giving advice; balancing one's own needs and the needs of others

Caritas - Generosity, charity, and self-sacrifice; unconditional (agape) love for the rest of humanity

Industria - Persistence, honesty, and diligence in one's chosen work; guarding one's self against laziness, dishonesty, misrepresentation or shoddy workmanship

Patientia - Endurance with grace, patience, and dignity; not taking out one's misfortunes or pains on others; working towards sentiments of peace, harmony and mutual respect, rather than sowing seeds of distrust and unkindness; showing boundless forgiveness and mercy and always leaving room for a chance to start over

Benevolentia - Compassion and kindness without seeking reward or personal gain; keeping a positive outlook and encouraging others; genuine good will and happiness for the successes of others, even when they come into conflict with your own desires

Humilitas - Modesty in speech, thought, action, and dress; ungrudging acceptance of thankless or unnoticed tasks; suspicion towards yourself and your own motives and charity towards those who may disagree with you; giving credit where credit is due and not accepting undue praise or attention; refraining from despair or anger which is based on the ego; respect and deference for the wisdom and experience of others

There's one more virtue which I really like to reflect on and strive for constantly, but which isn't really mentioned in the big lists most of the time.

That virtue is Gentleness. I think it's a really great expression of many of the other virtues and how they can be applied in the way we deal with other people. This is the virtue which I most associate with people who I consider role models in my life.

Gentleness - Doing the most good with the least harm to others; approaching others with love and openness, with a will to understand rather than to judge or rebuke. Courage without violence, strength without unkindness, and love without anger. A constant strength born from calm, serene patience, rather than the violent turmoil of anger or indignation.

So anyway, there you go!

Operation "Return Brigida's Garb"

In my last post, I mentioned that I was going to pull apart my Roman garb to get my hands on all that sweet, sweet linen.

Farewell, Roman outfit. I barely knew ye. I promise to do you better next time. 

After an evening of savaging my fabric with extreme prejudice, I have more of the blue than the yellow, for sure. However, the blue is in three pieces (front panel of the chiton, back panel of the chiton, and a really long piece left over from when I made it) and the yellow is in two pieces (the palla and about .5 metres left over from when I made it.)

I washed all the bits again last night, and then had to trim the ridiculous amount of spiderwebbing which occurred as a result. (Why do I never remember that's a thing that linen does?) Still, I ended up with enough fabric that I feel I can make a nice surcote and cote out of it, no problem. (Perhaps with some vaguely creative piecing, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.)

Voila! Fabric! 

So, given that I'm going to attempt to do a better job of dressing myself hereafter, I have to make a few decisions:

- What should I put on my head?

- What should I put on my feet?

- What should I put around my waist?

Headwear is an area in which I have historically not had all that much success. 

Dig that blue hair elastic! I'm sure I saw that in a woodcarving somewhere. 

Working my modern straw hat with stylish floral accent. Yas. 

Fortunately, the 14th century is a bit idiot-proof, since we're mostly dealing with lengths of linen being pinned and draped to shape your head, plus potentially a cap as a foundation. 

Sometimes this is called a St. Birgitta's Cap - it's a kind of a coif kept firmly on the head with a long wrapped tie

As far as I can tell, you can either use a similar cap as something to pin your veil (with or without wimple) to, or you want to use a fillet or fillet/barbette combo for a foundation.

Fillet (forehead thing) and barbette (chin thing,) this is from revivalclothing.com 

Then, all there is to do is decide on how to arrange your veil, whether or not you want a wimple, etc. Probably I will want to make a St. Birgitta's cap and just use that to pin my veil/wimple to if I want to scrub up nice. As far as I can tell, a wimple is just a long rectangle of fabric pinned on the front and up around the back of the head - the veil can be round, rectangular, or D-shaped, depending on the look you want.

Nun chic - it's real. (via ladymalina.com) 

Footwear, likewise, is not an area in which I have had much success. Largely, I wear either modern ankle booties in leather-esque, or straight-up sneakers if I'm going to be on my feet all day long. In the 14th century, though, it was all about the leather shoe (with or without hilarious pointy toes in the late 1300s - mid 1400s.)

Serving elf realness. 

I may just suck it up and buy a pair from a reputable re-enactment store online, since at some point I really should have some period shoes.

As for a belt, right now I have a super-wide, super-butch leather belt of the kind which is worn by a lot of folks in the SCA. As far as I can tell, I should be looking for a much skinnier belt, maybe even with a bit of shiny metal hardware.

My belt is on the right. The kind of belt I am looking for is on the left. (Except not green, because that is an Apprentice belt, and I am not an Apprentice. #scafashionfauxpas)

So anyway, that's the game plan with this outfit. Very happily for me, our baronial and kingdom A&S champion (same person - her artisanal kung-fu is strong) has agreed to sit down with me and work out how to cut and put together my outfit sometime this week. Hopefully, I'll have something new to wear by Dragonslayer in July!

Garb Woes

I am not a great sewer. The first time I ever put a stitch in anything was all the way back in Grade 8 Home Economics class - I made a pillowcase in an entire semester. The next year, I think I made novelty dice or something. In any case, after that point, I didn't touch a sewing machine until I joined the SCA at 24 years old.

The first time I went to an SCA event was when I was 17. My friend Nikki brought me and sewed me a cute little chemise with eyelet lace, a boned bodice, and a brown wool skirt. I loved it and wore it many times after, but never really got into the whole SCA thing. I was a little too young, and she had her two beautiful children shortly after and stopped playing. (She's sitting there next to me, but you can't see her face!)

Dragonslayer 2006, I believe!

I re-joined the SCA at the Ghoul's Night Out demo in 2013. I borrowed an outfit from a gentle whose name I can't recall - in a weird twist of fate, Bjar picked this same Houppelande-type-thing up for me at a recent Tavern Lost and Found auction.

The first garb I ever had was made for me by Bronwyn, who was the very first person I met in the SCA and who "adopted" me and made sure I had people to talk to and places to sit, etc. It was a bright pink underdress (this is affectionately called "the pink terror" in my household) and a yellow faux-linen apron dress. It was not an attractive look, and I wore it with visible socks and sneakers since it was a little too short - fortunately, no photo evidence remains. I still have the pink terror, though I dyed it a little bit darker so it's not quite so frightening.

The second dress Bronwyn made for me was a yellow linen-esque kirtle, and I have never ever been happier with a garment. It felt so special to have something of my very own that I didn't have to borrow! I definitely felt like I fit in much better. Unfortunately, over time it's started to fall apart a bit and it's now much too big. I still have great affection for it, though!

That apron is not linen. It is the cheapest synthetic linen imaginable - water literally beads off of it.
Note also the entirely too-small hat - I did make it, but I never manage to make one big enough
for my massive head. 

My next outfit was made by my very good friend and de-facto head of our household, Caterina (soon to be Laurelled) and was absolutely gorgeous - yellow silk stays, an Elizabethan kirtle and a rich green wool gown - but I've lost so much weight over the past two years that I can't even pretend that they fit now! Absolutely tragic. I know I would wear them much better now. I am not the soul of elegance, so I wore it kind of like I was a Viking in drag. Not a great overall look.

For your reference, everything is wrong about how I am wearing this outfit.
It should be closed, no big manly belt, and I should have some variety of hat.
See above note on giant head. 

I have helped with fittings for others, and helped with some construction - but, I have yet to really attempt any garb from beginning to end. I have such a difficult time knowing where to begin without a paper pattern. I managed to make a Regency dress out of the world's cheapest cotton broadcloth all by myself - however, that was with a commercial pattern with a healthy set of instructions.

The shawl is definitely a $2 curtain panel from Value Village. I literally did not even alter it at all.
I was quite delighted with my bangs though, that's a look that needs to come back in fashion straight away. 

For the past year, I've borrowed a couple of sets of basic garb from another very good friend, Brigida. I have loved wearing them. They are durable, comfortable, and light - a linen apron dress and underdress, and a simple short surcote. She has been so patient with me and has let me wear them for ages, but I feel bad keeping them for so long and feel like it's time to return them.

Last summer, I made a palla and a tunica - both Roman garments. I love Roman clothing, but the fabric I chose wasn't really quite right for the purpose and the palla ended up very heavy and quite unwieldy. I am hoping to pull these apart and make something a little bit more serviceable for heavy wear in the kitchen and at camping events, and simple enough that my changing size won't fundamentally alter their appearance.

My tunica/chiton/whatever and palla (I'm on the right)

I poked through the Medieval Tailor's Assistant a little and looked around at events a bit, and what I think I want is a basic cote and a sleeveless surcote. Most of the ladies who work regularly in the kitchen wear similar, since they are great for moving around, rolling up your sleeves, and are not so dear that you would cry if you slopped on them. They have the added bonus of requiring a head-covering, which is definitely way more sanitary in a kitchen setting.

My heart will always be in the Renaissance, but dipping back into the Medieval period for a bit is probably more practical for the moment! Hopefully, I will have enough fabric to make a cote in the lovely golden yellow color and a surcote in the dark blue. We'll see how it all turns out!

Wish me luck!

Like this, but less voluminous. Also, linen, not wool. (source: The Medieval Tailor's Assistant.)

What is a Perfect Feast?

If I'm going to be commenting on and considering the success of the feasts I participate in, I realize that I have to have some criteria which I think make a feast successful. This is true as of June 2016 - as I gain more experience, they may change and more may be added.

The Perfect Feast...

- Delicious
- Served on time
- Reflects unique, researched aspects of the pre-16th century period
- Evokes the season
- Inclusive of allergies and dietary restrictions (within reason)
- Prepared safely
- Served at the proper temperature
- Dishes with complementary flavor profiles
- Has a unified theme
- Tested beforehand
- Adheres to the budget
- Appetizing in appearance

The Perfect Service...

- Creates an immersive period experience
- Entertains the populace
- Moves dishes from kitchen to table quickly and unobtrusively
- Maintains food safety and avoids cross-contamination
- Attention to detail and beautiful plating, when possible

The Perfect Kitchen...

- Safe, clean, functioning appliances
- Industrial dishwasher/sanitizer
- High-pressure double sink for washing
- Ample counter space
- Professional gas ranges
- Large, professional fridge units
- Chest freezer
- Cleaning products
- Well-stocked with dishware, utensils, servingware, pots and pans, dish cloths and towels
- Ample hot water
- All recipes and serving order prominently displayed
- Handwashing station
- Staging area for plating either directly outside the kitchen or inside the kitchen

The Perfect Feast Team...

- Kind, respectful, and inclusive
- Self-motivated and responsible
- Communicative and punctual
- Organized
- Monitors themselves and others for the need to take a break, have water, and eat
- Hygienic and careful to maintain food safety
- Tidy, or willing to clean up after themselves
- Shares food and drink among the kitchen staff to maintain morale and energy
- Provides honest feedback and support when needed

Silverwolf 2016

I had a great time at Silverwolf. It was my first time ever attending this event, and I love the hall - the kitchen is spacious and very central, with a commercial oven and stove setup, large fridges, and ample counter space along with a proper dishwashing sink and sanitizer.

This time, I had the chance to work alongside the Borealis Culinary Guild as they prepared their German-themed carnival feast. It was very unusual, because the theory was that attendees would grab small bits of food and circulate, almost like a cocktail party.

Our job was to hand-make almost 300 pretzels. The recipe was very simple, but the labor involved was extreme! It's easy to underestimate how much time and effort something like this can take. We worked fairly solidly on the pretzels from around noon to 5:30.

I have been asked by Mistress Coryn to record what I liked and disliked about each feast I attend. I'm going to add notes on the kitchen and hall setup as well, since I think that's a big part of the success of any feast!

Mel showing that dough who's boss! 

Mel demonstrating the dough "window" that shows enough gluten has formed

Joe's cheese

Endless pretzels...

Mmm! Ready to eat! 

Positives:

- The entire Borealis Culinary Guild seems to work very well as a team, with lots of rapport and friendliness. I think it's great to have such a tight crew, since you can always count on everyone else to do their job and be supportive of your efforts.

- The food was excellent and almost universally well-received. Everyone got a whole lot of food and basically anyone who wanted to took leftovers home!

- The kitchen facilities themselves were nearly perfect for our needs. Everyone was able to spread out and have their own workspace without getting in anyone's way, and there was ample stove and oven space for everybody to cook at the same time. This made timing the dishes much easier than it had been at TUA.

- No need to plate! Things went out in large batches which were dished out by volunteers. That saved a whole lot of time and effort.

- So amazing working with Mel and Coryn. It makes any tough job so much more pleasant when you have good company working with you.

Other Comments:

- One of the Culinary Guild members was having a difficult day in terms of the execution of his dish. Since everyone is really very much independently responsible for their own dishes, it can be hard to help each other when things like that happen. If something bad happens, you have to save yourself; so, you either fail independently or succeed independently. Not that nobody helps each other - it's just ultimately up to each person to pull off their own dishes.

- Oh my goodness, was the water in this hall ever hot! It was dangerously hot in the kitchen, so much so that we had to be very careful.

- I'm not sure the intended vision of the feast came together all that well - it was much more like a regular feast served buffet-style than the casual, festival-style walk-and-socialize meal that I think was envisioned. There were a number of reasons for this - the weather was terrible, for starters, and the tables were set up just like a normal feast - but I do think that we could try again another time and it would work a bit better. A big improvement would be to separate the serving tables so that folks had to go visit one booth at a time.

- Some of the food went much, much faster than some of the other food. For example, we had tons more of the heathen pies than we had of the sausages. The sausages were all gone within about half an hour. Quantity management seems to be a really big part of feast prep.

Overall, I think this feast was above average and I was delighted to be allowed to help out.