Queen’s Champion, May 2013

I’m getting better. I actually brought my camera this time. I’m trying to get better about actually taking pictures. Especially because my Mother’s Day present was a new 16 gig memory card for my camera. I’m heading out to a Scribal Symposium in June, and I wanted to make sure I had enough space for three days worth of pictures. Anyway, yeah, I took some pictures. Of friends:

Champion Trouney

And of Edmund and I (recognize the apron?):

Champion Trouney

And us and Poppet. I love how urchin-like she looks in this picture:

Champion Trouney

 

Some of our friends:

Champion Trouney

The babies even played nicely together:

Champion Trouney

Champion Trouney

The big kids didn’t hurt each other too badly:

Champion Trouney

There was jousting. The Knight of Flowers (any George RR Martin fans out there?) took the field:

Champion Trouney

Champion Trouney

I think most of the kids had this expression on their faces when I tried taking pictures:

Champion Trouney

Feast was delicious:

Champion Trouney

Even though my husband is incapable of making a serious face for the camera.

Champion Trouney

Tell you what, though. His doublet looked damn fine.

Champion Trouney

 

Blue Cotehardie

Guess who can make a cotehardie in ten days or less. That’s right: me!

February 12: Making a toile of the bodice. Haven’t done this in a while, after all.

Haven't don't this in a while. Mocking up a cotehardie.

February 13: Cutting out the fabric. Yes, that would be me marking on the right side of the fabric. Some days you just make stupid mistakes.

Bebe's asleep; it's obviously time to cut out a cotehardie.

February 18: Machine sewing is finished. Trying it on for fit. It’s a little looser than my other dresses because I wanted to be able to layer it over a long-sleeved cote.

Preliminary sewing on the new cote is finished.

February 20: So close to being done with the buttonholes. They’re sewn with black thread because all of the navy embroidery thread I had was too saturated.

Almost done with the buttonholes.

February 20: Buttonholes finished. Checking the overlap for button placement.

Measuring overlap for button placement.

February 21: All done except for the skirt hem. Which I will sew at 11:30 the night before the event, thus making a mortal enemy of my poor, long-suffering downstairs neighbor.

Finished except for the hem.

February 23: At the Tourney! I love this dress; it’s so comfy.

At the event, in my new dress.

And a better shot of the dress on my. Photo credit: Ledona McGowan

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Sable Thistle

Yesterday was the Tourney of the Smitten Heart, down in San Antonio. The Baron and Baroness played the part of Lord Lust and Lady Love, and they held contests to see which was mightier. I went sans Bebe and husband, and with no real responsibilities, other than to make sure a couple of A&S entries got set up. It was a lot of fun, even if I was twitching for the first hour or so, thinking I was not doing something that I should have been doing.

Then came court. They announced the winners of the contests, and determined which was mightier (it was a tie), and then started handing out the non-tourney-specific awards. And they called my name. Turns out, Their Majesties decided to give me a Sable Thistle in Knitting. As my Baroness put it, if I were to put it on a CV or resume, it would be a regional recognition. Which is pretty fantastic. I admit to being floored; I had no idea it was coming.

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(Photo credits: Elisava Iliescue)

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(Photo credits: Amata d’Arezzo)