Fiber Festival Demo: Saturday, October 12

October 4, 2024 Posted inPublic Demonstration

The Kings County Fiber Festival celebrates the talented people who turn string and thread into useful objects and works of art — and the Crown Province of Østgarðr is joining in to demonstrate that the handcrafts of the pre-modern era still have relevance today.

This year’s festival will be held at the Old Stone House in Brooklyn, at 336 3rd Street, on Saturday October 12 from 10:00 to 5:00.

We’ll have a exhibition space at the festival and are looking for a few more talented people to help us show off the wide range of fiber crafts practiced in the SCA. If you spin, dye, weave, sew, knit, make lace, or otherwise craft with roving, thread, or yarn, this is an amazing opportunity to show off your work to a big crowd of handcrafting enthusiasts. (And of course there will be time to visit the many fiber vendors who are also part of the event.)

We also have room for a couple of folks who enjoy chatelaining and can explain to passersby how their interests in fiber arts can fit into the universe of our Society. Come out and help us introduce the SCA to an appreciative audience of crafters!

To join our exhibition, please reach out to our event steward, Eadwine the Younger, via Messenger at https://m.me/100068704373783 or via Discord at https://discord.com/channels/@me/875546920272166912.

Detail from “Weaving display by Mistress Eleanora Elizabeth Caley.”
Photo by Helene von Braunschweyg, shared via the SCA’s Digital Scribes program.

Thanks from the Stewards of Barleycorn

September 20, 2024 Posted inEvent

To all,

A sincere and heartfelt thank you to the staff and volunteers at this year’s Barleycorn. We had a wonderful event filled with laughter, jests, comradery, and valor.

We want to thank our outgoing marshals and champions for hosting our excellent tournaments:

  • Ronan Fitzrobert & Madwen Gam
  • Albrecht Anker, Samson of Ireland, and Alexander Krause
  • Alexander McLachlan and Ryouku’jin of the Iron Skies
  • Suuder Saran and Eanraig the Bonesetter
  • Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin, Arnora Ketilsdottir, and Rees Ragnarrson
  • Marin il Gondoliri and Foxy the Bard

We thank our day-board staff Gráinne inghean Uí Néill, Valentina, Anna, and Ramic for serving such a delicious meal.

We thank our volunteers Winifred, Franciscus, Evelyn de Trees, Conrad, Matty, Teodora Ivanić, Asta of Brokenbridge, Wojtek y Visby, Ilia Aleksandrovich, Iulian Ilia syn, and Magnus mac Gilleain for providing their hands and labor for this event.

We thank Arabella De Mere, Fenneke Jans, and Martina Maria De La Rosa for helping with the armored and rapier lists.

We thank Brendan Firebow and Eliayhu al-Tahli “Tally” for running Rapier authorizations, who authorized 4 new fencers at Barleycorn.

We thank our Youth Point and Minor Chancellor Kunigunde Wederman for hosting lovely activities for the youth of the province.

We thank our Excellencies Sofya Gianetta di Trieste and Angelica di Nova Lipa for gracing us with their presence and hosting court with us.

We thank Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin for heralding on behalf of their excellencies.

Our thanks to Drasma Dragomir for her excellent heralding of poetry regarding perfect lemons.

We thank Jenna Childslayer, Gibbs Morris, and Aislinn Chiabach for coordinating and hosting barter town.

We thank Antonius Gracchus for building and maintaining our online event page and information.

We thank Pia Maletesta d’Rimini for coordinating our registration point with Richard the Poor, the brewing showcase, collection of food donations, and for the creation of our tokens for the event.

Lastly, we thank the members of Northpass for coming together and coordinating with us to make Barleycorn happen. A special thank you to Meadhbh Mac Pharláin, Marcus mac Pharláin, and Richard the Poor for coordinating all the paperwork and legwork necessary for us to host Barleycorn within the Canton of Northpass.

Many apologies if we missed anyone or any activities that deserve to be noted. Please let us know, so we shall add them to our records.

Though the summer has parted, may we meet the season again with merriment.

In Service,
Vitasha Ivanova doch’ & Catelin Straquhin

Catelin and Vitasha are called before their Excellencies.
Photograph by Martina Maria De La Rosa.

Posting of the Proposed Charter Revisions

July 24, 2024 Posted inBusiness Commons
Text with Blue Initials

Let it be known that there are proposed changes to the Charter of Ostgardr!

Comments should be directed to our Seneschal, reachable via email at
Seneschal @ostgardr.eastkingdom.org

The section of the charter dealing with commons meetings has not been amended to reflect the changes that were introduced during the Covid shutdown; at first we thought those changes would be temporary, but we’ve found they suit us, and we should formalize them. 

— Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin, February 2024

Charter Amendment: Commons Meetings

  1. COMMONS MEETINGS — CURRENT TEXT
    1. Commons Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of each calendar month.
      1. A Commons Meeting may be rescheduled by the Seneschal if needed to avoid conflict with holidays or other activities.
      2. The Commons Meeting for a given month may be canceled by the Seneschal due to officer availability or other issues, as long as at least one meeting is held in every calendar quarter.
    2. Commons Meetings will rotate through various locations from month to month, and should include sites in each Canton and in the non-Canton areas of the Province on a regular basis to facilitate attendance by the Populace from all parts of the Province.

COMMONS MEETINGS — PROPOSED REPLACEMENT

  1. Commons Meetings are scheduled for a weeknight during a given week of each calendar month.
    1. The Seneschal may change which day of the week and which week of the month is designated for Commons Meetings so as to suit the needs of the Officers’ Council.
    2. A Commons Meeting may be rescheduled by the Seneschal if needed to avoid conflict with holidays or other activities.
    3. The Commons Meeting for a given month may be canceled by the Seneschal due to officer availability or other issues, as long as at least one meeting is held in every calendar quarter.
  2. Commons Meetings will be held remotely, through a conference-call or video-conferencing service, to facilitate participation by the Populace.

    Saturday Solar – Prepare for Camping with Northpass

    June 9, 2024 Posted inArts & Sciences, Commons
     
    Medieval House Book of Wolfegg Castle c. 1480 Source

    Prepare, Repair and Air Out all your summer camping gear at the Tavern!

    Simon the Tanner and his beloved wife Berthe are inviting folks to their home in South Salem, NY
    (address provided upon RSVP) on Saturday, June 22, 2024 for an afternoon of leather crafting,
    sewing, socializing, and sharing refreshments to get ready for this summer’s camping season. Garb
    is welcome and recommended.
    • Simon will provide attendees with leather pouch-making supplies and guide folks in
    creating leather pouches and bags.
    • Gareth will be advising on the creation of firestarting kits.
    • There will be a couple of firepits available for those who would like to try out new or old
    recipes over an open fire.
    • There is plenty of space if you want to try setting up your tent (to check for wear and tear)
    • There will be sewing supplies for those who wish to make repairs to their garb
    • And there will be music and refreshments in the Tavern.

    RSVP at 247839 @ members.eastkingdom.org

    A message from our Vicerines – Pennsic LI camping and pre-registration

    June 7, 2024 Posted inPennsic
    Astrological chart and Zeus c. 1543-1544 Source

    Pennsic countdown is on!! We’re not panicking…much…

    If you would like to camp with Ostgardr, register as soon as possible. Please remember to choose Ostgardr as your Landgroup so we have space in camp for you.

    If you are not currently a resident of Ostgardr and would like to camp with us, please contact Angelica and me before registering.

    viceregents@ostgardr.eastkingdom.org

    Here are some important dates to remember:

    Registration Ends (Online – Paid) June 14, 2024 11:59pm EDT

    Registration Ends (Online – Unpaid) July 4, 2024 11:59pm EDT

    Pennsic Starts on Friday, July 26, 2024, 9:00am; camping opens after Land Grab is completed (ironing out of camp boundaries, usually done by Saturday)

    We will schedule a Pennsic meeting in the next few weeks to discuss camping in Ostgardr and address any questions or concerns.

    We are looking forward to seeing all of you at Pennsic 51!

    Angelica and Sofya

    Pennsic Pre-Registration Link

    Fencing & Fighter Practice, Tuesdays in Brooklyn

    May 29, 2024 Posted inFencing, Heavy Fighting

    Join the NYC chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism for our weekly outdoor practice, held on Tuesdays (weather permitting) in Brooklyn’s McCarren Park.

    • Do you want to learn to fight like the knights of the middle ages? Our armored combat practice is a full contact sport, using heavy wooden weapons made from rattan with metal and leather armor for protection.
    • Do you want to learn fine control of the blade like the duelists of the renaissance? Our historical fencing practice is a limited-contact sport, using light metal swords with protective gear and fencing masks.

    We meet by the third ballfield in McCarren Park near the middle entrance from Driggs Avenue, as shown in the maps on our Directions to McCarren Park Practice page.

    Fencing generally begins around 7:30 and armored combat around 8:00; if you’re fighting, please show up ahead of time to get armored up.

    Newcomers are welcome! Come by to observe a session and start learning the rules, and we can make arrangements to provide free loaner equipment at subsequent sessions until you have your own gear.

    Sessions may be canceled for inclement weather or due to conflict with other events, so to be sure that practice is being held in a particular week, either join our Facebook group, or email our Armored Combat Marshal or our Fencing Marshal for confirmation.