Category: Activities

Fiber Guild Dye Day

The BMDL Fiber Arts Guild is having a fall dye day on October 6th, 2024.

We will meet from 11-3 PM at Tsvee’a’s House. It is a $10 suggested donation to help me cover the cost of dyes. Any extra goes to the next dye day.

In addition to the usual indigo, we will dye with seasonal fall dye sources, black walnut and kakishibu (persimmon tannin). Some synthetic cellulose dyes in red will also be available for those who want to make some fall purples. I will bring stencils and brushes for those who want to do indigo surizome again; I have learned some new tricks.

While the indigo and synthetic red baths will accept larger amounts of cloth and fiber, the kakishibu and walnut are limited in quantity. Please be courteous and bring smaller projects (=< 1 lb fiber) to dye for these dyes.

Please scour your fibers and wash any fabrics in a ph neutral detergent (like synthraprol) before coming so the dye will take. Message me if you need help with that. None of these dyes require mordants, and some will have color shifts if you do, so please don’t mordant unless you understand what you are doing and what the color change will be.

You are welcome to bring food to share if you like, but please eat a meal if you need to beforehand, as it is difficult to dye and eat at the same time.

Wear some clothes that you don’t mind messing up. I will have disposable gloves available, but you may want long rubber ones if you’re going to seriously dunk stuff in the indigo or red.

Finally, loose (unspun) fiber must be secured with a laundry mesh bag in the dye bath for the sake of the plumbing. Please bring a mesh bag or something to keep your loose fiber from floating freely in the bath and going down the drain.

Fiber Guild July Meeting

Looking for some camaraderie while you prepare for Pennsic? The Fiber Guild is having a laid back July meet up to keep each other company while we work on our Pennsic projects. Please bring a fiber project if you have one, and your smiling face if you don’t. If you are already perfectly prepared or just prefer procrastinating, our Arts & Sciences minister has mentioned that the largesse gift basket for Pennsic needs to be filled.

Our meeting will be on July 15th at 7:30 PM at 5167 Rosecrest Dr, Pittsburgh, PA. This meeting will not be virtual, just this once (I will be out of town and so will my laptop), so please come in person.

Photo for the Algorithm – Court Ladies Preparing Newly Woven Silk
Zhang Xuan / 907

Gate Work Sunday

Turlough, Brandubh, and Ishiyama got a bunch of work done on the gate project last Sunday, but there is still plenty more to do. If we get enough of it done, we might be able to try first assembly and make sure this thing stands up! Towards that end, let’s meet at the Sunday practice (Washington Boulevard site unless it’s raining) again (April 28) and put in a few more hours. Ishiyama can’t bring the lumber until after lunchtime, so there is plenty of time in the morning for other stuff.

I know that some of you will still be at Blackstone Raids, and some of you are not able to help with woodworking, but there will be a least a few more work sessions (including probably at War Practice), and a few different kinds of work to do (including general finishing and painted lettering) so don’t worry about missing out.

Gate work Sunday

For those of you who don’t follow the minutes of the business meetings, the Woodworking Guild has been granted some funds to build a new entrance gate for the Baronial encampment at Pennsic.

Click to access proposal-gate-debatablelands.pdf

I have already purchased some lumber to get started, and will host the first work session this Sunday, April 21st at the Summer practice site (weather permitting).

I probably can’t get down there until after Lunch, so there is plenty of time in the morning for your other interests.

The Barony-Marche goes Marching on, Hurrah, Hurrah

Hello friends!

How’s everyone doing? Wanna do some SCA demo stuff in public soon?
Well, March is marching along towards the Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade and you can, too! The Barony-Marche of the Debatable Lands will be marching and riding in the parade on Saturday, March 16th. It’s always a fun, silly time and we’re routinely a crowd favorite.

All you need to join us is the low, low entry fee of, “Show up and enjoy yourself”

Check out this facebook event so we can get organized and plan out who, where, what, and when everything takes place! https://fb.me/e/1Y8StRnG6

You can also email the chatelaine office directly!
YIS,
Svava

Post Pennsic A&S Report

My report to the Kingdom is due on September first and I need your help!

  • Did you teach any classes at Pennsic?
  • Did you complete any projects for or at Pennsic?
  • Did you participate in the Pennsic A&S Display?
  • Did you participate in any competitions at Pennsic?
  • Did you participate in any demos at Pennsic?
  • Did you personally or as part of a group perform someplace at Pennsic, either in the Performing Arts tent or anywhere else?
  • Were any scrolls you worked on (for Barony or Kingdom) given out at Pennsic?
  • Did any guild in which you participate (Brewers? Scribal? Food?) have any activity at Pennsic?
  • Did you provide any artwork or writing for the Pennsic Independent?
  • Did you see any of your Debatable Lands neighbors do something so awesome (Can’t spell “AweSome” without A and S!) for or at Pennsic that you thought, “That wonderful person deserves an award”?

Well this is your chance to make sure that that information about your awesome self and your awesome neighbors makes it into this report!

Send any and all awesome A&S information to your humble A&S Minister at ansminister(at)debatablelands.org, please if you can before the end of next week (September 1st). Please! Your friends and I are counting on you.

Mid-week archery practice is happening on Wednesday!

Hello Debatable Lands!

Do you wish you could practice your archery more than once a week? Well you’re in luck! This week on Wednesday June 14th from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, Lord Godzimir the Golden will be holding another weekday evening archery practice at the Washington Boulevard site.

Come on out and sharpen your skills as we shoot until the sun goes down!

The Stellar Tournament series returns with the Sky List this Sunday!

This Sunday, April 23rd from 11am to 2pm, we will once again be holding archery practice at the Highland Park practice site. During this week’s practice we will also see the return of the Stellar Tournament series with the first Sky List of the season!

There will be a qualifier shoot happening from 11am until around 12:30pm and then the tournament will begin shortly after. Join us for a fun day of archery and competition as we determine who will be named the next Vindex Coelorum, the Defender of the Sky!

If you’d like to borrow our loaner gear please reach out to me via email at archerymarshal (at) debatablelands.org, or send me a message on Facebook or Discord, and I’ll make sure to bring a set for you.

Good luck to all competitors!