The Quintavia Defender Cloaks

I live in a Shire.

Specifically the Shire of Quintavia in the Central Region of the East Kingdom in the Society for Creative Anachronism.

We're a freakin' huge Shire. We have over 175 paid members within our borders. We cover the entire center of Massachusetts, and we are surrounded by baronies. 

The Shire of Quintavia, SCA East Kingdom

But we are not a barony. We don't have the Baron and Baroness to have Champions but our people are no less worthy of tournaments and accolates for their skill, so it was decided in 2014 we would have Defenders. So we had a little tourney event in July and I volunteered to make the regalia. 

And because I can't do things small I made half circle cloaks in thirds with the chevrons in green and white like our heraldry with appliqued on in gold wool felt crossed symbols of that aspect of Defense.

Quintavia's Heraldry

Which was all well and good but we were doing five: one each for Archery, Arts and Sciences, Fencing, Heavy List, and Thrown Weapons.

I got the outer skins done by the event but not the lining for the event, showed off the half progress and got swept up into the summer event season. Then in late August 2014 we had a fencing competition so I finished out the fencing one (after Pennsic in the midst of moving to at that time I didn't know where too...) and then the person who won left before it could be presented.

So I packed them up in a box and put them in storage. Then this year I took them out for the small task of lining and adding cords and realized somehow they had gotten damp and the white was hopelessly mildewed and the felt applique were ruined as well....

There are no tears in sewing!

So two weeks before the event I got to basically remake them. I am very proud that all my points line up. That is a skill I learned from my dear departed Great Aunt Mary and quilting.

Unfortunately this year the event was opposite Palio di Stonemarche and I had obligations to Contrada Ferrari so I couldn't go to the much bigger now St Jean Baptiste Tourney and day event.

So I finished up the new outer skins, embroidered the symbols and packed them off to my friend Rachel's house to be lined and have ties put in. I've never actually seen the finished ones. But here are the pictures I took of them in progress:




The Archery Quintavia Defender Half Cloak

 



The Arts and Sciences Defender Half Cloak

The Heavy List Quintavia Defender Half Cloak

The Thrown Weapons Quintavia Half Cloak

I am very proud of the design and hope to someday win back the right to wear the Arts and Sciences cloak. We shall see...