Newsletter - Insulae Draconis Fibre Arts Interest Group - September 2008

Greetings to everyone,

Welcome to the first Newsletter for the Insulae Draconis Fibre Arts Interest Group.

The IDFAIG held its first meeting at the recent Spring Viceroy Tournament. There was a most encouraging number of people who attended. Not all of you have joined the blog. Please consider doing so and letting us know about the great efforts and beautiful items that you make. Please email me for an invitation to join the blog. Future newsletters will only be sent to members of the blog as it is a convenient way to maintain contact info for group membership.

The first display of work by members of the group will be held at Raglan Fair (11th – 14th September).

I encourage you all to bring a project you are working on, in order to display it. It doesn’t have to be finished, or even close to finished, it also doesn’t matter if it is something that you have displayed elsewhere, there will always be folk who have not yet seen it. The aim of the display is to showcase the work of members of the group and to increase its profile with the idea of broadening the group into a place where people can find support and expertise that will help them develop their own skills.

Please also consider bringing along some small tokens that you can leave next to pieces of work that you admire. We all thrive when encouraged and appreciated and this is a practice that will help foster the Fibre arts and encourage new people who might be nervous of showing their work.


Share your Knowledge:

All of you have got your own area of expertise that you are known and admired for.

I would therefore encourage you to share your knowledge and skill by writing a short article on it. It can be as specific or as broad as you like, the aim is to introduce it to people who might not know about it. It would be wonderful to publish it on the blog and to have a series of articles as a resource that people can refer back to. You could also consider publishing it in the Baelfyr, thereby reaching even more people.

But why stop there? The new event of Insulae Draconis University will be held for the first time next year. What better occasion to show off the multitude of talents of the folk in this region? Enrich this principality by teaching others how to improve their experience within the SCA. This is a historic step in the development of ID and a chance to say “I was there, at the very first one”. Scared of teaching? Never done it before? Do not fear, people will be attending your class because they want to learn. Think of it as a sharing of ideas among equals and a discussion where you demonstrate certain skills. No-one will expect you to be able to answer every question on the subject.

If you do decide to teach a class, please contact the Insulae Draconis MoAS Jahanarabanu Vivana on moas@insulaedraconis.org


IDFAIG Challenge:

Please do not forget the IDFAIG Challenge, to make regalia for the Crown Principality. Banners, tokens, tabards, pouches whatever it may be, please let us know about your work. This is a very noble cause wherein the ID artisans put their skills to the service of our Islands earning glory and honour for themselves and for Insulae Draconis.


In other news:

The new (and final) Janet Arnold book “Patterns of Fashion 4: The cut and construction of linen shirts, smocks, neckwear, headwear and accessories for men and women c. 1540 - 1660” is now available for pre-order from Amazon at a discounted price of £15.00.



Last but not least, please continue to post pictures and information about your projects to the blog: http://idfibreinterestgroup.blogspot.com/ it is most inspiring and encouraging to see the wonderful work you are all creating.

If anyone has any questions about the blog, the group or any of the above subjects, please do not hesitate to contact me on melisende1380@yahoo.co.uk


See you all at Raglan Fair.


Lady Melisende Fitzwalter
IDFAIG Group Leader