In digging through old entries in Livejournal I found this gem. I wanted to save this so I’m copying it here. – Me in 2019
Ducal occurred. Money was raised. Fun was had by all. Mostly it felt like work. But it was a good kind of work The kind that I’m willing to do.
I support the concept of the land fund. I currently don’t have the funds to support it financially (at least not alot) so I support it through my work and item donations. At the very least for me Ducal represents a good way to get rid of crap I don’t need anymore but don’t want to throw into a landfill. I have a Ducal box in my house and everything I have/find/get given that I don’t love/need to remove from my life goes into the box. It’s convenient.
I’m giddy/pleased that this year a coat I sewed for Fearghus (that he wore like once) sold in Auction for $50. That kind of think makes me want to sew stuff for Ducal. Kind of like a little nod towards me that I’m doing good (sewing) work.
Ducal itself is odd for me. This year again I worked in the garage sale. The shine is off of the SCA for me.. and Ducal is very not-shiny. It makes me sad that people who dub themselves “real SCAers” scorn Ducal. The .. yes, I’ll say it, the fringies love the event. And frankly I don’t blame them. Ducal is an event for raising money and making fun of ourselves.. but at the end of it all it’s about having fun. And call them whatever you will.. but the “fringies” are having fun.
Someday when land -is- purchased and a bunch of puffed up blow hard “real” SCAers are eventing on that land I really hope to get the chance to chop them down and remind them that this land was purchased through funds raised at a “fun” event and through the sweat and funds of “fringies” .. you know.. those people they seem to scorn.
Anyway I worked the garage sale again.. and this year, more than previous years it hurt my sewing soul. Here I am, working the garage sale.. and someone holds up something to me.. and asks “How much”.. and I look at it.. and OMG.. it’s aweful. And I think to myself “I wouldn’t buy that” and “I could sew better than that in 10 minutes”.. and “Hell, I could teach you to sew better than that in 30 mins”.. and instead of saying any of this I have to say “Um, $10” in the hopes that they’ll bargin with me.. and INSTEAD I get to feel guilty when they fork over $10 for something I would pay $1 for and use as scraps. NOT ONLY THAT!!! but it hurts my soul to see them later that day wearing it around.. proud of the “real medieval stuff” they got for a steal at the garage sale. IT hurts us. It burns. Put it down, find a sewing class.. OMG.. I’m.. I just want to gather them to my bosom and stroke them and tell them it will be ok.. and teach them about wool.. and linen (OMG LINEN) and the evil of Polyester and other synthetics.
I wish I could figure out a way to teach a class at Ducal and make money. The ground is fertile… but I’m not sure I have the seeds or the water.
Maybe a “Chiton” class for $20/person where you get to sew together a Chiton from provided fabrics… it’d be educational.. and they’d end up with lovely garb that’s appropriate for Ducal. Wonder if that’d get attendees.