Published Articles
 
 
 
Compleat Anachronists

The following Compleat Anachronist booklets are published by the SCA, Milpitas, Ca.

Armorial Display (CA #50) compiled by Melinda Sherbring (Eowyn Amberdrake) This covers various subjects like making banners, making surcoats, flags, and other topics of armorial display. It is a very useful guide. -- From the Easwt Kingdom Herald’s Handbook Site. 
An Enchieridion: the Education of a Scribe (CA # 61, May 1991) Melinda Sherbring (writing as Eowyn Amberdrake) A collection of articles relating to scribal topics.In it are; Heraldry for Scribes; Materials and Tools for Scribes; Of Scrolls and Rolls and Sealing Wax, Or Why SCA Scrolls are so hard to Design; Field Notes: a 9th c. Franco Saxon Manuscript; Notes on Islamic Manuscripts; Steps to Creating a Scroll; The Care and Feeding of Your New Scroll.
A Veiled Reference  (CA# 100)
Lisa Ford, Theresa Sherman, Melinda Sherbring (illustrator). The 1st section of this book discusses Medieval & Renaissance women’s veils in Western Europe. The 2nd contains information on the various styles: how to construct, wear, & secure them, with patterns, sketches, & photos. Each example is carefully referenced to its historical source. The final section considers the history & use of pins, especially in headgear. A remarkably thorough & useful pamphlet. 56p. SCA. -- Review by Poison Pen Press
I See By Your Outfit: Order Robes, Historical and Modern  (CA # 116, Summer 2002)
written and illustrated by Melinda Sherbring (Eowyn Amberdrake). Explores within an historical framework the robes and badges/sashes of the three major kinds of Orders of Chivalry: the military/religious orders (Knights Templar, Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem, Order of Teutonic Knights); the courtly secular orders (Order of the Garter, Order of the Star, Order of the Dragon); and the orders of merit. Gives a grounded, historic perspective to the robes and badges of office developed for SCA. Line illustrations. Notes and bibliography. Annotated list of interviews. 40 pp, 5½ by 8½ saddle-stitched pb. SCA. -- Review by Poison Pen Press
Characteristically Pictish: An Analysis of Ornament on Carved Stone (CA #118, Winter 2002) written and illustrated by Melinda Sherbring. collection of articles relating to Pictish Art.
Costuming and Embroidery Articles

“A Survey of Tudor/Jacobean Embroidery,” AC, Oct. 1997. Serialized in Blues News. 
“Assisi Embroidery: Four Pieces in the Victoria & Albert Museum.”  AC, July 1996.
“Assisi Embroidery: Medieval vs. Modern.” AC, July 1996; From the Tower, March 1997, BN, March 1997. Compares modern and Renaissance styles.
“Blackwork Embroidery in the LACMA”, AC, Summer 2000.
“Blackwork Embroidery in the Norton Simon Museum,” AC, July 1998. 
“Elizabethan Embroidery: The Scrolling Stems Design,” AC,  Jan. 1997 -- an analysis of the design elements making scrolling stems design specifically Elizabethan. 
“Elizabethan Scrolling Stems Embroidery: Artifacts and Photographs.” AC, October 1996. -- a list of surviving Elizabethan artifacts that appear in published photographs and where to find them. 
“Embroidery in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts,” AC, July 1998.
“Flemish Costume Sketches from Hampton Court Palace.”  AC Winter 1991.
“I See By Your Outfit: Order Robes, Historical and Modern” AC  (Spring issue) and HP 2001 in Minneapolis, MN; 
“I See By Your Outfit: Order Robes, Medieval and Modern” CA #116, Summer 2002 (words and illos)
“Researching and Making an Elizabethan Smock,” AC, Jan 2000. -- re-creation based on photograph of original 1570-era in the Filmer Collection, Manchester.
“Ruff Calculations” by Louise Pass AC, July 1997. How to calculate yardage needed for making an Elizabethan ruff. I turned her teaching notes into an article.
“Ruff Draft.” TI #118 (Spring 1996)  -- Description of a ca. 1630 ruff in the Platt Museum, Manchester, England.
“Spanish Blackwork Embroidery”,AC Jan 98. A survey of blackwork in paintings.
“The Calthorpe Purse,” KWHS Proceedings, Nordskogen, 2001. 
“To Make a Partlet: Chronicle of a Research Project,” AC, Summer 2000.
“Veil References” A Veiled Reference : CA #100 (May 1999).
 “What Makes a T-Tunic Irish.”  Tydes, Nov. 1986.  -- Characteristic cut and decoration of Irish T-tunics in the First Millennium. 
Heraldry Articles

“An Essay on Semée.” HP 1985 in East  -- Description of how semy was drawn. Also in Caidan Herald’s Handbook, 2001 revision.
“Blazoning Birds.”  Herald’s Volume of HP 1989 in Caid. -- examines bird postures and how they are blazoned.
“Chart of Standard Heraldic Postures.” --  Aethelmarc’s Heraldic Manual, Jan. 1998.
 “Conflict Checker’s Quiz.” HP  1991 in  Storvik, Atlantia.
“Emblazoning Dragons.” HP 1999 in Drachenwaldt (June 1999) -- description and illustrations of dragons used in historical heraldry.
“Emblazoning Gryphons.” HP 1999 in Drachenwaldt (June 1999) -- description and illustrations of gryphons used in historical heraldry.
“Emblazoning Wyverns.” HP 1999 in Drachenwaldt (June 1999) -- description and illustrations of wyverns used in historical heraldry.
“Florilegium -- A Definition.” Herald’s Volume  of HP 1989 in Caid. -- Explains why excerpts from the College of Arms (CoA) commentary were used as fillers.
“Heraldic Resources.”  HPC, Herald’s volume, 1996. -- compendium of places to find materials and information.
“Heraldic Style Test.” HP  1993 in MidRealm. --- pictures of arms that cannot pass by our rules, and notes why. 
“Heraldry Enframed.” TI # 105 (Winter 1992) -- description of arms seen on frames in the National Gallery of Art. 
“Heraldry for Scribes.” HP 1984 in Salt Lake City; TI #79 (Summer, 1986); CA #61 (May 1992).  Reprinted in many Kingdom Herald’s Handbooks  over the years.
 “I See By Your Outfit: Order Robes, Medieval and Modern” CA #116, Summer 2002 (words and illos)
“I See By Your Outfit” AC Spring 2001; HP 2001 in Nordskogen  (June 2001) – Order Robes
“Index of SCA Heraldic Publications.”  HP 1990 in Ansteorra. -- Index of all articles in SCA publications to that date.
“Monster Postures, Part 1.” HP 1999 in Drachenwaldt (June 1999) -- postures for 4-limbed monsters and some six-limbed monsters emblazoned.
“Procedural Review of the Laurel Office.” HP 1992 in Madrone, An Tir. 
“Shields.” In CA #50 ( July 1990).
“The Caidan Lands Roll.” HPC, Herald’s Volume, 1996; From the Tower, Nov. & Dec. 1996 -- List of all current geographical places in Caid, with blazons, emblazons, some history.
“Why Did the Seal Fall Off the Scroll?” HP  1995 in Caerthe, Outlands; AC,  July 1997 -- analysis of a 100-year-old sealed document, to see how seals are attached

Insular Art Articles

“An Ogham Poem” – Ars Caidis? Tournaments Illuminated?
“Aviforms from Kells.” AQ (undated); TI #86 (Spring 1988); HP 1989 in Caid. -- Description of the salient characteristics of birds in the Book of Kells. 
“Books for Students of Insular Art.” Scribe’s Volume of  HP 1989 in Caid.
“Characteristically Pictish:  An Analysis of Ornament from Carved Stone.”  Won overall arts honors at inter-kingdom competition 1996. AC, April 1998; CA #104 (mid-1999)
“Characteristically Pictish: an Analysis of Ornament on Carved Stone” CA #118, Winter 2002 (words and illos)
“Circles, Disks, and Domes.”  AQ  (undated) Overview of the use of circle and disks in Insular mss, compared with use of domes in Insular metalwork.
“Diagonal Breaks,”  HP 1998 in Tir Ysgithr, Atenveldt. --  How to use diagonal breaks in the design of knots when using the dots method. 
“Dogs of the Durham Gospels Fragment.” AQ, Spring 1988; TI  #88 (Fall 1988); Scribe’s Volume of HP 1989 in Caid--how to draw dogs from Durham Gospels. 
“Dots and Knots:  The Evidence.” AC, April 1997; HP 1998 in Tir Ysgithr, Atenveldt. -- Listing of sources for the dots method being used in the first Millennium.
“Double-Stranded Knotwork.” AC,  Oct. 1995; HP 1998 in Tir Ysgithr, Atenveldt, --- One page explaining how to use dots method to make double-stranded knots.
“Drawing the Dogs of Lindisfarne.”  AQ, Spring 1988; TI  #88 (Fall 1988); Scribe’s Volume of HP 1989 in Caid. -- How to draw the dogs of Lindisfarne Gospels. 
“Eadfrith’s Aviforms.”  AQ (undated); TI #86  (Spring 1988); HP 1989 in Caid.  -- Description of the birds seen in the Lindisfarne Gospels. 
“Insular Interlacing.” Scribe’s Volume of HP 1989 in Caid. -- Contains interlacing without erasing, the triquetra, color and patterns, variations on a theme, shaping the ends. 
“Interlacing Without Erasing.”   Centerfold in user’s manual for Knotwork Program (programmed for the Atari). Also TI #53 (Winter 1979), Known World Handbook, 2nd (1985) and subsequent editions, and Scribe’s Volume of HP 1989 in Caid  -- One page describing the dots method of creating knotwork. 
“Knot Good Examples,” HP 1998 in Tir Ysgithr, Atenveldt. --  How modern knotwork designs may mislead us about historical styles. 
“Knot in the Pictish Manner” completed (Feb 2002), submitted only in Picts CA.
“Manuscript Field Notes: A Franco-Saxon Page” SC #4; CA #61 (May 1992) Notes taken on a manuscript in the British Library.  Lots of knotwork.
“Ornithimorphs.” Scribe’s Volume of HP 1989 in Caid. -- Contains Kells and Lindisfarne articles.
“Picts and Stones: an introduction to Pictish Symbols” (for the CA)
“Picts do Knot, Fret, and Spiral Designs: A Survey of Surface Ornament,” AC, Sept 1999;
“Set as Jewels Upon the Page.”  AQ , Fall 1986 -- page layout in Insular manuscripts. 
“Sketching the Cats of Kells.”  AQ, Spring 1989; Scribe’s Volume of  HP 1989 in Caid. -- how the cats and other animals in Book of Kells are drawn.
 “The Dogs of the Lichfield Gospels.” HP 1990 in Ansteorra.
“The Triquetra.” AQ, Fall 1987;  Scribe’s Volume of HP 1989 in Caid.  -- Examines the use of the triquetra (three-lobed knot) in Insular manuscripts.  
“The Vanished Picts: Sources of Information,” AC, Summer 2001
“Twisty Beasties.” Scribe’s Volume of HP 1989 in Caid. -- contains the beasts of Durrow, drawing the dogs of Lindisfarne, Dogs of the Durham Gospels Fragment, and Sketching the Cats of Kells.

General Scribal Articles

“Annotated Bibliographies.” HPC, 1996 Scribe’s Volume,.
“Annotated Bibliography” in CA #61 (May 1992). 
“Decorated Initial Letters  I.”  HP 1994 inTrimaris; AC Winter 1994; HPC, Scribe’s volume, 1996. 
“Decorated Initial Letters II.” HP 1994 inTrimaris; AC Winter 1994; HPC, Scribe’s volume, 1996.
“Handling Mantling.” in Scribe’s Volume of  HP 1989 in Caid. -- how to draw draped and slashed fabric. 
“Heraldic Art In the Style of Matthew Paris.”  HP 1994 in Trimaris. Emblazonry style points from Matthew Paris.
“Heraldic Art in the Style of the Herald’s Roll.”  HP 1994 in Trimaris. Emblazonry style points from the Herald’s Roll. 
“Materials and Tools for Scribes” in CA #61 (May 1992).  An overview of the common and uncommon materials and tools a scribe might need. 
“Notes on Islamic Manuscripts” in CA #61 (May 1992).  Field notes on a series of manuscripts seen at the Sackler Museum, Washington, DC. 
“Of Scrolls and Rolls and Sealing Wax.”  HP 1981 in Caerthe; TI  #63 (Summer 82); CA #61 (May 1992). -- Description of the look of heraldic documents.
“Parsley, Page, Rosemary, and Time,” Crown Prints column, Dec. 80, March 81, June 81,  July 81, Sept. 81, Oct. 81, Nov. 81, Dec. 81, March 82, Apr. 82, June 82 -- semi-regular column addressed to scribes.
“Scribal Resources.” HPC 1996, Scribe’s Volume,. -- compendium of places to find materials and information.
“Scribal Tools: The Penner and Inkhorn,” AC  Jan. 1999.  Descriptions of paintings and instances of medieval and Renaissance Penner and Inkhorn sets, and conclusions from these depictions. 
“Steps to Creating a Scroll” in CA #61 (May 1992).  A listing of the steps I take to make a scroll. 
“Supplies and Suppliers.” Scribe’s Volume of  HP 1989 in Caid. -- list of where to get materials and information.
“The Care and Feeding of Your New Scroll.”  Written with Marina Ariadne ni Chlurain.  TI # 61 (Winter 1981); CA #61 (May 1992)-- how to care for artwork.
“The Embattled Quill”, Crown Prints column, Aug., 82, Oct. 82 -- column to scribes.
“White Vine Entwining.” HP, 1994 in Trimaris, AC  (undated) -- explaining the principles of designing Italian White Vine illumination. 

Misc. Articles

“A Brief History of Massage and Physical Therapy,” by Jamal Damien Marcus and Éowyn Amberdrake, AC, Summer 2000.  Jamal’s research paper, with my organization and a few words here and there. 
“Film Fashions”, Tydes, April 1999.  Review of FIDM display of Oscar-nominated costumes, emphasis on Elizabeth and Shakespeare in Love. 
 “Guidelines for Meeting Moderators” to Laurel and Pelican councils
 “History of the Order of the Laurel in Caid,” accepted Jan. 1999.
“Lyondemere Yule Review” w/ Jamal and Hrorek.
“Medieval Monster Mix ‘n Match.” TI #76 (Fall 1985); as “Beastie Pieces:  Trace-A-Monster.” in AC, January 1996. -- How monsters are put together, based on horse, lion, eagle, fish, and classic unicorn parts.
 “Painting with Light.”  TI # 58 (Spring 1981) -- Basic history of stained glass.
“Scenes at the Bardic Event” - event review, CP
 “The Apprentice Scientist: The Basilisk.”  SC #1 -- an experiment in persona 
 “The Beginnings of Rocketry.” AC. Winter 1991. -- Report on an exhibit at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.
“The Caidan Chef: Garlic Jamal’s Way,” by Jamal Damien Marcus and Éowyn Amberdrake, AC, Fall 2002. Jamal did the talking, I did the writing.
“The Caidan Chef: Garlic Jamal’s Way” w/ Jamal Damien Marcus, AC Fall 2002
 “War as Village.” The Serpent’s Tongue (Calafia’s Baronial Newsletter), April 1997. Also gave permission for Outlandish Herald, Dreibergen News, Tydes,  Isles, and Lochac. 
“What Did You do at the War, Milady?” - event review, CP

Research Articles

“Presenting a Period Appearance, or, What are we Recreating, Anyway?” Tydes, Sept. 1998. 
“Secrets of a Pentathlon Winner,” AC, Spring 2002
“The Vanished Picts: Sources of Information,” AC, Summer 2001
 “Threads of History,” serialized in the Tydes April, May, June 1999.  A discussion of the advantages and drawbacks of various source materials for references.

Abbreviations 
EGA = Embroiderers’ Guild of America 
       BN = El Segundo Blues News, tchapter’s monthly newsletter
ANG = American Needlepoint Guild, 
SCA = Society for Creative Anachronism,
 CA = Compleat Anachronist, the SCA quarterly booklet series.  Each issue pursues one topic in depth.
  TI = Tournaments Illuminated, the SCA quarterly magazine.
 HP = Proceedings of Heraldic Symposium (year) in (place), an annual event.
 HPC = Proceedings of Caidan Heraldic and Scribal Symposium (year).
 CP= Crown Prints, the monthly newsletter for SCA’s Southern California region ( Caid) 
SC = Scientific Caidan, quarterly sci-ences magazine for Caid.
AQ = Arts Quarterly,  quarterly arts magazine for Caid
AC = Ars Caidis, quarterly arts and sciences magazine,
Tydes = Tydes of Lyondemere, the chapter’s monthly newsletter.