Elewys Cuylter of Finchingefeld

Pronounced "Eloise Quilter of Finchingfield", aka Elewys of Finchingefeld. Formerly known as Helene de Navarre, Elewys is a 13th century English name, Cuylter to indicate a personal passion of mine, and Finchingefeld, a town in Essex where textiles were a huge industry in the 13th century, including drapers, fullers, quilters, weavers and more. Device passed 2009: Per bend sinister vert and lozengy vert and argent, in chief a pair of scissors fesswise reversed argent. A badge was also passed: A snail, blue, with three green birch leaves inside a blue border (insert herald speak here).

I began playing in the SCA in the Shire of Shittimwoode in about February 1990 after meeting some gentlemen dressed in kilts at Western Washington University's club fair. I attended my first event that spring, Sir Edward's Tournament, which was held on the grassy fields near the rock rings and in the brick walkway of Fairhaven College. Their Majesties, Thorin and Angharad were in attendance for the day and the evening feast.

Beginning in about AS XXV, I held the office of Seneschal of Wisdom's Keep, and upon its dissolution, held offices in Shittimwoode, including Chronicler, Chatelaine, Stock Clerk, Gold Key, and Exchequer, and autocratted a couple of events, including Sir Eddie's Tourney, Town Faire, and Crown Council during the reign of Hwolf & Louisa. I also began assisting Baroness Amanda Kendal with Ithras in Shittimwoode, which led to requesting to be trained as a Chancellor of Ithra for a new campus, Borderlands.

University of Ithra's Borderlands campus was officially formed in January 2004 and during my 12 year tenure, I successfully ran more than 20 Ithra sessions in the Shire of Shittimwoode, Midhaven and Aquaterra. Running an Ithra session is very much like autocratting an event, including recruiting teachers, creating a schedule, creating and distributing catalogs (some of this was during the pre-internet days, mind you), signing up students, and organizing a small team of locals for site rental, snack bar (coffee, tea, muffins, etc.), crash space, and an evening revel. Following the event, updating student and teacher records in the Ithra database and closing out the financials of the event with the Ithra bursar (exchequer) and reporting to Kingdom.

I moved to the Barony of Aquaterra in fall of 2007 and within a few months, took the office of Minister of Arts and Sciences. Surrendering the office a little more than two years later, I have aimed to improve my skills and support the Arts and Sciences from outside the office through guilds and supporting local activities in the Barony. Most especially, the redesign and running of the Village of Ursulwyck, which changed from a collection of artisans demonstrating their works to a living history village. This included a tour of the manor house, its dining room and kitchen, then exiting the manor to play games in the public house, see clothing making at the tailors', spoon carving at the Woodworkers', coin makers, armorers, rope makers, and more.

OP Listing Elewys Cuylter of Finchingfield - Highest Award: Goutte de Sang Branch: Aquaterra

• Acacia (Shittimwoode) 3-Apr-1993 AS 27;
• Award of Arms 16-Jul-1994 AS 29;
• Goutte de Sang 19-Apr-1997 AS 31;
• Lector Ithra 18-Apr-1998 AS 32;
• Bunny's Crook (Shittimwoode) 24-Apr-1999 AS 33;
• Golden Acacia (Shittimwoode) 20-Apr-2002 AS 36;
• Red Flame (Tir Righ) 9-Apr-2005 AS 39;
• Silver Dolphin (Aquaterra) 20-Sep-2008 AS 43;
• Jambe de Leon 7-Nov-2009 AS 44;
• Plate (Aquaterra) 19-Dec-2009 AS 44;
• Golden Etoille (Aquaterra) 29-Jan-2011 AS 45;
• Blue Stag (Aquaterra) 2-Dec-2011 AS 46;
• Bountiful Hand (An Tir) 10-Jan-2016 AS 50
• Forget-me-not (An Tir) 11-Jan-2020 AS 54

Fealty

• Former Apprentice to Mistress Ariel de Courtneay, OL, 1996 - 2012 (amicable dissolution)
• Current Apprentice to Mistress Isolde de la Vielle-a-Roue, OP, OL, 2015 - present

Offices Held

• Seneschale - College of Wisdom's Keep - 1990 - 91;
• Chatelaine - Shittimwoode 1991 - 1994;
• Gold Key - Shittimwoode 1991 - 1992;
• Registrar for Ithras in Shittimwoode 1996 - Jan 2005;
• Chronicler - Shittimwoode Sep 1994 - Summer 1997;
• Author of "The Wilde Hare", a column in the Bunny Tales, the Shittimwoode newsletter (1994-1997)
• Stock Clerk - Shittimwoode Nov 1998 - Jan 1999;
• Shittimwoode Farspeaker Publisher - Dec 1997, Jan 99, Oct 2000, 2001;
• Exchequer - Shittimwoode Apr 99 - Feb/Mar 2002;
• Tir Righ Census Administrator, Shire of Shittimwoode, Feb 2001;
• Tir Righ/Northern Principality sub-committee; calendar committee, 2001;
• Shittimwoode Baronial bid committee 2001;
• Chancellor-in-Training for Ithra in Shittimwoode (Lions Gate Campus) - 2001 - 2005;
• Chancellor of Ithra - Borderlands campus (18 sessions) - Jan 2005 - Aug 2016;
• Arts & Science Minister - Barony of Aquaterra - Feb 2008 - Apr 2010;
• Contest Coordinator - Costumer's Guild of An Tir - May 2016 - July 2018;

Other Service to the Crown & Their People

• Chatelaine at several WWU campus club demos
• Running and assisting hospitality kitchens at two Crown Councils in Shittimwoode
• Feast Steward or kitchen assistant at several Shittimwoode feasts
• Participated in demonstrations at Vista Middle and Whatcom Middle Schools for five years
• Gathered information and published 3 editions of Shittimwoode Farspeaker (Ye Olde Phone Bookes)
• Calligraphed more than a dozen scrolls for the reign of Darius & Morgaine
• Entered a large portion of Ithra data into database for >300 sessions of Lions Gate Ithras 1976 - 2006
• Served the University of Ithra as Compendium Deputy, making updates to documents
• Updates to the University of Ithra handbook, 2013-2016
• Ran as Baroness of Aquaterra, candidate alongside HL Aenor de Pessac, Spring 2015
• Royal Costume team, second reign of Christian & Helene, May - December 2018
• Royal Costume team, HRH Morgan & Livia, May - December 2019
• Royal Costume team, third reign of Christian & Helene, Sep 2019 - end of COVID

Autocratting

• Town Faire II - College of Wisdom's Keep - September 1990;
• Town Faire III - Shire of Shittimwoode - October 1991;
• El Mar 100 (co-autocrat) - August 1991;
• Town Faire IV (co-autocrat) - Shire of Shittimwoode - October 1992;
• Sir Edward's Tourney - Shire of Shittimwoode - Spring 1993;
• Crown Council - Shire of Shittimwoode - during the reign of Jarl Hwolf & Countess Louisa, Fall 1995;
• More than 20 Ithra sessions as Chancellor of Ithra, Borderlands Campus (2005-present);
• Aquaterra Social meeting mini-Ithra sessions, 2014 - 2016;
• Aquaterra All-Champions and Ithra (co-autocrat), Aug 2016

Teaching

• Bobbin Lace - Shire level class - July 22, 1996;
• Hat Making - Shire level class - Nov 19, 1998;
• Make Yourself a Bog Coat - 4 cr. - 9.10.05 at Medieval Village Ithra II;
• Bog Coat Construction - 1 cr. - 3.22.08 at Shittimwoode Spring Ithra;
• Making a Bocksten Bog Style Tunic - 2 cr. - 4.5.08 at Aquaterra Spring Ithra;
• Beginner's Knitting - 2 cr. - 4.25.09 at Sir Edward's Tourney Ithra;
• Viking Undertunics - 4 cr. - 3.20.11 at Shittimwoode Almost-Spring Ithra;
• Dyeing Wool with Kool Aid - 2 cr. - 3.17.12 at Shittimwoode Almost-Spring Ithra;
• Pattern Drafting - 4 cr. - 3.17.12 at Shittimwoode Almost-Spring Ithra;
• Beginning Cardweaving - 4 cr. - 3.17.12 at Shittimwoode Almost-Spring Ithra;
• How to Set Up a Yurt - 1 cr. - 10.6.12 at Midhaven Fall Ithra;
• Beginning Cardweaving - 4 cr. - 10.6.12 at Midhaven Fall Ithra;
• Viking Undertunic - 4 cr. - 10.12.13 at Kaldor Ness Ithra/Accademia;
• Bog Coat Construction - 2 cr. - 10.12.13 at Kaldor Ness Ithra/Accademia;
• Rectangular Construction: Make a Cote - 4 cr. - 2.8.14 at Midhaven Ithra;
• How to Measure for Costumes - 1 cr. - 7.1.14 at Aquaterra A&S Bazaar Ithra I
• Autocratting - 2 cr. - 10.4.14 at String Theory Ithra at Pre-Hibernation, Bearwood
• Lampwork Intro - 2 cr. - 7.10.15 at Wyewood Full Contact Social
• Lampwork Intro - 2 cr. 9.12.15 at Banner War Ithra, Aquaterra
• Survey of Historic Tabletweaving - Nov 2017 at Collegium, Pasco, WA
• Beginning Tablet Weaving - Nov 2019 at Collegium, Olympia, WA
• Weave Along with Elewys - COVID-era 2020 to present, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_b5UVh3SRlb-utV7iIqw1Q

Participant

• Athenaeum I - Jun 2018
• Athenaeum II - Jun 2019
• Athenaeum III (the Zoom Edition) - Jun 2020

Hosting

• Newcomer's/Open House/Costuming nights - hosted - frequently throughout 1990-2007
• Hosted Shire garage sales (1993 at Cherrywood, 1995 at Valencia, 1999 at W. Rusley)
• Hosted Shire Annual Planning Meetings - including, but not limited to, Oct 98, Oct 2000
• Ithra classes at my home - 13-14 October 2001
• Shoemaking class at my home - 12 July 2020

Organizational Events

• Iron Needle - Banner War 2008, Good Yule 2009, Boar's Hunt 2009
• Demonstrations at Ursulmas 2009, 2010, 2013-2017
• Contests - Boar's Hunt 2008, 2009; Ursulmas 2009; Good Yule 2009;
• Co-hosted Costumer's Display - Ursulmas 2013
• Costumer's Guild of An Tir Tourney Garb Contest, coordinator - September Crown 2016
• Costumer's Guild of An Tir Court Garb Contest, coordinator - 12th Night 2017
• Costumer's Guild of An Tir Hat Contest, coordinator - May Crown 2017
• Costumer's Guild of An Tir Tourney Garb Contest, coordinator - September Crown 2017
• Costumer's Guild of An Tir Court Garb Contest, coordinator - 12th Night 2018
• Ursulwyck Village Steward - Ursulmas 2016 - 2019
• Ursulwyck Village Co-Steward - Ursulmas 2020

Accomplishments

• Made a canvas tent - 1996 (30 Year Celebration) used for three seasons
• Entered Northern Region's first Arts Championship "tourney" - 1997 (didn't win, but it was a great learning experience)
• Entered Ursulmas costume contest abt. 1998 - Man's Wool Surcoat - won first place
• Entered Calligraphy in Ursulmas A&S contest abt. 1998 - won first place
• Entered Ursulmas A&S contest 2009 - Viking Child's tunic - placed 3rd
• Entered Ursulmas A&S contest 2011 - Evil Eye Beads - won first place
• Built a Yurt - summer 2012
• Submitted articles to Costumer's Guild newsletter, 2010 & 2012 (one published, the other awaits publication)
• Achieved Journeyman rank for Costumer's Guild - July 2013
• Intermediate winner Costumer's Guild Tourney Garb - July 2017
• Intermediate winner Costumer's Guild 12th Night Garb - January 2020

Donations to Largesse & Prizes

• Bobbin lace - 1996 - ultimately given to King & Queen of Drachenwald, who, by coincidence, were old friends Garrick and Talitha from Shittimwoode who helped introduce my husband and I to the SCA when we were newbies.
• Elizabethan coif - 1999? as part of Apprentices display at July Coronation
• Inkle Loom trim in An Tir colors (abt. 5 1/2 yds.) - 2008
• Card Woven trim to Aquaterra 2011
• String of 20 lampworked beads for Lampworkers Guild largesse, July 2012
• Two strings of 20 lampworked beads for Lampworkers Guild largesse, July 2013
• Two strings of 20 lampworked beads for Lampworkers Guild largesse, January 2014
• Four strings of 21 lampworked beads for Lampworkers Guild largesse, June 2015
• Nine strings of 21 lampworked beads for Lampworkers Guild largesse, January 2016
• Six short strings of 6 lampworked beads for Lampworkers Guild largesse, January 2017
• Three short strings of 7 lampworked beads for Lampworkers Guild largesse, January 2018
• Tabletweaving for first reign of Christian & Helene, June 2017
• Tabletweaving for HRH Morgan & Livia (gift for Caidan), June 2019