| Keep a small container of multi-sized safety pins
packed in with your gear. -AElfwina
For ladies-a basket covered with a square of fabric
makes a nice purse substitute for all those things that just won't fit into
a belt pouch. -AElfwina
If attending an event in an area of the country with
which you are unfamiliar, pack tunics which can do double duty, one which
works as an under or over tunic on warm days or can be added as an extra
layer in between two others on cold days. -Magesteff
Bias tape can be a quick way to finish neck holes and
sleeves on t-tunics, no need to cut out a matching facing for the neck area,
if it is in a contrasting fabric it can double as trim. -Magesteff
Always keep at least 1 Band-Aid on your person, preferably
a knuckle one, as that will do double duty for fingertips or flat areas.
(They also work if you accidentally slice your clothing: they don't leave
as much residue as duct-tape but will keep the cut from unraveling any more
than it has by reducing the strain on the areas of cloth while you go looking
for needle and thread.) -Elen of Shrewbury
Always bring handi-wipes/baby-wipes with you for your
camp. -Elen of Shrewsbury
Mira Silverlock McKendrick:
-Smile at and greet strangers. You can never meet too many friends.
-Know the difference between gossip and politics, and when to keep your own
counsel.
-Wear layers of clothing-linen, silk and wool work wonderfully for weather
changes.
-Invest in a really warm coat or cloak.
-Any time there are classes offered, try at least one thing that is new to
you. You never know what will spark your interest.
-Invest in a canopy for your kitchen, or main area. You will do most of your
visiting and living outside your tent, and having a place out of the rain
and sun makes your camp instantly more livable.
-Don't believe everything you're told. If you have decided on a time
frame/culture for your persona, do the reading to learn about it, and look
at period paintings/sculptures/descriptions to learn about armor, clothing,
etc. It is so much more interesting that just watching Braveheart one too
many times!
-Have a comfortable place to sleep. That means a waterproof tent, and a comfy
bed, preferably off the ground. It will make an enormous difference in how
well you feel the next day after a stormy night.
-Bring a good source of light for nighttime (please no bullseye lanterns
unless screened off) in case you have to put up your tent in the dark.
-Invest in a firepit. It is an instant focal point for your camp, and is
a wonderful way to lure the stray minstrel in to join your bardic.
-Find something to do while you are sitting, whether it is a great conversation,
a piece of needlework, a new chainmail coif you're working on or whatever.
Not only will you get something done, you'll have something to talk about
with people you may not know.
-Type up a list of what needs to go in
the kitchen box, the have it laminated. When you pack,
you can check off what is in the box against the list (using a
felt tip marker). The list stays in the kitchen box all
the time.
-Bring something fun and unusual to snack on and
offer your guests (hey, they can get Cheetos anywhere!).
Bring something non-alcoholic to drink for guests who don't
partake.
Ingeborg Denner:
-If you have to gossip, be sure that you know who everyone in hearing range
is. (If you don't, you might end up part of an amusing anecdote
yourself…)
-Don't try to save money by using non-natural fabric. It's not worth it.
-Wool keeps you dry in most kinds of weather.
-Try something new at feasts. If you never try the spiced spinach rolls,
you'll never know what you're missing…
-Do not believe everything you're told about Sir Soandso or Lady Whoever.
Everyone is opinionated.
-Never bring more luggage than you can move on your own. You'll use up favors
fast otherwise.
-You do not have to like everyone, but things run a lot more smoothly if
you treat everyone like you want to be treated - even the most arrogant snark
you ever met, or your roommate.
-Remember that this is all a game - just because someone is below you in
the rank as far as the SCA is concerned does not mean you can boss them around
in mundania. (Same for feuds or the like.)
-Don't expect to be entertained. You are not watching a play; you're taking
part in one.
-Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by
ignorance.
-Keep a first-aid kit in the kitchen.
-If you can't sew make your first t-tunic two sizes too large. For some unknown
reason these things always end up smaller than intended.
-Don't slit a long t-tunic on the sides to make walking easier. The fabric
will wrap around your legs and look silly.
-Wear something on your head. It's most often period to do so, it keeps you
warm in cold or windy weather, and keeps your brain from broiling in
summer.
William Underhill:
-Practice loading the vehicle a week before. This makes a LOT of
difference.
-Don't use hose clamps to hold your basket hilt onto your sword. Sooner or
later they break. Use several turns of 550 parachute cord, covered with several
wraps of fiberglass tape. This works extremely well.
-12" nails with fender washers make really good tent pegs.
I think the most important tip of all is to remember
at all times that this activity is YOUR free time, and that it is supposed
to be FUN. Don't let yourself get all twisted up about what is, after all,
a make-believe world which we're consensually living in on the weekends.
Awards, offices, victories - all of these are nice, but what keeps people
in the SCA is our friends and the good times we share together. -Gunnora
Hallakarva
Lady Glynis of the Inn of the Laughing Fox:
-Always always have a set of DRY clothes (garb and driving clothes) in your
car at Pennsic or any other large/long event , do not touch these clothes
till the last day!!! Also keep an extra gallon jug of water in the car.
-Take extra tent pegs, someone in camp is always in need of pegs, and they
can help support tiki torches in a pinch.
-Aluminum foil is your friend! You can cook anything (almost) in a firepit
with foil.
-Ziplock type bags are a good thing, can keep dry socks for those cold nights
at War. And dry tinder for the firepit can be put in the large bags.
-Bring a hat; even cloudy days can cause a sunburn if you are out all
day.
Wear sunscreen even if you are going to be in a pavilion
most of the day. Many fabrics only filter sunlight, they don't always BLOCK
sunlight. -Ciarrai
Bring earplugs (yes they are annoying and uncomfortable
but worth it. They dampen down the noise level when you want to go to sleep.)
-Ciarrai
Always bring a few extra chairs for any guests that
drop by your camp. -Godric of Castlemont
Make sure you have put up your tent before hand and
understand the process (I can't count the number of times I have had to help
out an angry couple who can't seem to get their tent up, it makes for a bad
start to an event.) -Godric of Castlemont
Remember to drink your water and use your sunscreen
even when the event is over and you are packing up to leave. -Salli
Weston
Traveling tip: for every hour of travel time (not counting
ferries, etc.), allow ten minutes extra. I've allowed 2 extra hours for a
12 hour trip, and have yet to arrive early… there's always a wait at
the border, or you miss a ferry, or everyone and his dog chooses the same
gas station as you… -William Underhill
Bearing in mind that SCA stuff tends to grow with time,
it never hurts to spend sometime early in the war season pruning your goods.
Don't throw them out however; Gold Key can always use donations… -William
Underhill
Tracy R (Aurora):
-Always make a point to help people out at each event. You make friends and
feel good about yourself for doing it. Look around and see if somebody needs
help setting up camp or if the event organizers need help.
-If you see somebody who looks new and lost, ask them if they need any help,
if they are new and kind of lost, take them under your wing and treat them
as your guest. Make sure they get a good first impression of our group.
-Bring something to feast that can be shared and offer it to your neighbors
at the table. Even a platter of bread, cheese and fruit can be shared with
your dining companions.
-If you see a person sitting alone at a feast or a couple who seems to be
new and kind of off by themselves, or maybe not from the local group, invite
them over to sit with you at feast. The more the merrier.
-It is better to overestimate the amount of ice and drinking water you will
need to be left with surplus than stuck without enough. (This is most important
in hot weather events.)
-Make up a generic event packing list (there are some of these floating around
that you can get copies of already). Check off everything as you pack. It
sure sucks to get all the way to the event and realize you left something
at home!
-Keep your interests broad and varied. It is good to focus on one skill or
interest you do well or have a particular fondness for, but do not pass over
other learning and participation opportunities because it is not your
thing.
-Remember it is only a game, it is not real; you do this for fun and personal
enrichment. If it gets to appoint where it is continuously not fun then it
is time to re-evaluate the place SCA is taking in your life and possibly
approach it from a different angle.
Saewynn Silfrharafn:
-Always bring at least one more than you think you'll need of:
prescription medicines
sanitary napkins
diapers
dry socks and underwear (put them in a ziploc bag)
matches
stove fuel
flashlights with fresh batteries
drinking vessels
-Don't sleep in the clothes you've worn all day. You'll feel a LOT better
in the morning.
-When you hear a herald call "Pray Attend," shut up and LISTEN! They may
be announcing that it's YOUR tent that's on fire…
-Wash your hands with soap and water after using the biffy, before eating,
and before preparing food.
-Leave your cellphone and pager at home.
-Don't discuss foot/base/basketball, mundane politics, or computers.
-If you've just purchased a new tent, practice putting it up IN THE DARK
before you take it to your next event.
-If you have long hair, tie it back when cooking or around a fire. Same with
long sleeves, especially with tippets.
-Never leave a flame unattended. Or a child.
-Remember when someone says "No," they mean NO. Whether it's sex, alcohol,
or whatever.
-Hug your friends. Share goodies. Be kind. Drink lots of water. Drive carefully.
Take care of your feet. Use a condom. Volunteer.
Richard Tucker:
-Always store beer in a cold, dark place.
-Take extra money for the road, tires get shredded really easily.
-Have a jack that works, and a lug wrench that fits.
-Lay in an ample supply of humor for the endless line at the Gate.
-Camp on a high spot if possible (getting there early helps this a lot).
-Don't make garb out of fabric labeled 'Dry Clean Only', sooner or later
you'll get caught in a downpour.
-Remember that a wet canvas tent takes up three times the volume of a dry
canvas tent, and weighs nine times as much.
-Gathering firewood can be fun; you meet the most interesting people out
there in the deep dark woods.
-Plan the beer run early in the day, while you're still sober enough to
drive.
-Leave your campsite cleaner than you found it.
-Wear your seatbelt on the road; it's still the most dangerous part of the
event.
Non-period equipment: paper towels, flashlight, lighter,
safety pins, medical tape, bar of chocolate, bottle of whisky.
-Jacquetta
Always bring freezer size ziploc bags for soiled feast
gear. -Jacquetta
Rosine of Rowanwald:
Acquire and keep in your basket (refill as needed):
-a small tin with two machine bobbins filled with black and white thread
and a piece of cloth with three needles and some safety pins stuck to it.
A seam ripper (one of those cheap tiny ones) is sometimes a godsend. Put
in enough small change to use a telephone. If you, or a friend, consistently
locks yourself out of your car, then put a copy of the doorkey in there too.
Once you get used to having that "sewing repair kit" in your possession,
you'll never forget to bring it! (The small "whitman's" chocolate tins are
about the right size.)
-an assortment of tiny containers that are watertight. (I used the little
Tupperware keychain bowls) and keep a selection of over-the-counter painkillers
and sudafed in them. Use a permanent fine-tip marker to label the lids with
the type and strength of each. When someone is hurting and all they can find
is a type of painkiller they can't take… well, it's hard to enjoy your
event after that. Many headaches at events are caused by sinus overload -
Sudafed seems to be the most frequently looked-for drug at events that I
attend.
-"stocking stuffer" toys and games, easily findable at toy, science, dollar
stores or in line at 7-11 or grocery stores, rarely degrade and can be just
what is needed to keep a cranky child from driving you crazy during Court
- and since they're cheap, you won't mind losing it if the child forgets
to return it. Rarely have I seen the parent who has disliked my offer of
a distraction…
-lunch-box sized (and packaged) servings of things such as fig bars. When
someone is fainting, trembling, whatever, because they've) just realized
that they were too busy to eat (or because they are hypoglycemic or diabetic,
a quick source of sugar and protein can go a long way. And those sealed packages
last nearly forever.
-a small bundle of string, like postal string (or lucetted cord!) - strong
enough for most jobs and long enough to be braided quickly if a larger job
is needed (like tying off an elbow or knee brace that's just popped a
rivet.)
-a pocket package of tissues. Good for sniffly noses, they're even better
if you find (too late) that the toity facilities are out of paper. They are
also a good padding/compress material for a cut.
-a small pouch with an emergency supply of ladies' sanitary needs. Just make
the pouch out of something pretty and unobtrusive, and forget that it's there
until there's need.
-fold up one or two plastic grocery bags and keep them until you need them.
They make good garbage bags, protection for books you didn't mean to buy
(or that someone brought to give back to you), scrolls you were just given,
whatever.
Try to bring bananas with you to each event. If you
don't eat them all, someone will be happy to help and the potassium boost
is just what a hard-sweating fighter (or herald, or marshal) needs. They're
also good bribes for children. -Rosine of Rowanwald
Use bug repellant or a ground insecticide spray to
"edge" around your pavilion, kitchen area and ground sheets for day pavilions.
This will keep most of the critters away. If it is not practical, spray the
legs of tables and chairs as well as the base of the cooler. -Lord Iain of
Rannoch
Horsehair braid sewn into the
hem of a ladies underdress or chemise keeps it from wrapping itself around
the legs, making it much easier to walk (especially when temperatures soar
and fabric likes to stick to skin). I sew it into the hem of every skirt
and underdress I make. -Kateline de
Lys
Simple cotton clothesline also makes a nice corded
hem, for a rich, full look. Wash and dry it first on hot, though - cotton
shrinks! Then take a narrow hem at the bottom of the dress, wrap it around
the cord, and use your zipper foot to sew up snugly against it. If necessary
you can take a stitch or two through the rope and both layers of hem by hand
to tack it in place - or sew a line of beads on it!
-Eloise of Tree-Girt-Sea
Tivar Moondragon:
-Dropping a "sacrificial Oreo" into nearby ant beds means they're less likely
to get into your tent or foodstuffs.
-Somebody else mentioned doing a "trial run" on packing your car the week
before the event. That's a good idea; I also recommend doing a similar run
on any new car you buy, and *make notes* about what goes where, until you
get used to the new setup.
-It's also a good idea to make the tent the last thing packed, so it's the
first things out. That way once you get on-site you can set up the tent and
*then* unload everything else directly into it.
-Check the ground for rocks, sticks and similar hazards before setting up
your tent. Also consider where the sun will rise and set and how much shade
will be on your tent during the day.
-Get some half-gallon plastic bottles (Rubbermaid makes some good ones, or
you can just save old milk or orange juice bottles). Fill them about half
to two-thirds full with water, lemonade, tea or whatever you prefer to drink,
and freeze them the week before the event. Top them off as you're packing
the ice chest. This keeps the food cold and you'll have cold drinks all weekend
long with *no* ice-melt in the bottom of the ice chest to ruin things. If
you need to refill the drink-bottles (say, at a longer event, or one that's
really hot) buy a bag of ice cubes and use a wide-mouth canning funnel to
refill the bottles.
-If you do need to keep things on ice, block ice lasts *a lot* longer than
cube ice.
-Speaking of ice chests and food, keeping a small ice chest with one or two
drink bottles and some snacks in the passenger area of the car means you
don't have to stop to buy things or raid the big ice chest en route.
-If you're going to an unfamiliar site, make sure you've got a *real* map
as well as the site map/directions in the event announcement. This helps
a lot when highway 3406 turns out to really be highway 3604.
-Mapquest (or similar programs) is your friend.
-*Always* pack a trash bag or two for camping events.
-Check the tire inflation, antifreeze and oil levels in your car as part
of your packing procedure.
-If you're at a feast event (Coronation or Twelfth Night or such) bring a
spare trash bag to put your dirty dishes in. That keeps them from messing
up your table cloths and suchlike until you can get them home and put them
in the dishwasher.
-Be wary of glass or ceramic feast gear. These things *will* get dropped
and broken.
-For cold events, you can wear long underwear under just about anything.
-If you have banners, keep a safety pin attatched to each one. That frequently
makes the difference between being able to hang them or not at indoor
events.
-Compartmentalize as much as possible. Being able to grab just "the feast
basket" or "the camping trunk" or "the clothes trunk" makes finding things
*so* much easier.
-If you're buying a tent, the "sleeps five" ratings on the box are a joke.
That rating presumes everyone is in a mummy-style sleeping bag with *no*
extra gear. For real-world SCA use, a tent that "sleeps five" will hold one
or maybe two people. (Our family of five is overflowing a 10 x 20 tent that,
IIRC "sleeps twelve".)
-Propane stoves may not be as romantic as cooking over an open fire, but
they're a darn sight less trouble, in my experience.
-Pack an extra set of feast gear; you never know when a friend (or newbie)
may need to borrow them.
Aldreada:
-Eat Breakfast. Eat real food for breakfast. (A can of Coke Classic and 2
squares of Nanaimo bar may be the breakfast of champions, but it won't get
you through a day of marshalling or heralding the tourney field.
-Hangover preventative: eat before drinking, and for every beer you drink,
drink 8 oz of water (yes, you will notice the effect, but you won't
get nearly as dehydrated).
-Bring a good book, thereby ensuring that you will find at least one that
you want and can afford in the market.
-Never wear for camping anything the destruction of which would cause you
a pang.
-Wear a hat.
-You may well be dark and comely, but you certainly still sunburn.
-Bring an extra roll of toilet paper.
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