I think every SCA newbie is warned early on about the Authenticity Police (also know as the Period Nazis).  Some newcomers are kindly told that some people are simply over zealous and can come off wrong in their desire to "help" others.  Others are warned that there are really some mean spirited individuals out there who enjoy bullying people in bad garb.

While both situations can certainly happen, and I am sure they have happened, I do not think that either happens as often as people think.  The idea of rampant Authenticity Police is something that maybe has even achieved urban legend status among SCAdians.

It is also something that has given the nice people who pursue historical accuracy a very bad rap.

I think the desire to make a newbie feel welcome and comfortable is foremost in the minds of many members of the SCA when they offer these well intended warnings.  The unfortunate result, however, can sometimes lead to anxiety over things that should never have have even occurred to them.  A recent conversation with someone who has been to many Pennsics, as well as quite a few other events, over the years made me realize how much these Authenticity Police stories can affect people.  It actually can make people fear attending something if they do not have what they perceive as the "right garb" lest they be judged.

I think I have mentioned before that at my very first event someone told me I should not wear a white belt (when indeed, my belt was actually a medieval girdle, in cream, with a wide black border sprinkled with pink flowers).  While this person was not giving critique of my actual garb (rather she was correcting what she saw as my lack of understanding about SCA conventions), the idea is the similar.  Her delivery was a bit off and I was already insecure about being there and my sewing skills and it bothered me.  In retrospect, I think she was trying to be helpful, the delivery plus my insecurity just made the whole experience not sit well.  That being said, I have never actually been approached about my garb, its quality or its lack of authenticity. 

I cannot actually even think of a story anyone has told me where they personally got raked over the coals for what they were wearing.  It is always so-and-so knows someone who knew someone who had a baroness who when she was a newbie got lit-up by the Period Police at her first event.  (I am definitely not saying this has never happened.  I am sure that somewhere, sadly, it has.  It may even not have been intentionally mean when it happened, but I can certainly see how it could come off in that manner.  The fact is though, that these things can happen in any club, hobby or other social activity and when they do take place we need to learn to not take it personally and just move on.) 

Telling these tales of ill-treatment by those who choose to strive for perfection of an art not only adds to a understandable newcomers anxiety, but can also create this aura of unapproachability around those who strive for a greater level of authenticity.  That is not fair either party as it deprives the artisan of an outlet with whom they can share their skills and knowledge and it also deprives the newcomer of an excellent resource. 

I was surprised this week to learn from one of my forums that are are actually people in the SCA who view all masters of their art (both Laurels and those who have not yet been recognized for their efforts) in the same light.  Some people see those on a quest for greater accuracy as individuals incapable of kindly sharing what they know and who would look for an opportunity to bring another down.

I do not know know which scenario is more detrimental to the Society, but there has to be a way to rectify it for everyone.

Personally, I am going to stop telling the "watch out for the zealots" horror stories.  I will say instead (what I have already stated in this blog) that it is always fine to approach someone and ask to know more about what they are doing, they may even love you for it.  I will also remind people that it takes all kinds to make up any social group and to try to understand unasked for advice in the light it may have been given.  Someone might see a new person and want to help them with info overload, not remembering what it is like to be new and unsure.  It happens and should not be taken as personal criticism.

And I will remind myself to try not to blow some persons brain up and talk for four hours with what is possibly way more than they wanted to know at the time.  ;-)

One of my purposes with this site is to create a place to house all of my documents.  As I get each edited, I am going to load them here and they can all be found by selecting the "My Documents" category on the right.  I have had people ask me before how I decide what my next steps are when moving from "generic garb" to creating something more period and this document is a result of answering that question numerous times.  Research is, of course, the first step, but sometimes its not always to figure out how to start.  (This item was revised and published this summer in the Apple Press.)

The embroidery is underway!  (My design inspiration can be found in an earlier post here http://awanderingelf.weebly.com/1/category/12th%20night/1.html )

I can do hand embroidery, but often do not choose too.  Part of the reason is an issue I have with my hands, though I can still sew by hand for short spells at a time.  The larger issue though, is with my head.  ;-)

See, I am a perfectionist about the things that I make and while I love the look of hand sewing and hand embroidery, my hand work does not live up to my own expectations.

Yes, I know, practice makes perfect, but I also have a hard time sitting around making "practice pieces" just for the heck of it.  If I spend time on it I want to use it, right?

At some point though, I decided to get over myself and do what hand work I could.  Ironically, the more I do, the less I feel it needs to be visually perfect.  I am starting to love the more organic nature of handwork and to me it now looks more real.

For this piece, the pattern was drawn first on paper and I had indended to use a transfer paper to shift the design to the fabric.  Unfortunately, my transfer sheets eluded me.  Instead, I took a pin, poked a series of holes along the design line, laid it on the fabric and drew over it with a chalk pencil.  After removing the stencil, I sketched over my lines and started stitching. 

Stitches used here are chain, split and stem (all worked in Renaissance Dyeing's crewel wool).

Pennsic is being held a week early this year.  The dates will be July 19 – August 3.  Yes, that means the last day is actually Saturday, August 3rd and NOT Sunday, August 4th. 

And because people love to generate conspiracy theories... they have already stated that it is not the Coopers who have shortened the event.  It has nothing to do with the Coopers and has nothing to do with the fireworks festival that will be happening there in mid-August.

It was a decision of the Pennsic staff to do so to allow extra time for the clean up that the SCA volunteer crew has to do at the end of War.

It is not a permanent date chance, rather, they are trying it this year.  So people, please be responsible, clean up your site completely and, if possible, try to put in a few hours helping with the general SCA clean-up/pack-out as well.  

Busy.  Insanely busy, even, but this is how it goes.

The 12th Night dress is coming along a bit.  I can only do hand sewing or embroidery for very short bits of time before I have to take a break so that slows the entire process down.  I am crossing my fingers that it will still be done in time for the event and I hope to have update photos soon.

I am also working on some decor for Kingdom 12th Night.  Those items were started last night and should come along nicely.  I am quite pleased to be doing this and excited to see how things work up!

Two holiday projects (non-SCA related) are also underway.  One will be done this weekend, and the other in a few weeks.  They are taking much less time than expected, which should leave me MORE time for my 12th Night projects.

A couple of award letters have been written in hopes that some deserving individuals will be giving due credit.  I might even get a few more done before the holidays.  I love seeing my friends receive awards for their hard work!

And, If I am lucky I will get a couple of my documents revised and posted here before the year is up as well.  It is my goal to use this site, in part, to house my work (thereby getting it off sites like Scribd that require someone to pay to download a document that I feel should be free).  Of course, I need to track down one of my base documents before I can do

And best of all, see that photo above?  The LOVELY compact countermarche loom?  THAT is what my amazing, awesome, incredible boyfriend is getting me for Christmas.  YES, at least, my garb geekery will go to the most exciting of extremes!

 

The SCA was founded by individuals, noted author Marion Zimmer Bradley among them, who wanted to have medieval-themed, fantasy parties.  We all know that the organization has grown far beyond those small events and has branched out in a variety of ways.

I do like to believe, however, that one of the things that has remained unchanged is that one of the primary values on which we are based is that of Chivalry.  Now, I do not mean Chivalry in the sense that everyone should aspire to Knighthood.  Rather, I mean that as a group we should act in a chivalrous manor - at least on occasion. ;-)

This summer I was most honored to receive a Sycamore (an Arts and Sciences award for the Kingdom of Æthelmearc).  My duplicitous household told me that I had to be at Court because a fellow member was receiving an award.  Dutifully, and drenched in sweat on that 100 degree day, I watched the proceedings (which despite the heat, were lovely).  I was a bit surprised when I heard my own name called! 

I was not only thrilled to have been given this award, but also thrilled with the lovely scroll and medallion I received. 

Shortly after the event, I ran a few searches online and found an email address for the lady who made my scroll and I sent her a note of thanks.  The email I got in return stunned me.

She thanked me for emailing her.  Apparently, this is not a common practice.  I turned to my boyfriend and asked him if it was not customary to thank the scribe who put the time into the piece of art that would memorialize your award and he said that unless you actually knew the person, or they were at the event, it does not often happen.

I was in awe.  Maybe it does happen more often than not.  At least, I am going to hope that is really the case.  When I think about the fact that someone took the time to do illumination or calligraphy for me, and used their own supplies (which I assume is the case), I think that the very least they deserve is a hearty "Thank You"!  Given that this can quite often be a stranger that you may or may not ever meet (though I was lucky enough to meet the lovely gentles who did both the art and the words for my scroll), I think a thanks should be mandatory given the generosity they had already shown me.  I know these individuals do not perform their art for thanks or glory, but it can never hurt to let them know how much you appreciate their vast efforts.

I will not even mention the fact that in discussions about this with various people I discovered that there are some who are actually unhappy with a scroll they were given.  Really?  Someone took their time to make something special for you and you can actually publicly express displeasure?  I have no (kind) words for those individuals at all...

To sum it up?  Thank the Kingdom scribes, illuminators, wordsmiths and heralds if you can.  I am sure they would love to know their efforts are truly appreciated!

I often have people new to sewing come to me for advice on which machine should be their first (or next, in the case of those looking for an upgrade).

I suggest first that they try to borrow a machine from someone else to see if it is even something they really want to learn.  (Too many people think it will be easier than it is, and that it somehow isn't something you have to actively practice in order to produce nice work.)  If they have already tried sewing and are fairly certain it is an avenue they want to pursue, I recommend they get a decent machine with a handful of stitches and with a drop-in bobbin.

Now, I know quite a few people who recommend only vintage, all-metal parts, machines.  I, however, don't. Unless the person asking for information already has such a beast, I rarely suggest it (thought I do advocate trying one out if they have access to one).  Yes, I know, that machine has been functioning for 50 (or 80) years and will likely run for another 50 (or 80) because they were just made that well, but honestly, I have never really enjoyed sewing on them.

I personally have two of vintage machines, one is a Necchi and the other (if I recall correctly) is a Singer.  They belonged to my granny and mam-maw.  They are beautiful and entertaining to use, but I do not actually enjoy sewing with them (though I know many people love that type and would consider using nothing else). 

I find them slow to use, even slower to change stitches (especially for machines that use cams) and very trying when it comes to bobbins and bobbin casings.  Yes, that sounds silly from someone who has been sewing more than half her life, but fiddling with a bobbin case can very much eliminate any joy I have in a project.

I've owned an industrial, a past-its-prime White (nicknamed Lloth because it had a tendency to hack up spider-babies of thread) and a couple of other very low-end machines that did not last long.  In 1995, I got my first nice machine.  It was a Babylock and had a range of stitches and a drop-in bobbin.  It really changed how I felt about sewing (which was good, given that I paid $500 for it).  That machine served me very well, even with the considerable amount of sewing I do, until the Great Pennsic Rush of 2005.  That year I was building complete Pennsic wardrobes for 4 people from scratch.  The vast amount of sewing was too much for the poor Babylock and one week before war, my machine choked and just could not go on. 

Being the awesome individual that he is, my BF came home from work the very next night with a shiny new Kenmore from Sears.  This model was comparable to the machine that just died and cost only half of what the one a decade before had run.  This one, too, served me well and I was able finish all of the Pennsic projects on time.  To this day, I recommend this and similar Kenmore machines to people wanting to learn to sew (the last time I checked they range from $170-250, with drop-in bobbins and nice button hole features).  At least three people I know purchased them and had rave reviews after using them. 

What I do not recommend is any Wal-Mart $79 special machine.  I have never seen last more than a few months in the hands of someone doing alot of sewing.  I have even seen one fresh from the box that barely stitched at all.  I think it would be wise to save just a little more cash ($200, though sometimes you can even get nice machines for $150) and get a decent machine from the start if you are set on purchasing one new.  (If you are lucky, you will have at least one friend in your social circle who can scout out amazing bargains and who also knows how to sew. If you are on a super tight budget, get that person to help you find a great deal on Craigs List, Goodwill, flea markets, etc.!)

All of that being said, I still did not actually enjoy sewing until I got, in 2006, an embroidery/sewing machine.  My Husqvarna/Viking Designer SE is nothing short of amazing.  If you are an avid sewer, and have a use for machine embroidery, I cannot recommend this type of machine enough.  The entire line of machines is fabulous.  My mother got the Topaz 30 (the SE's little sister) a couple of years ago for Christmas and that one is also fantastic.  I test drove one before giving my dad my review, and it is an excellent machine, with the most of the same amazing sewing capabilities that I have on mine and very nice embroidery functions as well.  They no longer make the SE as the Rose and Diamond have come to the forefront of the Husqvarna line, but if you are in the market for a machine like this you can check them out here:  http://www.husqvarnaviking.com/us/19554.htm

I hope that no one thinks I am suggesting that that one needs a pricey machine like these. BUT, I do think that if one sews excessively, but is not happy with the hand-me-down or starter machine one already owns, that perhaps a visit to a dealer is in order. 

If you do go to scout out a new sewing machine, I suggest you test driving several models and several brands.  This will allow you to see what functions exist on machines today, and then you can figure out what might most benefit you.  Different people will have different priorities when it comes to machines and all of those things should be factored into a decision about what to buy.  Another personal example I have is that I once had an industrial because I thought I "needed" one.  I used it for one project and puttered with it perhaps twice beyond that.  I did not actually like sewing with it at all, and found that most anything I needed to do, I could do with another machine that was just easier (and less intimidating) to use. 

Want more for less?  Test drive machines at your local dealer and then look for refurbished units or check with the local sewing and quilt stores (small shops rather than stores like Joanns) to see if they have a board or newsletter where other customers can place ads when they are selling used machines.  It also might not hurt to keep an eye on Craig's List as well.

My advice for those looking to upgrade:

• If you are looking for a new machine, make a list of the things you regularly sew.  Also make a list of the things you think you want to try to sew in the future (note which items you are sure about and which you might just want to dabble in). 
  
• What weights of fabric do you typically use?  Do you use silk chiffon for veils and the next day multiple layers of canvas and quilting for gambesons or do you mostly stick with middle weight fabrics and only occasionally range out to either end of the spectrum?
  
• How much sewing do you regularly do?  Someone considering starting a business would likely have different needs than someone who sews for a few events a year.
  
• Do you need specialty presser feet (you need to know if they make the right feet for the machine you are looking at)? 
  
• Do you really need 423 stitches or are they just something that would be nice to have?

Answering the above will help you and the staff at your local shops determing which machine will best fill your needs.  When it comes time to go shopping, grab your list and do the following:

• Check out more than one brand.  It's like buying a car, only more fun!
  
• Call your local shops and ask if someone has time to sit with you and show you the bells and whistles on a variety of models.  They are often quite willing to do so.  I have not had much pressure from the local women trying to upsell, but if you feel like you are dealing with a used car dealer, leave.  There are other places to shop.
  
• Look at reviews of the machines online.  This site has great reviews for sewing machines, embroidery machines and sergers:  http://sewing.patternreview.com/SewingMachine/
• After previewing a variety of models, decide what you can afford and if you prefer to purchase new or save some money with a refurbished or used machine.
• If you are really torn about a particular machine and its higher-end/higher-priced counterpart, but are not quite sure you will use it enough to warrant the expense, talk to the dealer about their trade-in programs.  Yes, just like cars, many top machines have trade-in values and you can apply that to a newer/faster/shinier machine later.  (And also like cars, you are likely to get more money selling it yourself than you are with a dealer trade-in, but you do not have to track down a buyer yourself and that can save you time.)
  

And lest I be judged and condemned as a bad Scadian, I will note that there is always the option to hand-sew.  In fact, I think that anyone interested in garb or research should learn at least the basic hand stitches and consider using them for any visible seams (top-stitching and hems) for your nicest garb, if nothing else.

I personally, would hand-sew more of my garb than I do now if my work-schedule and arthritis would let me... As it is, I choose to hand-sew certain projects and do my Pennsic bulk-sewing on the machine.  I will have more to post about hand-sewing very soon.

I love the internet age.  I love that we now have so many resources available at our fingertips.  I also love that I can type a few words into Google and get back pages of interesting information about my query.

Unfortunately, this easy access to information has made the process of research somewhat one-sided or even lazy at times.  It is sad to see documents out there (that pertain to the SCA or, actually, even papers that are turned in for classes in school) that have bibliographies which list nothing more than a serious of websites.  And, to make matters worse, those websites are often only tertiary resources at best.  (Edited to add that I understand that some items could be well-researched online if the proper resources - such as academic journals - are used.  Unfortunately, that is not the first, or even the last, stop for so many people.)

Now, I fully understand that some people do not have an innate love for research.  They are happy to find a document that reasonably describes what they want to portray and then just replicate the item.  As long as they aren't pursuing a Laurel (or college degree, lol), there is nothing wrong with that.  Everyone finds different joys in this game.

However, for those who are really looking to dig further into the past, research is mandatory.  And I will even go further to say that you will have to - at some point - look beyond the standard collection of SCA resources and weblinks and search out those primary sources and extant items.  And yes, you will need to start tracking down those hard-to-find articles and books.

Those books, while wonderful, are often run in small numbers and therefore are quite pricey.  Or, they are out-of-print and therefore pricey.  Or both.  There are some other options though.

Look on Google books.  Yes this is technically internet research, but occasionally you can find a great text there in its entirety.  Many other volumes are there in partial format and you can at least scan through the pertinent information to see if you really need to spend the money on the book at all.

And don't forget to check with other SCAdians.  Someone might not be willing to loan you a $600 book, but many are more than happy to bring it to an event for you to take a peek.  (Some events even have a library space set up were individuals can take the time to explore the collections of other SCA researchers.)

And yes, you can even go to the actual library.  Despite our Kindle filled world, libraries still exist.  Most small branches will not have much in depth on SCA topics, but if you have access to larger branches or university libraries you are quite lucky indeed.  You might not be able to check-out a book from a college facility if you are not a student, but you can usually still browse and copy the resources that interest you.  Thanks to the internet, you can even find out in advance if the titles you are looking for are available at the nearby establishments.

And finally, do not discount Inter-Library Loan.  For those who do not know what ILL is, it is a very powerful resource that allows you to borrow a book from a library elsewhere in the world right from your own branch.

I actually did not take advantage of ILL for the longest time because I listened to the people who told me it never worked.  Given my experience with the system this year, I have to wonder how often they actually tried the system or how many decades ago they tried the process.  I know that I have had nothing but fabulous luck so far and highly recommend searching out those rare books via this method. 

I do have a few tips for people new to ILL:

• Make sure that you have the full title of the book in question, as well as all of the author/s and the editor.  Run additional searches to see if the title was ever different or spelled differently in the case of a title in another language. 
  
• Make sure you have the ISBN number, if possible.
• Perform your own library searches online.  This will allow you to potentially figure out locations of these books before you even put in your ILL request (this definitely helped me track down a copy of Osebergfundet, Volume 4, in the US).  The item exists in a fashion school in NYC, but was improperly listed in their system (there was no Volume number listed with it).  I was able to contact them to verify that it was indeed the correct volume and have my library pull that copy, and not one from overseas (for which I would have had to pay shipping).
• Understand in advance that you made be asked how much you would be willing to pay to have the item shipped to your branch.  I always put that I am willing to pay $25, but have yet to actually pay for any shipping.
• Also understand that you will likely only have use of the book for a few weeks, and often that borrowing time starts from the day it arrives in your library, and not the day you actually pick up the book.
• You will also likely have a limited time (my library gives 5 days) for you to check-out the book.  
• Finally, be patient.  It can take some time to get a book via ILL, a few weeks or even a few months.  I recommend that you do not try to resource a book during a time when you have vacations planned.  For example, I would not request a book in June for fear it would show up while I was at Pennsic.
  

My nickname - Elf -  is very un-SCAdian.  It is, however, the name that most of my friends call me and at this point in time, it is a name I have had for for over half my life. 

The name was given to me by someone very important to me, and its actually short for Frick the Elf-Sprite-Faerie-Kender-Creature.  The use of this name is so prevalent among my friends that there have even been times when people actually thought my given name was Elf!

So even before I chose an SCA name, I had a nickname that was commonly used.  My Household, however, has a rule that "You get one name."  Within our group, that means pick a name, pick it early, and stick with it.  I did none of those really (well, at least not the "stick with it part"), so the name they have always used for me is Elf, as that was how most of them were initially introduced to me.

When I first got involved in the SCA, I chose a really horrible, exceedingly long, quasi-Irish name.  Very undocumentable, yet pretty appropriate for the dire persona story I had developed at the time.  Yes, like many newcomers to the SCA I wanted a Celtic-Pirate-Gypsy-World-Traveller-and-Inadvertant-Time-Traveller persona.  There is so much out there to learn and do that its easy to want to do it all!

I think the key is in realizing that you do not need to invent that story to cover all bases ;-)

So, I had a tragic name initially, then I settled on Teine inghen Sheadhgha or Teine ni Shea (both undocumentable for SCA purposes).  When I started my Middle Eastern persona I switched to Basina al-Adarpadyavand (name glopped together from two different name lists).  Now, my mistakes should be a warning to folks out there looking for names (any names really, but Middle Eastern or dancer names in particular), there are alot of really bad name resources online.  I happened to use one of those to choose that name.  I found later that Basina was not Arabic after all, and it did not mean what I thought it meant and it was also undocumentable for my persona.  I later settled on (and registered) Umm Hurayrah bint Khalid - which is documentable and Hurayrah means "kitten" (making me Mother of Kitten, daughter of Khalid).  It works, BUT is so hard to pronounce that my friends could not use it for introductions and I pitied any poor herald that had to call that mess out in Court.

As I have mentioned before in this blog, I was extremely fortunate, in 2007, to make a trip to Oslo.  I already liked the look of the Norse costumes I saw in the SCA, but this journey convinced me that this was something I needed to pursue!  By 2012, this had become the primary course of my studies and I decided to choose a Norse name and, also, to finally register my device.

As a kindness to my friends, I deliberately chose a name this time that has "elf" in it.  Álfrún ketta it will be from now on and yes, calling me Elf is just fine.

I do have a bit of advice to those seeking out names for use in the SCA:

• When you first sit down to choose a name, look closely at your sources.  Are they credible?  Are the names you are looking at documentable?  Often people are so excited to play in the SCA that they don't take the time to choose a name that works within the context of the Society and they end up regretting it later.  It is far easier to choose a documentable name from the start, than it is try to to figure out how to document something later.  There are likely heralds in your local group who will be more than eager to help you with this process!
• Despite the rule in my own Household, its not bad to take some time to really find the name you want.  Going to a few events and getting an idea of what interests you the most in the SCA (in terms of culture or activities) can really help you narrow down the possibilities to find the right name.
  
• While it is possible to change your name, or have multiple names, it is not always easy.  Often people have a hard time remembering even one name for a person.  Be kinder to those around you than I was to my friends.  Choose wisely, and if you opt to change or register a second name, it might be good to choose something close to the one you already had.
• If you do change your name, do not get upset if others do not remember it.
• And remember, you do not need to change your persona and name the way you change your clothes.  It is very acceptable to carry an Irish name, but wear an Italian Renaissance gown for 12th Night (and you do not need to invent a wild Pirate's-Daughter type story to explain how you came to possess that dress either).
• There are also great resources online to help you pick a name, including the Academy of St. Gabriel.  Their newcomer's article can be found here:
  http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/dietmar/hints.html

I belong to quite a few lists on various topics relating to SCA garb.  Invariably there will be a conversation where someone mentions wanting "generic <insert culture or period here> garb".   Too often the over enthusiastic members of the list will proceed to either douse the individual with two much information (resulting in Newbie Meltdown) or scare them off entirely by reprimanding them with the firm announcement that there is no such thing as generic garb.

Yes, we all love what we are doing.  And yes, we really love to share that with others.  It is too easy to get frustrated with those who either don't understand our dedication to pursuing a specific avenue of interest or just frustrated over the fact that not everyone even cares that specifics even exist.

I do, however, firmly believe that Generic Garb has it's place in the SCA.  Imagine there is a new member to the society who thinks they want to do a Middle Eastern persona but are not really sure.  Or perhaps this person is an SCA veteran whose talents do not lay in the field of research or even sewing but they want to go to a Middle Eastern or Viking themed event.  Maybe this individual does not know much about the culture, but really want to make an effort to be a part of the theme (and thereby add to the event's over all atmosphere).  They likely don't have time to look further into the details (or maybe they just are not sure which specifics they want to pursue) so they opt for a generic look that not only meets the SCA's Attempt rule, but exceeds it by at least trying to better fit into an event.  Either of these people are great candidates for Generic Garb!

As long as that generic-viking is not telling anyone else that what they produced is the one right way to do it, more power too them.  And, honestly, they might just like it enough to want to go a step further the next time.  I also find that often individuals are even very happy to engage in conversations with specialists who might have useful information to make their look even more period.  It is all in the way the matter is approached.  Additionally, I think its important that those who choose to specialize keep in mind that not everyone wants too go down that road and it is really quite OK if someone does not care to discuss the fine points of period and place appropriate Viking brooches.

So yes, I do teach "Generic Garb" classes on occasion (and am preparing to instruct on Viking aprondress construction soon, hopefully).  And based on the feedback I got, I think the classes I have done were well received and I know that my Middle Easter Coat class/handout got quite a few people stirred up about learning more about period Middle Eastern garb!  (As soon as my I have a chance to revise my handout for that one, I will post it here.)

So yes, generic garb has its place and I certainly hope that people to enjoy what they have made enough to explore the details further!