[Ansteorra] Telling someone that what they are doing is not period

[Ruh]

This goes for all period activities, not just garb but I'm going to use one of the incidents you referred to as a specific example.  Instead of saying something like, "You won't get high scores in A&S if you bead on polyester," you can say something like, "Ooo, I love to see beaded work!  You know, if you did it on cotton/silk/velvet... you could enter it in an A&S competition."  Or, if you are someone they look to for instruction say something like, "Hmm, let's see how you do and then maybe copy the pattern onto a period fabric and enter it in A&S."  
 
For garb, sometimes it can be as simple as saying that you like the style they chose and would love to try it in a period fabric.  If it's the style of garb, you can tell them, "You know, I always had trouble with that style until someone showed me how to make gussets," and then proceed to teach them when they ask you what the heck a gusset is.
 
Or, hold a short class for newcomers at events about how to tell period fabrics from more modern ones.  While in the class mention period silhouettes without going into details.  Make sure it's short and sweet, taking place at the event they are attending and well publicized.  Give them your contact information in case they are interested in finding out more.  You will have takers.  You will make new friends.  More people will be bitten by the bug.
 
Lady Edith Grey
 
 
From: <willowjonbardc at juno.com>
To: <loch-ruadh at ansteorra.org>; <northern at ansteorra.org>;
<ansteorra at ansteorra.org>; <elfsea at ansteorra.org>; <steppes at ansteorra.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 9:05 PM
Subject: [Ansteorra] Telling someone that what they are doing is not period


> Greetings everyone
>
> I have a special request of you. How can we tell people that what they
> are doing is not correct? That it is not period, but at the same time
> not make them feel bad. Many newer people are telling me that they are
> living in fear because they think their costumes, art, performances or
> behavor are going to be criticized and they are going to be told that
> they are not in period.
>
>  Now as a citizen of the SCA I feel it is my duty to inform people
> that their work may be better if they would stay in period. I have
> tried to tell them in a nice way. I have failed many times. Sometimes
> I am too soft. There was the young lady who was planning on beading a
> piece of polyester double knit. I warned her that taking that much
> time on double knit meant it would not get the best scores at the A&S
> competitions. She said she liked the design and she didn't plan on
> entering A&S. Of course 3 years later she did enter it and got points
> knocked because it was double Knit. She left the SCA over it. I failed
> with my own husband. I told him his work was not period and he is
> still mad at me. Sometimes I have helped people. There was a lady who
> in the everyday world won many awards for her needlework, but she was
> getting nowhere in SCA. I suggested she change her designs to
> something period and she received many awards for her work. When I
> told her that her designs were wrong she cried, but a year later when
> she got her Thistle she hugged me.
>
> We need to tell people the rules of the game, but we need to do it in
> a nice way. Does anyone remember a time when someone set you on the
> right path and did in a way that made you feel good? I would like to
> hear about their techniques. Courtesy is one of the pillars of the
> magic that is Ansteorra. We are smart people. We need to figure out
> how to tell people things without hurting their feelings.
> Duchess Willow de Wisp

 
"Sometimes you have to claw your way into the light instead of just standing there letting it shine."
Pledges - Amireal