It's been a while since I updated this page but I am still making banners. Until I get a webpage this and facebook will have to do. All the information about pricing is the same except that I am charging $5 for shipping now as I am sending things priority USPS now instead of first class. I can still be contacted at silkbanners@gmail.com, or facebook. Also, I changed my SCA name from Isabella E so I am trying to connect my banner making to my real name, Amanda Michaels.
https://www.facebook.com/windyvalleyfinearts
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Just an update.
I'm still making banners, I just don't post much here. You can find a gallery with many of the banners I've made here:
I'm also making pewter plaque belts. Prices vary depending on size and options, but generally they are $8.00 per plaque without enamel coloring and $9.00 per plaque with coloring. The plaques are between 1 1/4" and 1 1/2" square and have pegs cast into the back that I attach them to a sturdy leather belt with. In the future I will also be offering completed woven belts for women and buckled style belts with 14th century belt mounts. Here are some examples of completed belts:
This one was based on an effigy brass from 1380.
http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff347/isabellaevangelista/1380Closeup1.jpg
This is the first belt I made for myself originally:
http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff347/isabellaevangelista/mykit/finishedbelt1.jpg
They have a fermail style fastening instead of a buckle. Also I am willing to do custom mold carving for an additional cost.
Monday, August 31, 2009
What to do if your banner gets bled on.
Duke Eduard had someone's banner bleed on his and left some dye on it. Apparently they were able to get a lot of the foreign dye out by probably handwashing it gently with synthrapol detergent. Synthrapol is an industrial detergent that is used as a pre wash to remove stuff from fabric before dying and also to help keep dyes color fast after they are set. You can get it from Dharma Trading Company that I know of for sure but I'm sure it's available other places too. I've never had this happen to one of my banners, but as I've stated before letting a banner rest on a pourous damo surface, like another banner or pavilion roof can cause dye to be leeched out so it's possible a banner could get bled on by another banner that way. Just another little problem I've never encountered like the lamp oil thing.
Edit- This works pretty well to remove un-set dye. I've used some watered down synthrapol to fix spots that have bled over into another color or dripped into an unintended spot.
Edit- This works pretty well to remove un-set dye. I've used some watered down synthrapol to fix spots that have bled over into another color or dripped into an unintended spot.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Lamp oil
Lamp oil will apparently dissolve the rubber based gutta. I'm not sure whether it would do the same thing to the water based stuff I decided to give a try recently but I guess the best rule would be to store your banner in a ziplock bag (dry of course) to keep it from getting gunk from camping on it.
Edit- I rarely use the rubber based gutta anymore, but still something to watch out for. I switched to the water based resist for anything with a black outline but I still use the clear gutta for black charges.
Edit- I rarely use the rubber based gutta anymore, but still something to watch out for. I switched to the water based resist for anything with a black outline but I still use the clear gutta for black charges.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Care and feeding.
Care and feeding of your banner.
First off, these are not indestructible. But with proper care they will remain bright for years. Eventually exposure to sun and the elements though will make even the brightest fabric fade. You can prolong the life of your banner though by doing several things.
Store in a dry place. It is silk and can mildew and discolor. They don't take up much space so put them some place safe.
Keep dry when possible. If you can keep them out of the rain it will give them a longer lifespan. Every banner is heat treated to set the dyes so they won't run, but getting soaked repeatedly will still remove dye, just like from any dyed fabric. Make sure you don't allow them to rest on a flat or porous surface like the soggy top of your pavilion because the color will leech out. (This was the fate of my last batch of brand new banners.) If they do get wet, hang them up to dry. Don't put them in the dryer wet. I have noticed that you get some color leeching from it being tumbled around. They are dryer safe though on even a hot setting if you want to get the wrinkles out. I wouldn't recommend ironing because the resist can come off on the iron.
If they get dirty you can gently hand wash them in cold water and hang them up to dry. The shower curtain rod makes a convenient place for this. As long as they don't get really soiled or stained regular dirt from dusty events and such should wash off.
Don't hang near pointy things.
I do the hoist edge and ties with bias tape. If you need to repair yours, you can just carefully use a seam ripper to remove the bias tape and replace the old stuff with a pole fastening system of your choosing.
First off, these are not indestructible. But with proper care they will remain bright for years. Eventually exposure to sun and the elements though will make even the brightest fabric fade. You can prolong the life of your banner though by doing several things.
Store in a dry place. It is silk and can mildew and discolor. They don't take up much space so put them some place safe.
Keep dry when possible. If you can keep them out of the rain it will give them a longer lifespan. Every banner is heat treated to set the dyes so they won't run, but getting soaked repeatedly will still remove dye, just like from any dyed fabric. Make sure you don't allow them to rest on a flat or porous surface like the soggy top of your pavilion because the color will leech out. (This was the fate of my last batch of brand new banners.) If they do get wet, hang them up to dry. Don't put them in the dryer wet. I have noticed that you get some color leeching from it being tumbled around. They are dryer safe though on even a hot setting if you want to get the wrinkles out. I wouldn't recommend ironing because the resist can come off on the iron.
If they get dirty you can gently hand wash them in cold water and hang them up to dry. The shower curtain rod makes a convenient place for this. As long as they don't get really soiled or stained regular dirt from dusty events and such should wash off.
Don't hang near pointy things.
I do the hoist edge and ties with bias tape. If you need to repair yours, you can just carefully use a seam ripper to remove the bias tape and replace the old stuff with a pole fastening system of your choosing.
Banner Designs and Past Work.
The 6' and 8' standards are very similar. You can do most designs on either. The 8' length allows you to have more on the banner and longer tails if you want a swallow tail design.
If I can't cram everything you want into the size you are asking me about I will say so, but do my best to come up with a way to include what you ask for also.
If you would like to order a banner there are a few things to consider. The first is the length and shape. I can do a rounded end, pointed swallow tail or rounded swallow tail. I can do other stuff too if you have something in mind but those are the standard options.
Next you should think about what you would like represented. Historically it is my understanding that closest to the hoist often went the arms or badge of the person the bearer was in fealty to, and the bearer's arms or badge(s) are then broken up along the length and the arms themselves are not always displayed in full. This is to the best of my knowledge so if anyone out there has comments or corrections feel free to contact me.
The various heraldic elements were then commonly divided by a stripe with a motto. If you don't have one you can come up with one yourself or you can search on the net for a bunch of sites that have mottoes from various times in history.
You can see a gallery of many of my past commissions here:
http://s538.photobucket.com/albums/ff347/isabellaevangelista/Silk%20Banners/
And a ton of the digital variations I put together for customers til we came up with a design to their liking here:
http://s538.photobucket.com/albums/ff347/isabellaevangelista/Banner%20Mockups/
I always try to get pictures before I send them out but time and weather don't always permit.
If I can't cram everything you want into the size you are asking me about I will say so, but do my best to come up with a way to include what you ask for also.
If you would like to order a banner there are a few things to consider. The first is the length and shape. I can do a rounded end, pointed swallow tail or rounded swallow tail. I can do other stuff too if you have something in mind but those are the standard options.
Next you should think about what you would like represented. Historically it is my understanding that closest to the hoist often went the arms or badge of the person the bearer was in fealty to, and the bearer's arms or badge(s) are then broken up along the length and the arms themselves are not always displayed in full. This is to the best of my knowledge so if anyone out there has comments or corrections feel free to contact me.
The various heraldic elements were then commonly divided by a stripe with a motto. If you don't have one you can come up with one yourself or you can search on the net for a bunch of sites that have mottoes from various times in history.
You can see a gallery of many of my past commissions here:
http://s538.photobucket.com/albums/ff347/isabellaevangelista/Silk%20Banners/
And a ton of the digital variations I put together for customers til we came up with a design to their liking here:
http://s538.photobucket.com/albums/ff347/isabellaevangelista/Banner%20Mockups/
I always try to get pictures before I send them out but time and weather don't always permit.
Banner pricing and general info.
I don't have the time to put a webpage together yet so I am doing to use this blog for now to direct people to.
My name is THL Isabella Evangelista or Amanda Michaels and I am an active SCA participant in the Kingdom of Atenveldt. I have made over 80 banners for SCA members in 13 Kingdoms and a few also for some nice folks in Living History or WMA groups.
I am currently making 6' and 8' standards, for $90 and $120. The dimensions on them are not exact because the fabric can stretch or shrink a bit during the process of making them, but they are pretty close to 20" x 72" for the 6' and 20" x 90" for the 8'. The price includes first class shipping through USPS anywhere in the continental US, but if you want faster delivery or a different delivery service I may apply a shipping charge. I apply a shipping charge to countries outside the US but it is rarely more than $5 US. I am also happy to trade for stuff depending on what I might need. I can always use 14th century related garb and stuff!
I don't take deposits, I only take the full amount up front if we are not trading. Each banner I make is custom made and tailored to the bearer's tastes and personal heraldry. If someone decides not to pay or has a real emergency and can't, I am stuck with an item I am unable to sell to anyone else. With trades I am happy to make and send the banner first in good faith as I only deal with merchants with a good and established reputation. I accept checks, money orders or paypal with no personal preference on my part. I will start working on a banner when I have received funds.
Each banner is hand drawn and painted. I do not often use traced art. It saves me time to draw everything by hand which allows me to charge what I feel is a reasonable price for my labor. The fabric starts to stretch when it gets wet, so lines are not always 100% straight and these are not computer generated type perfect. I take pride in the fact that what I make is a hand made product and am happy to answer any questions in regards to their quality or the process of making them and the materials used.
They are made from 100% china silk and with proper care are durable and the colors will remain bright for many years.
All banners are outlined with the resist used to corral the different colors of dye, so they are in effect hemmed already and should not fray. The hoist is lined and a pair of ties are attached at the top and bottom so that you can use them on any size pole. If you wish I will leave them off so that you can finish the edge however you like.
I will help come up with a design for you if needed, taking as long as is necessary to nail down one that you like. I have done something like ten variations for people before so it's not a big deal if it takes a while, but it does add to the overall time it takes to deliver the finished product. I also do not charge for complexity unless it is much more detailed than what I normally make. The price on a banner of greater size or complexity of design is something that would be discussed during the ordering process.
My delivery time is usually about a month. It can be more or less depending on how long it takes to come up with a design, supplies I have to order specially that I don't normally use, shipping time and how much other stuff I have going on in my life. I am a firefighter/EMT and work 48 hour shifts with 4 days off in between. So I have to cram in time with friends and family banners, my own projects, housekeeping, etc into a four day period. :P I try to keep the delivery time within a reasonable time frame though. I will always do my best to keep customers updated though here or by email and I can always be contacted if you have questions. I am happy to give out my cell number but I will not publish it on the web.
To order, you can contact me at silkbanners@gmail.com
My name is THL Isabella Evangelista or Amanda Michaels and I am an active SCA participant in the Kingdom of Atenveldt. I have made over 80 banners for SCA members in 13 Kingdoms and a few also for some nice folks in Living History or WMA groups.
I am currently making 6' and 8' standards, for $90 and $120. The dimensions on them are not exact because the fabric can stretch or shrink a bit during the process of making them, but they are pretty close to 20" x 72" for the 6' and 20" x 90" for the 8'. The price includes first class shipping through USPS anywhere in the continental US, but if you want faster delivery or a different delivery service I may apply a shipping charge. I apply a shipping charge to countries outside the US but it is rarely more than $5 US. I am also happy to trade for stuff depending on what I might need. I can always use 14th century related garb and stuff!
I don't take deposits, I only take the full amount up front if we are not trading. Each banner I make is custom made and tailored to the bearer's tastes and personal heraldry. If someone decides not to pay or has a real emergency and can't, I am stuck with an item I am unable to sell to anyone else. With trades I am happy to make and send the banner first in good faith as I only deal with merchants with a good and established reputation. I accept checks, money orders or paypal with no personal preference on my part. I will start working on a banner when I have received funds.
Each banner is hand drawn and painted. I do not often use traced art. It saves me time to draw everything by hand which allows me to charge what I feel is a reasonable price for my labor. The fabric starts to stretch when it gets wet, so lines are not always 100% straight and these are not computer generated type perfect. I take pride in the fact that what I make is a hand made product and am happy to answer any questions in regards to their quality or the process of making them and the materials used.
They are made from 100% china silk and with proper care are durable and the colors will remain bright for many years.
All banners are outlined with the resist used to corral the different colors of dye, so they are in effect hemmed already and should not fray. The hoist is lined and a pair of ties are attached at the top and bottom so that you can use them on any size pole. If you wish I will leave them off so that you can finish the edge however you like.
I will help come up with a design for you if needed, taking as long as is necessary to nail down one that you like. I have done something like ten variations for people before so it's not a big deal if it takes a while, but it does add to the overall time it takes to deliver the finished product. I also do not charge for complexity unless it is much more detailed than what I normally make. The price on a banner of greater size or complexity of design is something that would be discussed during the ordering process.
My delivery time is usually about a month. It can be more or less depending on how long it takes to come up with a design, supplies I have to order specially that I don't normally use, shipping time and how much other stuff I have going on in my life. I am a firefighter/EMT and work 48 hour shifts with 4 days off in between. So I have to cram in time with friends and family banners, my own projects, housekeeping, etc into a four day period. :P I try to keep the delivery time within a reasonable time frame though. I will always do my best to keep customers updated though here or by email and I can always be contacted if you have questions. I am happy to give out my cell number but I will not publish it on the web.
To order, you can contact me at silkbanners@gmail.com
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