Astra Christiana Benedict
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 Astra | ||||||||||
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 Per fess azure mullety of eight points Or and purpure crusilly Or. | ||||||||||
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Baroness Astra Christiana Benedict, OL, OP, is a co-founder of the Right Noble Company of Clothiers. She is not only a noted costumer, but also a fiber artist, noted for spinning and weaving, and a long-standing supporter of the heralds' office and the bardic arts.
Persona
For Astra, it's always 1490. She's the youngest daughter of a Florentine merchant, importing and exporting textiles. A skilled administrator, she keeps the clerks of her uncle's business in line.
Offices & Positions
- Seneschal of Lyondemere, 1986-1987
This was a peaceful and prosperous time for the Barony, and her tenure was relatively uneventful.
- Kingdom Minister of Lists, 1988-1989
Implemented the phase-out of the use of individual combat waivers for each event, and the use of new authorization cards, per direction of the SCA Marshal. Also implemented the change to Kingdom law requiring entrants to Crown Tournament to have both a name and device registered with the College of Arms.
- Office Administrator, Laurel Sovereign of Arms Office, 1992-1993
Responsible for coordinating all paper work of the Laurel Office during the tenure of Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme, which at that time included the supervision of the College of Arms and the decisions and registration of all names and devices.
- Programming Coordinator, Collegium Caidis, 1996-1997
Created this position and a system of topical tracks, with specialized regents, to plan classes and recruit teachers for the Kingdom’s twice-yearly Collegium. With the implementation of this new system, the Collegium experienced a renaissance with its largest sessions in its history, more classes and higher attendance than ever before.
- Right Noble Company of Clothiers of Caid, 1981-2006
Co-founder with Baroness Angelina Nicollette de Beaumont of a monthly costuming guild. The Company received its Kingdom charter in 1983, and the status of "Right Noble" in 1991, one of the first two guilds so recognized.
- Lady in Waiting to Queens Ascelyn Schirleah, Ealasaid nic Chlurain, and Isabel Antonia de Aranjuez; clothier (with Angelina Nicollette de Beaumont) to Kipp and Berengaria, Glyn and Tressa, and Jason Griffiths of Shadowhyrst III. Royal Advisor to Edric and Albra.
- Royal Chamberlain (with Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme) to Gerhart and Una.
Event Staff
- Sheep-to-Shawl Demos/Fundraisers, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2014
Created and organized the first and several subsequent Sheep-to-Shawl fundraisers/demos, a raffle of a hand-spun and -woven shawl with the dual purpose of raising money for the Kingdom and promoting the fiber arts by involving as many people as possible in the project - spinning and weaving a garment in one day. The Early-Period Sheep-to-Shawl was a multi-day, multi-participant demo at Great Western War 2010, to create a hand spun and woven shawl entirely on drop spindle and warp weighted loom. The purpose was to promote the accessibility of the fiber arts using simple tools. Over forty people participated, some weaving and spinning for the first time. Both events have been featured with articles in Spin-Off Magazine, the premier periodical publication for spinners.
- Event Co-Steward, Black Oak Lodge: A Highland Fling, 1999
Co-steward with Mistress Thomasina MacGregor of Tay.
- Event Steward, Festival of the Rose, Aug 2006
The Festival held for Kolfinna kottr I, this was organized as a "celebration of Guilds".
- Event Steward, first Caidan Sciences Fair, 1994
The first Kingdom Sciences Fair.
- Revel Autocrat, Caid Twelfth Night 1987
- Saturday Breakfast, Winter Weekend 2011
Classes Taught
In addition to monthly Company of Clothiers meetings, Magistra Astra has taught over twenty-five classes at the Collegium Caidis, Great Western War, and the Known World Heraldic Symposium in various topics, including: costuming, embroidery, spinning, weaving, heraldry, dance.
- Construction of 15th Century Headdresses, Collegium Caidis-General Session 1982
- Trouble Shooting Spinning, Collegium Caidis Fall 2002
- Introduction to Weaving (4 Harness Loom), Collegium Caidis Spring 2004
- Fiber Workshop - Spin-in, Collegium Caidis Fall 2004
- Spinning Straw Into Thread: Flax, Collegium Caidis Fall 2004
- Stitch-In, Collegium Caidis Spring 2006
- Weaving on a Warp Weighted Loom, Collegium Caidis Spring 2007
- Putting Your Heraldry to Good Use, with Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme, Collegium Caidis 2013
Projects & Publications
- Complete Anachronist 50, "Armorial Display", 1990
Coauthored with Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme, Conrad von Regensburg, Éowyn Amberdrake, and Zenobia Naphtali.
- "Nice Touches", 1989
Co-Author with Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme. A collection of articles, most of which were first published in the Crown Prints, on the graces and flourishes that can add to SCA pageantry and enjoyment. First published as a collection in 1989, it has been reprinted many times, and disseminated widely throughout the Known World.
- Co-steward (with Astridr Selr Leifsdóttir) in GWW Spinzilla 2016
