A french seam is something my mother taught me, that she was taught to do to prevent fabric from fraying before the invention of the overlocker. I now use this method for medieval hand-sewn garments. I don’t actually have any evidence that it is “”period”” or historically accurate, but given that it’s a practical solution to fraying edges I see no reason to think that people in the past wouldn’t have used this technique. It’s elegantly simple. First, with wrong sides facing, pin and sew a running seam about 5mm from the edge of the fabric (approximately! Can vary depending on all sorts). I often sew this seam about 10mm in and then trim the rough edge back, if there is room to do so.
A pell is a training aid for sword fighting. At its simplest it is an upright pole that you can cut and thrust against to practice striking target locations and generate power. They are often marked with striking zones and sometimes have the means to attach a sword, shield or other equipment so you can practice striking round them.
The SCA or The Society for Creative Anachronism is an international organisation dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th-century Europe. Our “Known World” consists of 19 kingdoms, with over 30,000 members residing in countries around the world. Members, dressed in clothing of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, attend events which feature tournaments, royal courts, feasts, dancing, various classes & workshops, and more.
A throw stick is used in a number of games instead of dice. The stick has a coloured side and an uncoloured side. On your turn, you throw a number of sticks to determine the movement.