Beer & Museum – Elizabethan Miniatures
Sunday 7 April, 2pm-4.30pm 
A beer and museum trip to what is ‘the first major UK exhibition of these miniatures for a generation’. The NPG is gathering together miniatures fron the late 16th and early 17th century. Let’s go see them (magnifying glass optional) and then go for a beer afterwards.
Tickets to the exhibition are £10 (£8.50) concessions. We suggest everyone sorts out their own and then meet up there.
Coffee and a Chat – meet up!
4 April, 5.30pm onwards
Another chance to meet with your fellow nutters from Thamesreach.
Come join us for coffee and a chat in the middle of a book shop!
Small projects,questions and board games are all welcome!
Come as you are, stay for as long as you like!
Stitch&Bitch
14 April, 1pm
At our Stitch and Bitch afternoons everyone is welcome with or without a project. Maybe you have a question about a new project, maybe you got stuck, maybe you just want to get out of the house and meet up for a good chat.
These Crafting Afternoons are held at a members house and future meetings are being arranged all the time, please see our calendar for more details and dates.
Red & Gold – Scribal Masterclass –POSTPONED
Due to unforeseen circumstances we may need to postpone. More information to follow shortly.
We are pleased to be presenting our very first Thamesreach Masterclass.
This first class will focus on the scribal arts and held by one of Drachenwald’s most skilled scribes Mistress Oriane d’Avallon.
Mistress Oriane has been a member of the SCA for over 30 years. Her first home being Drei Eichen, a shire she helped create and then raise to Barony, becoming the Founding Baroness in 1994. Mistress Oriane’s love has always laid towards the scribal arts, and she has gone on to create numerous scrolls and documents for our Kingdom. Her skill was acknowledged when she was made a Laurel at Double Wars VI in 1998. She has since gone on to be a recognised authority on gilding and we are excited that she is now giving this class for those wishing to further their knowledge in illuminations.
As space for this class i limited, your place will only be confirmed once payment has reached Thamesreach.
Date 16 March, 11am-5pm
Venue The Duke of Sussex 23 Baylis Road, London, SE1 7AY
Price £10 + any material requested in advance, available at cost
Tools to bring if available brushes, tray/palette, quills, pen knife, gilding supplies, burnishers, gold leaf
If you don’t have any of the tools (yet), please let us know in advance.
Dots, dots, glorious dots, and squiggles too
Embellishment with red dots are so typical for Insular manuscripts and can take thousands of dots. Pen-flourished initials, often “puzzle” initials, can combine not just red and blue, but gold as well. Let’s see how to make them quick & easy.
We will also make red vermilion ink, cut quills and gild initials.
All that glitter: Patterned gold backgrounds
Let’s take a look at the development of the gilding technique and the interesting detours towards the glorious patterned gold backgrounds of the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries.
Raised Gold is flat
No, it’s not an oxymoron, it’s logical! We will make gesso (which you can take home), apply gesso, and gild (on prepared samples).
Rapier Revel
15 June, 1pm-9pm
Venue St Mary-at-Finchley, 26 Hendon Lane, N3 1 London, United Kingdom
An afternoon of rapier-related activity, followed by a potluck feast.
Join the Thamesreach Guard for a life of adventure, peril and reward!
There will be some warm-up and training exercises suitable for all (including newcomers) and opportunities to authorise either for the first time or in new forms. Fencers can earn prizes through a series of connected tourney and melee scenarios, which will lead to a final tourney with a grand prize.
The site is a large community hall next door to a church with 15th century parts. It should be possible to visit the interior (though timing may depend on weddings) during the day.
Further details to follow, but get it in your diary now!