The Company holds four competitions each year, to encourage members to learn and excel at new styles of embroidery. Entries are judged on documentation, use of sources, technique, use of materials and presentation as they pertain to the period style of the piece. All pieces must be a useful object in their finished state, rather than an 'artwork'. Unfinished entries are allowed, but are marked lower than completed pieces.
The competitions run on the Society year, with the winner announced at each Rowany Festival at Easter. The Company member with the highest overall score throughout the year becomes the Guild Champion for the year following.
Competitions are run in accordance with our Ordinances (section 4). There is no minimum number of entries for a competition to be held. Points are awarded for documentation, use of sources, technique, use of materials and presentation as they pertain to the period style of the piece.
Documentation is not required for competitions, but entries which include it are likely to score higher.
There are two forms available for member use: an Entry Form, Judging Form and a set of Judging Criteria.
Current Year - AS XLVII (May Crown 2012 - Twelfth Night 2013)
Next year
- May Crown: Goldwork
- Midwinter: Plain sewing (construction sewing)
- November: German pictorial woolwork
- 12th Night: Assis work
Past Competitions
AS XLVI May Crown 2011 - Twelfth Night 2012
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May Crown Household items - towels, aprons, pillows...
Winner: Hunydd verch Madyn Duy - long-armed cross-stitch towel Judge: Rowan Perigrynne |
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Midwinter UnFinished Objects - No competition |
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November Pearled and beaded - No competition |
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12th Night Or Nue - No competition |
AS XLV (May Crown 2010 - Twelfth Night 2011)
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May Crown LOG pouches - Original or WCoB designs
Winner: Caera Sionnach - applied goldwork pouch Judge: Rowan Perigrynne |
| No entries |
Midwinter Decorated underwear - shirts, ruffs, hose, drawers... |
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November Couched and Laid work
Winner - Leoba - Ottoman work |
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12th Night Whitework
Winner - Lady Catalina de Gata - Lefkara handkerchief |
AS XLIV (May Crown 2009 - Twelfth Night 2010)
Champion: to be determined
| No entries |
May Crown Unfinished objects |
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Midwinter Headwear
Winner - Fionnabhair ingean ui Mheadhra - Elizabethan blackwoork hood Judges - Mathilde Adycote, Contarina la Bianca |
| No entries |
November Canvas work |
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12th Night 3 dimensional embroidery
Winner - Alliette Delacourt Judges - Acacia de Navarre, Rowan Perigrynne |
AS XLIII (May Crown 2008 - Twelfth Night 2009)
Champion: to be detemined
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May Crown Elizabethan polychrome
Winner: Rowan Perigrynne - Elizabethan glove Judges: Marienna Jendattr |
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Midwinter Extremities - embroidery on hands and feet
No entries |
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November Crown Applique or intarsia
Winner: Judges: |
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Twelfth NIght Pictorial theme – Hunting
Winner: Judges: |
AS XLII (May Crown 2007 - Twelfth Night 2008)
Champion: To be Determined
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May Crown Heraldic Embroidery
Winner: Contarina la Bianca – goldwork dragon Judges: Rowan Perigrynne, Mathilde Adycote |
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Midwinter Competition Wool (on or with)
Winner: Jane Stockton – Anglo Saxon tunic Judges: Rowan Perigrynne |
| No entries |
November Crown Slips (including LOG design) |
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Twelfth Night Book Acessories
Winner: Leoba of Othingdun – Elizabethan book cover Judges: Leonie de Grey |
AS XLI (May Crown 2006 - Twelfth Night 2007)
Champion: Constance de Coligny
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May Crown Seams and Handsewing
Winner: Marienna Jensdattir Judges: Leonie de Grey, Mathilde Adycote |
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Midwinter Convent Stitch
Winner: Constance de Coligny Judges: Rowan Perigrynne |
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November Crown Research
Winner: Marit the Wanderer Judges: Kareina Talvi Tytar |
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Twelfth Night Beading
Winners: Rowan Perigrynne - pearled German renaissance dress Hunydd ferch Madyn Duy - pearled German cuff and coif. Judges: Mathilde Adycote |
AS XL (May Crown 2005 - Twelfth Night 2006)
Champion: Hunydd verch Madyn Duy
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May Crown Something New and UnFinshed Objects
Winner: Hunydd verch Madyn Duy - Elizabethan Sweetbag Place: Teffania - Laid gold Cingular Judges: Acacia de Navarre, Rowan Perigrynne |
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Midwinter German counted work
Winner: Hunydd verch Madyn Duy - Brickstich cushion Judges: Mathilde Adycote |
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November Crown Emboidery for abuse
Winner: Contarina la Bianca - Heraldic surcoat Judges: Rowan Perigrynne, Keridwin the Mouse |
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Twelfth Night Broidered bunnies (based on period sources)
Winner: Zanobia Adimari Judges: Acacia de Navarre, Rowan Perigrynne |
AS XXXIX (May Crown 2004 - Twelfth Night 2005)
Champion: No Champion Selected
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May Crown Something New
No entries |
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Midwinter Coronation Clothing - embroidery on outer garment
Winner: Judges: |
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November Crown Specific pattern* - interpret in any style
Winner: Judges: |
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Twelfth Night Blackwork (Lochac competition is Blackwork on an everyday item)
Winner: Judges: |
* The leaf pattern comes from "The True Perfection of Design" by Giovanni Ostaus, Venice 1567, as charted by Susan Evans 1989, Falconwood Press. Note that intrepretation of the design is not limited to counted techniques.
AS XXXVIII (May Crown 2003 - Twelfth Night 2004)
Champion: Jane Stockton
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May Crown Something New
Winner: Jane Stockton - Brickwork sweetbag Places: Gwir Verch Madog - blackwork coif Contarina La Bianca - padded goldwork Judges: Miriam Galbraith |
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Midwinter Coronation LOG Pouch (original design or Rowan's designs)
Winner: Contarina la Bianca - Applique pouch Places: Veronique of the Valley - Viking style pouch Judges: Keridwen the Mouse, Rowan Perigrynne |
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November Crown Voided work
Winner: Jane Stockton - Small Assisi Towel Places: Sabine d'Ricold da Forli - Band for a Tranzado Judges: Catalina, Murghein ni Ghrainne |
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Twelfth Night Scandinavian embroidery - any style
Winner: Jane Stockton - Icelandic Cushion Judges: Bess Haddon of York |
AS XXXVII (Rowany Festival 2002 - Twelfth Night 2003)
Champion: Selvia de l'Estoile
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1st Crown, Rowany Festival Something New
Winner: Mariana Jensdattir - Or nue panel Judges: Acacia d'Navare |
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Midwinter Coronation Islamic/Middle Eastern embroidery
Winner: Rowan Perigrynne - Mamluk girdle Judges: Acacia d'Navare |
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November Crown The Human Figure
Winner: Selivia de l'Estoile - split stitch Fulda fragment Judges: Acacia d'Navare |
| No entries |
Twelfth Night German Whitework(opus teutonicum) |
AS XXXVI (May Coronet 2001 - Twelfth Night 2002)
Champion: Rowan Perigrynne
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May Coronet Something New
Winner: Leonie de Grey - Filet lace |
| No entries |
Midwinter Underwear |
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November Coronet Headwear
Winner: Keridwen the Mouse - beaded German coif |
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Twelfth Night Metal thread work
Winner: Rowan Perigrynne - Elizabethan bookcover Judges: Alarice Beatrix von Thal, Elayne Montjoy, Mirriam Gailbraith |
AS XXXV (May Coronet 2000 - Twelfth Night 2001)
Champion: Alarice Beatrix von Thal
| No entries |
May Coronet Research article |
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Midwinter Elizabethan Embroidery
Winner: Alarice Beatrix von Thal - Blackwork nightcap |
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November Coronet Table linen and towels
Winner: Alarice Beatrix von Thal - Assisi work handtowel |
| No entries |
Twelfth Night Pre-1000 CE embroidery |
AS XXXIV (May Coronet 1999 - Twelfth Night 2000)
Champion: Alarice Beatrix von Thal
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May Coronet Pouches
Winner: Alarice Beatrix von Thal - German brickstich pouch Judges: Rowan Perigrynne, Gabrielle della Santa Croce, Keridwen the Mouse |
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Midwinter Couching
Winner: Bartolomeo Aggazzi - Elizabethan doublet Judges: Elayne Montjoy, Mathilde Adycote |
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November Coronet Embroidery using a given design
Winner: Alarice Beatrix von Thal - Cross stitch pillow Judges: Bess Haddon of York, Rowan Perigrynne, Gabrielle della Santa Croce |
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Twelfth Night Needlelace
Winner: Keridwen the Mouse - Reticello handtowel Keridwen the Mouse - Burrato griffons |
AS XXXIII (May Coronet 1998 - Twelfth Night 1999)
Champion not selected in this first year.
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Spring Coronet Decorated shirt or chemise
Winner: Keredwin the Mouse Judges: Myfanwy ferch Daffyd, Kiriel du Papillion, Bartolomeo Argazzi |
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Twelfth Night Beadwork on material
Winners: Contarina la Bianca - Byzantine tunic Aeron Lassair - German Renaissance dress Judges: Bess Haddon of York, Myfanwy ferch Daffyd, Keridwen the Mouse |