The Society for Creative Anachronism (established in 1966) is a world-wide role-playing group which brings to life the historical aspects of centuries gone by. The personas that these people enact are often inspired by particular times or events in history, and they dress and act the part accordingly. This group re-enacts virtually every aspect of the daily lives of people ranging from the 9^th century AD to about the 15^th century. This includes many arts which might otherwise be lost: weaving, calligraphy, harp-playing, embroidery…. The list is endless. It also includes the martial arts: fighting with various weapons, Florentine fighting, archery, and the study of tactics and strategy.

The members of the SCA treat their historical accuracy with varying degrees of seriousness. Some merely enjoy the festive atmosphere of feasts and gatherings, with their unusual foods and entertainment. For others, this is the opportunity to learn about the Middle Ages and demonstrate their knowledge through the use of “period” clothing and accoutrements.

    All of our wool items are either100% wool or 80/20 % wool/nylon blends, and most can be purchased with a cotton lining.  Cloak clasps are a sturdy metal alloy which come in a pewter or gold- tone finish: real pewter is authentic but bends very easily, and real gold is out of most people’s price range.  In this line of clothing we give our customers authenticity tempered with common sense.

Carey Costuming also offers washable wool items as an option. Any wool item can be washed; however, if the pattern pieces are not laid out properly on the wool when the item is being made, there is a good chance that washing will  distort the hood or cloak severely. We have spent a great deal of time studying shrinkage, and are confident that our Semicircle cloak, Raven, and Full Cloak, and our various hoods will not distort when they are washed. (If you bought your Full Cloak at a time when pre-washing was an option and you did not take that option, please do not try to wash it- it will distort! Our technology has improved greatly since then:) Please be aware that washing will shrink the garment, causing about three inches loss over the length of a full-height item, or an inch or so for a hood or shorter item.  Also,  be aware that washed wool has a different look and feel than unwashed wool. Washing wool causes it to lose its shiny “finished” surface and become much softer and thicker. Please see our Garment Construction page for more care instructions.

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