Atlantian Ensign Tabard Design

This is the style of tabard created for Triton's Investiture at Atlantian Twelfth Night, A.S. XLIV. Based on a late 14th c. design, it employs the Atlantian ensign surmounted by the traditional herald's trumpets in saltire used by heralds throughout the Society. Thus, it maintains SCA heraldic tradition while making something uniquely Atlantian. If you are a warranted herald in the Atlantian College of Heralds, you are permitted (and encouraged) to fashion one of these tabards for your own use while serving as a herald of Atlantia.

Templates are available of all the shapes employed on this pattern: the sleeve shapes and trumpets, the front trumpets, the wave shape, and even a guide to placing the trumpets on the wave. Just contact Triton and a set will be sent to you. Also included will be a set of fabric swatches so you can try and match the colors and fabric type.

The fabric for this tabard was ordered online at http://www.online fabricstore.net/ . Look under Craft Fabric then Trigger Fabric.

The fabric used here is a 65%/35% poly/cotton blend that is quite durable and colorfast. The colors used were the ROYAL trigger, the GOLD trigger (not the Yellow), the WHITE trigger, and the GREEN (forest, not kelly) trigger. Hancock Fabrics also carries this fabric in similar colors. It was lined with a similarly colored, but thinner blue poly/cotton broadcloth.

A sewable, iron-on fixative (WonderUnder) was used for all of the appliqué work, (that tacks the fabric securely while you run your tight, zigzag stitch). After the sewn front/back panels and separate front/back liner were sewn together and the whole tabard turned right side out, the neck was closed up with a matching (Yale Blue) quilt binding.

While the images here are one of the tabards where the neck was finished off without the quilt binding, it is much easier to finish off the neck with the quilt binding. The back here is blank but could just as easily have been a match of the front. Of course, if you duplicate the front, you also have the makings of a second tabard! Something to consider.

No one is required to make one of these! However, as nothing looks better in a processional or on the tourney field than matching heralds, please consider making one of these if you are considering a new piece of heraldic regalia, either for you or yoru branch.

The image above includes various finished measurements on the pattern diagram. Obviously, you can adjust them to suit your individual needs. The diagram doesn't show it, but there is a very slight angle to the shoulders. They aren’t straight cuts.

Hopefully, at least some of you will be inspired to dust off that sewing machine. A zigzag stitch is pretty easy to manage, it’s just tedious. Be warned, each of the big trumpets took almost a whole bobbin to make, so wind a few before you start.

Please, don’t hesitate to contact Triton if there’s any other information we can provide that may be of help to you.