Guild History and Our Charter
The Keepers of Athena’s Thimble officially came into being on January 12, AS XIX (1985 CE) with a petition to the Crown of the East to form a guild. This was re-affirmed twenty years later on January 8, AS XXXIX (2005 CE).
Our name and official badge were registered to Anne of Hatfield in October of 1985 (via the East Kingdom). The badge is blazoned as follows:
Azure, semy of billets fesswise argent, a thimble Or.
Leadership of the Guild:
Dame Elizabet Marshall – Sept. 2022 to present
Mistress Vienna de Mer – Nov. 2017 to Sept. 2022
Mistress Briony of Chatham – Oct. 2011 to Nov. 2017
Mistress Cellach ingen Chernaig – to Oct. 2011
Mistress Gabrielle d’Outre Mer
Mistress Katherine Gilliesfleur
Mistress Anne of Hatfield – founding Jan. 1985 to
Below is a photo of the guild’s founding petition, signed by the guild’s founding members and Their Majesties of the East, Hanno and Kunnegunda.
Founding Petition text:
We the undersigned, known in the Kingdom of the East, for dedication to the Art of Needlework, do pray the regard of the Crown of the East to this petition.
It is our intention to found a guild to cultivate the Art of Broidery. Said guild, to be called The Keepers of Athena's Thimble, will be open to any member of the Kingdom demonstrating proficiency in and desiring to expand their knowledge of the historical forms of Needlework. Thus will the Realm be embellished and its people enriched.
We ask this in accordance with the ancient custom of the Laurel Kingdom of the East. Submitted this 12th day of January, AS XIX, at Twelfth Night in the Barony of Delftwood.
Founding Members: Anne of Hatfield, Meghan Mac Ian, Katherine Gilliesfleur, Elizabeth Nic Ian, Cassadoria Finiala, Geoffrey d'Ayr
And below is a photo of the guild’s renewal petition, signed by the guild’s founding guildmistress and Their Majesties of the East, Thorson and Svava.
Renewal Petition text:
Upon this, the twentieth anniversary of the acceptance of our founders' petition, we, the members of the Keepers of Athena's Thimble, do hereby petition their most royal majesties, Thorvald Halvorsen and Svava Thorgeirsdottir, King and Queen of the East to re-affirm the Keepers of Athena's Thimble as the Royal Guild of Broidery within the Kingdom of the East.
Let it be known throughout Our lands that We, Thorvald Halvorsen and Svava Thorgeirsdottir, King and Queen of the East, do hereby re-affirm the Keepers of Athena's Thimble as the Royal Guild for the Art of Broidery.
Mindful of the twenty years, during which said Guild has embellished Our Kingdom and brought honor to the Crown, We now request and require the members of that Guild to continue to cultivate their Art of Broidery and to expand their knowledge of the historical forms of needlwork. We further request and require said Guild to spread the knowledge of Broidery to all who would learn and practice the Art of embellishment with needle and thread.
As We have said, so shall it be, from this day forth. Done by Our hands this eighth day of January, Anno Societatis XXXIX at the celebration of Twelfth Night in Our Barony of Dragonship Haven.
