1. Brecht Family Crest Shield
Eleanor Brecht

2. Origin of Brecht Family Crest Shield
My shield is my family's crest from my dad’s side from Germany which can be traced back to around 1000 AD
The yellow and green stripes on the crest represent the rows on a farm’s fields
The tusks represent the tusks of wild boars who rip through the ground like a farmer’s plow
This shield was made in medieval times in Germany

3. What I learned
I learned how to make a shield out of wood with no direction from the Internet
I learned about the meaning of the heraldry symbols for my family crest coat of arms
I learned that shields don’t have to be made from steel but can be made from wood.

4. Information and Difficulties
The Brecht family has kept track of our family history, including heraldry meanings, going back to around AD.
The shield is based on family drawings
The hardest part of my project was sanding down the curved edges so that there weren't any rough edges or pieces of wood poking out .

5. Time spend and helped received
My dad helped me draw the shield on the wood and he helped me cut the wood out.
1 hour for prototype drawings and list of materials needed
1 hour to find the right wood and draw out the shield
2 hours to cut the wood and sand it down
3 hours to paint the wood and attach the arm straps

6. Steps to making my shield
Second, I got a piece of wood, and graphed the measurements onto the wood with a pencil and ruler.
First, I used the original shield to measure the dimensions. Then I tripled the dimensions onto a sheet of paper.

7. Steps to making my shield
Third, my dad helped me with cutting the measurements of the shield.
Fourth, I sanded the edges of the shield to make them smoother and look good.

8. Steps to making my shield
Fifth, I painted two coats of white on the top and sides of the shield.
Sixth, I painted the designs on top of the white base coat.

9. Steps to making my shield
Eighth, I attached two leather straps to the back of the shield so it would be easier and nicer to hold.
Seventh, I applied a clear top coat to make the shield more shiny and to protect the design.

10. Finished shield The original painting of the Brecht family crest
The finished shield of the Brecht family crest