tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72895584782977614802024-02-19T15:03:22.772+00:00Wicked WoollensSally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.comBlogger130125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-41171907146644444202015-05-17T12:57:00.001+01:002015-05-17T15:01:54.174+01:00How to Build a Neolithic 'Wendy House'In the last few years we've been doing more and more education work bringing aspects of Neolithic life to schools, museums and heritage sites.<br />
<br />
Sometimes we are lucky enough to be able to work with beautifully reconstructed permanent buildings based closely on archaeological evidence, such as the recently built Neolithic houses at Stonehenge. If we're looking a bit cold in this photo, it was taken in January, hence the additional furry legwarmers (incidentally, Neolithic clothing isn't bad for layering and keeping warm )<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTl4IFknQ8LPP_PuefRHWyKurSINvCM_ssWzUXBe44PLsC12GHD49BE2Q2zA-GP0JwNvzwFqhHmAZY1h2is57sda-8RBgDUNR0njFkrOX2jFrSEwgaOKiR5u8kRc6V2G6i3xA8NMSb8NI/s1600/winter+at+stonehenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTl4IFknQ8LPP_PuefRHWyKurSINvCM_ssWzUXBe44PLsC12GHD49BE2Q2zA-GP0JwNvzwFqhHmAZY1h2is57sda-8RBgDUNR0njFkrOX2jFrSEwgaOKiR5u8kRc6V2G6i3xA8NMSb8NI/s320/winter+at+stonehenge.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
Even though people are becoming more settled by the Neolithic, its probably not the only house structure available to them. We know that from the earliest evidence onwards people have constructed simple shelters using locally available materials, intended to be used for a few weeks or a season whilst hunting, foraging or even, perhaps, visiting other communities or ritual sites.<br />
<br />
The normalisation of farming doesn't happen overnight and its likely that for a very long time groups of people still go off on prolonged hunting or foraging expeditions, or perhaps build seasonal settlements whilst herds are kept on pastures away from the main village. To this day, in Alpine regions known for transhumance, there are structures of stones that date back into prehistory believed to be associated with the base of temporary shelters.<br />
<br />
Last Autumn, we built a conjectural Neolithic campsite with <a href="http://www.ancientcraft.co.uk/">James Dilley</a>, including a rectangular structure based on a sloping A frame of sticks, covered with hides (allegedly from our 'hunting expedition').<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6kMX_fSO6842NQEJCX7wlwi-KC1j6rpuMCEF56RZRrBQx_OT5VXZ2P-6OFfdT9gOOcjhvlfYN2CoQyMjEeZ5ZOmMzJp5tCX8wA7qioA9_B8Vie2D92aopHoh7HyHs9ydw4_4lg0X23dBf/s1600/Neolithic+campsite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6kMX_fSO6842NQEJCX7wlwi-KC1j6rpuMCEF56RZRrBQx_OT5VXZ2P-6OFfdT9gOOcjhvlfYN2CoQyMjEeZ5ZOmMzJp5tCX8wA7qioA9_B8Vie2D92aopHoh7HyHs9ydw4_4lg0X23dBf/s320/Neolithic+campsite.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This sort of thing is fine when you have plenty of time to cut sticks, lash them all together, arrange the covering and get comfy, but we often have to set up 'camp' just for a few hours when doing education work, and we wanted something that would allow us to discuss the difference between permanant and temporary dwellings, materials, construction and daily life, all without it taking longer to set up and take down than we have available.<br />
<br />
So, we set about building a flat-pack structure that we could put in the van easily, set up in a few minutes and properly risk assess so we know it wasn't likely to fall down in the middle of a school playground. Yes, there will have to be some compromises, but as far as possible we want groups using it to be able to suspend disbelief and imagine themselves sleeping and basing themselves around a camp for a while.<br />
<br />
We can't help it, very soon we started calling it the Neolithic Wendy House, and its stuck.<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b>:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Two large hazel or willow hurdles: The originals I'm sure would have been woven together as needed to stabilise sticks laid against a central ridge pole, but hurdles create a stable base that won't collapse. Our hurdles were a bit too big, so we cut them down giving some additional fencing which might be handy when setting up a display.</li>
<li>Extra sticks, to form a stable ridge and extend the back of the shelter.</li>
<li>A pile of deerskins, so far we've used 24 roe and 3 red deer skins</li>
<li>A lot of leather thonging</li>
<li>Some rope and cordage</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfoAb-uzddGuKiGUcfkiF4ct2IL5ipEZl1Ou8YJjSg2ILlYzQ3lwX8mh_ulYM-rsUzPmFxieIq-aPegtcAtBrnCnJJWxhd9YUjDpQU4nmNq41MXUGkBSn4iG4XIK7wZEwa-jCObncHAEw/s1600/Neolithic+House+Ingredients.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfoAb-uzddGuKiGUcfkiF4ct2IL5ipEZl1Ou8YJjSg2ILlYzQ3lwX8mh_ulYM-rsUzPmFxieIq-aPegtcAtBrnCnJJWxhd9YUjDpQU4nmNq41MXUGkBSn4iG4XIK7wZEwa-jCObncHAEw/s320/Neolithic+House+Ingredients.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Method</b>:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Set the hurdles up to form an A-frame shape. Early structures appear to have often used rocks to help stabilise the sides, but we're using ropes to stop the base settling out into an unstable wider shape.</li>
<li>Lash a sturdy pole across the top of the interlocked hurdles to stop the top opening out. This also results in a handy pole at the front to hang things on.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhIX3UKBRXGcpRNshK9DaKW8J6JU9CFlPkL_p7TMvyRX9SK2uos4MrYBRApaER6o5PbfTRx_6lJTIYj9FGmGyD9MxkbLEj0-2hZJt3vpOZFx60rsvpIYUkMCkIrCWzX4sB0JMQbtLDHTy/s1600/Neolithic+house+frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhIX3UKBRXGcpRNshK9DaKW8J6JU9CFlPkL_p7TMvyRX9SK2uos4MrYBRApaER6o5PbfTRx_6lJTIYj9FGmGyD9MxkbLEj0-2hZJt3vpOZFx60rsvpIYUkMCkIrCWzX4sB0JMQbtLDHTy/s320/Neolithic+house+frame.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Use extra poles to extend the back. We want this part to fold down later so we've twined the poles together using cordage. Withies or thonging would be just as good.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLzng5oetZ63gz1ATuZR7EidBtQIWGE7C_I64wmnfRBnUdnJ4wNpTl4vtTxDVwUyg-mq641AaqIkyU0lR4Du_o5QMS4IW_lmfznvM8UokJv_W7ArowIQ_J8oJZkh2YmluItN-piJuN-QE/s1600/Neolithic+house+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLzng5oetZ63gz1ATuZR7EidBtQIWGE7C_I64wmnfRBnUdnJ4wNpTl4vtTxDVwUyg-mq641AaqIkyU0lR4Du_o5QMS4IW_lmfznvM8UokJv_W7ArowIQ_J8oJZkh2YmluItN-piJuN-QE/s320/Neolithic+house+back.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoyBYMYDHO0YlWmvtaEbwoeHRgEN5clkBva1SUZNO0EVx1MzWXFOwFhywnwaw9YpMnrsrEMSX-bMl7mwOxJg6GMj_KmfQGTXvDi8dIIBrLpdIRUJ4iWNv0PE6SXPnOSPNFQsqfc3EJlATm/s1600/Neolithic+house+back+full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoyBYMYDHO0YlWmvtaEbwoeHRgEN5clkBva1SUZNO0EVx1MzWXFOwFhywnwaw9YpMnrsrEMSX-bMl7mwOxJg6GMj_KmfQGTXvDi8dIIBrLpdIRUJ4iWNv0PE6SXPnOSPNFQsqfc3EJlATm/s320/Neolithic+house+back+full.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Pierce the hides and use thong to 'tile' the roof with them. They'll provide insulation and help rain run off.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKj-FIeYd_FXxGFxgkZzaNLoB9X0JUH1d0ubX1HasP9T8EfQAzg0vvm9x88H59TR8Zgr7AZC3qFWJSm1YzTuSzlZej2G0hB-6QX9XgDZRVCgeSxyvCvVtmJR853gU5jMlzJHDhnATWBbGS/s1600/Neolithic+house+finished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKj-FIeYd_FXxGFxgkZzaNLoB9X0JUH1d0ubX1HasP9T8EfQAzg0vvm9x88H59TR8Zgr7AZC3qFWJSm1YzTuSzlZej2G0hB-6QX9XgDZRVCgeSxyvCvVtmJR853gU5jMlzJHDhnATWBbGS/s320/Neolithic+house+finished.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Put down hides for flooring.</li>
<li>Make camp!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1G5bYotmTm5H9g2HpgQwxk4UZ5HfXwtxeQFXCodxDHEgz1qTGDZ1fgZcgi5bR6muGkjpzJzBDklSBTH7IHCJ_4rQge-_Ol2-4E3ako2uS_uegBiJs3Nquze0KnlHmQXwNaUfWQOT5xEyn/s1600/Gareth+in+neolithic+house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1G5bYotmTm5H9g2HpgQwxk4UZ5HfXwtxeQFXCodxDHEgz1qTGDZ1fgZcgi5bR6muGkjpzJzBDklSBTH7IHCJ_4rQge-_Ol2-4E3ako2uS_uegBiJs3Nquze0KnlHmQXwNaUfWQOT5xEyn/s320/Gareth+in+neolithic+house.jpg" width="303" /></a></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
To take it all down later, we just need to unlash the top ridge pole, remove the back extension, fold it all up and wrap it ready to go into the van. Yes, its heavy, but its not unmanageable. Putting it up next time should be fast too. We might also add some netting with stone weights to help hold down the roof, it is thought that some pierced stones found on early sites may be from similar netting and it would be a nice way to include another technique.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Is it absolutely accurate? No, of course it isn't, but we think it creates a structurally stable and plausible setting in which children can role-play and discuss life in the past with us during sessions. We're always happy to hear constructive suggestions that will make it even better for this purpose.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Plus, you are never to old to build a den...<br />
We'll be giving this its first public outing at Bryn Celli Ddu this coming summer solstice.<br />
<br />
<i>We are based Wales and travel around the UK, if you know of an event or school that might like to book us for a session on Neolithic life and crafts, do get in touch!</i></div>
<br />
<br />Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-39149795005331471672014-06-08T10:31:00.003+01:002014-06-08T10:36:52.780+01:00Thrum caps as modern camouflage?<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thrum caps go back to at least the 16th century, where they were popularly worn by sailors who found the thick, shaggy pile of the cap a practical warm 'thatched roof' against bad weather. I regularly make these for re-enactors and am always on the look out for new-to-me images of these in use or the occasional very rare surviving example in museums around the world.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtv9TRepgY69pZk3drW0dEk9Z4eprrNTIgGay7IZGEcLpD9saFitcmbkHRloRGIP-gWfjnh4VAAuUj_HwYyIDcrzzyY9PPg6i8AhCGoXenAJfymypZek95-qLZHOnvrQGeq8-pmRksWub/s1600/Vecelliothrumcap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtv9TRepgY69pZk3drW0dEk9Z4eprrNTIgGay7IZGEcLpD9saFitcmbkHRloRGIP-gWfjnh4VAAuUj_HwYyIDcrzzyY9PPg6i8AhCGoXenAJfymypZek95-qLZHOnvrQGeq8-pmRksWub/s1600/Vecelliothrumcap.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
A few months ago, I was asked to make a modern interpretation of the thrum cap to be worn as camouflage in tule reed beds by a lovely gent in America.<br />
<br />
We started with an image of the local tule. As you can see there are a huge range of shades and colour effects caused by light and shadow on the rushes here. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyntUBUjsNwZsmRAB1aCDjg5T4joy_x1NAKrAkLBImanwDgsQNTltuTcNAwttIVQQ1Uh5Z8YM7WmMoHttqUmjJAs2g6KRCro7IeMmwLupe6FFLkC1CBuqyt7D29C9wbctT1V1PUMTr6slJ/s1600/reeds_medium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyntUBUjsNwZsmRAB1aCDjg5T4joy_x1NAKrAkLBImanwDgsQNTltuTcNAwttIVQQ1Uh5Z8YM7WmMoHttqUmjJAs2g6KRCro7IeMmwLupe6FFLkC1CBuqyt7D29C9wbctT1V1PUMTr6slJ/s1600/reeds_medium2.jpg" height="320" width="265" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; margin-bottom: 1em !important; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
So, to get a clearer idea of the colour balance, I cropped the image and ran it through an image colour histogram programme to give me an approximate reference of the proportions of colours within the project. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_20v_93-vhSOp5n4n9iKs9wE2PCsNzJ72WN6JgjFSwYp3MlyCdyxuXwTCfEUuUhHViO-rFw4-gtKY3btQhTxcfTOd_xoELUq6bwxHBvPDbANcDO6dESSyz2DUOqkeg0MCG2KvTCTxlA_r/s1600/reedbed_histogram_medium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_20v_93-vhSOp5n4n9iKs9wE2PCsNzJ72WN6JgjFSwYp3MlyCdyxuXwTCfEUuUhHViO-rFw4-gtKY3btQhTxcfTOd_xoELUq6bwxHBvPDbANcDO6dESSyz2DUOqkeg0MCG2KvTCTxlA_r/s1600/reedbed_histogram_medium2.jpg" height="178" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; margin-bottom: 1em !important; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
I then used this to select yarn, from which thrums were cut and knitted randomly, the only 'rule' being that I always used two different shades in each knot of thrumming, and avoided using the same two colours two stitches in a row. I also deliberately chose yarn in varying textures which would felt at slightly different rates in the final cap. The interior hat was worked in a neutral drab background shade.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqIhXJGYu2MdSKUmtyTKO8UhhtLAABuvizP7U3ZA70WEzpPVs4Wmy1mZ4FXMIoX1EdkGLHduc2WvNAoCGXUnEtembUePLgfmmqnyWtqbxlu4TJ97NIMzMWwhwh0kbE_QlTK0NkbpJXaD0/s1600/reedthrums.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqIhXJGYu2MdSKUmtyTKO8UhhtLAABuvizP7U3ZA70WEzpPVs4Wmy1mZ4FXMIoX1EdkGLHduc2WvNAoCGXUnEtembUePLgfmmqnyWtqbxlu4TJ97NIMzMWwhwh0kbE_QlTK0NkbpJXaD0/s1600/reedthrums.jpg" height="320" width="214" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFOUjNOEPC17JsNkAxvffNrDpsjZBaeAUJU6rCTvU0ByeOs5QO099WBX6HyymzY-ZSsh8qoAPQcWnGPxlhvFw20xoN7UtYL30wkTGgvmDyPT9qHp7PouJLFTwU8mTipaj-9FqmDq97gxW/s1600/reedshades_medium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFOUjNOEPC17JsNkAxvffNrDpsjZBaeAUJU6rCTvU0ByeOs5QO099WBX6HyymzY-ZSsh8qoAPQcWnGPxlhvFw20xoN7UtYL30wkTGgvmDyPT9qHp7PouJLFTwU8mTipaj-9FqmDq97gxW/s1600/reedshades_medium2.jpg" height="282" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; margin-bottom: 1em !important; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
Also did a second version with the thrums somewhat more clustered to approximate a more traditional camo pattern. I still used two shades in each thrum to ensure a broken up effect but this time used the same shades for several stitches at a time to create a more solid block.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIMLJFNfm1flKsGL2co1rBDfEJ7Ih9p-FBBYAjCdpPkOmDLMvA3uZRCc7fFKp6bqC5n4Dqp_bLtaueDRb0EcU_kjAhPeD6FkrrO7VfMtCm3GhDOu_LxBxB4FRX3pBVqyPN1EOSX2_7sCnE/s1600/camothrums_medium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIMLJFNfm1flKsGL2co1rBDfEJ7Ih9p-FBBYAjCdpPkOmDLMvA3uZRCc7fFKp6bqC5n4Dqp_bLtaueDRb0EcU_kjAhPeD6FkrrO7VfMtCm3GhDOu_LxBxB4FRX3pBVqyPN1EOSX2_7sCnE/s1600/camothrums_medium2.jpg" height="209" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; margin-bottom: 1em !important; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
The hats were fulled and blocked, and went off to be field tested. They may look a bit odd sitting by themselves, but they are intended for a specific environment. Here's a couple of images showing just how nicely they blend into the background scenery. Warm and cosy for a long day out in the tule as well! We decided in the end that the more random selection of yarn in the first cap was ideal for this particular scenery.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtaiRJtrBW0lWGrEWSGhdCLsfXmmlzLg7QGahH463WGw9EBjgw3UuvJ8dTLHc4Pjh5fcog6F5vFJ4RhxUNZvBgjvEpi3txeB7_H8XJQL_dLOgRu3c22yi-MzGdgVnNhMrAP0jAFBoHFrR/s1600/field+trials+1+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtaiRJtrBW0lWGrEWSGhdCLsfXmmlzLg7QGahH463WGw9EBjgw3UuvJ8dTLHc4Pjh5fcog6F5vFJ4RhxUNZvBgjvEpi3txeB7_H8XJQL_dLOgRu3c22yi-MzGdgVnNhMrAP0jAFBoHFrR/s1600/field+trials+1+(3).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavrFf2LLik98TdxdXVxKQHjb6pxEByKUIaCckKHYMrFVlNYcF44mfWiWb-0i-zV2RjQ9uC0UDFwUzveuCpi9TvwHK8zHWt0R8dpS59jtqxnz-RIHz4zTEaLOm4Hw91jeYB-Q064DNstXd/s1600/fieldtrials2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavrFf2LLik98TdxdXVxKQHjb6pxEByKUIaCckKHYMrFVlNYcF44mfWiWb-0i-zV2RjQ9uC0UDFwUzveuCpi9TvwHK8zHWt0R8dpS59jtqxnz-RIHz4zTEaLOm4Hw91jeYB-Q064DNstXd/s1600/fieldtrials2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; margin-bottom: 1em !important; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
If you fancy trying this effect yourself, using a historic pattern with modern shades to create a whole new type of sporting hat, I do have a <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/thrum-cap">pattern for a Thrum Cap</a> available for download via Ravelry, and as always, I do take <a href="http://sallypointer.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=3_33&products_id=228">commissions for hats</a>.Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-15785947788217289102014-04-14T16:01:00.003+01:002014-04-14T16:01:53.880+01:00Coptic SocksI've been fascinated for a long time by the often brightly coloured sandal socks that occur in Romano-Egyptian and Coptic Egypt. When first encountered by archaeologists and historians, they were assumed to be knitted, but it is now understood that these are made by a form of nalbinding, or single needle looping.<br />
<br />
Nalbinding won't be what they called it of course, but its the term by which the technique is known today, and these particular socks use a stitch often called Tarim or Coptic stitch. Its not at all hard to work, but it is significantly slower than knitting, this pair took approximately 24 hours of work. A similar knitted pair worked at about the same final gauge would need just over half that time.<br />
<br />
I based this adult pair of socks loosely on a <a href="http://www.britishmuseum.org/images/respro_antino_sock_624.jpg">child's pair at the British Museum</a>, simplifying the colours to use two dyed and one undyed shade.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5f6UorhLM_RAwu9NwreyXZt00vB_GPHNfCYeYlsYniZZ2_-vcGll2v31tvj9qieMs-8364DRzbMu4mHyRtqh6gn0424ZGzpwxyZ1_uBG6B4vys_fYfDb3D205rKCChimOEjiItgC6yCt/s1600/copticsock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5f6UorhLM_RAwu9NwreyXZt00vB_GPHNfCYeYlsYniZZ2_-vcGll2v31tvj9qieMs-8364DRzbMu4mHyRtqh6gn0424ZGzpwxyZ1_uBG6B4vys_fYfDb3D205rKCChimOEjiItgC6yCt/s1600/copticsock.jpg" height="229" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-75057606508105717502014-03-31T13:27:00.001+01:002014-03-31T13:27:27.630+01:00Neolithic String for StonehengeI've been a bit quiet recently, partly because I've been busy working on some replica artifacts and costume to be used in the Neolithic houses being built as part of the new Stonehenge visitor centre. As well as the houses themselves, English Heritage have commissioned a wide range of garments and objects to be used as handling items to help illustrate aspects of everyday life in the Neolithic.<br />
<br />
Part of my brief is to create a range of cordage based on materials known to have been used during the Neolithic, and this includes deer sinew.<br />
<br />
Its amazingly tough stuff, until you get a nice round rock and give it a good pounding to soften it and break up the fibres. Once you've done that, you can twist it up into fine, strong cordage with a huge range of end uses.<br />
<br />
Here's just one picture of a partly pounded piece of deer sinew and some finished cord, if you'd like to read more, I've written a guest blog post on the Stonehenge <a href="http://neolithichouses.wordpress.com/2014/03/31/kitting-out-the-neolithic-houses-making-cordage-from-deer-sinew/">Neolithic Houses</a> project page which explains in step by step detail.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincLg3ruYbs5T0IqYFyEoFdZQz1V9Pl1IZBAXY4VFtSY7NfZmu6ucfXFTM_iQyXjaQW4j3tf5T8KalognFu-DEaqRIocCpf1oS74nKgGlmvI9NtK5ClHK0jKKLW5u588tsRYlh4_abhxEU/s1600/sinewfinished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincLg3ruYbs5T0IqYFyEoFdZQz1V9Pl1IZBAXY4VFtSY7NfZmu6ucfXFTM_iQyXjaQW4j3tf5T8KalognFu-DEaqRIocCpf1oS74nKgGlmvI9NtK5ClHK0jKKLW5u588tsRYlh4_abhxEU/s1600/sinewfinished.jpg" height="192" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-67690583157718330622014-02-05T11:00:00.000+00:002014-02-05T11:00:02.021+00:00Welsh Wig pattern now availableYou may recall my earlier <a href="http://wickedwoollens.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/welsh-wig-1854.html">adventures with the Welsh Wig</a> in which I visited an extant example and reconstructed the likely pattern for it.<br />
<br />
With the assistance of the lovely Historic Knitting group on Ravelry I've now assembled some references to help put this funny little cap in context, and am delighted to be able to make the pattern available.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/welsh-wig">http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/welsh-wig</a><br />
<br />
These caps were worn by Dickensian clerks (think Mr Fezziwig), layered under other headwear by Crimean soldiers and even issued to polar explorers. A fun addition to you costuming repertoire!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMEqXBgtGiyKvHbe6YnaZHcixchLJ402OioZ8T0YiPZ4OhXZC23wTCH7ErZjWJUy0k89tlT5zqZ6nXrZJ9IQXctheWv6bQr7q-8-6A2ATqNbF61s01QdvBeu8c9Ev5rxM4fI7doHVqNge/s1600/welsh+wig+flat+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMEqXBgtGiyKvHbe6YnaZHcixchLJ402OioZ8T0YiPZ4OhXZC23wTCH7ErZjWJUy0k89tlT5zqZ6nXrZJ9IQXctheWv6bQr7q-8-6A2ATqNbF61s01QdvBeu8c9Ev5rxM4fI7doHVqNge/s1600/welsh+wig+flat+small.jpg" height="286" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-47500582452444212302013-10-14T19:23:00.000+01:002013-10-14T19:23:12.259+01:00Little Knitted PumpkinsIts been a while since I posted, so here is a simple, seasonal little something to cheer up an autumn day:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6eMh9JaTOPeU6la-6R1cdTk2dpGKu3ESpjnq2nOjXDz3ikzTUkRKccL8YjaaoiSywegnsoQ3kCF7t2NZi_SSDilxJ3pPV9MbbWE8XVceZlyZsdrh56XyOwCqCGc54L4ydCa7pMtKAZk3/s1600/knitted+pumpkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6eMh9JaTOPeU6la-6R1cdTk2dpGKu3ESpjnq2nOjXDz3ikzTUkRKccL8YjaaoiSywegnsoQ3kCF7t2NZi_SSDilxJ3pPV9MbbWE8XVceZlyZsdrh56XyOwCqCGc54L4ydCa7pMtKAZk3/s320/knitted+pumpkin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
These are a doddle to make starting with a short section of tubular knitting. I cranked mine out on the antique sock machine, but you could knit yours or even re-purpose an old sweater sleeve or a dead but decent sock. Mine is a good size for a pincushion, but any size goes with these.<br />
<br />
I've written up instructions over at Downsizer: <a href="http://www.downsizer.net/Articles/Make_your_own/Little_Knitted_Pumpkins/">http://www.downsizer.net/Articles/Make_your_own/Little_Knitted_Pumpkins/</a><br />
<br />
And finally, because I can, here's Tesla the kitten modelling one. I have been warned that ginger kittens will eventually get their revenge for such sartorial slights, but I'm going to enjoy it whist he's small enough to put up with it without complaint ;)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx3riy6HoCcXTqNnp6Zl8i5nDqeLg8Tr4YQprstnf7IaZo9HJx_j3M9ioGUdwuhJo1J-qnRQue9KlnJ6GAajXRHvSRagxTfBz8f_-kndD3DKr6f_eKHxVZCiPAJSuf_TyjjmV0Zt1lee4f/s1600/pumpkinkitty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx3riy6HoCcXTqNnp6Zl8i5nDqeLg8Tr4YQprstnf7IaZo9HJx_j3M9ioGUdwuhJo1J-qnRQue9KlnJ6GAajXRHvSRagxTfBz8f_-kndD3DKr6f_eKHxVZCiPAJSuf_TyjjmV0Zt1lee4f/s320/pumpkinkitty.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-31068250536102915732013-08-06T08:51:00.001+01:002013-08-06T08:54:07.536+01:00Knitted Archaeology: The Mold CapeRecently (July/Aug 2013) the bronze age masterpiece known as the Mold Cape has been <a href="http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/whatson/?event_id=6735">on tour in Wales</a>, away from its usual home at the British Museum.<br />
<br />
I've had the great privilege of being involved with some of the activities associated with its visit to National Museum Wales in Cardiff, amongst which was being invited to design a knitted interpretation of the cape to be used in the Clore Discovery Gallery as a handling and discussion tool.<br />
<br />
Our bronze age ancestors did not use knitting, but they certainly had an eye for design, and the original beaten gold cape is ornamented with textures believed to represent beads and draped textiles. Knitted structures work well to evoke the general feel of this in a fun way which also stimulates discussion about comparisons between flexible textile forms and the rigid structure of the metal version which would have restricted arm motion.<br />
<br />
Several people have expressed an interest in having a go at knitting one of these themselves, so I'm delighted to be able to announce that the pattern for my 'knitted Mold Cape' is now available as a Ravelry download: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bronze-age-capelet">http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bronze-age-capelet</a><br />
<br />
Bronze Age Capelet:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TS42xoSl9dEeSZXymGCy9LLR-YgStaLgqjTJrE-OaZECJ7svZAKLhfgX5zuFtupSfotITTdK2vi_ULtq60A8Ztkv3_OwpKQPB1goT0_uOPneTodsAmL1-_Q4tcmYfMJwzudT-iygRSKe/s1600/MoldCapeKnitted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TS42xoSl9dEeSZXymGCy9LLR-YgStaLgqjTJrE-OaZECJ7svZAKLhfgX5zuFtupSfotITTdK2vi_ULtq60A8Ztkv3_OwpKQPB1goT0_uOPneTodsAmL1-_Q4tcmYfMJwzudT-iygRSKe/s320/MoldCapeKnitted.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-31106251277273498762013-05-31T10:13:00.001+01:002014-02-05T15:51:55.152+00:00Welsh Wig, part twoYou may remember that a few weeks ago I went to study the <a href="http://wickedwoollens.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/welsh-wig-1854.html">Welsh Wig in the textile collections of St Fagans</a> National History Museum, dated c 1854. I've just finished my first replica interpretation to see if I'm on the right track with the pattern, and so far, I'm very pleased with progress.<br />
<br />
I used a 2ply yarn for this one, purely because that was what I had to hand. I also used a paler yarn that the original to make it easier for me to see the details if I needed to make any adjustments as I went along. The original is in a single ply yarn and my next example will use a more appropriate yarn in a darker shade. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrUiNRwto3ojbvd5_Jz8qTjlSiM1-iHSQ3UuImQCbL6TA2KuL20zVJVFkG33Qvyd1xDdWWpjw5mlHxKEqG_arw2vLkYR3cUI-S8wVqcm7SUya0_FeD8nRjXO5I8tgXrdzH97gU1o7oIKs/s1600/welsh+wig+flat+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrUiNRwto3ojbvd5_Jz8qTjlSiM1-iHSQ3UuImQCbL6TA2KuL20zVJVFkG33Qvyd1xDdWWpjw5mlHxKEqG_arw2vLkYR3cUI-S8wVqcm7SUya0_FeD8nRjXO5I8tgXrdzH97gU1o7oIKs/s320/welsh+wig+flat+small.jpg" height="286" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_f9loG50UvgC8ehyphenhyphenWHyTYc15OciruIea2zPcBRReAeZzShl4803HYVQQOC1dX8W9oXlrEwRzPjVgojRJt_C2ofsZtIG62icheLx6FuslhSHCRL_6wkkOjSQbFMIvUFBh0mv2J10mad3P9/s1600/Welsh+Wig+replica+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_f9loG50UvgC8ehyphenhyphenWHyTYc15OciruIea2zPcBRReAeZzShl4803HYVQQOC1dX8W9oXlrEwRzPjVgojRJt_C2ofsZtIG62icheLx6FuslhSHCRL_6wkkOjSQbFMIvUFBh0mv2J10mad3P9/s1600/Welsh+Wig+replica+small.jpg" /></a></div>
The original Welsh Wig is a very small size in appearance, but I've found the replica, which fits the measurements of the original nicely, stretches to fit almost all head sizes. To illustrate this, its shown above on a really large head form, about 24.5 inches, where its really a bit too stretched, but it does mean that on most ordinary real heads its a very flexible fit.<br />
<br />
I'm still gathering together a few references to help put the cap into a wider context, and once I've got those together and have worked up another sample in a more appropriate yarn, I should be able to finalise writing up the pattern. Ideal for Crimean and Dickensian costuming, and definitely a bit different!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://wickedwoollens.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/welsh-wig-pattern-now-available.html">Update Feb 2014: Pattern is now available</a><br />
<br />Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-48819193912191915292013-04-21T20:39:00.000+01:002013-04-21T20:40:03.510+01:00Braidmaking & PointsWe've not long come back from a lovely weekend in the relatively newly reconstructed <a href="http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/1514/">Haverfordwest Merchant's House</a> at St Fagans, where we've been demonstrating Tudor period fingerloop braiding in silk, ribbon weaving, silk wrapped buttons, and the making of aiglets and points.<br />
<br />
The weather was kind to us, Saturday was gloriously sunny and the visitors were out in force, its a small building and in gloomy weather it can be a bit dark inside, but in bright light it was lovely to work in. Sunday was a little more overcast, but nothing major and although it wasn't quite as busy, the visitors all stayed a good long time chatting, and finding out more about the materials and techniques we were exploring.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyPVGESW4AKHAD8sO92OI2SOzS1cMSWnbF9dlLiOICZriVWZMQxFVqvY6ecgRjvh7BfDl5gjuYNQhHe0qdjPjakx8bbFALQx8t9dRm-wEPVIBD6SrN9RYVRJomwCb3Z3BC3NZgD5Uu6Ho/s1600/aiglets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyPVGESW4AKHAD8sO92OI2SOzS1cMSWnbF9dlLiOICZriVWZMQxFVqvY6ecgRjvh7BfDl5gjuYNQhHe0qdjPjakx8bbFALQx8t9dRm-wEPVIBD6SrN9RYVRJomwCb3Z3BC3NZgD5Uu6Ho/s320/aiglets.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieumBJtuaOh-n1Ity26iaNPVTQ67bEdGZvGeiAQT7GhKWLNRoT6_lc_6JGGvHjHcQngGsHNKOp4vW2PV7NXqghfe3iDa7fcdwErRv9uJtHgIeCtobkRpOZhX9WpMealvpLf8YgSL88o_Cy/s1600/braidmaking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieumBJtuaOh-n1Ity26iaNPVTQ67bEdGZvGeiAQT7GhKWLNRoT6_lc_6JGGvHjHcQngGsHNKOp4vW2PV7NXqghfe3iDa7fcdwErRv9uJtHgIeCtobkRpOZhX9WpMealvpLf8YgSL88o_Cy/s320/braidmaking.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WuFW6bovxmmHJLm4f7k1PbphB0cH17vcQX1RZkA_r8jrcyxnvxJ8xRCwcUwav39qTCH2F1GXCELXF0DXYTrOY3M662IoqM2RxN0Z6g2LXDMr95PBmleNzZY0lieSiPXe2PV9j1nMEQsP/s1600/braids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WuFW6bovxmmHJLm4f7k1PbphB0cH17vcQX1RZkA_r8jrcyxnvxJ8xRCwcUwav39qTCH2F1GXCELXF0DXYTrOY3M662IoqM2RxN0Z6g2LXDMr95PBmleNzZY0lieSiPXe2PV9j1nMEQsP/s320/braids.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-13493384313488577772013-04-19T17:32:00.001+01:002013-05-31T10:15:20.745+01:00Welsh Wig, 1854I’ve had the great pleasure today of spending several hours at St Fagans studying this fascinating hat.<br />
<br />
(Accession number: F69.353) c 1854, donated to the Museum in 1969
by Miss M. L. Horsfall of Devon.<br />
<br />
In a letter addressed to the curator,
she refers to the cap as “the Welsh wig treasured at the back of my
grandfather’s desk”. She goes on to state the following: “There is no
indication as to where it was made, but my grandfather was the only son
of William Horsfall who was shot by the Luddites, and being in Yorkshire
in touch with woollen industries sic.”<br />
<br />
Rutt mentions it in
‘History of Hand Knitting’, and it has been catalogued by the Museum as a
sample sent from Bangor to Leeds, with the intention of supplying
soldiers fighting in the Crimea. This is based on some text on a label
affixed to the tin in which is reached the museum.<br />
<br />
I’ve had permission to share photos! So here it is, the legendary Welsh Wig in all is somewhat daft glory:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34aNuO1KsaYH7ALeiRthR_RBTNuZDeK-SXIZhyphenhyphenVuFIk9bx8swYy_o0dqLUAkhDs7RsX_74l5Gte1IW2qNYpdVMx4fk3AByhmVTXFFkgJ68WydPdTb8MTLJVlKv_-UGgEfvP7wGSgKbXvH/s1600/WelshWig1854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34aNuO1KsaYH7ALeiRthR_RBTNuZDeK-SXIZhyphenhyphenVuFIk9bx8swYy_o0dqLUAkhDs7RsX_74l5Gte1IW2qNYpdVMx4fk3AByhmVTXFFkgJ68WydPdTb8MTLJVlKv_-UGgEfvP7wGSgKbXvH/s320/WelshWig1854.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgumvj5rZMouFen6YMdHW4e93QSBvYb02hoKO_0AUU-O4vu8rji0wIWiXLzUB8AXuDNlceG-7r9FslbvQV2x_R_ADiBbOdLBzbjOfTHgHs6pUpif0AETvj-qldfpule1IrOnOXPuzybw6ny/s1600/welshwigtininside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgumvj5rZMouFen6YMdHW4e93QSBvYb02hoKO_0AUU-O4vu8rji0wIWiXLzUB8AXuDNlceG-7r9FslbvQV2x_R_ADiBbOdLBzbjOfTHgHs6pUpif0AETvj-qldfpule1IrOnOXPuzybw6ny/s320/welshwigtininside.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I was priviledged to be permitted to handle the hat extensively, so
I’ve had a chance to see it inside and out, the curls are particularly
interesting: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9NU5ojfumDPp27LDpdCKaR6C_OsJEDXK9lMA8rfGJmkcSeTHvOmla9Z4HfODNuudNGZt-DTyhuqYjt91BfS7vYVbb8rlXrSgSJZqi6vJvh_elC_hkwwRfSLTdldc0xgK2zB1wVKMRiAuy/s1600/welshwiginside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9NU5ojfumDPp27LDpdCKaR6C_OsJEDXK9lMA8rfGJmkcSeTHvOmla9Z4HfODNuudNGZt-DTyhuqYjt91BfS7vYVbb8rlXrSgSJZqi6vJvh_elC_hkwwRfSLTdldc0xgK2zB1wVKMRiAuy/s320/welshwiginside.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I had several hours with the hat, so I was able to measure and count
everything in detail, to the point where I was able to write up the
pattern with the hat in front of me to cross reference, so pending me
knitting it up to double check my calculations (its 9 st to the inch, in singles, so its
pretty fine) I should be able to make the pattern available soon! Perfect for all the Crimean re-enactors out there.<br />
<br />
Yay, I love my job! A huge thanks to Elen Phillips, Texile Curator at St Fagans for arranging access today.<br />
<br />
I'm collating references to Welsh Wigs to go with future updates, and am hoping to track down an image somewhere of one in use, but so far, I'm still searching for that one. If anyone happens to know of an image of a Welsh Wig of this type in use, please let me know.The search is slightly complicated because the term 'Welsh Wig' gets applied to a fair range of hats across a relatively wide daterange.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://wickedwoollens.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/welsh-wig-part-two.html">Read part two of my explorations of this hat here: </a>Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-10280721579623887612012-09-02T20:38:00.002+01:002012-09-02T20:38:56.250+01:00Of Pointy Hats and Comfy Work ShirtsIts been a busy couple of weeks round here. I find pointy hat orders are a bit like buses, its all quiet for a while then several come in all at once, and this round was no exception. In the last fortnight I've made three very different pointy hats for clients, but utterly bizarrely, all three of those lovely gentlemen had the same first name, despite living in very different parts of the world!<br />
<br />
So, we've had a hat for Snufkin, one for Gandalf, and one in graduated shades of purple with moons and stars applied:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKznnYanuPXpXUTrZZJZeSwnhIuNEzqhwSkWYCSKvOipmhs8sv4wqhLiwrteK3IPSvN8PPolFXBkxSGMyF0N-8tQ3Vg6AMe17hf7n48-cVjNCg_p3q3PKiZzPlXQRcXpdnURPcxKNy7Li/s1600/Snufkin+hat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKznnYanuPXpXUTrZZJZeSwnhIuNEzqhwSkWYCSKvOipmhs8sv4wqhLiwrteK3IPSvN8PPolFXBkxSGMyF0N-8tQ3Vg6AMe17hf7n48-cVjNCg_p3q3PKiZzPlXQRcXpdnURPcxKNy7Li/s320/Snufkin+hat.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2bo0EtZ9rfC6gZtsiQlC8NNhg-jIhD7wuLO_Wye0mKF2r26lP1hpz9AkC4v-XEq-4lmumgobVB6WhF-TPKYnw6HawJfRO_GFweS6aqmnnir03ukX0OjyDikAppx8frNrq4HL2ko_HfpzE/s1600/gandalffinished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2bo0EtZ9rfC6gZtsiQlC8NNhg-jIhD7wuLO_Wye0mKF2r26lP1hpz9AkC4v-XEq-4lmumgobVB6WhF-TPKYnw6HawJfRO_GFweS6aqmnnir03ukX0OjyDikAppx8frNrq4HL2ko_HfpzE/s320/gandalffinished.jpg" width="312" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jDsbiLIPtEyX0WIKld64ikLVepYUi51BT_6tvqMXMzd88oAV4eg1iHFAK7H1WQ0_yYyze3PIXA5uzGJ8xr4t9s9f9-tXssIJ9aKcmwOmyj2W6-EvWHbhZO0IoLszKNQJI2yKTdjvH6Pj/s1600/purplehat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jDsbiLIPtEyX0WIKld64ikLVepYUi51BT_6tvqMXMzd88oAV4eg1iHFAK7H1WQ0_yYyze3PIXA5uzGJ8xr4t9s9f9-tXssIJ9aKcmwOmyj2W6-EvWHbhZO0IoLszKNQJI2yKTdjvH6Pj/s320/purplehat.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
All huge fun to work on, and I hope their new owners have many happy adventures in their hats.<br />
<br />
I've also been catching up on my articles for the <a href="http://www.downsizer.net/">Downsizer </a>site, I've put up a recipe for<a href="http://www.downsizer.net/Articles/Make_your_own/Make_Your_Own_Lip_Balms/"> lip balm</a>, plus a couple of very simple patterns. One for a<a href="http://www.downsizer.net/Articles/Make_your_own/Really_Easy_Triangular_Shawl/"> knitted triangular shawl</a> which lends itself very well to handspun or to odds and ends of cheerful yarn, and also a <a href="http://www.downsizer.net/Articles/Make_your_own/Make_a_Manly_Work_Shirt/">basic shirt pattern</a>. This isn't anything new for those of you used to historically inspired sewing, but its a good shape for people who work hard and need room to move in their clothes, and well worth having a go at if you haven't before tried making your own shirts. This version is about as simple as they come, and can easily be made more elaborate if you are feeling so inclined.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzebCd64Zn07RMLAVwaOdUJFS-hEa-Gunc3zjA2GhJizF4bc_qyvgISQttC1M2kXONOBo6nZPyeRYdGzRViB8PqanStDeMBE_Bm2tZNwLKAkSx_u7SIXRbtztkxejbOoEr0Uaa2-Lrvid/s1600/Gareth+working.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzebCd64Zn07RMLAVwaOdUJFS-hEa-Gunc3zjA2GhJizF4bc_qyvgISQttC1M2kXONOBo6nZPyeRYdGzRViB8PqanStDeMBE_Bm2tZNwLKAkSx_u7SIXRbtztkxejbOoEr0Uaa2-Lrvid/s320/Gareth+working.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<br />
Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-86582315706610365492012-07-25T13:28:00.002+01:002012-07-25T13:33:19.968+01:00The Quest for Rifle Green<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m regularly asked to make hats or other items for
re-enactment groups needing a specific match to a style or shade associated
with their particular impression, and I’m always happy to help where I can. Usually,
this is just a case of crunching a few numbers to create a pattern for them,
swatching a few yarns to check texture and shade, and away we go. Even with
these extra stages, I pride myself on being one of the fastest commission
knitters on the historic circuit, and I can usually fill custom orders within a
few weeks at the most. Once in a while though, it turns into rather more of a
textile adventure than either myself or the client anticipated.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A year or so back I was approached by a Canadian Voltigeurs
regiment needing a Kilmarnock style bonnet in a specific shade of very deep
Rifle Green to match their uniforms. Structurally, not a problem, I already
make a couple of variations on a Kilmarnock and it was a fairly simple matter
to recalculate the numbers needed to match their proportions. Finding the right
shade of Rifle Green yarn though, that was going to be a bit trickier.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I started off thinking I’d just dye the yarn as I went to the
right shade or the finished hat after fulling, I’m a competent dyer and regularly
do custom colour-ways, so I wasn’t expecting too much difficulty. Indeed, the sample
hat I did them went really rather well, I’d been supplied with a fabric swatch,
and after a couple of false starts including one really bizarre experiment
where combining all the ‘usual’ components of deep olive green ended up with a
strange muddy pink shade (I have no idea what I did wrong, and probably best if
we never mention that particular hat again), I had a hat we were both happy
with and a set of notes on re-creating the shade in case there were any future
orders.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Roll on a few months, and the group were kind enough to
commission a second batch of hats. Confident that I’d cracked the dye ‘code’
for this, I merrily knitted up, fulled, and dyed the bonnets. And got the
colour wrong. Not hugely wrong, just too ‘brown’ for this particular order. Ok,
chalk that one up to experience, adjust the dye notes, and redo them. This
batch came out too ‘green’. The dye gremlins appear to have moved in on this
one, and whatever I did came out just a whisker off the required shade. In the meantime,
I was starting to stockpile some perfectly nice hats, but just not quite in the
shades needed for this client. Fortunately, they are a lovely regiment and were
being terribly patient with me whilst I gnashed my teeth and fretted about
where the dye was going astray.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here’s a few of the reject hats, all in an unfinished state.
They will all eventually get finished and will probably find nice homes with
re-enactors with slightly different shades of uniform, but that didn’t help
here at this moment in time. The sample swatch is in the middle, it’s not easy
to photograph the full range of colour differences but trust me, these hats
aren’t nearly close enough.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtl4M1h4Krqac6xWdvkk25FyVUrCp7-9tY_1OJWM1SdHKWWnlnD-gZWijrW7qq-TiT1ga7Jnt0NJs1atM7Jc5a_ONebp6m7dTUH3RGIOKrz48Jsu5igNStkkm2weLMSnkvzMbBnLaChW4s/s1600/greenrejects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtl4M1h4Krqac6xWdvkk25FyVUrCp7-9tY_1OJWM1SdHKWWnlnD-gZWijrW7qq-TiT1ga7Jnt0NJs1atM7Jc5a_ONebp6m7dTUH3RGIOKrz48Jsu5igNStkkm2weLMSnkvzMbBnLaChW4s/s320/greenrejects.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I decided at this point that I really ought to have a good
look at the commercially available yarns, maybe I just hadn’t spotted a perfect
off the peg, repeatable yarn. With the wonders of internet shopping, it wasn’t
even a problem if I had to order from abroad. So I made a vast pot of tea, and
settled down to trawl the net for anything vaguely corresponding to very deep
dark olive green. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like many historic shades, it doesn’t seem to be possible to
find exactly the shade I wanted in any of the brands of yarn that are known to
full well. Added to that, historic style hats need a very specific type of yarn
to be really successful. Some of the best known ‘felting wools’ out there are
merino or similar, and which they make wonderful modern items, they have slightly
too soft a drape and structure to hold up really well in historic hatting. Even so, after a couple of evening’s yarn browsing,
I indulged in some shopping therapy and ordered in all the yarns that looked
even remotely close on the computer monitor.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here’s just a few of them and some of my own yarn
experiments. All very different to each other aren’t they!<br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I set up sample swatches for the most promising, thinking
that if the textures were good, then they might be good candidates for minor
overdyeing to perfect the shades. Sadly, as I’d feared, the closest colour
matches were too soft in texture to take the abuse I give them during fulling,
and I wasn’t happy with the finish for my purposes in this project. I think I probably had twice this amount of dark green yarn at the height of the experimenting!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzZcGsaC8oSyT35g5z9GZEswUP0u5qIy9RZhVQvmR55bao0y5qJtd0X_qVfSG34LcmT2dx83L-CuMzZmiZP5HmLuS2Br3D7XBA5A2HF4Hb-Fe-K2xGOjSjMxYrwjl3v3HsTrm_sBjXjhO/s1600/greenskeins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzZcGsaC8oSyT35g5z9GZEswUP0u5qIy9RZhVQvmR55bao0y5qJtd0X_qVfSG34LcmT2dx83L-CuMzZmiZP5HmLuS2Br3D7XBA5A2HF4Hb-Fe-K2xGOjSjMxYrwjl3v3HsTrm_sBjXjhO/s320/greenskeins.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At this point, I felt the project was running embarrassingly
late, so I called in the cavalry in the form of the very talented dyer
<a href="http://freyalyn.blogspot.co.uk/">Freyalyn</a>, who has an excellent reputation for dyeing luscious fibre and yarn,
and most important of all, is possibly even more obsessed with all the various
shades of green than I am, and who I knew would understand exactly what we were
trying to achieve. I felt very slightly comforted that she also found this
shade a bit more complicated to achieve than expected, but she did it! Hooray
for Freyalyn!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m currently just finishing off the hats, and I think we
may just about be there this time. I’m actually starting to pester a few of my
favourite yarn suppliers to ask if they might consider adding this shade to
their range, after all, it’s a wearable, smart, useful shade, it’s just not
currently out there, and I’d love to be able to bypass all the dyeing angst
next time, and even more importantly, point other regiments and knitters at a
good off the peg source, as I’m certain I’m not the only historic hat knitter
out there getting asked for this form of Rifle Green bonnet.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All being well, I'll update this with a picture of the finished hats in a few days. For the moment, I'm turning my attention to a specific shade of bluey-grey needed for some forage caps. Guess what? This one also doesnt exist off the peg easily- thogh I'm testing a possible repeatable yarn and keeping my fingers crossed!</div>Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-34275641936312291832012-05-30T12:08:00.003+01:002012-05-30T12:09:29.482+01:00Natural Dyes and Sunny WeatherIts been amazingly warm and sunny in this part of Wales recently, almost too much for me with my colouring. It has meant though that every event we've done recently has been really well attended and we've had a chance to chat to all sorts of interesting people.<br />
<br />
Last weekend we were at St Fagans: National History Museum working in the Celtic Village. I was demonstrating natural dyes and teaching spinning and chatting about textiles, and Gareth was doing some metalwork in the form of repousse panels.<br />
<br />
A couple of snaps below, the dyes are woad, weld and madder. I must confess to using a chemical method to do the woad, much as I like doing it the traditional way, it never quite seems kind to create a serious whiff around the unsuspecting public!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMZuD2xDjrKUcwKv8R-LI-iMSfVzVNu-nxrraIDMll-FU4WEzF7LaAorc8zhMoVpd2YD3q-DenSwNEhBRD8vUpbNNZvk2E536eV1A2uwsPiHsO8rKjbZLSWtKvb186ognTWE4JEyLv-M3/s1600/Natural+Dyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMZuD2xDjrKUcwKv8R-LI-iMSfVzVNu-nxrraIDMll-FU4WEzF7LaAorc8zhMoVpd2YD3q-DenSwNEhBRD8vUpbNNZvk2E536eV1A2uwsPiHsO8rKjbZLSWtKvb186ognTWE4JEyLv-M3/s320/Natural+Dyes.jpg" width="304" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdfWFq3yLQZoEV7O_fYw2g5fdk5LNQDQb-PHynm_LFM4GlyWdTeoRww1MuE2fuTsgB8YHycmM9nxAgtrCDhPcH19Tgbc_6Z1_3Vc1f_7ngyNly2Xnd9C4sWN57L_ARhYjntPIqXpGm6YQ/s1600/Metalwork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdfWFq3yLQZoEV7O_fYw2g5fdk5LNQDQb-PHynm_LFM4GlyWdTeoRww1MuE2fuTsgB8YHycmM9nxAgtrCDhPcH19Tgbc_6Z1_3Vc1f_7ngyNly2Xnd9C4sWN57L_ARhYjntPIqXpGm6YQ/s320/Metalwork.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>
In other news, we've been kept very busy recently with cap and stocking orders, and I'm just about to start dyeing the yarn for a really nice commission for a madder dyed Tudor cap, I'm really looking forwards to this one. More a bit further down the line when I can talk in more detail about the project.<br />
<br />Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-51593250238737737282012-01-23T20:38:00.000+00:002012-01-23T20:38:23.011+00:00Busy New YearI can't believe how long its been since I last updated this blog. In my defence, I've been busy on the <a href="http://victoriansoapproject.blogspot.com/">Victorian Soap Project</a> so most of my blogging energy has been going on that this month, but I haven't been idle on the textile front either. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio92hl_JxewJXyGgr6k0X2lGU2cHqTfsz8jaBFAE7NjsxbAl6VWaUfXDpe0dpdJO6I9o5LjrO53E79hyphenhyphenF0FBhbeX0U-4MKiOlgWaYBY30zpRDzoP0G6yJ_4J4MU-J3Udqu00lcy2zxB8C_/s1600/bonnetside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio92hl_JxewJXyGgr6k0X2lGU2cHqTfsz8jaBFAE7NjsxbAl6VWaUfXDpe0dpdJO6I9o5LjrO53E79hyphenhyphenF0FBhbeX0U-4MKiOlgWaYBY30zpRDzoP0G6yJ_4J4MU-J3Udqu00lcy2zxB8C_/s200/bonnetside.jpg" width="175" /></a></div>I've been working on some commissions for various regiments, here's a ridle green Kilmarnock that I've just finished, it gave me a biit of a headache as I needed to colour match as closely as possible a sample of uniform fabric, and it took me a couple of goes to get the dye blend right. At one point it all went horribly wrong and I ended up with a pink hat, but we'll gloss over that and never speak of it again if you don't mind!<br />
<br />
I'm currently working on a number of forage caps for another re-enactment regiment. Although some knitters find it boring to do the same pattern several times in quick succession, I don't mind it, there is something quite satisfying about seeing how similar I can get them all and I love getting photos of the chaps in their finery when the order goes off!<br />
<br />
I've also started reformatting and uploading some of my <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Sally%20Pointer">historic hat patterns to work as a Kindle download</a>. It seems that in this day and age I ought to be trying to keep up with the available technology, so we'll see how those go and with luck it won't be long before the entire series is available in that format.<br />
<br />
I've got lots of plans for new patterns for this year, but untill someone finds me a few more hours in the day, they are having to wait for a quieter bit of the year. More soon, for now its back to my forage caps...Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-77027141798847045282011-10-15T08:52:00.000+01:002011-10-15T08:52:30.851+01:00Green ManEver since the Dwarven Battle Bonnet came out I've been wanting to do a Green Man bearded bonnet, and I'm delighted to announce that the pattern has finally gone live.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVm6CgZ2JNwaq1rIiPj_v2G1HzureIk-AKY0R27oSAmbVZxd95z5GJl_8QrqOtKrX9M_x-E_4YYOg6_Ulr3wElstEh0abf12LhnkJvOYRvGy5fFkcQHzQ2xdKjC8UyuEAOS3A3-Ll58c29/s1600/greenmanfrontsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVm6CgZ2JNwaq1rIiPj_v2G1HzureIk-AKY0R27oSAmbVZxd95z5GJl_8QrqOtKrX9M_x-E_4YYOg6_Ulr3wElstEh0abf12LhnkJvOYRvGy5fFkcQHzQ2xdKjC8UyuEAOS3A3-Ll58c29/s320/greenmanfrontsmall.jpg" width="158" /></a></div>Its been designed so that the pattern as written will give you pretty much the green man pictured here, but like my other charater masks, the idea is that you give your imagination free rein and once the basic framework is in place, have fun adding additional leaves, berries, creatures or other embellishments.<br />
<br />
I'm working on a 'Treebeard' Ent version as I type, same basic pattern, but with trailing branches and leaves rather than the more classic arrangement seen here. I'm having so much fun with this!<br />
<br />
The pattern is <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/green-man">available on my Ravelry page</a> for $3, which is about £1.95 There is still time to knit him before Halloween/Samhain, just right for a seasonal stroll in the woods.Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-39440070634088222192011-08-25T10:44:00.002+01:002011-08-25T10:44:13.729+01:00The Victorian Soap ProjectAs many of you know, one of my main research interests is the investigation and reconstruction of early soap recipes, partly to record the facts for a book which will eventually get finished, but also so that I can put selected recipes back into production to allow re-enactors and other interested parties acess to soap which is made as closely as humanly possible to the original ingredients and methods, but which also complies with modern safety and quality standards. <br />
<br />
This makes each bit of research quite expensive, so I'm trying out Crowdfunding for the current part, which is looking at Victorian gentlemen's shaving and toilet soaps.<br />
Investors can put in as little as £1 and I have set up a system of rewards/repayments for larger amounts. If anyoen is interested, or knows anyone who may wish to assist with this project, the Crowdfunder page is here: http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/investment/the-victorian-shaving-soap-project-370<br />
<br />
Please help me spread the word about this, its not a huge sum as research projects go, but I need to raise the money to cover the certifying chemist's fees and some additional research material and ingredients to allow me to get this stage of the Historic Soap project up and running.<br />
Thank you!Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-58219385655623787772011-08-17T15:56:00.003+01:002011-08-17T16:04:16.823+01:00Tough Love Spiked WristletsI'm slightly embarrassed at how long its been since I last updated this blog, in my defence its been a very busy summer. I've been very lucky to have had a good number of hat commissions through, but I've also found time to work on some new designs.
<br />
<br />Here is the latest one. This is 'Tough Love', and its a remarkably simple to work wristlet in sock yarn. The soft spikes lend themselves well to the use of shaded or variagated yarns, and it may be embellished with beads for a bit of extra sparkle at endges and on the spikes. One wristlet should take about 18-20g of sock yarn, so its a good way to use up leftovers from a sock project.
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkoulXDNmGVSwlHptEJwq8_iWy4xKA1QDSV-9lF4PzaRXsbIB-HgW7Mzw3Yy2Tvac2IMhdmKLejWo4BcsZD7LtHuu0_s6a1lrtPppC3ftU705hW__TBaePg8j8V2bqHuGQFj9S7XR1N1y/s1600/Tough+Love+picsmall.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkoulXDNmGVSwlHptEJwq8_iWy4xKA1QDSV-9lF4PzaRXsbIB-HgW7Mzw3Yy2Tvac2IMhdmKLejWo4BcsZD7LtHuu0_s6a1lrtPppC3ftU705hW__TBaePg8j8V2bqHuGQFj9S7XR1N1y/s320/Tough+Love+picsmall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641840667686713122" border="0" /></a>
<br />As with all my patterns, its<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tough-love-2"> available through Ravelry</a>, and this one costs just $3
<br />
<br />Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-528020364566727902011-07-03T18:51:00.008+01:002011-07-03T19:03:19.887+01:00a Romano-British weekendWe've just rolled in from a very pleasant weekend at the Roman Legionary Museum in Caerleon doing various Romano-British things as part of a Roman gladiators weekend. The weather was spectactularly hot, so lovely in many respects, but I must confess to feeling a bit pink round the edges now.<br /><br />Still, it was perfect dyeing weather, so lots of fleece and yarn got turned into various pretty colours, and as always the woad bath was a huge hit, people love seeing the colour oxidize from yellow through green to blue as the air hits the wet skein, and I did the other classic dyes weld and madder to round out the basic palette.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmITWvMkALeeHwePi9E8vx_DXz10Fy60QLsdilrvGdQXvkKKrXxfIrU6fIGWuDOOF55RpFlwZiQkLTBVNl_TU7F5U_YQJ9taAoXR2RGuSD-rlOS6GBaL7AhQA5fXZ47BuGbwM_45YmdcgE/s1600/sallydyes.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 258px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmITWvMkALeeHwePi9E8vx_DXz10Fy60QLsdilrvGdQXvkKKrXxfIrU6fIGWuDOOF55RpFlwZiQkLTBVNl_TU7F5U_YQJ9taAoXR2RGuSD-rlOS6GBaL7AhQA5fXZ47BuGbwM_45YmdcgE/s320/sallydyes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625186139744036850" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJ61zZcxWXc5NM5llqYkxo6ml6SrJFYEojIcS0hx4cR6Uetkh6ccmBsMMygdUkRXH45q92ahAUfxfaJVMlovJGVFJZzL2qZOVR4vbwN7j3wRjoiwb3aeTAsIZmTw31WfS3BTl9dQhYWqc/s1600/dyescaerleon.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 308px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJ61zZcxWXc5NM5llqYkxo6ml6SrJFYEojIcS0hx4cR6Uetkh6ccmBsMMygdUkRXH45q92ahAUfxfaJVMlovJGVFJZzL2qZOVR4vbwN7j3wRjoiwb3aeTAsIZmTw31WfS3BTl9dQhYWqc/s320/dyescaerleon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625186482777381298" border="0" /></a>Gareth worked on some repousse projects (I know there should be an accent in there, I can't work out how to do it sorry!), he had loads of small apprentices, lured to the punches and hammers and raring to wallop pieces of metal for as long as he could cope with them.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5OhQOUhvXDem-jHrhbzoRLAE4vm4fRHVLv0yceZOqzhf79Vc3OBrxvJLZoJvfi3Fbt6FlFZ5s9n7-WTpyoCZAyQo8jnMrAloExZIG7bbQSiwPKMcq5u_jUf_Uvt3ibvD8cm3Dpkoyn6_8/s1600/garethrepousse.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 247px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5OhQOUhvXDem-jHrhbzoRLAE4vm4fRHVLv0yceZOqzhf79Vc3OBrxvJLZoJvfi3Fbt6FlFZ5s9n7-WTpyoCZAyQo8jnMrAloExZIG7bbQSiwPKMcq5u_jUf_Uvt3ibvD8cm3Dpkoyn6_8/s320/garethrepousse.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625187265824580706" border="0" /></a>Annoyingly I haven't got a picture of his finished items, but will try to update this post later, suffice to say, my shield is looking shinier than ever with two new repousse decorations :)<br /><br />One last picture, the gardens at the museum are looking wonderful at the moment, really evokes the right feel, and I couldnt resist getting a photo with them as a backdrop.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1OCOPGq94PmJa6IPSdwwuvTMbjtz9a-fwY4ZlNvKJpBvCSsErBl0bYhatabGELYRvbRHIfq-MoQDuOHw3_mlPQfEL2VrwaWXe7NMqRcg48GaQ0QXOgYEccFIGPjBmAAAZ_5ZhTl9e8Bhz/s1600/sallycaerleon.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 285px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1OCOPGq94PmJa6IPSdwwuvTMbjtz9a-fwY4ZlNvKJpBvCSsErBl0bYhatabGELYRvbRHIfq-MoQDuOHw3_mlPQfEL2VrwaWXe7NMqRcg48GaQ0QXOgYEccFIGPjBmAAAZ_5ZhTl9e8Bhz/s320/sallycaerleon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625188130110209218" border="0" /></a>Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-30516945787917398602011-06-20T09:21:00.005+01:002011-06-20T09:26:43.657+01:00Woad dyed yarns and some capsI've been doing a bit of woad dyeing this last week and have been particularly pleased with the results. In this instance I started with woad powder as I have no woad in the garden currently, but otherwise the method is much the same as if you were starting with woad 'tea'.<br /><br />Two loads of yarn later, here's the results. The yarn on the left is a naturally very pale grey which came out beautifully slate blue with the woad, and on the right the larger skein was a natural creamy white wool that has taken the colour very evenly and is a glorious glowing blue.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYNMdgG3aeQsaqUzpweprBNuqBP_Hjfv1HGOVcafSokEpn-YTh1iIqRHU85Aaa4fPLz63cMqM5UrqXtbjFv0bAIV0Un8xWexRHyczCXzjWV2xuROVlHR9VqOQPNu9Kh_Pl_SdVlnCS_tBq/s1600/woad+yarn.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYNMdgG3aeQsaqUzpweprBNuqBP_Hjfv1HGOVcafSokEpn-YTh1iIqRHU85Aaa4fPLz63cMqM5UrqXtbjFv0bAIV0Un8xWexRHyczCXzjWV2xuROVlHR9VqOQPNu9Kh_Pl_SdVlnCS_tBq/s320/woad+yarn.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620215111656056514" border="0" /></a><br />I couldn't resist knitting some up right away, the two Monmouth 'labourer's caps' here are in the natural pale grey and the slatey blue, and have been through a hot wash to full them, which is always a good way to check that your dye is stable on the fibre :)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_ysrz6xmxXveyL_kNOc7SQHROaoyPfc2kP7mXUcstqL6JX3rHcyWuRlZQkYbhh5zSM5U4qmIH75s7v_F9bFALOYMJwr9F5o5T7S353kaOoWA8kmBuWhqLupyuwo_oWEqPejoPeJf1y_K/s1600/woad+hats.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_ysrz6xmxXveyL_kNOc7SQHROaoyPfc2kP7mXUcstqL6JX3rHcyWuRlZQkYbhh5zSM5U4qmIH75s7v_F9bFALOYMJwr9F5o5T7S353kaOoWA8kmBuWhqLupyuwo_oWEqPejoPeJf1y_K/s320/woad+hats.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620215233172731170" border="0" /></a>Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-82166606499206463682011-06-11T10:13:00.003+01:002011-06-11T10:16:39.695+01:00Knitting for a RegimentThis week I have mostly been knitting Kilmarnock bonnets, with the help of my ever long-suffering mother (thanks mum!) who did the knitting on two of them, we managed to get an order for six bonnets finished in time for them to go to their regiment to wear at the Waterloo re-enactment next weekend.<br /><br />Here they are drying on my garden steps, they just need one last steam blocking, and they will go in the post first thing on monday morning.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJw-yMtBFj1lv1VVOGWjFqboXWzw25-OMk_-M3kuHcuj9bvTGwqL6hsnohRcClO_V6xNUugJfVrF_CFFTLEKc5wE6W_8ULnvRTVnJSmDDQNiomRQ9JMrju-m92_quzTnEqxlZO1gsb1dA/s1600/kilmarnock+bonnets.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJw-yMtBFj1lv1VVOGWjFqboXWzw25-OMk_-M3kuHcuj9bvTGwqL6hsnohRcClO_V6xNUugJfVrF_CFFTLEKc5wE6W_8ULnvRTVnJSmDDQNiomRQ9JMrju-m92_quzTnEqxlZO1gsb1dA/s320/kilmarnock+bonnets.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616888525962134338" border="0" /></a>Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-49381733803744911662011-05-09T17:01:00.007+01:002011-05-09T17:11:37.837+01:00Tudor Felting, Fulling, Spinning and KnittingGareth and I spent saturday at a very enjoyable Elizabethan revel in Guisborough (North Yorkshire) held to celebrate the 450th anniversary of the local college. We took some of our goodies along to trade, but mostly we were there to demonstrate various Tudor fibre arts.<br /><br />Gareth spent his time working on felting and fulling:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_G_2Cy4QhUMlSlBujMFeMB8tgDiQUt9sdQjZ7jedmT33JUHOatWTwDK5iXPj4z0q6Bq-kZcZywKgK8WoGpEF73GHzQsqwJXGDRhhspJFNMddvX6jPUV4flpwSQsmn6AOQkN7mWjrMpANN/s1600/Tudor+Felt.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_G_2Cy4QhUMlSlBujMFeMB8tgDiQUt9sdQjZ7jedmT33JUHOatWTwDK5iXPj4z0q6Bq-kZcZywKgK8WoGpEF73GHzQsqwJXGDRhhspJFNMddvX6jPUV4flpwSQsmn6AOQkN7mWjrMpANN/s320/Tudor+Felt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604748023012298114" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3Uw_qaHmjLQ4TorrWfMTnPDE51sShWkQTYu5SnJ6XoOPKu5jgM1yp1cTZpL9ALvjnB5momvCDmVcwF4TXYUlhSVjUiT1sG4kplbJw-sibWE-Fxj4hJNOIf50A9O5l7XTPpHb6bxM_fUZ/s1600/Tudor+feltmaking.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 253px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3Uw_qaHmjLQ4TorrWfMTnPDE51sShWkQTYu5SnJ6XoOPKu5jgM1yp1cTZpL9ALvjnB5momvCDmVcwF4TXYUlhSVjUiT1sG4kplbJw-sibWE-Fxj4hJNOIf50A9O5l7XTPpHb6bxM_fUZ/s320/Tudor+feltmaking.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604748185142358946" border="0" /></a><br />I did some spinning and knitting, working on a stocking on fine wires and a hat on heavier wooden needles, with comparison needles in bone available for inspection. I didnt get any pictures of me at Guisborough, but this one was taken the week before at St Fagans, spinning outside a cottage built in 1544. I'm looking a bit pale and puffy in the pic, sorry about that, was in the process of going down with a mild lurgy of some sort.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVE0iJ3XRCiBCFvr1moMG3kFmI15RTvop1MFNSd7PKB4doCwoZitz5m3iRIB_4rfUjD7190ySrtXouq4zsj55wtR6GwEP6DvhGLxSBfid62ElNlc1zHywTdlQomtNVb0GrtWQlr3U87Xp/s1600/tudorspinning.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 154px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVE0iJ3XRCiBCFvr1moMG3kFmI15RTvop1MFNSd7PKB4doCwoZitz5m3iRIB_4rfUjD7190ySrtXouq4zsj55wtR6GwEP6DvhGLxSBfid62ElNlc1zHywTdlQomtNVb0GrtWQlr3U87Xp/s320/tudorspinning.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604748727478193810" border="0" /></a><br />All in all its been a very busy and enjoyable couple of weeks, we've met loads of lovely people and had some wonderful conversations about life in Tudor times. I've come home to lots of stocking orders, so that should keep me out of mischief for the rest of this week.Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-8493778289591565762011-04-14T08:16:00.002+01:002011-04-14T08:20:49.534+01:00Alternative Corsetry and Crafts WeekendIt gives me great pleasure to advertise this UK based creative weekend, these courses are run by a friend of mine and I'll be there helping out with projects and techniques.<br /><b><br />11/12 June 2011<br />Alternative Corsetry and Crafts Weekend</b><br /><br /><ul><li>Need room to work on your latest project?</li><li>Fed up with crawling round on the living room floor to cut out large pieces of fabric and wish you had access to a really large table or a vast amount of floorspace to lay things out on? We have a whole barn to use to set out big projects.</li><li>Want to learn simple embellishment techniques for costume and jewellery?</li><li>Fancy getting to grips with the history and mysteries of corsetry?</li><li>Need access to a sewing machine, overlocker or knitting machine for a couple of days? Want a hand from experienced seamstresses to finish a project?</li><li>Want to try silk painting, feltmaking, have a go with a Victorian sock machine, or just enjoy browsing our extensive library of costuming books?</li></ul><br />Come along to our alternative making and modifying weekend and have a great time getting on with your existing projects or trying some new techniques.<br /><br />All food and accommodation (camping barn or bring your own tent) included, expect good farmhouse cooking, plenty of homemade cake, and cosy evenings round the woodburning stove (feel free to bring your own alcoholic drinks, endless tea, coffee and herb teas provided).<br />Price just £85 per person (arrive from friday evening, depart sunday late afternoon)<br /><br />Located on a beautiful Welsh smallholding in Carmarthen, easy to reach by road, rail or bus<br />To book, visit <a href="http://www.cwmoernantfarm.co.uk/" target="_blank">www.cwmoernantfarm.co.uk</a><br />This will be a very relaxed and friendly weekend, catering for everyone from 'make do and mend' vintage fashion interests through historical costuming, steampunk or alternative streetwear.<br /><br />The same site is also running several excellent value Fibre Retreats this year, aimed at those who want to get away from it all for a few days and be marvellously fed whilst working on their spinning, knitting, crochet or dyeing (or any other textile based craft) projects.<br /><br />It would be lovely to see a few of you there!Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-28967742513923609882011-04-05T16:02:00.007+01:002011-04-05T16:23:50.929+01:00Kilmarnock and Hummel BonnetsI've always got several 'new' hat projects on the drawing board, in some cases spending months or years looking at surviving portraits and where possible extant examples whilst working up numerous test versions in order to work out a pattern that I feel gives an appropriate interpretation of a historic style. A recent request from a re-enactment regiment encouraged me to get a move on with a couple of styles I'd been looking at for the last year or so, and get them polished up into a functional hat.<br /><br />Here are my latest two projects, I've been working on Kilmarnock and Hummel Bonnets for Napoleonic period Highland Regiments, and I think I've got these just about right now. The plain blue Kilmarnock bonnet pictured below is a little shorter than most of the ones I've been working on, they usually need to be about 6inches tall, (but I rather like the shape of the shorter version as well, and its a better picture than my taller ones, hence its inclusion here.)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3WtFwvhFM9ugRoKBavPOUAp2V1xmq57QzMX69v2ObBpxm5SW32K1es4rAkDBXR-tzg-4X77WQhB8gyurudl4OsxCJop9il7D0Ur04M6n09cMv5IwVgfP0ilG7N3dc08sgUvjs-kVPjNM3/s1600/kilmarnockbonnet.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3WtFwvhFM9ugRoKBavPOUAp2V1xmq57QzMX69v2ObBpxm5SW32K1es4rAkDBXR-tzg-4X77WQhB8gyurudl4OsxCJop9il7D0Ur04M6n09cMv5IwVgfP0ilG7N3dc08sgUvjs-kVPjNM3/s320/kilmarnockbonnet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592117346320416770" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcitq9rc-6D8kIS0k283iiSfEDZAxU-f-UJmy-QSksp9oMguPH-A3FTG6wGWLUjHO2w50I2nrMkXTVCm6rzx-6jT2j8JSp9j3ghOT3UqCoQ-ir56F-yPYaRFmbigS2GZ_ntasEvYE5vl3/s1600/Hummel+Cap.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 275px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcitq9rc-6D8kIS0k283iiSfEDZAxU-f-UJmy-QSksp9oMguPH-A3FTG6wGWLUjHO2w50I2nrMkXTVCm6rzx-6jT2j8JSp9j3ghOT3UqCoQ-ir56F-yPYaRFmbigS2GZ_ntasEvYE5vl3/s320/Hummel+Cap.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592117603941527442" border="0" /></a><br />There are some great portraits that survive showing Hummel caps in wear, I found this collection particularly interesting, note how variable the size and number of the dice (checks) round the hat are? <a href="http://www.74thhighlandregiment.com/uniform_study.html">http://www.74thhighlandregiment.com/uniform_study.html</a> There are also surviving Hummel bonnets in several museum collections, so I was able to balance portrait and physical evidence when coming up with my version.<br /><br />I never consider any of my patterns to be a final version, there is always the chance that I'll get to examine a 'new' extant hat in a museum collection or will see a portrait that I havent seen before, or in the case of military headgear, be directed to a set of regulations and supply guidelines that will help me make small modifications to continually increase accuracy and appropriateness for use in historic impressions today.<br /><br />I gather that Deb Pulliam did an article on Hummel bonnets for Piecework a few years ago, but I havent yet been able to track down a copy, will be interesting to see if she has any additional details that will help me polish my versin even further. Will update in due course if I ever manage to get hold of a copy to have a look at.<br /><br />In the meantime, if you know anyone that might be in the market for a new bonnet, point them at the shop site (<a href="http://www.sallypointer.com/shop">www.sallypointer.com/shop</a>)Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-87561936915921733602011-03-07T16:38:00.003+00:002011-03-07T16:44:05.518+00:00'Templar' style headdress<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEuAkfOxkXDXpgXlK2gGBcRtogo5mrbTVHcIqLAvilzvdfi2Dc1V7oaB7gG2jLAgxj0KIz8_zLAHJza5OEWdSjTuXhUkBu0jl2c3bAae7TTIQz_1WdWW_kk_JqPR6KQwAAxLL7jSdqh8aG/s1600/templarveil.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 289px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEuAkfOxkXDXpgXlK2gGBcRtogo5mrbTVHcIqLAvilzvdfi2Dc1V7oaB7gG2jLAgxj0KIz8_zLAHJza5OEWdSjTuXhUkBu0jl2c3bAae7TTIQz_1WdWW_kk_JqPR6KQwAAxLL7jSdqh8aG/s320/templarveil.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581379599077483682" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1rGw9Bv8Ce4Rj1wZo4yydZvWmOkXW75GjiKZMaUHf7b3EHafgOYC9jZyz-LWEbJYhSWQtApIz86D_srU8VRxxbNf2a1gA8P-nfSpKgs5z9LA6cWAYiAVDJWYcnfGyvcJNT2wNCa0Oa10/s1600/Templar.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 313px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1rGw9Bv8Ce4Rj1wZo4yydZvWmOkXW75GjiKZMaUHf7b3EHafgOYC9jZyz-LWEbJYhSWQtApIz86D_srU8VRxxbNf2a1gA8P-nfSpKgs5z9LA6cWAYiAVDJWYcnfGyvcJNT2wNCa0Oa10/s320/Templar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581379492994468658" border="0" /></a><br />Gareth and I have just finished this headdress and thought we'd show it off. The Templars and circlet are in hand forged and drawn brass and bronze wirework, and the goffred veil is in linen. I suspect ideally the veil needs remaking in a finer weight of linen, but overall we're really pleased with this as a first run at this type of headdress.<br /><br />There does seem to be a few different things that this style of headdress can get called, so if anyone has any good evidence for it being called other than 'templars/templettes' please shout. This one is based on evidence from a number of effigies and church brasses dated from the 1360-s to about 1415. To the best of my knowledge there are no currently known surviving physical examples of these, again, would love to be pointed at them if anyone knows otherwise.Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289558478297761480.post-16387458326440070932011-02-18T11:20:00.003+00:002011-02-18T11:28:12.765+00:00Dwarven Battle Bonnet- variationsWhen I brought out the<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dwarven-battle-bonnet"> Dwarven Battle Bonnet</a> pattern a couple of years ago I had no idea it was going to appeal to as many people as it has. Clearly its not just me that firmly believes that everyone needs a silly hat in their lives.<br /><br />One of the really great things about having the pattern out there being made by all sorts of people is seeing the variations on the basic pattern that people come up with, and it is a pattern that lends itself well to being modified slightly to create different character looks.<br /><br />For example, here's one I made for a client last week, its got a spangenhelm/spectacle helm variation made simply by adding extra strips to frame the eye area, and 'rivets' added to the helmet by knitting a basic bobble at intervals, and hey presto, a completely different look for not much more effort.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZHavjjQTt7ARj7DcQgPyk3yEpm3uK-xpcD0q2h9k2oysF6DzaJl5Xs5MB0QQONqVF1uqmw3spTuuEeKJEDXNn70XxqxWqamFSylSBmkQb-EOPXYXD-v0AONrRkcc5n18ZtUwYPkNvwTm/s1600/bonnetrivet.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZHavjjQTt7ARj7DcQgPyk3yEpm3uK-xpcD0q2h9k2oysF6DzaJl5Xs5MB0QQONqVF1uqmw3spTuuEeKJEDXNn70XxqxWqamFSylSBmkQb-EOPXYXD-v0AONrRkcc5n18ZtUwYPkNvwTm/s320/bonnetrivet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574989160957091666" border="0" /></a><br />If you have a look over on Ravelry at the projects page for this pattern, you'll see variations with horns on the helmet, different beard treatments, all sorts of different yarn choices, and lots and lots of really fantastic photos of people in their battle bonnets. I love creating hat patterns :)<br /><br />If you fancy trying it out yourself, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/purchase/sally-pointer-designs/7988">the pattern can be bought via Ravelry for just $3.00</a>Sally in Waleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140525294283384361noreply@blogger.com1