Winter Garb Test Run

Since the Northern Outpost Winter Romp was cancelled we decided to test our winter garb at the local conservation area. Not many people there though one couple thought we were there to murder them, one lady (feeding Chickadees from her hands) didn't bat an eyelash, and one gentlemen interrupted his phone call to ask us what we were doing in costume. I thin this would make an awesome place for a winter demo/ half day event.

Weather was -10ºC with a -15º windchill and it was sunny. We hiked 1.3 km without snowshoes or skis. The trails had previously been broken by other hiders but I found it easier walking in the unbroken areas with my wool boots and leather overshoes. As I get older I definitely find I need more arch support than what turn shoes provide.

I was wearing linen pants and tunic, a thin wool tunic, thin wool pants, wool nalbound socks, a thin wool kaftan, wool nalbound mittens, wool hood, and a wool cloak (double over the back area). On my feet I also had two layers of blanket wool turn shoe boots and leather ankle high turn shoes. The leather boots were treated with beeswax paste and allow to dry for three or four days.

I was perfectly warm, my feet perfectly dry. In fact, once we got into the trees and the wind was mostly blocked I got hot enough to throw back my hood and take off my mittens. I stomped in a water puddle in the parking lot just to test my waterproofing and it worked a charm. No water seeped through the seams or soaked through the leather. The wool boots repelled any water that splashed above the leather over shoes. Slogging through water or slush all day would be uncomfortable but the occasional puddle is no problem.

The only thing I felt lacking was face coverage, especially in the wind. So a scarf of some nature is in order for windy days. I think for sunny days it would be smart to make some snow goggles to cut down on the glare. My ears were a little cold under the thin wool hood so for harsher and longer outings a thicker hood may be in order.

With this garb I can confidently say I can handle a full day 10am to 4pm in -10º to -15º C weather. Any warmer and I will have to drop a layer of wool, my tunic. Any colder and I will need thicker wool garb.

Nalbinding: Mittens and Socks, Oh My!

 Just a couple of projects I have been working on. A pair of wool mittens in a slightly modified York Stitch and a pair of wool socks in Mammen Stitch.

Because the York Stitch is so prone to helixing (a tight twisting) I decided to add a row of mammen every 5 or 6 rows. It helped a little bit with the twisting but not enough. I really do dislike the York Stitch, mostly because of the twisting but I also find it very slow to do.

Mammen Stitch, on the other hand, is the stitch I tend to go to more often than not. It is denser than Oslo but doesn't use as much yarn as the Broden, Dalby, or Aisle stitches.

This is the first pair of socks I have made using the reducing heel method. Previous socks had been made using the slipper method where you made the toe then made a tongue for the bottom of the sock. The reducing method is the one seen in the Coppergate sock and seems to hold up to regular usage as opposed to the tongue method.