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.

Nalbinding: Playing with Connections

I haven't done another hat recently but I was asked to make another pair of socks for the spouse. I decided I wanted to try playing with the connection B1+F1, the same connection used on the Aisle Mitten. With the Aisle Mitten the rows are very tight on one side and smooth on the other and fabric is very dense, making it really good for heat retention and water resistance.

I decided to use the same connection but with the Mammen Stitch. I don't know what I was expecting but I was definitely delighted to find that my efforts resulted in a fabric with a tight set on rows on one and a smooth surface on the other. The fabric isn't quite as dense as with the Aisle stitch but it is still dense enough to make for a great winter sock here in Canada.

White Wolf Fian #1 - Introduction

For some reason I decided I didn't have enough challenges on my plate this year and decided to challenge in to Ealdormere's White Wolf Fian. The White Wolf Fian is a challenge based order, patroned by the Queen of Ealdormere, that encourages individuals work to improve their skills and knowledge in the Arts and Sciences through intermediate level projects.

The proposal that was finally accepted, I had put forward several ideas that were deemed to easy for my skill level, is to learn how to work bone and antler, using period techniques only, with the final outcome to be a replica of a bone strap end found at York and dates to the Anglo-Scandinavian period. My reference material is "Bone, antler, ivory & horn: The technology of skeletal materials since the Roman period" by Arthur MacGregor and the York Archeological Trust Publication "Craft, Industry and Everyday Life: Bone, Antler, Ivory and Horn from Anglo-Scandinavian and Medieval York" edited by A. MacGregor, A.J. Mainman and N.S.H. Rogers (1999).

I actually got a great start to this project yesterday, at Skraeling Althing's Practicum, with a class on Bone and Antler Carving taught by Master Stephen. While much of the lecture itself was not new information, the hands-on was phenomenal as was the look into his period bone carving tool chest. While it turned out I already have several of the essential tools, I do carve wood after all, there are a couple of very essential tools I need to either make or purchase from someone who makes them. I also need to find some course files. I have plenty of fine smoothing files but I need a rasp for removing large amounts of stock. The tiny period drills for making holes for rivets is going to be essential for mounting my strap-ends onto leather belts.

While I tend to extend myself a little further on each project I work on, it is my hope that being part of the White Wolf Fian will give me not only a physical outcome to focus on, like my 50 hats for the 50/50 Challenge, but also a delivery deadline that is near enough to keep me focused on the project rather than getting distracted by all the new ideas I come up with. It is also my hope that by being part of the White Wold Fian I might have access to more knowledgeable members who can point me in the right direction when I hit a snag.

A&S 50/50 Challenge: Wool Cap #23

 Wool Cap #23
Brand of Wool: Paton's Classic Wool
Colours: Blue Green
Stitch: Mammen
Notes: I decided to make another hat for the 4D Largess competition coming up in March. Even though the derby entry is supposed to be a group effort I figured it would not hurt to have a few extra items in the bag just in case some people forgo they promised to help out with this project.

A&S 50/50: Wool Cap #22

Wool Cap #22
Brand of Wool: Paton's Classic Wool
Colours: Purple
Stitch:Oslo
Notes: Made with the Oslo stitch and a thin gold wool line embroidered into the edge after the hat was felted. The mannequin head is about 19" while my head is 23". Needless to say this hat does not fit me after it was felted.

Our Barony is hosting a Dirty Dozen Donation Derby(4D) at an upcoming event. Our Canton voted to enter a group entry of things made for children. Since the hat does not fit me but will fit a young child I have decided to enter this hat into the 4D along with the other items I made specifically for a child.

A&S 50/50: Wool Cap #21

Wool Cap #21
Brand of Wool: Handspun Bulky
Colours: Brown
Stitch: Danish
Notes: As a follow-up to my working out Hald's Type I stitch I decided I should make a hat using the danish stitch. It is very "lacy" making it usable only as a spring and fall hat. You can see some areas where the stitches look closer together there in the middle. That was were I tried to add an extra link to the previous stitch. Turns out that creates the Oslo stitch or something very near it.

At the bottom, extended in the hopes of using this to cover my ears in cooler weather. the stitches are danish but they are pulled much tighter than the rest of the hat.

A&S 50/50: Wool Cap #20

Wool Cap #20
Brand of Wool: Paton's Classic Wool
Colours: Purple
Stitch: Mix of Aisle, Mammen, York, and Unknown
Notes: I started this hat sometime last year and put it away for some reason. While sorting through my wool stash this past Christmas I discovered the unfinished hat and decided to finish it. I started with the York stitch and moved onto what I thought was Mammen. It was at this point that it was put away. When I drug it out I continued in Mammen stitch only to find that my previous "Mammen" had much neater connection stitches. So obviously it was not Mammen. I tried a row of Aisle Stitch without the B1 connection and that wasn't it either. I decided this would be my winter cap so I finished it in Aisle stitch with the B1+F1 connection to make it thicker over the ears. Unfortunately, I ran out of yarn before I was long enough to cover my whole ear.