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Jacob Fugger's bonnet (SPRANG BONNETS PART 4)

3/11/2023

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SPRANG BONNETS PART 1
SPRANG BONNETS PART 3
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Jacob Fugger as portrayed by Albrecht Drürer
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My version of the bonnet
The portrayal of Jacob Fugger by Albrecht Drürer leads me to think that Mr Fugger wore a sprang bonnet. I tried to make a similar bonnet.
I interpreted the heavy lines in the bonnet as lines of horizontal twining in a sprang bonnet. When I tried this myself I found that there may be a reason for the twining in the sprang bonnet, as you will see.
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Thinking about approaches to incorporate horizontal twining into the sprang cloth, I thought of two ways to do this. One way (method #1) is to create a line of weft twining as I created the cloth. The other way (method #2) is to add the twining stitches after completing the sprang. The twining stitch does not have the stretch of the sprang cloth. Maybe, indeed, this was the whole idea of the twining line. This risk of method #1 is that the line of twining is too narrow for the desired width of the bonnet. I found method #2 to be more effective, in that I could place the sprang cloth on a head shape (styrofoam head) and then work the twining stitch at the desired tension, creating the desired width of the cloth, fitting the bonnet to the head.
How did I work the twining stitch?
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1. I placed a safety cord in the rows where I anticipated later adding the twining .... OK, two safety cords each time, one on the Z-side of the cloth, and one on the S-side of the cloth.
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2. In my drawing I use two colors of thread, so you can better see what is happening.
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3. The blue thread passes behind the first stitch of the sprang cloth.
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4. The pink thread passes in front of the first sprang stitch, and behind the 2nd sprang stitch.
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5. The blue thread passes in front of the pink thread, in front of the 2nd sprang stitch and behind the 3rd sprang stitch.
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6. The pink thread passes in front of the blue thread, in front of the 3rd sprang stitch, and behind the 4th sprang stitch.
With this in mind, I set up a warp. I used a cotton yarn (Berroco Pima 100), and set on a 12 inch (30 cm) long warp of  44 loops (88 threads).
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I worked the doubles grid stitch (you might see the instructions I gave for Mrs Luther's bonnet for more information about the doubles grid ... or check out Sprang Unsprung).
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I placed a safety line in both the S-side and the Z-side at intervals, as guide lines for the twining stitches to be added later.


When the two sides met, I inserted a string in the last row.
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I removed the cloth from the frame.

I slid the loops at the top of the cloth onto 3 separate strings. 
The first 4 loops went onto thread #1.
The next 36 loops went onto thread #2.
​The last 4 loops went onto thread #3.
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I set the cloth onto my head-shaped styrofoam mold.
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I cinched the 36 loops at the centre into a tight loop and tied a knot.
Using the tails from that knot, I stitched together the 8 remaining loops, 4 on one side, 4 on the other side.
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Cinching the loops together into a ring begins to bring the sprang rectangle into ah hat shape.

Note the edges of the cloth at the front of the head sit tightly against the head. 
 
​The edge of the cloth near the back of the head is loose, rather ruffled.

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How to finish the back of the bonnet? ​How are the other loops finished?
This drawing, done in 1514 by Urs Gra gives me an idea.
 
The figure at the right may be wearing such a bonnet seen from the back side.


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When I gather the loops at the other side of the cloth, forming a ring at the back of the head, that ruffling along the edges disappears.
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​I worked a twining stitch along the guide lines.  This stabilized the width of the bonnet.
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​The rectangular shape of the cloth takes on a very nice bonnet shape.
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​I created a woven band using a tape loom, and stitched the band to the edge of the rim of the sprang bonnet.
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I stitched the band to the rim of the bonnet, leaving the band not attached at the back of the head. This will make it easier to put the bonnet on, and will allow for the bonnet to be tightened to sit snugly on the head.
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How do you tie the bonnet on the head?
Two approaches come to my mind.
One approach is to pass one end of the head band through the circle at the back of the head, and tie it to the other end of the head band.
This is the method if your band is short, and/or if you do not want the band to pass all the way around the head.
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If you want the ends of the band to pass all the way around the head, then I would pass both ends through the circle at the back of the head.
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Creating long, wide braided bands

3/3/2023

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​The German Archaeology Institute in Berlin, and in particular individuals working on their Silk Road Fashion Project have invited me to work with them in the past. My job has been to create braided bands. In 2016 I assisted with the project recreating the outfit worn with the world’s oldest known pair of trousers.
Check out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl7siWwzibs
 
More recently I was asked to create braided bands of a structure that is a 2-2 twill with a vertical rib. The desired length for the bands varied from some 1.3 meters to 11 meters long. 
Initially ​ I thought I could create the shorter bands using circular warp sprang. I have successfully worked 2-2 twill with horizontal ribs using the sprang technique and found that the line between the work and the mirror-image section is almost impossible to detect. Experiments to use circular warp to create the 2-2 twill structure with vertical ribs always had an irregularity between the cloth and it’s mirror-image cloth. Trying to work the initial row several different ways, I always came up with the same result, a flaw in the cloth where the work met the mirror image.
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sample of 2-2 interlace, vertical ribs, circular warp. Note the irregularity in a line at the centre of the work.
 I then tried to set up the cloth with horizontal ribs, and then switch to the vertical ribs. I mistakenly thought that the difference is a matter of tension. It is not. The difference between 2-2 horizontal ribs and 2-2 vertical ribs is a structural difference. The way to shift from one to the other requires a structural change … hence that “flaw” in the cloth. Reflecting on Jacqui Carey’s method to chart braided structures confirmed this structural difference.
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Horizontal ribs on the left, vertical ribs on the right.
The result of this was the decision to create all the braids using a takadai, a Japanese braiding table. The takadai has the weaver set up the threads on bobbins, and the bobbins are placed around the takadai. The weaver manipulates the threads by moving the bobbins. The takadai facilitates the weaving by holding the bobbins in place. 
​Making samples, I realized that the common modern takadai does not have the capacity for the great number of threads I would require for some of the bands. One of the bands required some 184 bobbins. This lead me to solicit the services of a local woodworker, who made longer arms for my takadai.
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Local woodworker Paul Shipman modified my takadai to accommodate the project.
Working to create a sample of the wider piece, I found that the longer arms needed to be splayed out at an angle.

 


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Back to Paul Shipman for adjustments to the longer arms.
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Longer arms seemed to want to be splayed out to get the correct angle along the fell line.
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Takadai arms now spayed to accommodate the angle of the fell line of the fabric.
The longer arms, loaded with 92 bobbins, caused the takadai to tip over. This meant that I fitted the far ends of the long arms with legs, and it worked nicely.
​The great number of bobbins meant that each koma travelled a significant distance before moving to the bottom of the row. This meant that each bobbin descended a significant distance before passing as weft. All this resulted in a need to mount the takadai on boxes to allow for the space for the bobbins to descend.
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The large number of bobbins required for one of the bands created the need for an extra pair of legs on the takadai
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I fit the far end of each outer rail with a foot, and raised the height with boxes.
​The frame that I have for measuring out warp for other weaving projects would have me wrap the threads around a number of times to make up the length required for the 11 meters of cloth. My samples gave me to calculate that I needed  to begin with 18 meters of warp in order to end up with 11 meters of cloth. That seemed to me to be a great number of times around my warping mill, and I was concerned that I might miscount now and then, resulting in some of the threads being too short. I then opted to measure out the distance across my house, and measured out in that manner.
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​Normally takadai bobbins are 2-3 inches long. For the yardage of warp required for the 11 meters of cloth, I needed far larger bobbins. The bobbins, needing to sit close together, a long, thin shape seemed reasonable. I went to my hardware store and selected bolts of the right weight for the shorter bands, and 8 inch long galvanized nails (they have a large head) to accommodate the warp for the longer bands.
 
I used an electric drill to wind the bobbins
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​The next challenge was to create that flat start to the cloth. Initially I followed the instructions in the book by Rodrick Owen, I set up the threads as in the drawing. Then following the structure I derived the track plan in the pencil drawing. 
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​This gave me horizontal ribs … not the vertical ribs that I wanted.
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​In the end I realized that I need to set up the warp using the rules for the Vertical Ribs.
​I measure out the warp threads two at a time. I mark the center of the two warp threads by tying a large loop.
 
In this manner I begin with a set of pairs of bobbins.
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​ I place a tie around the loops on the rod at the top of the structure. I work first row of 2-2 interlacing, vertical ribs. This means move 2 front threads to back position, and two back threads to front position, all the way across the row. 

After each successive addition of bobbins, I will re-tie the string to include the added bobbins loops.
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With each successive row, as I create the initial triangle, threads will pass to the sides, and out of the braid. To keep track of the triangle at the centre, I decided to tie a white thread to the red threads that will run along the sides of that initial triangle.
The threads that move to the side pull on the triangle, and this creates the risk of a loose structure.
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​To counteract this tendency to loosen, I use a spring clip to prevent the most recent pair of bobbins from pulling on the structure. As pairs of warp bobbins move to the side of the takadai, I move the spring clip to hold that most recent warp thread pair. 
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I add pairs of bobbins to either side, and I then work another row: 1 thread off to the right, then 1 back thread moves to the front. Then 2 front threads move to the back, and 2 front threads move to the front.
Repeat: 2 front threads move to the back, 2 front threads move to the front, all the way across the row, ending with one to the front, and two threads to the back.
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​After each row of manipulation
-Re-arrange the bobbins
-Take the threads that have passed the triangle margin (white marked thread) off to the side
​The triangle grows, 
according to the rules 
of vertical rib 2-2 interlace
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​When the margin threads (white marked threads) meet at the middle, your initial triangle is complete, and the structure has been established.
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​Now the challenge is to add bobbins until the structure achieves the desired width.
I add bobbins in groups of 4 (two loops), one set of 4 to the left side, then a set of 4 threads (two loops) to the right side.
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​The knotted loop marks the center of the warp, between the two bobbins.
 
Each pair of bobbins will have one bobbin going off to the side, and the other bobbin thread entering the structure.
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jFind the entry path for the bobbin by tracing the path of the bobbin that is the 4th from the edge.

Here a thread added to the right side of the triangle will follow the path of the thread marked with the arrow.
Beginning at the point of the cloth triangle,
 the new thread will enter the structure by passing under 2, 
then it will follow an over 2, under 2 path, until reaching the rod along the top.
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​The next added thread will enter the cloth by passing under 1, then follow an over 2, under 2 path.
​Pack each added thread tightly, using the sword.
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​Untie and re-tie the cord holding the loops 
(the pink cord in the photo) to keep the loops compacted against each other, to help maintain a tightly braided structure.
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Continue adding threads.
 
Pack each added thread using the sword.
 
 
Un-tie and re-tie the cord holding the loops along the bar at the top of the triangle
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​To step away from the work I further stabilized the triangle using another pair of those spring clips at the upper corners of the triangle.
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​Once the desired width was reached, it was a matter of putting in the time necessary to create the desired length. I needed to learn to check each row for accuracy. Common errors were inaccurate over-2-under-2, and Due to the fact that each bobbin holds three threads, another common error was splitting the 3 threads from a bobbin.  The other challenge was to pack each row consistently. Beyond that it was a matter of working a couple of hours each day .... for several weeks ... to achieve the desired 11 meter length.
​I found that the stretch of the cloth caused a bit of sagging at the center of the cloth. I noted a slight ruffling of the center of the cloth between the tori and where it winds up at the back of the takadai. To minimize this I decided that I needed to support the cloth when winding on. To prepare for winding the cloth onto the back of the frame each time I inserted a stick into the current shed on either side of the cloth. I used these sticks to push upwards (towards the tori) on the cloth at the same time as I wound the cloth onto the back of the takadai. This minimized the amount of sagging at the center of the cloth as it wound onto the back of the frame.
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St eustachius' bonnet (Sprang Bonnets part 3)

3/2/2023

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Part 1 of sprang bonnets starts here
Part 2 of sprang bonnets starts here
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The right side of the Paumgartner alter gives us an image of St Eustachius, in military uniform, and weaving what could be a sprang bonnet.

The painting was done by Albrecht Drurer, an artist of some repute, in the early 1500s.
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I am thinking that the bonnet could contain the padding wanted if you are going to wear a metal helmet.

Looking at the bonnet, I am thinking that the dark cloth could represent the netted structure of sprang. The yellow stripes are smooth, vertical stripes. This to me would indicate what I call vertical twining.
To make such a bonnet, I set up a 16 inch long (41cm) warp of a dark green 2/8 wool and a worsted weight yellow, alternating 10 green and 2 yellow, ending with 10 green. 
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Along the lower loops, I passed the yellow threads through the green loops, and the green threads through the yellow loops.
I worked the green threads in an interlinking stitch, and the yellow threads in a vertical twining stitch. I described the vertical twining in my post of Feb 2, 2023.
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At the centre, I chained the green threads, to stabilise the cloth. I planned that the chain would sit on the inside of the cap.
To gather the end loops, I divided the end loops into two groups, separated by color. I slid one color of loops on one blunt sewing needle, and the other color of loops onto the other blunt sewing needle.
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Dividing the loops in this manner allows me to snug the loops into a far smaller circle.
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When the loops are tightly gathered there is a reverse-widow's-peak in the centre of the forehead.
To avoid this reverse widow's peak, I reserved the dark loops at either edge, did not include them in the gathering. Instead I stitched them together in a tight seam at the centre front of the bonnet. 
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The reserved dark loops, sewn together at the forehead, make for a smoother line to which I could attach a brow band. The brow band is a length of weaving, made on a tape loom.
I gathered the loops at the back of the bonnet in a fashion similar to the treatment of the loops at the front of the bonnet..
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I stitched the brow band to the front 3/4 of the bonnet, leaving the band free at the very back of the bonnet.
I thought that a person will want to be able to expand and contract the circumference of the bonnet. I pulled the un-attached ends of the brow band through the hole so that the brow band anchors the back of the hat to the head.
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The brow band was made long enough to go around the head 3 times, and tie at the back. The ends of the brow band come out of the hole at the back of the bonnet, go around the head, and can be tied snugly at the back of the bonnet

I am curious to hear how such a bonnet works for people who actually wear 16th century armour and metal helmets. 
SPRANG BONNETS PART 4
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Mrs. Luther's Bonnet (SPRANG BONNETS PART 2)

2/6/2023

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PART 1 OF THE SPRANG BONNETS starts HERE
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The portrait by Lucas Cranach, painted in 1526, of Katharina Luther, wife of the famous Martin Luther, depicts a woman wearing a hairnet. It was Dagmar Drinkler of the Bavarian National Museum who showed me this image some years ago. It is her opinion that Mrs. Martin Luther is wearing a sprang bonnet. I interpret this as possibly an interlinking structure, what I call a doubles grid.
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Bonnet, interlinking stitch, doubles grid with a narrow band attached.
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The narrow band wraps around the head to secure the bonnet to the head, and is tied at the back of the neck.
This is the plan I followed: I made a wide rectangle of sprang cloth, securing the centre with a chain-across technique. I gathered the loops from one end of the cloth into a tight ring. This ring will be located at the back of the head. I then folded the cloth and joined the selvedges together in a seam. The loops from the other end of the cloth go around the face.
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drawings by Carol James
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To make this bonnet I selected a 2-8 wool, and set on a warp that measured 15 inches long, and 124 loops (248 threads). I worked a doubles grid stitch.
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Arriving at the centre, I chained across to secure the cloth. I chained threads one at a time.
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Here you see one set of loops cinched together into a ring. You also see how I sew the rectangle into a tube, stitching the selvedges to each other.
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It did not look like a bonnet at this point.
​It looked like a tight tube.
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Then I blocked it. I got it soaking wet, and then selected the right sized mixing bowl from my kitchen.
I stretched the wet bonnet around the bowl and left the bonnet to dry.
Then blocking process transformed the piece from that tight tube into something that looked far more bonnet-like.
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Mrs Luther's bonnet seems to have a band around the rim. I made a band using my tape loom. I measured out threads of sufficient length to make a band that will go around my head three times, plus a bit extra to tie a knot.
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sewing the band to the front 3/4 of the bonnet
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the ends of the band pass through the lacy holes at the back of the head
I sewed the band to the edge of the bonnet. I sewed the band to the front 3/4 of the bonnet, leaving the back 1/4 of the bonnet with no sewn-on band. I pulled the ends of the band through the loops at the back of the bonnet. In this manner the band can be pulled tight to secure the bonnet to the head.
I made this first bonnet using a pale wool, hoping you would be better able to see the details of construction. Mrs Luther is wearing a dark colored bonnet. You will also note that the band around the head is rather wide, far wider than the band I made for this pale-coloured bonnet.
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I worked a band in a 2-2 interlace stitch, with vertical ribs, and a 4 contrasting colored threads. OK, the red yarn I selected is rather close in color value to the dark green, and the green design does not stand out well on my band. I was also disappointed to note that the design in my band is far more elongated that the design in Mrs. Luther's bonnet. OK. Maybe I should stick to my field of expertise, the sprang, and leave the band to someone else. Perhaps it is another technique, perhaps an embroidered design.
PART 3 OF THE SPRANG BONNETS CONTINUES HERE
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Sprang bonnets from the 1500's (SPRANG BONNETS PART 1)

2/1/2023

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Back in 2019 I received an email from someone working for a museum in Germany. They were setting up an exhibition, trying to bring to life the outfits of a gentleman from the 1500's. The gentleman's name was Matthaus Schwarz. Apparently he was a fancy dresser, and proud of his wardrobe, as he had watercolour drawings made of his outfits, and published these in a book. 
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Carol's version of the bonnet
The source book has been reprinted and  is titled The First Book of Fashion.
Doris Limmer wrote to me, asking about the bonnet that Mr Schwarz seems to be wearing.
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from an image in the First Book of Fashion by Matthaus Schwarz
As I understand the exhibition was titled "Dressed for Success"
You can check out a virtual tour of the exhibit at ​https://kunstsammlungen-museen.augsburg.de/dressed
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My take on this is that the fashion of the day was for a person to wear a large, wide-brimmed hat. The hat needed to sit on the side of the head. To secure the hat to the side of the head, keep it from falling off, a hairnet is worn. The large-brimmed hat can be secured to the hairnet with a pin ... that's my understanding. I have worked through a number of sprang hats, trying to replicate what I see.
You will see the scheme for my version of hat in the drawings below.
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I began with a warp of sufficient length to produce a cloth that will cover the head, from forehead to the nape of the neck. The cloth must be wide enough to go half-way around the head. I worked until the two pieces of cloth met at the middle. I secured the middle with a piece of string, the same string as used for the warp. I tied a knot, and used the tails of the knot to sew up the cap. The knot sits at the top of the head (sort of) and the loops from the top and the bottom of the warp go around the rim of the bonnet.
Now that's the basic bonnet, but this bonnet seems to have a woven band around the brim. I made a band using a tape loom. For the bonnet to work according to my plan, the band needs to go around the head 3 times.

​Below you will see the scheme I followed to attach the brim.
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drawing by Carol James
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drawing by Carol James
In the drawing A marks the loops that were at the top of the frame, B marks the loops from the bottom of the frame. I made sure that the loops at the bottom of the frame were loose ... you might put a stick in those loops, to keep them large and loose. C marks the centre of the cloth which comes to be located at the top of the cap. D is the band which I attached along A, the loops at the top of the frame, now the front of the cap. The ends of band D pass through those loose loops from the bottom of the frame. One end of D passes in at F and comes out as H. The other entered the loose loops at E and comes out as G. In this manner the bonnet sits, nicely spread out across the forehead, and can be cinched to fit the head. Those ends G and H can be brought around the head ... you need to make D long enough to go around the head 3 times ... and then you can tie G and H at the back of the head.
One more set of things to ponder, the colored stripes in the hat. 
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There are a couple of ways to get vertical stripes in your sprang work. For bonnet A in the image above, I used single loops of a contrasting color of thread ... that 2 threads. A single loop of the contrasting color will give you a broken line.

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single loop of a contrasting colored thread
A pair of loops (4 threads) of a contrasting color will give you a solid line with a jog.
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For bonnet B, I made cords of a contrasting color, and stitched them to the side of the bonnet. Actually I twisted a pair of contrasting colored threads, and then I folded the thread in half, and allowed the twisted thread halves to un-twist around each other. Where I folded the thread, that's what was attached the cord at the brim. The cut ends of the cord make for a tuft at the top of the head. Now, I don't see the tuft in the portraits ... but then again the top of the bonnet is hidden inside that large brimmed hat. I do like the idea of the thicker thread worked into the bonnet to create the stripes. This assumes that there is a reason for the stripes. The stripes being thicker would give a hat pin more bonnet to which to grip and to attach. I then thought of the idea behind bonnet C. Bonnet C features what I call vertical twining. The contrasting color threads in bonnet C always pair with same-coloured threads. There is no jog in the line. When working with vertical twining, the structure works nicely with the twined thread being thicker than the background colored threads ... perfect for this bonnet. I teach a class on sprang twining on a background of interlinking ... and this vertical twining is one of the variations covered.
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vertical twining: the pink colored threads only partner with each other
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vertical twining, two loops of a thicker, contrasting colored thread
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It's difficult to say how these bonnets were made, particularly since I am not aware of any surviving examples. Just making a guess and sharing my take on things.
part 2 of the SPRANG BONNETs continues here
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An eventfull summer

8/28/2022

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This summer has been extremely busy. I have not been writing in this blog, not for a lack of content but lack of time to sit down long enough to right it all down. 
​July started with a trip to British Columbia, to visit my daughter who was working for Bard on the Beach, a Shakespearian theatre company in Vancouver.

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While I missed not having my daughter near ... she gives me excellent tech support, we were able to remain in contact, thanks to the up-to-date computers. While in Vancouver we did check out Granville Island and its textile boutiques. If ever you are in Vancouver it is worth the visit! ... and so is Bard on the Beach
I did manage to publish ​that lace pattern book inspired my the sprang pieces from Vesterheim. You can order your own copy from the Vesterheim in Decorah, Iowa, or from from the SprangLady website. A down-load-able PDF will be available soon from Taproot Video, that’s www.taprootvideo.com
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The pangram in sprang lace
Next on the calendar in July was Knoxville, Tennessee, and the back-to-back conferences hosted by Complex Weavers and HGA’s Convergnce. This was my first in person conference in two years. What a lovely opportunity to see new and well known faces! I presented information at Complex Weavers on the subject of my work to make sprang leggings. At HGA’s Convergence I taught three classes, one on oblique interlace, an intro to sprang class, and then a class on sprang twining on a background of interlinking. Three of my garments were in the fashion show, and two “yardage” pieces had been juried into the yardage exhibit. Juror Robyn Spady gave me a 2nd place award for one of those yardage pieces, my alphabet sampler. ​
Arriving home from Tennessee I then had 2 weeks to do some laundry, and move some things around (we are having work done on the kitchen, but that is a whole other story), and prep for the next conference.

In August my daughter Claire and I travelled to attended the Braids 2022 conference in Denmark. We started the trip in London, and spent some jet-lag-recovery time site seeing in London (also Stonehenge and Bath) before making are way to Copenhagen and then to Svendborg for the conference.
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Claire at StoneHenge
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The Roman bath in Bath
At the conference we attended several workshops. I did some loop braiding, my daughter did lucetting and naalbinding. As a teacher it’s important to take classes with something new, to remind myself how it feels to be a student. During the conference i had the privilege of talking with some very talented people and it was great to discuss up coming projects and get good feed back. I also taught and advanced sprang class that focused on lace making. It was helpful to have Claire there to provide extra support to the students, but mostly she provided me with tech support. It was such a great batch of students. Im so please with all of them.
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The conference site in Svendborg, Denmark
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Carol attending one of the many talks on the subject of Scandinavian braiding traditions
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Sprang lace success
​After the conference we met up with Sally Pointer. Some of you my know her from Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/sally.pointer
She is a freelance heritage educator and experimental archaeologist and a talented Spranger. It was exiting to meet her and together we visited some sprang pieces in the Danish National Museum in Copenhagen. There may be another trip coming up next year that will have us collaborate, stay tuned.
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Sally Pointer and Carol at the Danish National Museum
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We celebrated the publication of the article with a meal at a local restaurant.
We then traveled to Munich where we visited with Dagmar Drinkler, a curator for the Bavarian National Museum. She returned to me the sprang leggings that are featured in a paper we wrote together. You might remember the book edited by Frances Pritchard,  titled Crafting Textiles. You will find a photo of the leggings in chapter 7.
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But before that celebratory dinner, Dagmar gave us a sneak peek at the up coming exhibit on hats. She let us take a close look at the hats she replicated, WOW!!! The exhibition will be called “Haptsache, Hüte, Hauben, Hip-Hop-Caps". If you are in Munich anytime between this October and the end of April 2023, you need to go see this exhibit. 

The copy of the brochure announcing the exhibition was a bit damaged along my travels ... nevertheless, October 20, 2022 through April 30, 2023 ... at the Bavarian National Museum, des Schatzhaus and der Eisbachwelle. 

If you're anywhere near Munich ... go see the exhibit.

What particularly caught my attention was a sprang hair net Dagmar has reconstructed based on a very detailed painting from the 1500s. With her permission I will be working on making my own reconstruction of the hairnet, as well as an instruction sheet on how to make such a stunning piece of clothing.


Coming up this fall, we have an intro to Sprang class starting September 22, and an other one in November. There is still room in both of these classes. You can sign up through the website 
https://www.spranglady.com/store/p118/Intro_to_Sprang_Class_-Sept_2022.html
https://www.spranglady.com/store/p119/Intro_to_Sprang_Class_-_Nov_2022.html

Contact me directly for the September class as the deadline for registration is coming soon.

​I have also promised Claire that I will be working on the next year’s Sprang subscription so she can start building that webpage. More info coming on that soon.
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VEsterheim sprang Lace

6/27/2022

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This is a shawl I made with motifs inspired by pieces in Vesterheim, the Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah, Iowa.
In the spring of 2018 I had the honor of teaching a sprang class at Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah, Iowa. During the class the museum curator Laurann Gilbertson asked if we would like to see pieces of sprang from the collection.
Of course we said, "Yes!!!" ​
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The class was allowed an up-close look at six lovely pieces of sprang lace.

​Back in the classroom I used the teachable moment to talk about the ways a person might derive a lace pattern from an existing piece. At the same time I promised the curator that I would provide the museum with charts for all the motifs.
The lockdown of the past two years has provided me ample time to work through the many sprang lace charts I've created with pencil and graph paper, and to translate them into something that can be published.

The big announcement in this blog entry is the publication of a new 50 page book of sprang lace patterns. These are the patterns I derived from the sprang lace in the Vesterheim, Norwegian-American Museum. 
Curator Laurann Gilbertson graciously contributed to the publication by providing information on the Norwegian lace tradition as well as information on the individual pieces from the museum records.
For cover art for the book ... of course ... the sprang pieces themselves were perfect.
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Front cover
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Back cover
Now, the work to publish a book of sprang lace patterns is more than writing the charts. I have come to recognise the importance of checking for errors. It seems the best way to do this is to create a piece following the chart and to compare results with the photo of the original. My lovely apprentice Sharon Wichman offered to do this. She wrote down her observations as she worked and these, too, are included in the book. 
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After many long hours, and diligent work by my editor Ruth  Temple, I am happy to announce that the document has been sent to the printer. I expect to have copies of this brand new sprang lace pattern book available next month at the HGA's Convergence in Knoxville. The book will also be available for sale on my website. A down-load-able PDF version will be eventually available at www.taprootvideo.com
And by the way, that shawl featured in the photo at the top, that shawl will be on display at HGA's Convergence in the Leaders Exhibit.
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More Sprang Lace Patterns ... now available

7/10/2021

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My latest book, the product of many hours of work during lockdown, Sprang Lace Patterns Inspired by Dutch Sashes, is now going live.

As I write this it is being up-loaded onto the site that is Taproot Video. You will be now able to purchase a copy, and download it as a PDF. Find it at
https://taprootvideo.com/preview_class.jsf?iid=7&cid=8

The book contains some 77 patterns, all inspired by motifs that appear on sashes in the book Vlechtwerksjerpen van de Noordbrabantse Schuttersgilden.

Some of the charts are rather large. Through the magic of the internet, and the skill of my colleagues, you will be able to "click" on the larger charts, and download them in greater resolution.
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The front cover of my latest book, containing just what it says: 77 sprang lace patterns.
Those of you who like my earlier book of lace patterns will LOVE this one. Rest assured, no two patterns are the same. These are 77 new motifs.
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My excellent editor, Ruth Temple, included a table of contents as well as a pictorial table of contents, so you can more easily browse and find what you want. Click on an image in the photo table of contents, and you jump to the right page for the pattern and chart in the 200 page document.
Now, on to organizing other lace patterns I've written over the past 16 months ...
Wanting to de-mystify sprang lace. Hoping to see lots of images of sprang lace, inspired by this publication.
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June 28th, 2021

6/28/2021

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Ouff! last week went by very fast at the MAFA conference. It was lovely to be able to teach, give talks, and interact with a fellow textile enthusiasts as well as continue to spread the word about sprang and all its possibilities.
I have been learning over the past year how to teach virtually, although I do miss teaching in person. I am looking forward to being able to travel soon (when it is safe to do so). Thank you to everyone who attended my MAFA classes and talks. And thank you to all the organizers that made this event possible!
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Through the magic of Zoom, students can both see my face and a close-up of my hands working during class.
If you get the sprang bug and would like to know more there are lots resources, books, DVDs and classes. To see the options and to sign up, check out my website www.SprangLady.com
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e-book coming soon!

4/29/2021

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I’ve been working on these Dutch lease patterns since March 2020. I’m finally putting the final touches on what will be a ebook starring 73 lace patterns inspired by the Dutch collection (source mom?)


In order to make these patterns as accessible as possible The e-book will come with downloadable high resolution PDF patterns to accompany the word instructions for each lace pattern. This will allow you to zoom in as close as you want as well as print at any scale you like. 


Still haven’t chosen a release date but stay tune for more information.

Keep spranging along!

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Carol acknowledges that we are on Treaty 1 territory, the traditional gathering place of the Anishinaabe, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota and Dene people and the traditional homeland of the Métis people. Carol also acknowledges that sprang is part a meany indigenous tradition and fuond in various forms all over the world. Let us re-discover this tecking together.
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