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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 DrĂ¼rer
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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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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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Shirt for Spring 2020

4/28/2020

3 Comments

 
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My new sprang shirt is very comfortable.
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You see the place along the shoulder where front and back meet ... I inserted a weft there, it gives stability to the shoulder, bearing the weight of the sleeve.
I made myself a new sprang shirt, using a 5/2 mercerized cotton from Lunatic Fringe, leftovers from other projects. Inspired by the stitch pattern in a Ukranian belt, I made vertical stripes in the body. In essence the pattern is two rows of interlinking and one of interlacing ... that means, for example, two rows of Z, and one row of S, then another 2 rows of Z, and one row of S.
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The body began as a 7 ft warp, some 300 loops (600 threads). I set it up as a false-circular warp, working from hem towards the shoulders. Just beyond the armpit level, I switched to 2/2 interlacing. The interlacing is less stretchy, quite appropriate to the yoke of the shirt. Because I also doubled the threads, it created a slight gathering, meaning the yoke is narrower than the body of the shirt. I made the two sleeves at the same time, cutting threads to create the desired shape.
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I traced the approximate size of the neck hole, and then made a blanket stitch along that line. I then cut inside the stitching line, removing a circle of fabric, and leaving the stitching around the neckhole of the garment.
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Side seams stitched, and ready to insert sleeves and collar.
The collar is a piece of circular-warp sprang. I calculated that I needed some 24 inches of collar, and started with a 32 inch long circular warp.
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I gave the finished shirt a wash, and put it out in the sun to dry. That 7 ft initial warp (OK, folded in half started out as 42 inches long) ended up as a garment that is some 28 inches from shoulder to hem.
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Learning from students

6/30/2019

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.I've been travelling, teaching in Quebec and Iowa. It's lovely to meet people, share what I know, and learn from so many talented people. As a consequence I've updated the contents of the twining patterns on my website, tweaking the directions, hopefully making them easier to understand.

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The Midwest Handweavers Conference took place in Grinnell, Iowa recently, and I had the privilege of sharing with several very talented people. One of them, Jason, made it all the way through my twining patterns, and gave me some excellent suggestions. I've now edited those twining patterns on my website. Anyone who has already downloaded them, and who wants an update ... please contact me and I'll send you the new-and-improved version.
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I taught sprang at the assembly of Quebec Handweavers in St George, Quebec. There I met some extraordinary fingerweavers.
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Yvette's hat band ... made for her by a friend
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bag and the yoke of a coat in fingerweaving
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Nicole's scarf
I also met Monique Dumas, who had taken a sprang class from Peter Collingwood years ago (her first encounter with someone speaking with a British accent), and who  went on to be the very first to teach sprang at the Maison Routhier. She showed me her lovely sprang shrug.
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My students at my class at Maison Routhier did me proud.
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Vertical stripes
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Basic twining
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Cables
Lovely meeting every one of you. I wish you many happy hours of sprang.
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The making of a sprang pullover

6/26/2019

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I was talking today with members of a Colorado-based sprang study group. They had some questions, and I was wanting to refer them to a blog post of mine ... and then I realized that I never posted those pictures, never told that story on my blog. So here it is, the making of that shirt that was on display at HGA's Convergence last summer.
PictureA front and back of the garment begins as a very large rectangular flat warp.

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Here you see me separating the false circular warp after the piece was finished.
I have been exploring different ways to create a sprang shirt.
The obvious way to create the neckline is to make a slit for a V-neckline.
When I did this, I found that there is stress on the stitch at the bottom of that V, and it does not look nice. Because of this, I have begun to look for other ways to create that neckline.
This pullover began with a false-circular warp to create a large rectangle for the front and back. The loops will sit near the hem of the garment. There is a chain line at the shoulders.
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Red thread traces the shape of the neck hole.
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Cut across the stitches within the circle.
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Unravelled stitches, and knots.
I laid the piece out flat, and traced a circle (basting stitch) with a red thread at the place that I thought should be the hole for the neck. The hole must be as large as the circumference of my head. I then cut across the stitches inside this hole, being careful to leave threads long enough to tie knots. I unravelled the stitches to the place of the red thread, and tied knots.
This gave me a neck opening, with unsightly knots all around. I covered the knots with a collar.
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The collar started out as a long flat warp. I chose a 2-2 interlacing stitch for the collar.
For the sleeves, I wanted to try making them narrower at the wrist, wider at the shoulder. To make the cloth wider, you must add threads.
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I added a loop of yarn every second row. This gave me two sleeves, that are wider at the shoulder, narrower at the wrist. I cut the sleeves apart, and tied knots. The knots are hidden on the inside of the garment.
The finished pullover was judged worthy of the fashion show at the Handweavers Guild of America conference Convergence in 2018 in Reno, Nevada.
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Linen Shirt

5/18/2019

1 Comment

 
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While in Vancouver earlier this year, I stopped in at Maiwa on Granville Island. I will be teaching a sprang class there next year. I wanted to have a look at their yarns, to evaluate their use for my students. I saw some lovely linen yarn.
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I decided to try to make yet another sprang shirt, using this linen yarn. OK, I purchased seven skeins.
Wanting to use some of those colorful motifs from Coptic bonnets, I set up a multicolored warp.
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This piece will be the center back of the shirt.
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Right off the frame, the piece curled up.
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To un-curl the piece, I blocked it ... that is, I got it wet, and then pinned it to my ironing board.
Now for two pieces to go on either side of the center back. These pieces will go over the shoulder, starting and ending at the hem of the shirt.
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I decided these side panels would be a more solid color. And I decided to try an interlacing stitch.
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Starting to assemble the shirt.
Now for the front of the shirt. I decided to use the lighter green as the background for the front of the shirt. The first time I sewed the front into the shirt, there was a clear difference in tension (rows per inch) between the lower part of the front, and the side pieces. I re-sewed it a couple of times before getting it right.
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The first time I sewed the front panel in, there was unacceptable puckering in the lower half.
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I un-sewed and re-sewed several times, until acceptable. The secret was to disobey those rules about a completely invisible seam ... and not always align up rows, but rather to avoid puckering.
Now for two narrow pieces to go under the arms.
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Two narrow bands, to go along the sides, under the arms.
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The collar is a narrow piece of circular warp.
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And lastly, sleeves. I shaped the sleeves as I went along.
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I made the two sleeves at the same time, one sleeve at the top, the other at the bottom of the frame.
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Once cut apart, I blocked the sleeves before sewing them into the shirt.
I chained around the hem, to give a firmer edge to the shirt.
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Chaining across the loops at the hem to make it a bit more firm.
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The firmer quality of the hem will mean I will be less likely to snag on things when I wear the shirt.
I finished assembling the shirt, and washed it.
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The shirt, lying flat to dry.
Look for me this summer, sporting my new sprang shirt.
1 Comment

Completed shawl

4/24/2019

1 Comment

 
 And here's a better image of that shawl I made last month, demonstrating perhaps some of the drape and flexibility of the fabric
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Photo by Chris Black
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Ugly Object

3/19/2019

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Depending on your taste and hairstyle the hat could stand upright like this, or it could hang limply like a regular stocking cap or tuque.
 (The Kelsey Museum in Ann Arbor, Michigan, holds an amazing collection of sprang items from a dig at the Karanis site. It has come to my attention that the curator has chosen one of these lovely bonnets as the "Ugly Object of the Month" for March 2019.
Yes, in it's present, tattered state, I do admit it is rather ugly. Nevertheless I had a close look at it a while back, and worked out the pattern, and made a replica.
There is evidence of a woven band across the half of the lip of the bag, and a drawstring across the other lip ... This tends to move my judgement to calling it a hat rather than a bag. I am thinking it has a woven band to go across the forehead, and a drawstring at the back of the head to keep it snug on the head.
I visited the Kelsey Museum collection in the spring of 2016, went home and worked out the pattern for this hat, and then came back in the summer of 2017. At the occasion of my second visit, I took a photo of my replica beside the original. Actually I took two photos. In one of them, my replica is inside-out.
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If anyone is interested, my SprangLady website contains three tutorials that take you step-by-step, showing you how to do this twining technique on a background of interlinking. And I do still have the specific pattern for this bonnet.
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A new sprang shirt

1/7/2019

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I set out to make a new sprang top. In the past I'd say the choices are a V-neck, a boat-neck, or you cut out a hole for the neck. Last spring I made a shirt comprised of ten separate pieces of sprang. I was using 'estate yarn' (yarn of an unknown age and unknown fibre content).
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While I like the shirt, some of the threads are shattering ... the shirt is not standing up to wear. So I need another one. I purchased new yarn, nine skeins of Berroco Mixer, and made up nine pieces for this new shirt.
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Although it might seem overwhelming to set out to make nine pieces, it's no worse than knitting a sweater. I made a center-front piece and a center-back piece. These pieces start at neckline and hem, and work to a place somewhere near the waist. There are two pieces that go over the shoulder, working from hem to hem, and meeting at the shoulder. I also made two pieces, one to go under each armpit ... worked from armpit and hem towards the waist. These pieces were all flat warp.
There are three circular warp pieces, two sleeves and a collar.
Assembled together, they make a shirt.
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The basic stitch is a 2-2 twill, it has a comfortable amount of stretch. The Berroco is a mix of cotton, polyester, viscose and nylon, so I'm hoping it will stand up to washing and wearing.
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No need to hem this material. The pieces have selvedges all around.
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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 of many  indigenous traditions  and found in various forms all over the world. Let us re-discover this technique together.
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