Welcome to my Middle Ages
Just a quick post to show you the finished socks with a little stitch as embellishment and braided straps.
The original straps were woven, but braided is a bit quicker. These socks are super comfy!
The fabric was old and cost me nothing, so I still have €36,50 left for the rest of the clothes!
What’s a person to do on a boring Sunday afternoon? Well… make socks! I really wanted to make some progress on my Skjoldehamn garb project but on a Sunday all thrift shops are closed where I live. So, I rummaged through my fabric stash and found a lovely wool.
Dan Lovlid’s thesis has quite an fantastic analysis of the socks on page 123. Please tell me you have bookmarked this document by now! Anyway, page 123 is what you need for the socks. The fabric pieces that were excavated are a tabby colour, the original colour was either white or a very light yellow.
To be quite honest, I don’t understand how a seam right under your heel (top part of the pattern image) can be comfortable. This also goes for a seam right on top of your foot where your shoe is…. This type of construction, the way I see it, only makes sense if the sock is made of left over fabric and therefore consists of ‘shrapnel’…..
Back to the drawing board. I am not making socks like this, I can see blisters in my future…. I didn’t want to abandon the idea of a fabric sock, so I started drawing a new pattern, that I am happy to share with you here.
Ok, so in PURPLE is the actual foot. The ORANGE line is the seam allowance. Please don’t forget that because you do need a bit of room to get into your sock. The pattern piece on the right is for the instep, as you can see, I added 2cm on both sides to create a comfortable instep.
Now, sew the instep to the sole. Leave 0,5 cm because that is where you need to attach the ankle shaft. The ankle part is a rectangle folded around your ankles, from one point of the instep to the other. So, it is a shaft open on one side. This is the only piece of the pattern I used following Lovlid’s finds: 17,5cm high.
The shaft, as you can see on the pattern, is not a perfect rectangle. You must cut 2 corners here, to fit the curve over your foot, attached to the instep. Please send me a message if this is unclear!
I really had fun making these! They need a bit of decoration but I will get to that. A boring Sunday afternoon wasn’t so boring after all!
I began writing historical articles back in 2016 but most are still gathering dust. Slowly, but surely, I have started on that path called publishing.
In June of 2020, my first ever Compleat Anachronist came out and just this week, my article on how to line a basket was published in Tournaments Illuminated. Ava is happy, peeps!! Read all about it here, on the Articles page of my blog.
Right, so there I was, off to the thrift shop; because that was what I had promised myself and you! Yay! To the Batpoles!! But, soon my heart sank in the first 2nd hand shop … I mean, look at this … nothing but jeans….
What was I getting myself into? Mission Impossible? The idea of making a garb set very similar to the original find is a great idea, but perhaps it can only be that: an idea. On the spot, I decided to just use any wool and/or linen fabric I could find, to keep the project realistic and FUN for myself! The first garment I wanted to recreate was the Hood.
The original hood was made of brown twill (see page 39 here; the reconstruction is on page 159). Fingers crossed I could find brown wool, if not… something else then!
On to the next thrift shop, where I was lucky enough to find some rather fantastic yarn (for other projects, mind) AND different clothing (yay! no jeans!) as in skirts, dresses and such. They also had plenty of left over fabric. I picked up the yarn, a great looking plaid skirt and some rather bland looking soft fabric, wool-like but not that.
The original hood was made of one layer of fabric. I prefer to line my hoods, I find that more comfortable, but that is just me. Also, this plaid is a little bit too modern, but I am just going to go ahead and sew.
Page 41 of Dan Lovlid’s amazing thesis gives you the measurements! There are 2 squares of 28x28cm and one rectangle of 30x120cm. These are the original measurements of the excavated hood! Aren’t you in archeological heaven? I know I am!
First job was to take the skirt apart and start measuring. I realised quickly there wasn’t enough fabric in the skirt, but luckily this meant I would have to lose only a few centimetres (the lesson here is buy the XXL size garments!). It would still be big enough to fit me! I cut 2 squares of 27x27cm and 2 rectangles measuring 28×60. I cut the lining (remember the boring bland wool-like fabric?) according to the same measurements.
I first assembled the pieces cut from the plaid skirt. I then placed the lining on each ‘area’ as I planned to flat line the hood. I am not sure this was the preferred method of lining in the Skjoldehamn region in the year 1050 CE, but we must keep in mind (please) that this project is also for newcomers in need of garb that looks authentic. As I said, a lining makes a hood a tad bit more comfortable!
I picked up some bone needles not too long ago and I really wanted a chance to use them. This project was the perfect try-out. I can honestly say that sewing with bone needles is just lovely. The needle goes through the fabric with ease. As you can see, I used a wool/acrylic mix floss to sew the hood.
The hood, being a small piece of clothing, was done in just a few days. Here is a gallery of the finished item.
In my very first post about this Skjoldehamn project, I said I wanted to spend no more than 40 euros on this; again to give newcomers (and maybe long term members in rough financial waters) an idea of how to tackle cool garb. I paid 2 euros for the skirt and 1,50 for the lining fabric. This hood cost me a total of 3,50 euro; I have 36,50 euros left!!
On to the thrift store again, to see what else I can find…. depending on my finds, I can make a shirt or….
Just this week I was able to use my knowledge of genealogy to help a lady create an awesome persona! Please go to the Anthroponomy pages of my blog to find out more.
I am forever curious about excavated textiles. The first thing I look for in a museum, any museum, is excavated garments and shoes. It fascinates me to no end.
In 2019, I finished my Golden Egg project in Drachenwald and it was so inspiring. For this reason, I have decided to embark on a new research & recreating adventure: the Skjoldehamn clothes.
I have been doing Viking re-enactment outside the SCA since 1994 and one popular item has always been the Skjoldehamn hood. Back then, I never really looked into it. I had enough handmade authentic looking garb already.
When I re-joined the SCA in 2011, I became more curious about the Skjoldehamn clothing because, to my surprise, a rumour had begun to spread that the garments COULD have belonged to a woman. Wait? REALLY?
The Skjoldehamn body was found in a bog near Andøya in Norway in 1936. The body was found wearing a hood (kaprun), outer shirt (kofte), under shirt (skjorte), trousers (bukser), a belt, ankle wrappings (ankelkluter) and ankle straps (ankelsurringer), socks (lester) and shoes (sko). The body was wrapped in a blanket (teppe). To this day, it remains a mystery whether the body died in a sacrifice or in a battle.
Back in 2008, MA archaeology student Dan Halvard Løvlid, from the University of Bergen in Norway, got interested in writing a marvellous thesis, which formed the basis of a new complete empirical study of the Skjoldehamn costume.
New study by Dan H. Løvlid and his team showed the garments are dated to approximately 1050 AD. You can read the English version here; the Norwegian version can be found here.
I get help with the Norwegian translation from Lady Ekaterina Vasili (https://www.arnfriduri.xyz/) and Lady Emoni de la Fère.
I will recreate most of the garb set: hood, outer shirt, under shirt, trousers, belt and socks.
I will not recreate the burial blanket; I am still alive after all…. Joking aside, I have a warm enough cloak already that fits with the style and era. The perks of doing re-enactment for a very long time!
The second challenge that goes with this project is to make something out of thrifted fabric. I want to spend no more than €40. Not only will this hopefully help a newcomer who wants to test the waters before investing, it might also help a longterm member without breaking the bank. Let’s not forget the environmental & sustainability perspective! Recycle! RECYCLE! Help Mother Earth a bit.
And now? I am off to the thrift shop!
If you know me, you know how much I love naalbinding, nalebinding or nalbinding. It is a very ancient craft, dating from at least 5000BC. At events, you will be able to spot me in a corner teaching someone this beautiful craft.
If you like, keep an eye on the tutorial section, for regular updates and lessons. But today, this isn’t about a lesson for you. Today, I am not going to explain how this craft works and how it is done.
I have just discovered a new thing myself, something that I didn’t know until recently! A close friend sent me an email the other day about nalbinding in The Netherlands. Yes! Seriously!
In 1924, a textile fragment was excavated in the small town of Roswinkel in Drenthe; a beautiful region in the north-east of The Netherlands. The fragment is small and the bog has coloured the threads a dark orange. Archeologists have no idea what it was… A bag? A hairnet?
One thing is sure though, the stitch is the buttonhole stitch, or blanket stitch. In nalbinding, it is often called the Danish stitch. I am happy I now have a stitch that was found in The Netherlands! Look at the (tiny) map hereunder, the distance between Roswinkel and Ribe in Denmark is only 5 hours by car. Walking, this is about 2 weeks. I know this sounds far, but not undoable! Is it possible the Danish stitch travelled south?
Tell me what you think of this! I look forward to your thoughts!
I have been a bit busy. Come, sit and warm yourself by the fire. Over the past few weeks I have made my house in order for the coming winter and I have packed several belongings for my trip. It will be a while before I see my beloved Allecmere.
I have travelled Rotta, and it took me three days to get here on foot. I am spending the colder months in Rotta, with my amazing family. This is their farm. I do this most winters, did you not know?
Rotta is a settlement that became modern day Rotterdam. It was founded on the river Rotta and dates from the 9th century. Recent excavations gave us an idea of the type of houses, which are now being recreated just outside Rotterdam. We know the township was called Rotta, from two church records in Latin, dated 1028 and 1050.
Here is a clip of what Old Dutch sounded like in those days. I have transcribed the first minute for you:
Language in Rotta, how did Old Dutch sound in 11th century Rotterdam?
Old Dutch is the eldest language phase of the Dutch language and was spoken from the 7th century till the middle of the 12th century.
In the early middle ages, Old Dutch was spoken from the north of France, in Belgium, till the middle and south of The Netherlands. It has several characteristics of the German language and it has characteristics of English and Frisian.
We know Old Dutch from the short poem Hebban olla vogalan, but luckily there are more sources. Important are the Wachtendonk Psalms and the Williram from Egmond. From these texts and from more language sources and deeds, we were able to get a very clear picture of how Dutch sounded in the 11th century.
Have a seat! My dear traveller, have I got a story for you today!
Allow me to take you to the 15th century. The city of Leiden was a large town, growing fast with the weaving industry. The hustle & bustle must have been amazing in those days.
The growing town attracted plenty of newcomers, many looking for a fortune. One of them, a person without a name sadly, was able to build a house right in the city centre.
The house was built between 1460-1466, according to architectural study and dendrochronology. The main part and front part of the house were built of wood and the facade was later, in the 17th century, replaced by a stone facade.
The back of the house was added later and dates from 1488-1500. From the early days, till about 2019, the building has always been used as a family home. But not too long ago, it became part of a hotel and was beautifully restored. So, yes! You can actually sleep here! You know you want that!
The fire place was also examined and research has shown it is more than 500 years old.
During the 2019 restoration, a cellar was re-discovered. For centuries it was buried underneath the house. It has now been restored back to its original purpose; isn’t this a wine cellar to die for?
Here’s a very quick project for you! Have a look at the Tutorials page.
Ava's Corner