Some More 16th-century Stockings

The Renaissance Faire is coming up in April and May, which sounds a long way off unless you need to make some more garb, in which case it's uncomfortably close.  I am the only one who has a complete outfit that still fits -- Julia grew out of hers and into Laura's, and is now edging her way out of that one, and David never has had period nether garments (no, he just wore some old Dockers!), so since knitting I think will take me the most time, I am going to start on a pair of knitted stockings for him, to go under a new pair of Venetians.

David doesn't really have a "persona" since we aren't deeply enough into Faire-going for that, though I did originally start his garb thinking "Swedish soldier" (since he wants a sword!), but as his green jerkin is a little snug in the arms, I am thinking of re-fashioning it -- so I don't have a definite style in mind for the ensemble, but luckily for me there are only minor regional variations in stockings, if indeed there are many at all.

There are in fact a number of good and excellent reconstructions of 16th-century stockings available, and one could either recreate a known stocking or cobble together bits from different ones.  This, I suspect, would be the best route since of course a stocking knitted for a particular person would have to be adjusted anyway.

Being not only of natural fibers, generally wool (and therefore vulnerable to time and the elements), but everyday (and thus not "worth" saving), extant 16th century common stockings are fairly rare, but here are two from the Museum of London --

One of a pair of stockings (nos. A26851 and 2), found at an archaeological site in Worship Street, Finsbury, EC2.  The stockings are described by the Museum as "knee-length wool" with a vague date of "1501-1599".  This is obviously a very basic stocking, with little or perhaps even no shaping until about halfway down the foot, where there are a couple of decreases, presumably preparatory to narrowing the toe.  It isn't clear in the photograph, and perhaps the stocking is too damaged now, to tell whether there is a round toe or a wedge, but apparently both were known at this time.  I suspect that the strange angle of stitches at the heel is a darn, not shaping, but it would be interesting to see the other of the pair to be sure; unfortunately an image is not posted on the Museum website.

Stocking foot (no.A13833).  The Museum writes, "This skilfully knitted silk stocking-foot is the only example of its kind in England. A highly fashionable garment, it was probably imported from Italy or Spain. It may have been sold in one of the luxury drapery shops in Cheapside," and gives the gauge as a very fine 18 sts and 30 rows per inch.  They date this "mid-16th century" but allow that stockings began to appear in England during the reign of Henry VIII, though they were rare and expensive at that time.

This particular stocking foot is clearly related to the "Barnim foot" with its inverted gusset opening from the center bottom of the heel outwards to the toe along the bottom of the foot.  This knitter has neatly edged both the instep gusset and the foot gusset with garter stitches, making a very elegant foot indeed.  The heel appears to be a common heel, possibly even unshaped, much like the Exenterata stocking of 1655.  Interestingly, there appear to be decreases narrowing the heel flap towards the bottom ---- would these be meant to pull the heel flap more snugly against the wearer's foot?  I'm puzzled by the other line of what appear to be holes, running just about parallel to the bottom edge of the foot in this photo -- they seem unusually tidy for damage, but I can't explain them otherwise.

So I have thought and thought and changed my mind any number of times -- Carnamoyle?  Gunnister?  Johan III?  Barnim?  English?  Swedish?  Anglo-Scandinavian? Scottish-Anglo-Irish-Scandinavian?? -- but David is off on another long trip at the end of the week, and I'd like to have a good bit of the first stocking knitted before he leaves, to make sure I'm on the right track shaping-wise, so I'm going to cast on right now ....

Comments

[Toffeeapple]

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