A deviation from the 'plan'...but success nonetheless

Well, as my (few) readers know, I have a 'want to make' list a mile long. So, one would think that I would have started in on that, right? Hmm, not quite.

While my college roomie was in town the other weekend I volunteered to babysit her nearly 2 year old so she and her hubby could go see the Braves play. Since I am something of a novice with toddlers, when he fell asleep soon after mum and dad left, I did whatever I could to stay quiet for the afternoon so that he could keep on sleeping (let sleeping babies lie and all that!).

Keeping quiet presented a problem for me because I had planned to do some sewing, but with a baby in the house, breaking out needles, scissors and such didn't seem like a wise thing to do. So, as I sat there with 'Cinderella' playing softly in the background, I spied my long neglected craft basket with several skiens of yarn.

Initially I started winding a burgundy skein with the idea of making a pair of scoggers (Elizabethan 'arm warmer' sort of things). When doing that it occurred to me that I couldn't document scoggers in relation to my persona. Since my goal for the year is to create a completely period outfit for my persona, I didn't see the point in starting something that was not appropriate. To that end, I switched and picked up the cream colored yarn, deciding to try making a pair of knitted stockings.

A few notes:

• These are not 'Elizabethan' style stockings. I have not done much research on period socks/stockings/hose at this point, but I do know that Elizabethan style stockings had 'clocks' on the ankles. Since my period is more around 1480, I elected to go for a simple, more 'rustic' simple stocking.
• I do not claim that my methods at this stage are period. Again, since I haven't done much research at this stage, I can't say how period my pattern is, this is compounded by the fact that I am cobbling the pattern together as I go along.
• This is my first attempt at knitting a stocking or any other kind of 'sock' so it is definitely a learning process.

The way I'm approaching things is this....

From what research I have done for previous knitted projects (see knitted hats of the 15th C.) knitting patterns in period were not written down. Rather, it seems knitters learned the basics (increases, decreases for fitting, etc...) and knitted projects accordingly. Therefore, making the pattern up as I go along and fitting the sock to my foot or leg as needed, is an acceptably period way of going about it. Since my first attempt is likely not going to be 'perfectly' fitted, the second stocking will fit differently. I believe this too is period as it is not likely that two socks from the same pair will be exactly identical, a dropped stitch here, forgotten decrease there, and bang....you have a 'different' stocking.

At best, I figure I'll end up with a wearable pair of stockings even if they are a bit different in fit (since I plan to use what I learn on stocking 1, when making stocking 2). Failing that, if I really dislike having essentially 2 different stockings, I can always make a 3rd using the pattern from stocking 2, then relegate version 1.0 to being a fighting favor for Ken (kinda racy...but hey, at least it will have a use!).

What I've done so far

Since I really hate starting knitting in the round and wanted to work on the foot part first, I used a technique in which I started at the toes. By casting on to two needles using a figure eight cast on, I was able to use only 3 needles to knit the toes of my sock. This was definitely experimental for me as I didn't have a pattern for it, I was just playing around. Upon doing other research, it turns out that this technique is becoming quite popular amongst sock knitters. The bonus for this is that there is no seam at the toes.

After knitting up for several hours while the toddler was snoozing on the couch, I had gotten about 3 inches done, tried it on my foot and found that it was far too roomy. So I pulled it apart and started again the next day while Ken practiced fencing.

The toe looks vaguely 'duck billed' in this version (see picture at right). This is because I was doing the increases on both sides which was adding 2 too many stitches in each round. In the next version I plan to do my increases on one side only so that I end up with a stocking that will be right or left footed (depending on the side I put the increases on). I also think the duck-bill effect arose because of way my foot is shaped, I have a jutting bone near my big toe, but then my foot narrows significantly through the ball/arch/sole area.

At the moment I have knitted the heel flap and turned the heel (see picture at right: bottom of heel). This was a new experience for me, but so far it seems to be working as it should. My only concern is that the heel looks a bit narrow. I think for version 1.2 I will start with more stitches on the heel needle (maybe 14 instead of 10) and only decrease to 6 stitches (instead of 4). For the moment, I'm hoping that the heel area will stretch to fit my heel. If not, then a 'favor' this will be. :)

I am planning to knit up to the knee, just below it actually. Then I will make some tablet woven garters to hold the stockings up.

Due to the very nature of knitted stockings, there are very few extant examples, so there is alot that we don't know about them, leaving us really only able to make educated guesses.If you know of some good sources on period socks/stockings/hose, please feel free to post them to the comments section!