Stocking Version 1 - DONE!!

Well, tonight at A&S/Fighter Practice for the SCA I finally finished my first ever knitted stocking. The downside is that the way I finished the top line of stitches was done too tight so now I can't put the stocking on my leg anymore! Oh well, I always said this one would be a fighting favor for Ken. So I'm going to put some heart motif embroidery along the ankles (called 'clocks' on Elizabethan era stockings) and let Ken use it as a favor.

Later this week I'll begin working on my 'sample feet' to trial some different heel and toe methods. For the 'sample feet' I will only work up to the ankle, as the whole point of them is to trial different techniques in order to figure out what works best, what may be most period, etc... Then I will work on three other pairs of stockings for me.

• First pair: plain knee length stockings out of silk/bamboo (I'm allergic to wool). I will use a similar pattern to the 'mach 1' stocking, with the addition of a 'decorative' line of perl stitching down the middle of the back of the stocking -- kind of like Elizabethan seamed stockings -- without the seam. With this pair I will be generating a basic pattern (which I will then post here). I also plan to keep an accurate record of how long it takes me to knit each stocking.
  
• Second pair: red acryllic (because I have it on hand) stockings following a recreators pattern based upon the Elinore di Toledo red silk knitted stockings. This pair will have some lacy 'flower' motifs knitted into them.


• Final pair: (and likely the most time consuming) a pair of red (or white -- I haven't decided yet) silk knee length stockings in a floral motif knitted pattern, based upon the di Toledo stockings, but designed by me. This pair will use handspun red or white silk which is why it will take the longest. I will probably do most of the spinning by spinning wheel, although I really like spinning silk with a drop spindle. Heck, if I get really ambitious, I may spin white silk and dye it myself too!