A
history of socks
This
little study is the result of idle curiosity. Think of Robin Hood.
The image that comes to my mind is Errol Flynn, from his 1938 film.
Just
look at his legs! Smooth, well-shaped, with well-fitting tights.
Try
this one from Mel Brook's 1993 film Men in Tights.
Skin-tight,
perfect legwear. Great to look at, but unconvincing as authentic
period costume. Why? Because tights are made of knitted fabric, and I
can't imagine that they could make it in the middle ages.
Robin
Hood's favourite king, Richard I died in 1199, so our legend should
have been around the end of the 12th century,
beginning of the 13th.
Modern
times, but long ago when I was a teenager, I saw my dad, whose hobby
was archery, dressed in the Lincoln green outfit of the
Merry Men (his company's sports and social club was next to Thames
Television and they lent out some costumes) I remember thinking how
well-shaped my dad's legs were. That's what knitted fabric does for
tights.
So
what did they use, and how did they make their leg and footwear? My
research led me to some really interesting sites on the Internet, and
I have found a lot of pretty surprising information.
The focus of my inquiry was knitting; when and where did it start, and when did it start to be used for foot and legwear?
It
turns out that lots of people have done historical research into
costumes of different eras in order to make reproductions for
historical reenactments, which take place, it seems, all over Europe
and the USA (at least).
Start
with the middle ages.
Here's
a treat. It comes from this link:
http://www.kostym.cz/Anglicky/8_Krejcovstvi/01_Catany/VIII_01_41A.htm Pourpoint
“This
dress is based on extant original which belonged to Charles de Blois
(second half of the 14th century). Pattern is here.
Clothing also include hood with dagges, embroidered belt, woolen
embroidered hoses and flat soles hinged-pattens.”
Isn't he splendid! But see how wrinkled his 'Hoses' are! Now we're getting somewhere.
They
made these with wool, pieced and cut on the cross (diagonal) to give
some stretch.
Try
this for size:
Look
far enough and you can buy anything online! Those legs are a far cry
from Errol Flynn though, aren't they?
Take
a look at this pattern:
Published
by Robert Macpherson and found on a google search for "medieval
hosen" There are five pattern pieces, each cut twice (once for
each leg). What this scheme doesn't show is that the biggest pieces
at least have to be cut on the cross so that the material gives some
stretch, because in medieval times there was no stretchy fabric. It
comes out like this:  |
These
really great hosen come from an American website called Armstreet.
They say they are typical 15th century ones.
That's
a big time-window, but I can't make any more accurate suggestions,
because dating the few samples available, opinions vary as to whether
they are, in fact knitting or another technique known as knotless
netting.
Some
of the very earliest known knitted garments are these cotton socks,
found in Egypt. They are thought to have been knitted circa 1000-1300 AD.
Their
design is so complex! Clearly not someone experimenting with sticks
and thread to see what would happen!
The
theory is that sometime in the middle ages knitting was brought from
Egypt to Europe. In the early days the chief exponents were in Spain
and Italy. There are some gorgeous relics from burials; cushions and
stockings.
 |
Knitted cushion
from the tomb of the infante Fernando de la Cerda, c1275
|
 |
| Eleonora of Toledo's stockings |
These
stockings are amazingly complex; a superb piece of knitting.
Perhaps
the Arabs introduced knitting to the Iberian Peninsula; it is said
that many of the earliest examples are of Arabian origin.
The
knitting Madonnas
From
"Dances with Wool" I found a little study of some images of
the Virgin Mary knitting.
 |
Ambrogio Lorenzetti, c1345
|
Knitting
in the round
Tommasso
da Modena 1325-1375
The
Buxtehude "knitting madonna". Part of an altarpiece painted
by Master Bertram of Minden, probably in the late 1300s.
Now
comes the legendary part: In the crucifixion the Gospels tell that
the Roman soldiers drew lots to win possession of Jesus' seamless
tunic; knitted for him by his mother....see the above painting!
According to "Dances with Wools", two churches in Trier and
Argenteuil claim that they have the precious relic, brought to them
by Saint Helena and Charlemagne respectively. The claims go back as
far as the 1100s. Great story! For more about how relics start to be
revered, read the wonderful Baudolino by Umberto Eco
Knitter's Guilds
Another
area I knew nothing about is the knitter's guilds. Apparently they
were one of the six most important guilds in Paris in the 16th
century. Knitting was a serious business; not
the
spare-time socks stuff, but really stiff apprenticeships, learning on
journeys to other countries and production of master-pieces. I found
lots of information in "History
of Knitting before Mass Production" by Irena Turnau ,
who says, quoting C Aberle, that King Henry IV (1367-1413) wore
knitted woollen stockings, and Henry VIII wore Spanish silk (knitted) stockings. There is also a lot of evidence of liturgical things;
gloves and such, made of the most exquisite knitting.
I get the impression that there were two types of knitting: the professional Guildsmen's work; the very high-quality stuff. Nick Shrewsbury, in his blog A Stitch in Time https://ifarmboxford.com/the-men-who-knit/ tells us about the apprenticeship of the guild knitters:
"The
European guild knitters mostly focused on extremely high-quality
knitwear (with extremely high prices) for the upper classes. Knitters
started their career as apprentices, doing menial chores and learning
knitting basics for three years. Then they became journeymen who
traveled Europe to learn new styles, buy rare wool, and ensure their
master stayed abreast with current fashions. To become a master,
English knitters had thirteen weeks to knit a beret, a sweater, a
pair of stockings, and a rug measuring 2×3 meters."
High-end indeed!
And it was all hand-knitted, until towards the end of the 16th
century William Lee of Calverton near Nottingham invented a knitting
machine. At this time, according to Mary Hawkins there was an
estimated need for 10 million pairs of stockings a year in England.
Every stocking hand-knitted!
There
were guilds, but there were also knitting schools set up in the 16th
century. This is from the V&A; A History of Knitting:
.........
seen as a useful skill for poorer members of society, it was taught
in orphanages and poor houses. The first recorded knitting schools
had been established in Lincoln, Leicester and York in the late 16th
century and hand-knitting for income continued in Yorkshire until
well into the 19th century.
I could say a lot more about the diverse facts and figures that I have gleaned in my hunt for the truth of the wrinkly leg, but I'll leave it there, where the knitting frame gradually takes over.
When
you see period costumes, look out for their legs!
These
wonderful costumes are made by the very talented
Elina, http://neulansilmanlapi.blogspot.com
I
think his legs are covered with woven, stitched stockings, but the
photos are so lovely! The date is about 1530.
Here
are some socks knitted as "Elizabethan"
The
writer of the blog I found them on isn't sure, but in the comments I
found:
"They
fit for Elizabethan. I've had Rutt's "History of Hand
Knitting" out of the library for the last week.
Notes from my
documentation:
Records
of George Medley of Tilty’s account books show that he purchased
knit hosen for his nephew in 1550 and his kitchen boy in 1572. (Rutt)
“knitte
hose,” implying they had some economic importance by this time.
(from Rutt and also Turnau's "Knitting Before Mass Production")
(Posted
by: Mackenzie)
Note from this blogger: I
have tried to give references for everything I have used here. If I
have offended anyone or infringed a copyright, let me know and I will
remove the offending item.
Sally
Bracher, Jaca, July 2019
 |
| 18th cen French silk stockings |
No comments:
Post a Comment