Birthday Projects:

[mightyjesse]

So... Over the weekend I got a book on Naalbinding, because the Pict who has everything does NOT appear to have appropriate naalbound socks for her persona. Thus... I've decided to teach myself how to naalbind and make her a pair of socks in the next week...



This is the sock we're aiming for... I like working with pictures of extant items. I am using a different stitch called the "mammen stitch" that was used for a couple of mittens found in digs for earlier periods. I think I may have used a different heel construction, too, but since half the heel is MISSING on the extant sock it's a little difficult to tell from the picture. All things considered, though, I think my project is coming along rather well, for an idiot who's never done this before...

Please note that our favorite Pict cannot see this entry, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't spoil the surprise. ;-)

Comments

[valkyr8.livejournal.com]

Great choice! I think it is looking great!

[mightyjesse.livejournal.com]

So, the problem that I'm having is that the naalbinding only wants to spiral in one direction, and that means that both socks will be the same... unless I'm a COMPLETE retard and teach myself how to do it ambidextrously so that the other sock is mirror image the way my modern sensibility says it should...

Opinion?

[teffan.livejournal.com]

Can you work the other one inside-out so that the spiral will reverse when you turn it right side out?

[mightyjesse.livejournal.com]

The front and the back of the work are not identical, so... no. That was the first thing I thought of.

[valkyr8.livejournal.com]

You're asking someone who has never done nalbinding. No idea.

[mightyjesse.livejournal.com]

For some reason, I'm thinking that maybe some cultures in period didn't even bother with left and right shoes so not having left and right socks may not be a problem... Unfortunately I haven't any documentation for this supposition.

[splott.livejournal.com]

Not that I can cite a reference either, but I'd swear I've heard that from a reputable source. Who's that shoe laurel that's around events sometimes??

[iarroganti.livejournal.com]

I recall that when Sentre used to make Elizabethan shoes, the two shoes were identical when they were made, but they quickly stretched to match the feet, and within a month or so, the pair differentiated to right and left feet. It lowered the cost as they only needed one last per size.

I expect that was common through many periods, though I don't know how that would affect the decision for right and left socks.

[cassbunny.livejournal.com]

As my best guess, I would say the two socks would be made the same. As stated, early shoes were not made left and right...seems hard to believe they would do it with socks.