Cotton knitting vs wool knitting: a comparative study

I’ve recently looked around and saw quite a lot of nice knitting. Including the stuff some ladies have been using for the games (like Mordavia and Pirates).

I’m thinking of making some kind of similar knitting, if I can, so that it could be used for games like Pirates and Ravenholme (though not still sure if I really end up doing this, but the whole thing looks very period and pretty).
However, I remember someone recently told me that to look really good in this kind of knitted stuff, to look like this you need some kind of special support. I’m not entirely sure what that person meant (I don’t even remember, unfortunately, who it was), but the idea was in making accent on the knitting to fit very tightly, so that it supports and lifts up everything that needs to be lifted.

For example, here is a picture of a dress that would be nice for Ravenholme, but it obviously involves some kind of that knitting… Otherwise, even if the dress is made properly, it would not fit the right way.

So, if any ladies here have been doing this knitting, do you have any advices on that?

Thanks.

I was trying to work out what the bloody hell you meant by ‘knitting’, and then the penny dropped. :slight_smile:

I’ve been considering this question myself, though have done little actual knitting (though the brown dress from Easter Camp is fitted closely enough to have a marked, yet subtle, supportive effect).

If you lived in the same city, I’d offer to knit for you. Otherwise, I’d suggest getting a knitting pattern and making a mock-up in cheap fabric to check the fit with - probably with a friend to do the pinning. Pinning these things on one-self is a ghastly proposition (cf. brown dress).

Oooooh! Knitting!

I followed your links and I have to say, those are some very pretty knitted jumpers. Knitted goods are certainly excellent pieces of kit to have. Knitting looks too complicated for me to try, I have enough trouble with a sewing machine.

But this is a very interesting topic, I look forward to seeing other people’s advice on knitting.

I don’t get it. Is corsetry a dirty word now?

Shhh. Aiwe is trying to discourage boys from looking at the thread.

Too Late

Muuuha ah ah ahahahahahahhah :smiling_imp: :smiling_imp: :smiling_imp:

Trademe has knitting

Wow, thank you, Derek! Those are great-looking jumpers.

I tend to like the blue one most, it looks very much like what I was thinking of.

One of the main points seems to be how exactly to knit those vertical rows, as they support the whole jumper. I know some jumpers are literally full of these rows, I think that refers mostly to medieval patterns. However, in Victorian times they made less rows, I think. The dress I made for Ravenholme last time indicated just about 6 or 8 rows. However, I don’t trust that pattern (after I made the dress in full accordance with it, I spent the whole game trying not to fall out of it :frowning: ).

I think something need to be inside there to support the row, or maybe it can be done with just thick hard fabric?

It’s actually quite obvious that without something hard the jumper would not fit properly :frowning: The question is - what hard thing to use to still be able to breath in that jumper?

Have a look here http://www.diatribe.co.nz/viewtopic.php?t=1325, it will explain the use of knitting :laughing:

[quote=“Carl”]Too Late

Muuuha ah ah ahahahahahahhah :smiling_imp: :smiling_imp: :smiling_imp:[/quote]

Oh, no!

I talked to someone who had made (and let me look at) an Elizabethan jersey which used knitting needles for support. Yes, it had lots and lots of rows and was quite solid - I could rap it with my knuckle. She said that breathing was fine, because the way it was cut was to make a flat front and leave the waist unribbed. You could also try those plastic strips that are available as quick-ties (sorry, I don’t know the name of them.)

Or fairly flexible knitting needles can be obtained from a fabric or craft store.

Knitting needles sound like a very interesting option! I definitely need to have a look at that. I tend to like the metal option more than plastic, though maybe plastic could be good too… but metal sounds nice.

The flat front is a very Elithabethian thing, as far as I know. The good side of it is that it would probably make the “front look” look good enough. On that link Derek provided there is a blue jumper, and another one of the same type which is bright pink. I think they both are the most convenient option in terms of “front look” looking good :laughing: (well, this is why we do it at all)

They give nice description there, and I really like the idea of eyes and hooks on the front of the jumper. It would make it fit but will not let it unzip (which is something I’m beware of with “zip-on-the-back” jumbers).

Plus, minding that so fitting jumper is not that easy to put on, eyes and hooks on the front are very helpful for someone like me who will be putting the jumper on without help from anyone. Others may find it useful too.

Also eyes and hooks are period, aren’t they?

Going to fabric store this Saturday. Yup. Will be looking for needles.

I havn’t done full boning, but I have a ‘near enuff’ bodice that I boned with hacksaw blades (after I ground the teeth off them, of course). They are very flexible in 2-d, so it is quite comfy. I did make them removeable, however so that I can just chuck the thing in the washing machine when it gets dirty. :slight_smile:

I have read that for extreme engineering, some people use sabre saw blades.

Baleen (whale bone) is really stiff (my Mum has some - handed down). I imagine it would have been very uncomfortable against the ribs.

Spotlight has tons of plastic boning. You just cut to length yourself.

If you knit this with vertical narrow pockets, you can then insert them, no problem. If you want to experiment with it, I suggest the bespoke way. Make a trial piece from cheap stuff, like calico, then bone it to yourself. Once it’s comfortable, use that as a pattern to make the final one. :smiley:

(Not just a dirty old man. :smiling_imp: 0

In Victorian times the jumper… AAGH, the game is up already! :stuck_out_tongue:

In Victorian times a corset was most definitely underwear. Your dress is over the top and generally not boned or anything. I don’t know about the ones on Trademe, most of them are for looks only and made out of stretchy fabric that won’t do what you want it to. Some might be different, I just think theres’ a reason you can buy one of those for $40 and a custom made one costs $200-$600.

i’ll be wearing a proper corset with hook and eyes down the front and laces up the back too, Aiwe. Unless I want to sleep in it :open_mouth: I’m going to need some help getting back into it in the morning. I’ll help you if you help me! lol What you do is loosen the laces as much as possible, put it on, hook it up and then get someone to pull the laces tight. Then wait 10 minutes and pull them again. Corsets tend to loosen off after you “settle” into them!

sounds a bit like tightening the girth on a horse…
:smiley:

just don’t kick me to stop me holding my breath! :stuck_out_tongue:

Hehehe

this is the funniest thing i have seen all week, I love it :smiley: :smiley:

This is, actually, a technical discussion, lad. It was labelled ‘knitting’ for a reason. That reason was to avoid prurient comments from people with a less-than-technical interest in the topic. Would you mind?

no not at all carry on, i will just watch from the sidelines

Thin wooden slats from bamboo blinds also work well as boning. I made a vaguely elizabethan jumper for re-enactment stuff several years ago and these worked fine.
For support having a fair bit of boning at the front would be a good idea.
Aiwe- I’ll bring mine along to Sword and Shield training on Sunday for you to have a look at if you are there.