Seeking fabric for Tunica and Fell boot source

[Palmerius2002]

Marin, thanks for your response here.

I guess I was wrong about the Naalbind socks I guess they were latter.

The Udones I guess are what I need to concentrate on for the earlier period.

Do you suppose that the wool fabric was a fragment of a Udone sock or was
this a shoe lining?

Geoffrey Ives

[Martin Moser]

Do you suppose that the wool fabric was a fragment of a Udone sock or was
this a shoe lining?

The problem is that there is no clear definition of udones AFAIK (as with so many other terms to do with clothing). So they could have been made of either naalbinding (or a technique similar to that) or fabric. So might be right or wrong either way, hard to tell ....
At any rate, there is physical evidence for both. For now (!), the sock made from fabric most likely is the earlier one.
Afraid this is all the certainess you get :-)

[Palmerius2002]

Martin;

Thanks for writing.

Udones seem to be made from wool fabric not sure what type of weave of wool fabric? The wool weave that would hold up the best and still be considered period by the European Roman Reenacting Society AERA www.roman-reenactor.com or those of the UK Region also is a mystery to me. I chose the enter icon, clothing icon, then the tissue word icon at the top of the list to the left of the screen.They show cloth swatches of different weaves found at archeological excavations etc.

Buried in some photocopies I had made I found a set of Udone like foot wraps that are made of wool fabric they appear to be dark in color or stained dark over time by the natural tannins that were found in a peat Bog from the iron age not sure what museum they are in. Will look it up at some point and post it on here.

I would tend to "stack" layers of 4 or more sheets of material of cloth for the sole and stitch layers of the shoe shaped panels that make up the sock lining to help them last longer. The sock collar I would do 2 ply seems from what I have seen the Udone collar looks kinda sloppy saggy and baggy affair not like modern elastic socks that conform to the ankle or the Naalbind socks I got from Armamentaria.com.

I would like to find a good breathable but resilient weave. The Roman renacting.com site I have given the address above, shows samples of fabric but which one should I chose?

Not sure if adding a felt insole would make the Udones last longer or not?
Wool felt might make a great insulator from hot or cold or wet weather might prolong the life of the wool fabric Udone sock especially if fabric and not woven or naalbinded.

I plan on stitching my leather hobnailed soles on to the boot in a slightly thicker layer to isolate the shaft ends of the hobnails as I have heard that the ends when they break or come lose come through the sole of the boot.

A felt insole would act as an additional buffer layer and stacks of thicker felt could be stacked for an arch support for some one who had high arches the felt would conform over time to the foot and settle in the shape of the foot much like the Birkenstock cork footbed concept.

It seems the site Keltikos.com has a pattern for Udones. Since I am broke I think I will experiment with making a pair.

I had seen some for sale at La Wrens Nest.com they look good the price is right if I had the money.

Want to experiment with making my own for durability this stuff can get expensive to replace.

Not sure on the "correct" color, madder (to my mind burgundy red), tan, or brown or possibly grey might be okay?
Since these are Udones and of an earlier Roman era not sure how much color variation there was or if any original ones
were ever found at any Roman Fortress excavation at Saalburg or else where in the UK etc.?

[M. Demetrius]

The ones on La Wren's nest are made the way I make mine. I don't know if they're genuinely accurate historically. Using the "duck tape and plastic bag" method, I constructed a pattern. 3 pieces, and they look very much like one or more types of Plains and Southwestern Indian moccasin boots. When I wear mine, I put the seams out, for comfort. And having these "socks" on, I'm able to sneak some very welcome Dr. Scholl's gel-filled foam insoles safely inside and out of sight.

Yep. If you see me, I'll be gellin'. I can send you info on how that pattern is made, if you like.

[Flavivs Aetivs]

http://www.medievaldesign.com/eng-prodot..._chiave=33

Vindolanda Socks from the 1st-4th centuries. Not sure what colors they offer, but I'd reccomend things like forest green, cobalt blue, grey, brown, tan, off white, dark red, some dark oranges maybe in terms of color. Mine are grey.

As for shoes, basically its 3-4oz leather sides with 6-8oz sole. You can stack the sole with a second layer if you want. The insole should be 3oz leather. A lot of people I know take a modern insole from a shoe and put a piece of 1oz leather over it if they have foot issues.

[Palmerius2002]

Magister Militum Favius Aetius (Evan);

Thank you for pointing me in the correct direction I needed a visual reference for the Ancient Roman Sock pattern.

This is precisely what I was looking for thank you.....


Geoffrey Ives

[Cheyenne]

I've made a short reply to your questions via PM.

I can also furnish you with affordable, but authentic fabrics if you want to make your own clothes. I use known examples and have them reproduced on a heddle loom, so essentially - as hand woven as possible without the cloth costing over £100 per meter

[Palmerius2002]

I just PM'ed you back 30 July 2013. Thanks for your message by the way
read your quotes on Keltikos.org and saw your textile work at your website.

Might seeks some yardage from you to make tunica, sagum, udones, and pants.
seeking a light soft wool stingy brim hat as featured on AERA www.roman-reenactor.com

Thanks; Geoffrey Ives