evidence for knitting?

[Anonymous]

I havent heard of any knitting needles yet - if there were any it'd make a few people out there with chilly feet very happy. My husband moaned so much for socks I made some out of woollen cloth, based on the York/Vindolanda ones, because he couldnt get away with wearing knitted ones.<br>
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Not that I'm any good with knitting - took me 4 years once to make an aran jumper. Started as an undergrad & didnt finish until long after graduation - even then it was twice the size it should have been - you could camp out in it.<br>
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I tried to make some knitted socks once. Only managed one foot and again it came out huge - very good for xmas though. Can fit in lots of prezzies.<br>
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Back on track though - As far as I know, I am sure the York sock was woven too, not Sprang. I have done some sprang and it is very stretchy, like a mesh, best suited to hairnets, bags, etc.<br>
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regards<br>
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Claudia (one) Crisis (after another) <p></p><i></i>

[venicone]

Hi Claudia<br>
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The York sock sole is fabric not sprang.<br>
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However there is also a footless stocking in sprang technique next to it on display <p><br>
<img src="http://www.ttforumfriends.com/images/forum/co.gif"/><br>
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<span style="color:red;"><strong>[url=http://pub55.ezboard.com/btalkinghistory" target="top]Talking History Forum[/url]</strong></span></p><i></i>

[Lepidina]

On sprang and weaving small things, what kind of looms would have been used? I've only seen and read about the big warp-weighted ones but was wondering what the Romans would have used for smaller items like belts. Did they have lucets or small tape looms? And were there frames for tape looms or were they tied to a tree or post? I'm assuming inkle looms weren't around then tho'.<br>
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Deb <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Ave<br>
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As far as I know Inkle looms are more medieval in date. They produce belts, at first glance similar to those made using tablet weave, but, not using the tablets, they do not allow the same flexibility to mix colours, create patterns etc. The lengthwise threads set the stripes, and as with tablet weave, the horizontal threads will not be seen, except on the very outside edges. Therefore you will really only get striped effects. With tablet weave it is possible to use 4 different colours per tablet. By using the twists formed from z or s threaded tablets, by alternating forward and backward rotation, and by flipping tablets where required, it is possible then to produce quite elaborate patterns, shapes, letters, etc which are not possible using inkle.<br>
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As I mentioned previously, I have not heard of any archeological evidence for tablet weaving looms, other than the logistical difficulties of producing complicated designs from larger numbers of tablets and finer threads without one.<br>
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Sprang looms are a basic square shape, although probably a length of flexible wood bent into an inverted U shape with 2 cross members. The thread is then wound up and down across the upper and lower cross members to produce numerous vertical threads. The sprang is then formed by working backwards and forwards across these threads, twisting, which then forms each time a row at both top and bottom.<br>
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There are webpages which can show/describe it at greater length but it is easiest understood by watching someone do it.<br>
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Claudia <p></p><i></i>