Hello!

I'm currently weaving fabric with a 2/2 twill with wool warp, and I ran out of weft yarn when I had only a yard left. I didn't want to buy any more weftyarn (I've already spent a fortune on this fabric!) so I started playing with some singles from my stash, and I'm weaving a striped fabric with 5 colours (stripes are about 1 cm each). I love this striped fabric! It looks so nice, and I think it would make a great tunic or apron derss - but now I have a question:

Does anyone have any reference to striped fabric? I'm mostly into viking era, but later centuries are fine too. I have some historical textile reference books, but I just moved, so they are still in boxes.

If anyone can helpt me find any reference at all, or even just say, no there was no such thing, I'd really appreciate it!

 

Siobhán/Manicgirl/Tina

Sweden

Comments

Sat, 06/27/2009 - 22:28

Sagadis (not verified)

I just went through this one and yes there are stripes in Viking fabric.  I'll have to try and find the reference a friend found for me, but there was a bit of garment found where two seams joined together.  One side was striped and the other plaid!  Also, the Osberg gave embroderis show the men wearing pants made with either horizontal stipes and/or made of various bits of different fabrics (like hippy pants) which I think more likely.  The overall effect though is like stripes or patch work.

D.H. (Dr. P.h.d. in Old Norse Studies) says that most Saga referecences to clothing use one color, but I think they were written by men!  I've shown him Viking style twills and asked him what color it was and he almost always says the more obvious one, though as an artists himself, he often says both but agrees the average person is going to say "red", not "red herringbone weft on a Dark Blue warp."  While not a whole lot of Viking fabric has been found, enough has been to say that just like weavers today, ladies back then enjoyed playing with colors and shapes.  I've also noticed that its easier to see what your doing in poor lighting if you have contrasting stripes or checks of color, that's true of both knitting and weaving. 

I'll see what I can do about those references, my friend left me with tons of stuff to sort though, but I know this question came up because DH thought the Vikings did not use plaids or stripes, now he realizes they did; even if they didn't write about them. 

Sagadis

 

Mon, 06/29/2009 - 20:27

Manicgirl (not verified)

Thank you! I really appreciate you looking in to it too. I'll try and dig up my books as well, I seem to remember reading about it somewhere.... I finished the striped fabric, and I'm very happy with it. I think it's enough for an apron dress for my daughter, so maybe I'll just do what I usually do - sew the clothes, then look for references! :)

Sat, 06/27/2009 - 22:28

Sagadis (not verified)

I just went through this one and yes there are stripes in Viking fabric.  I'll have to try and find the reference a friend found for me, but there was a bit of garment found where two seams joined together.  One side was striped and the other plaid!  Also, the Osberg gave embroderis show the men wearing pants made with either horizontal stipes and/or made of various bits of different fabrics (like hippy pants) which I think more likely.  The overall effect though is like stripes or patch work.

D.H. (Dr. P.h.d. in Old Norse Studies) says that most Saga referecences to clothing use one color, but I think they were written by men!  I've shown him Viking style twills and asked him what color it was and he almost always says the more obvious one, though as an artists himself, he often says both but agrees the average person is going to say "red", not "red herringbone weft on a Dark Blue warp."  While not a whole lot of Viking fabric has been found, enough has been to say that just like weavers today, ladies back then enjoyed playing with colors and shapes.  I've also noticed that its easier to see what your doing in poor lighting if you have contrasting stripes or checks of color, that's true of both knitting and weaving. 

I'll see what I can do about those references, my friend left me with tons of stuff to sort though, but I know this question came up because DH thought the Vikings did not use plaids or stripes, now he realizes they did; even if they didn't write about them. 

Sagadis

 

Mon, 06/29/2009 - 20:27

Manicgirl (not verified)

Thank you! I really appreciate you looking in to it too. I'll try and dig up my books as well, I seem to remember reading about it somewhere.... I finished the striped fabric, and I'm very happy with it. I think it's enough for an apron dress for my daughter, so maybe I'll just do what I usually do - sew the clothes, then look for references! :)

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