I did a guest blog!

I don't know if anyone is actually reading this blog or not.  But, in case someone is, they may be interested to know that I just did a guest blog entry on the Loopholes blog.  Loopholes is run by a retired museum curator with an interest in fiber arts and particularly looped-yarn textiles.

Following a really interesting discussion of the evolution of nomenclature for nalbinding, he has gotten into the intersection of knitting and nalbinding in Egypt - a topic of some interest to me as well.  After I had commented on a recent post, he asked me to do a guest blog about some knitted tubes from Coptic Egypt.  The result is this blog entry

I figure that anyone following this blog would probably be interested.

Nalbinding & Knitting: compare and contrast

Here are some excerpts from a poster presentation I did at an SCA event in August 2016.  It was a research-focused event hosted at U Penn, where people had the opportunity to share the results of their research.

These diagrams are analyzing the so-called Coptic stitch.  For more information on the Coptic stitch in nalbinding, see my other post on Egyptian socks: here.  So, the interesting thing about this particular nalbinding stitch is that it looks very similar to knitting.  Specifically twisted-stitch, or crossed-stitch, knitting.  This has led to some confusion among archaeologists and there are probably textile fragments in museum collections that have been mis-categorized.

The point of this analysis (which was illustrated with some samples on the poster) was to show the ways in which knitting and Coptic nalbinding can be distinguished from each other.  The structure of Coptic nalbinding, when worked flat or in a constant-size tube, is identical to that of twisted knitting.  However, they are worked in opposite directions.  Because of the differences in the way they are worked, the two structures can be differentiated by looking at the increases and decreases.  Some increase or decrease structures are unique to nalbinding, some are unique to knitting, and some can be created in both techniques.

The below terms in red (other than the 'F1 increase') are my own, since I could not find any categorization of the different types of increases and decreases which are possible with the Coptic stitch.  If anyone knows of one, do please let me know.

Distinguishing Nalbinding from Knitting: 
Increases and Decreases

Increases add a stitch to the row being worked, and decreases reduce the number of stitches, compared to the previous row.  Nalbinding increases are analagous to knitting decreases (and vice-versa).


Nalbinding:

F 1 increase – made by passing the yarn around the bridge between 2 stitches.  All of the increases in the extant socks that I have been able to analyze are of this type.

 Impossible to replicate with knitting.

Nalbinding:

Linked increase – 2 stitches are worked around the same stitch

Structure is the same as ‘knit-2-together’ or ‘purl-2-together’ knitting decreases.


Nalbinding:

Skip decrease – made by simply skipping one stitch of the prior row

Structure is the same as ‘lifted’, ‘make-one’, or ‘yarn-over’ knitting increases

Nalbinding:

Joined decrease – made by passing the stitch behind 2 adjacent stitches of the prior row.

Looks similar to a ‘knit front-and-back’ or ‘bar increase’ with proper tension, but structurally different.  COULD be replicated exactly with knitting, but this is not generally done.       

Egyptian Coptic Nalbinding

Here is the handout for a class I teach on Egyptian nalbinding.

Nalbinding is a technique for creating a stretchy fabric.  It predates knitting and seems to have been developed independently in various parts of the world.  It is most well-known in the Scandinavian context and the term 'nalbinding' is a Scandinavian word, but all the English equivalents are unwieldy so most English-speaking people keep using the term 'nalbinding'.  However, there seems to have been a strong tradition of nalbinding in Roman era and Post-Roman era Egypt as well.

Nalbinding creates a fabric by creating loops with yarn or thread.  The yarn is worked with a blunt sewing needle.  For wonderful instructions on many varieties of nalbinding, you can check out this site for instructions, videos, and all kinds of great reference material.

The socks from Egypt are mostly (but not all) worked in a stitch referred to as the "Coptic stitch".  The term Coptic has been used to refer to the Post-Roman era, which is the period of time between the end of Roman rule in Egypt (roughly 3rd century) and their conquest by the Muslims (7th century).  It can be a bit confusing because Coptic also refers to a sect of Christians based in Egypt.  We do not know if these socks were worn by Coptic Christians.  In fact, most were found in excavations at Greek colony cities in Egypt.

This handout is a collection of images I've found from various museums' digitized collections, followed by the illustrations I use in teaching people how to do the Egyptian style nalbinding.

Nalbound socks from Egypt

Geometric Clothing Construction

This is the handout for a class I've taught many times now.  I thought it would be helpful to put this in a more readily accessible location.  Other than the two pieces of statuary at the beginning (and one exception at the end), each of these examples is a surviving garment from the Middle Ages.  All are constructed from simple geometric shapes: rectangles and triangles mostly, sometimes circular or wedge shaped pieces.

I have tried out most of these patterns and it's surprising how well-fitting a garment can be even when it's just built up from simple geometric shapes.  I have a lot of pointers to share about how to get good sizing for these patterns, as well.  Maybe one of these days I will get that written up and posted.

Geometric Cut in Historical Clothing

Old Material

My husband had put this up on his website at the time, but that page no longer exists.  I was quite proud of presenting the first (and so far only) full feast at an event within the Canton of Brokenbridge (Brooklyn, NY).  Even though I no longer live there, Brokenbridge and the people in it have a special place in my heart.  :- ) 

The Coney Hop

in the Canton of Brokenbridge within the Crown Province of Ostgardr

17 February, AS XLII (2008)

The canton had been inactive for some time, and in incipiency for even longer.  Having recently experienced a resurgence, this is our first feast since obtaining full status.  We are, understandably, quite celebratory. 

I decided to try a menu of dishes containing ingredients that would have been available in late February to a late-medieval cook.  This meant some meat, many dried fruits and vegetables, root vegetables, and greens that are available in the winter.  I did adapt one recipe to use dried peas rather than fresh, but otherwise the recipes were chosen with this in mind. 

The Menu

Bread:  from commercial bakery 

Mushroom soup:  “Funges” from Curye on Inglish based on translation and redaction by James L. Matterer in A Boke of Goode Cookery .

~   chicken broth   ~   mixed dried mushrooms  ~   crimini  mushrooms  ~  button mushrooms  ~  leeks  ~  pepper  ~  cloves  ~  mace  ~  saffron

The First Course

Hedgehogs:  a sotteltie based on “Almond Fricatellae”, from Platina.  Translation by David Friedman in Cariadoc’s Miscellany, redaction and adaptation by Lord Ibrahim al-Rashid (Matthew Pius).

~   chicken breasts   ~   almond flour   ~  almond milk   ~   sugar   ~   bread crumbs   ~   egg whites   ~   rose water   ~   olive oil   ~   slivered almonds   ~   raisins and a whole clove (garnish)  

Buttered Greens:  “Buttered Wortes” from Harlein MS 279, based on translation by James L. Matterer in A Boke of Gode Cookery, redaction by Lord Ibrahim al-Rashid (Matthew Pius).

~   green and red cabbage   ~   kale   ~   spinach   ~   chickory   ~   swiss chard   ~   butter   ~   salt   ~

Chyches:  “Chyches” from Curye on Inglish based on translation and redaction by James L. Matterer in A Boke of Goode Cookery 

~   chickpeas   ~   garlic cloves   ~   water   ~   olive oil   ~   pepper   ~   ginger   ~   mace   ~   salt   ~   saffron

Syrup of Lemons:  “Syrup of Lemon” from An Anonymous Andalusian Cookbook of the Thirteenth Century, translation by David Friedman in Cariadoc’s Miscellany.

~   water   ~   sugar   ~   lemon juice   ~

The Second Course

Tartes de Chare:  “a-nother manere” of Tartes de Chare from Harlein MS 279, based on translation and redaction by James L. Matterer in A Boke of Gode Cookery 

~   pork   ~   dates   ~   pepper   ~   ginger   ~   honey   ~   salt   ~   egg yolks   ~   pre-made pie shells

Turnips & Carrots:  “To Make a Made Dish of Turnips” from Sallets, Humbles, and Shrewsbury Cakes, redaction by Lord Ibrahim al-Rashid (Matthew Pius).

~   turnips   ~   carrots   ~   butter   ~   cider vinegar   ~   vegetable broth   ~   ginger   ~   pepper   ~   sugar   ~   salt

Green Peas Royal:  “Green Pesen Royal” from Ancient Cookery, based on translation and redaction by David Friedman in Cariadoc’s Miscellany.

~   dried split peas   ~   parsley   ~   mint   ~   almond milk   ~   sugar   ~   saffron   ~   egg yolks

Apple Cider

There was also a lovely dessert sideboard composed of contributions from many members of Brokenbridge and arranged by Lady Lillie Redtower.

Recipes

Mushroom soup:  “Funges” from Curye on Inglish based on translation and redaction by James L. Matterer in A Boke of Goode Cookery . <linkto: http://www.godecookery.com/goderec/grec3.htm> 

I used a mixture of 3 parts pepper, 1 part cloves, and 1 part mace for the powder forte in this dish.

Hedgehogs:  a sotteltie based on “Almond Fricatellae”, from Platina.  Translation by David Friedman in Cariadoc’s Miscellany, redaction and adaptation by Lord Ibrahim al-Rashid (Matthew Pius).

The original recipe is for patties that get fried (hence the name):

 “Pass almonds that have been well cleaned and ground through a strainer with milk and rosewater. And to these add the breast of a chicken, boiled and ground separately, and blend in well some meal, two or three egg whites, and sugar. When this has been prepared, as you wish, fry them either in oil or liquamen.”

My redaction is:

2 pounds of chicken, boiled until done, then put through a meat grinder

1 cup of almond flour

6 ounces of almond milk (I chose to substitute this for cow’s milk)

4 tsp rosewater

1 cup of bread crumbs

10 egg whites

2 Tbsp sugar

All ingredients are mixed together and then shaped into a loaf.  This was then brushed with olive oil, and studded with slivered almonds to resemble a hedgehog. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.  

The eyes are 2 raisins, and I used whole cloves to make the nose. 

Buttered Greens:  “Buttered Wortes” from Harlein MS 279, based on translation by James L. Matterer in A Boke of Gode Cookery,  <linkto: http://www.godecookery.com/goderec/grec38.htm> 

I adjusted Matterer’s redaction, but mostly in the amount of butter used.  I chose green and red cabbage, kale, spinach, chickory, and swiss chard, based on what types of greens are in season in February, and what was resonably priced at the produce market.  The “hedgehogs” were served on top of a plate of the greens, as shown in the picture.

Chyches:  “Chyches” from Curye on Inglish based on translation and redaction by James L. Matterer in A Boke of Goode Cookery  <linkto: http://www.godecookery.com/goderec/grec58.htm>              

The powder forte in this dish was 4 parts ginger, 2 parts pepper, and 1 part mace.

Syrup of Lemons:  “Syrup of Lemon” from An Anonymous Andalusian Cookbook of the Thirteenth Century, translation from Cariadoc’s Miscellany.      

“Take lemon, after peeling its outer skin, press it and take a ratl of juice, and add as much of sugar. Cook it until it takes the form of a syrup.”  This was then diluted to taste. 

Tartes de Chare:  “a-nother manere” of Tartes de Chare from Harlein MS 279, based on translation and redaction by James L. Matterer in A Boke of Gode Cookery  <linkto: http://www.godecookery.com/goderec/grec46.htm>  

The recipe is Matterer’s redaction.  I added about 6oz of dates to each pie, which went through the grinder with the meat.  Most of the pies used pre-made crusts.  For their Excellencies, the Viceroy and Vicereine, at the head table I decided to do something a little special.  Baroness Johanne ap Wisby made up a batch of green dough for me, so we could re-create the canton’s newly registered arms (Vert, semy of bees Or marked Sable, on a pale Argent, a coney rampant and a laurel wreath Vert).  The bees are just sliced almonds. 

Turnips & Carrots:  “To Make a Made Dish of Turnips” from Sallets, Humbles, and Shrewsbury Cakes, redaction by Lord Ibrahim al-Rashid (Matthew Pius).

          This recipe is somewhat later than the rest (16^th century):

“To Make a Made Dish of Turneps

Pare your turneps as you would pare a pippin, then cut them in square pieces, an inch and a halfe long & as thicke as a Butchers pricke or skewet, put them into a pipkin with a pound of butter, and 3 or 4 spoonfuls of strong broth, and a quarter of a pint of vinegar seasoned with a little Pepper, Ginger, Salt, and Sugar, and let them stue very easily upon a soft fire, for the space of two houres or more, now and then turning them with a spoone, as occasion shall serve, but by all means take heade you breake them not then dish them up upon Sippets, and serve them to the Table hot.”

My redaction is:

3 pounds of vegetables (I used half turnips and half carrots for color)

6 sticks of butter (yes, that’s 1 ½ pounds)

½ cup of vegetable broth

1 ½ cups of apple cider vinegar

2 tsp pepper

4 tsp ginger

½ cup sugar

2 tsp salt

I cut the turnips into square pieces about an inch wide and and inch-and-a-half long, as best I could considering that turnips are round.  The carrots were cut to inch-and-a-half lengths and then either cut in half or quarters lengthwise depending on the thickness.  I put the butter into the pot with the liquids and heated it all until the butter was all melted.  Then I added the spices and the vegetables.  There should be not quite enough liquid to cover the vegetables.  My experience has been that when cut to this size, they will cook in about an hour-and-a-half at a simmer.  It is important to stir them up while cooking, but as the original says, make sure you don’t break them up as they get soft. 

Green Peas Royal:  “Green Pesen Royal” from Ancient Cookery, based on translation and redaction by David Friedman in Cariadoc’s Miscellany.<linkto: http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/cariadoc/vegetables.html#>

The only change I made to Cariadoc’s redaction was to use dried split peas instead of fresh ones (substituting ½ lb of dry peas for 1 lb of fresh).