Fancy a Knitting Project?

[lightfoot]

I've been reading a book about the English Civil War that contains several references to "Monmouth Caps" as worn by the common soldier. Apparently they were felted and very warm.

I've just found some information and a pattern. It doesn't tell you about felting, which is easy to do in a washing machine, but causes shrinkage (can't establish how much) so felting such a cap would be a bit hit or miss. I suppose you could always give/sell the ones that don't fit to people with the matching heads.


Information and Pattern - http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/jennifer/Monmouth.htm

A picture of the cap - http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/small/item/GTJ01788/

 

[Harvestman]

Interesting bit of historical info for my local area there Lightfoot. Thank you. I might have to get one now. I'll tell, sorry, ask SWMBO to break out the knitting gear...

 

[lightfoot]

Hi Harvestman

Is SWMBO going to make it or teach you how to make it?

I haven't knitted anything since I was 7. I started on a scarf but got bored so it became a vest for my Action Man. Be good to learn though, and something to do whilst sitting around the fire. Can just picture a bunch of bushcrafters on a moot, knitting.

 

[Colin.W]

They used to use wooden blocks to shrink felt hats to the right size but I'm not sure of the exact process

 

[lightfoot]

They used to use wooden blocks to shrink felt hats to the right size but I'm not sure of the exact process

Interesting. So if the cap comes out of the wash a bit too small after felting then it can be stretched. Cheers Colin.

 

[Harvestman]

Hi Harvestman

Is SWMBO going to make it or teach you how to make it?

She can knit it. She's having enough trouble teaching me how to sew. Turns out she's heard of a Monmouth Cap before, and reckons it is easy to make.

As a geographical aside, the northernmost bit of the county of monmouthshire is of a similar shape to these hats, if you look at it on a map, and is known as Monmouth Cap. I wonder if there is a connection.

 

[lightfoot]

As a geographical aside, the northernmost bit of the county of monmouthshire is of a similar shape to these hats, if you look at it on a map, and is known as Monmouth Cap. I wonder if there is a connection.

The whole of Monmouth in New Jersey looks like a Monmouth Cap too, albeit one that didn't do well in the felting process.


http://www.weichert.com/images/counties/NJ-Monmouth.gif

 

[lightfoot]

She can knit it. She's having enough trouble teaching me how to sew. Turns out she's heard of a Monmouth Cap before, and reckons it is easy to make.

Be good to see some pics when it's finished.

 

[tombear]

Cheers for the link to the pattern as it's the one the wife wanted to use to make me a Monmouth from. It all started off 2 years back when we saw it in the museum and I started badgering her to make me one.

With my traditionally subtlety I got her the right sort of needles and plenty of what I think is the perfect wool for making a copy, super chunky organic coloured Ryeland from a outfit in Ceredigion. I then helped her turn a nostpinne (I think its called) from a bit of beech to wind the wool onto to make balls.

Then we got distracted.

Anyroad over the last week she has knitted a couple of beenies for the kids to get her hand back in and last night actually broke the band on a skein of wool and wound the balls, ready to go.

I've asked (read grovelled) to her to make it as big as she can so I can felt it and waterproof it with lanolin as per Toddys method.

Knitting is something I am incapable of and I've promised to make her a linen shirt as a thank you.

Stuart Peachey / Robert Morris at Stuart Press do a fascinating pamphlet "Monmouths and Monteros" which convincingly argues that the Monmouth caps refered to in the 17th C had wide brims and the cap at Monmouth isn't what they would have called a Monmouth cap back in the day, but was in use.

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

Hi All,
Herself has just finished the copy of the Monmouth cap

http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/small/item/GTJ01788/

and I am very pleased with it indeed,:-{D) I asked her to make it bigger and omit the button and loop which she did, and a good job as if she had followed the pattern slavishly it would have sat on top like a skull cap! It's very thick and warm and used up 140 gms of organic super chunky coloured Ryeland wool.

OK, it's just a glorified benny hat but I love it!

ATB

Tom

 

[gowersponger]

iam geting the missus to make me one after shes finished the teddys shes kniting for xmas presents that looks like a job well done tom

 

[tombear]

Oh I've been told to say that if you use the pattern mentioned at the start of the thread to make one big enough for my fat head (62 NATO or about 7 3/4 UK) she cast on 80 not 60.

Cheers!

Tom

 

[lightfoot]

Nice hat Tom. Like it.