A male 16th century hairnet

 I decided again to try and make a hairnet for my husband, to see if I could maybe get something working by really maxing out the size of my frame.

I made the sprang with 72 loops and a length of 50 cm. The the threads were kept quite loose, which I thought would make it more stretchier, but I think that is the reason that the top and bottom half got so uneven. Despite really trying to pack the bottom half the size difference between the rows is quite obvious. It is made in a double grid, and I started with the instructions that I had seen on Sally Pointer's youtube tutorial, but I lost track somewhere after 10 rows or so. I found it easier to come back and get back into the rythm with Carol James' pattern in her paper on renaissance hairnets. After blocking the length was 46 cm.. Lesson learnt is that the next time I will only go after Carol James' pattern from the start.

David got to try on the blocked net that I had gathered at the short sides. To close the largest gap in the middle I also made a second row of chaining across. The size was good, I think thought that it wouldn't be wrong to maybe go up to 80 loops for a new net, and then I could use shorter warp threads and keep the tension higher.

To get the lines across I did horizontal twining, once again from the description in Carol James' paper. I used double threads, so four threads in total to get a visible line.

To get a ribbon for the edge of the net I made a tablet band. I am new to this and the band is definitely very thick. To be able to tie the band in the back I finished the band with a long fingerloop braid. By this stage I was also out of yellow yarn so that is why the band is red and white.

The band was sewn on and I am quite happy with the shape and size of the hairnet.

I am not happy with the bulky and loose tablet band though. This was only my second try at tablet weaving, and I can't say I am a fan. I have gotten it pointed out that it is better to use rigid heddle loom (bandgrind) instead, since that will make a flatter and not so bulky band.

The good thing is that if I get a better band then it will be easy to remove this one, I just need to get hold of a heddle loom and learn how to use it first. 

For now I will take a break in my sprang adventures though. It's been fun, but I think that in order to continue my journey I really need to get a larger frame, and start trying out with finer yarn, and I really want to try with silk now. I have ran out of the yarns I have used for these last projects, so I have to think what I will order.