leg-wraps-msg - 2/6/12

Period leg wraps. How to make or buy and wear them.

NOTE: See also the files: hose-msg, hose-manu-MA-art, cl-Norse-msg, 2Shod-a-Shire-art, cl-Anglo-Saxn-msg, Knit-Stockngs-art, knit-stockngs-msg, pants-msg, QD-Trunk-Hose-art.

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This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter.

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Thank you,
    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous
                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
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From: andvaka_lists at EML.CC
Subject: 	Re: [CALONTIR] Wool leg wraps
Date: 	October 10, 2011 10:10:34 AM CDT
To: CALONTIR at listserv.unl.edu

On Monday, October 10, 2011 10:00 AM, "Daniel Brizendine"
<norseceltbear at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
<<< I  am looking to commission someone to weave bjarki a couple three woolen
leg wraps viking style please xontact me off list

Sigmund >>>

If you have your heart set on this, go forth and do it. :)

But:

There are a couple commercial vendors of such, including one who does
handwoven leg wraps. 

http://wood-n-woven.com/ does handwoven leg wraps, either custom or
in-stock

Historic Enterprises does non-handwoven leg wraps. (I believe they cut
bolts into the right width and finish the edges.

Gabriel
--
Patrick Anderson


From: SchusterRL at UMSYSTEM.EDU
Subject: Re: [CALONTIR] Wool leg wraps
Date: October 10, 2011 10:27:14 AM CDT
To: CALONTIR at listserv.unl.edu

Whatever you get make sure they have some stretch to them and full the hell out of them before wearing them to fight:)

While I love HE's early period line (I was one of the folks that worked with them to get that going) and have a good relationship with them I do not recommend their basic legwraps.

IMO they are too short to wrap properly, at least on a big fella.
IIRC theirs are like 9 ft where I prefer mine around at least 12 ft
That said, how one wraps their winnigas vary from person to person and this may not matter to some.

My other big gripe with HR (and I have discussed this with Gwen on several occasions) is that it costs almost as much to ship a pair as it does to buy a pair:(

FWIW, HE is now carrying hand woven wraps, each set is a one of a kind (they claim) and run about $100 last I checked.

Halv


From: sethrun.magaoinghous at LIVINGHISTORY.IE
Subject: Re: [CALONTIR] Wool leg wraps
Date: October 10, 2011 11:37:18 AM CDT
To: 	CALONTIR at listserv.unl.edu

I have woven ones and another pair made from regular wool fabric sewn together. Both work for fighting but they need to be fulled to not fall down when fighting etc. If you cut wool strips you need to roll and finish the edges. 9 feet is the minimum size for me at 5'8. If you are taller get longer. Also make sure they are wide enough. Mine are about 4 inches wide. Don't wrap them so tight that you cut off your circulation as well.

Seth


From: andvaka_lists at EML.CC
Subject: Re: [CALONTIR] Wool leg wraps
Date: October 14, 2011 10:39:59 PM CDT
To: CALONTIR at listserv.unl.edu

Stefan,

Pants were well known in the Norse culture. The leg wraps were worn over them. As far as we can tell, it was primarily a warmth issue (hence the wool).

This wasn't "bare legs wrapped with wool" thing, but a pants, and socks, and wrappings over top of both.

Gabriel
--
Patrick Anderson

<<< On Oct 14, 2011, at 8:22 PM, Stefan li Rous <StefanliRous at AUSTIN.RR.COM> wrote:
Halv,

Please do. Then write it up in an article and I'd love to have it for the Florilegium. I think the response here shows that  it would be of interest to a lot of folks across the Known World.

My standard policy is that the author keeps the copyright and I will accept updates at any time. So you can quickly write up what you have now and then modify or add to it, hopefully as you get some comments and questions back from readers.

I see this mostly as a 'how to' type article but any background you wish to add such as the cultures that did this and when could be added as well.

I have been quite surprised how late knitting and knit stockings are.  Is there a progression from leg wraps to hosen cut on the bias to knit hosen to pants? I don't know. Although pants seem to have come and gone over the years in different cultures since I believe the Norse wore them.

Why wool instead of linen wrappings? I'd have thought that linen would be the prime fabric to use, as it was for most underwear, since it resists stains and isn't scratchy.

Were such leggings specially made? Or were they made from scraps from other linen projects or worn out linen underclothes?

Stefan >>>


From: sethrun.magaoinghous at LIVINGHISTORY.IE
Subject: Re: [CALONTIR] Wool leg wraps
Date: October 15, 2011 12:12:00 AM CDT
To: CALONTIR at listserv.unl.edu

They also help protect the lower leg fabric from damage. Much easier to make new wraps than new pants. 

On Oct 14, 2011, at 22:39, Patrick Anderson <andvaka_lists at EML.CC> wrote:
<<< Pants were well known in the Norse culture. The leg wraps were worn over them. As far as we can tell, it was primarily a warmth issue (hence the wool).

This wasn't "bare legs wrapped with wool" thing, but a pants, and socks, and wrappings over top of both.

Gabriel >>>


From: katriona at IRONTREEWORKS.COM
Subject: Re: [CALONTIR] Wool leg wraps
Date: October 15, 2011 2:01:06 PM CDT
To: CALONTIR at listserv.unl.edu

Wool twill because they stretch to the shape of your non-rectangular leg.  They were specially made.  All of the extant pieces I know of have selvages on both sides, which means that they were woven to that narrow width of wool, not scraps.  Worsted spun wool is not very scratchy, and they are over your clothes anyways.  This is an outer layer, not an under one. 
 
They also keeps ticks and chiggars from crawling up your legs, if you live in that part of the country...
 
Katriona
 
<<< Why wool instead of linen wrappings? I'd have thought that linen would be the prime fabric to use, as it was for most underwear, since it resists stains and isn't scratchy.

Were such leggings specially made? Or were they made from scraps from other linen projects or worn out linen underclothes?

Stefan >>>


From: sethrun.magaoinghous at LIVINGHISTORY.IE
Subject: Re: [CALONTIR] Wool leg wraps
Date: October 16, 2011 3:41:59 PM CDT
To: CALONTIR at listserv.unl.edu

<<< The comment on using them to reduce tick and chiggars is interesting and useful.  But those, I think, are most seen in southern, warmer areas, such as Ansteorra :-), Are leg wrappings uncomfortable to wear in warmer weather, especially those of wool?

    Stefan >>>

I wear mine year round. Not bad even at lilies. I also love to ride in them. They keep the horse sweat off me legs. That will be even more important when the new saddle is done since fenders were not used back then.
 
Seth

<the end>
Edited by Mark S. Harris	leg-wraps-msg	4 of 4