eBook: Whitework: Accessories inspired by medieval illumination

Buy PDF $15.99US

I became inspired to do a collection of knitted accessories based on medieval diapering patterns when my husband gave me some sock yarn as a gift. It was 100g of Berroco Sox in the "Bala" colourway. This is a gorgeous blend of colours and I loved it a whole lot - I wanted to do it full justice. After fruitless attempts to find The Perfect Pattern, I decided that pairing it with a white sock yarn and working a stranded motif would probably produce something that I'd like. At this point, the idea of medieval whitework sprang to mind, and I adapted a geometric pattern from a random manuscript which I thought would work well. It did more than that; it made the yarn really "sing"! I was delighted, and thus the Fouilloy cowl, mittens, and earband were created.

The Fouilloy set worked out so well, and there was so much more inspiration to be found in medieval whitework and diapering motifs, that I decided to design even more knitting patterns along this theme. This book is the result. I adored adapting the various motifs, creating the designs, and watching the items come together. There isn't an accessory in this collection that I don't absolutely love. I hope you have even half as much joy out of knitting them as I got out of creating them!

Patterns included (can be bought individually)

• Fouilloy Set: Earband, cowl, and mittens (Source: Bestiary by Hugo de Fouilloy. Franco-Flemish, c.1270.)
• Corbichon Wrap (Source: Encyclopedia translated from Latin into French by Jean Corbichon. French, before 1416.)
• Lavagna Hat (Source: Scriptores Historiae Augustae of Phillipus de Lavagna. Italy, 1475.)
• Welles Socks (Source: The Welles Apocalypse. England, first quarter of the 14th century.)
• Macclesfield Scarf (Source: The Macclesfield Psalter. England, 1320-1330.)
• Beaulieu Tam (Source: Roman de la Rose, scribe Girart de Beaulieu. France, 1353.)
• Valois Bag (Source: Bible owned by the Countesse de Valois. French, 1320-1340.)
• Vignay Fingerless Mittens (Source: History of saints translated by Jean de Vignay. French, 1404.)

Skills required

• For all patterns:
• Knitting, purling
• Stranded knitting (most in the round, but sometimes flat; book points to resources)
• Chart reading
• Multiple patterns also require:
• Increasing, decreasing
• Working in the round with double-pointed needles (alternatives: two circulars or the magic loop method; book points to resources)
• Colourwork cast-on (explained in the book)
• Three-needle bind-off (book points to resources)
• The occasional pattern also requires:
• Grafting (aka Kitchener stitch; book points to resources)
• Yarnovers
• Felting (book points to resources)
• Icord (explained in the book)
• Long-tail cast-on (book points to resources)