Adding a cockade to hand-knitted Balmoral

[Tobus]

Well, I was afraid the terminology would become an issue. I was under the impression that a round or floral shape was properly called a rosette, whilst the rectangular shape was a more generic cockade. But I concede. Surely there's a better term than "bow" or "ribbon". This is not really a bow, which is a tied ribbon. And it's not just a simple ribbon, either.

Whatever we call it, I realised that there's more to it than I thought. Looking carefully at the (insert preferred descriptor here) on my Mackie Balmoral (Lovat green shown below), I noticed that the backing ribbon has the grain running horizonally, and the front gathered ribbon has the grain running vertically. It is not as simple as laying two lengths of ribbon on top of each other the same direction and gathering the front layer. They are perpendicular to each other, which means the top gathered layer is made from ribbon wider than 3 inches.

Even the one on my cheap Asian version (desert tan colour with black ribbon below) has the grain running opposite directions.

Interestingly, the Mackie is only stitched to the bonnet at the ends, but the top and bottom are not stitched. I put my fingers in there to show it. But the middle of the gathered portion is stitched down to the bonnet. The one on the Asian-produced version is stitched all around the perimeter.



I appreciate the references to Thompson's book, but I don't own it. Nor do I intend to buy it. There is some advice in that book that caused me to decide I really don't want to spend my money on it. So I'll continue to think it out myself and look for other sources/examples on how to do it, should I decide to go forward with it.

[Tobus]

Well, the widest grosgrain ribbon I could find locally was 2-1/4 inches. It's narrower than the others, but I thought I'd try it out. I bought a yard of it with the intent to just try making it with both pieces oriented the same direction (not perpendicular to each other as shown in my previous post, since I don't have the ribbon width for that).

My first attempt at making one was a disaster. Having stitched them together first, I grossly misjudged how much extra length to allow for draw-down on the front piece when it's gathered in the middle. Plus, my stitching that connected the front to the back piece started pulling out the ends. That ribbon is terrible for holding a stitch near the edge.

So I'm going to have to start over. This time, I'll cut two pieces extra-long. I'll do the gathering of the front piece first, then lay it over the back piece and stitch them together, then tack them to the bonnet, then trim the extra off the ends last.

Although, I have to say, I currently have the clan crest pinned to the side of the bonnet straight through the dicing. It holds the weight just fine and looks OK to me.

[Tobus]

Finally got around to taking a photo today of the clan badge on the bonnet with no backing ribbon. Now that I look at it some more, I think maybe it really does need the ribbon/cockade/whatever behind it. I'm not sure I like the look without it.

I also removed the wide fixed tails from the rear, and only kept the narrower functional tying ribbons which still hang as tails. I like that a lot better. And I do like the heavier 'lay' of this bonnet on my head. I'll just have to pick a cold winter day to get around to making the ribbon backing.

[Tarheel]

I'll offer a bit of a stretch in comparison. Here are photos of different 1963 Ford Falcons, with and without fender skirts. The cars operate the same, only the look of the vehicle is changed.

It is your choice to add the cockade but I bet that cap is "top drawer" without one.

Imagine the whitewall tire (a personal choice) to the clan badge on your bonnet.

[Jock Scot]

For what it is worth, I think the bonnet and badge would look much better with a cockade.

[Tobus]

Well, I gave it the old college try. It ain't perfect, but it's functional.

[ShaunMaxwell]

Well, I gave it the old college try. It ain't perfect, but it's functional.

I think it’s much better. Nice job!

SM

[thescot]

Well, I gave it the old college try. It ain't perfect, but it's functional.

If you hadn't told us, I doubt anyone would have known that your product was not commercially produced. It looks as good as any I've seen on a Mackie bonnet.

You beat me to it with your reports on the progress. I would have suggested following Thompson's advice, too, and then throwing the first attempt in the garbage. LOL I had to give it several goes before I got the gathering just right and the length of the pieces to match. It's more of an art than a science. And it's OK if each one is a little different. Think of it as a bow tie: no one ties his exactly like everyone else, but that's what makes it unique.

Good job. The bonnet definitely needed the cockade.