Boiled wool

[Mark E.]

[QUOTE=Woodsheal;907046]The artist is rendering the distinctively Scottish "heron-butt" fowling piece. I once got to handle an original, and they shoulder and point quite well!


I am familier with the style-the wrist comment was in reference to the rendering, not the style. The Rifle Shoppe sells parts sets for these, too, if anyone is interested. I'm sticking with the Early English snaphaunce from them, though...

[Pleater]

Boiled wool has become a popular fabric amongst machine knitters in the last few years, so you might be able to source some fabric from a local knitter - the process is simple enough if you care to undertake the boiling yourself. It requires heat, agitation and soap, and most washing machines will provide two out of three of those.

To stop the edges rolling up the piece of knitting is loosely tacked onto an old cotton sheet, and that prevents folds of the knitting felting onto itself - though of course for extra thick fabric you can tack the knitting to itself, folded double, and it will weld together in the process of thickening.

The same process is used for making bonnets, berets and similar headgear. The knitted balloon like shape is felted down onto a form to make the correct shape for the style required, then left to dry before the edgings, lining, tapes and ribbons are applied.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: