Description
Renaissance Hairnets: A Proposal for Sprang as the Method of Construction
Sprang is an ancient textile method used to create a wide variety of garments ranging from bonnets to socks to shirts to leggings. Finds from as far apart as Scandinavian Bronze Age peat bogs and archaeological digs in Egypt have brought us numerous examples of this technique. A question that has been left open has to do with the use of the technique in the heart of Europe. Was the technique known, and, if so, what articles were made using the technique?
Returning from the Braid Society Conference in Svendborg, Denmark, in 2022, author and researcher Carol James met with museum curator Dagmar Drinkler in Munich, Germany. Ms. Drinkler had reconstructed sprang bonnets based on an early 16th-century portrait that she was convinced was made using the sprang technique. Carol James took up the challenge, examining other 16th-century portraits for the possibility of sprang. She has recreated several sprang bonnets based on paintings.
This Compleat Anachronist documents her research, work, and patterns for these sprang hats. Step-by-step photos accompany her instructions. Note that while anyone can enjoy and appreciate her research, the sprang patterns included are not meant for beginners, but she has included references to her website to assist beginners who would like to work with sprang.
