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mmy
Location: wellington
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 Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 10:12 pm |
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| griff wrote: | Quote "Gute is one of those fleeces that have wool and kemp"
what is kemp? |
Kemp is the cover hairs. All the ancient breeds of sheep have two coats, one soft woolly inner coat and one outer, hairy one made up of something that looks remarkably like horse hair. This protects the sheep by giving it a woolen jersey underneath a shiny raincoat.
This was deemed a bug and bred out of modern breads, but the period spinners and weavers made a feature of it instead. If you add some percentage of kemp to the warp, you get a very strong thread indeed. This can then be combined with the weaving techniques for extra bonus. If you look at the Bocksten man's mantle, it was woven in a 2/1 twill warp faced from a kempy warp and a pure woolly weft. The net result was a cloak that was very smooth and water-resistant on the outside (where all the hairs went) and a soft fuzzy woolly inside (because that's where all the wool went).
In a balanced weave you end up with a very tweed-like effect, because the warp is darker and a bit shinier than the weft. In fact, this might be one way of distinguishing norse fabrics from other nationalities in mixed contexts (such as York) because every single Norse fabric checked for this actually has that feature.
Cool, huh?
/maggie |
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gt1cm2
Location: Wellington
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| Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 8:37 am |
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| effigy wrote: | Well,
Chevalier I hope you appreciate this 
I've just finished tieing off a steer's head in my creek. Collected it from the local home-kill butcher, special order on account of it's very fine horns. A head without a body is a very accusing thing. I brought it home in the back of the car, and arranged with a friend to help get it down to the most eel infested part of the creek. Yay for 4wheel drive! It is now secured inside a 44 gall drum so eels can clean it and diving dogs can't hold their breath long enough to steal it. 6 weeks and it will be ready. I have a possible use for the top of the skull, but if there's anyone wants the jaws or anything thats left.....?
Living history, its a lovely hobby  |
Hmmm I think I will just keep collecting horns head free from work, much easier!! 
_________________
did they beat the drums slowly
did the play the fife lowly
did they sound the death march as they lowered you down
did the band play the last post and chorus
did the pipes play the flowers of the forest |
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