Selkielass
09-09-2010, 07:38 PM
It is often mentioned in passing that Garter snakes are named after the little fabric accessories that men used to use to hold up their socks. This is true, but it just begins to scratch the surface of what I, as a textile artist and living history reenactor consider a fascinating subject; Medieval garters (The kind worn on legs), and Inkle weaving.
Garters have been used for centuries to hold up the loose, bias cut legwear known as chausses or stockings. Being bias cut fabric, and not stretchy in the sense of modern elastic and spandex, these garments had to be held up by cloth or leather ties just below the knee (If knee high.) or by tying to straps suspended from the waist or upper body under garment.
Leather garters were often made from deer hide or soft lambskin- both are stretchy and elastic, which makes them more comfortable in wear. If fabric, wool was the utilitarian and decorative material of choice for centuries- it was stretchier than linen or silk, could be dyed many colors, and most importantly it could be woven into countless patterns on a simple, portable loom that many today call an inkle loom.
My point?
It is uncanny how closely Garter snakes patterns of stripes, checkers, x'es diamonds and herringbone twills resemble the patterns you see in Inkle woven bands.
Try Googling 'Inkle band' and see just how similar!
inkle band - Google Search (http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&biw=1016&bih=567&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=inkle+band&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=)
...Now if some of you clever breeders can just figure out how to create letters and pictures similar to those created through the 'pick up' technique, then we can have true 'designer' Garters!...(Hee, hee hee!)
Garters have been used for centuries to hold up the loose, bias cut legwear known as chausses or stockings. Being bias cut fabric, and not stretchy in the sense of modern elastic and spandex, these garments had to be held up by cloth or leather ties just below the knee (If knee high.) or by tying to straps suspended from the waist or upper body under garment.
Leather garters were often made from deer hide or soft lambskin- both are stretchy and elastic, which makes them more comfortable in wear. If fabric, wool was the utilitarian and decorative material of choice for centuries- it was stretchier than linen or silk, could be dyed many colors, and most importantly it could be woven into countless patterns on a simple, portable loom that many today call an inkle loom.
My point?
It is uncanny how closely Garter snakes patterns of stripes, checkers, x'es diamonds and herringbone twills resemble the patterns you see in Inkle woven bands.
Try Googling 'Inkle band' and see just how similar!
inkle band - Google Search (http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&biw=1016&bih=567&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=inkle+band&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=)
...Now if some of you clever breeders can just figure out how to create letters and pictures similar to those created through the 'pick up' technique, then we can have true 'designer' Garters!...(Hee, hee hee!)