Stockings-History

 Stockings were generally to the knee or just above the knee and were footed, as seen in Queen Elizabeth’s Wardrobe Unlock’d

They were could knitted or made from cloth, cut on the bias to give some stretch. They are recorded as being made from linen, silk, wool, and flannel. 


Trimmings mentioned, in Warrant of the Robes, Queen Elizabeth Wardrobe Unlocked, included: welted (tops) with vellat, tops stitched with Irish stitch, stitched toppes and clockes, stitched with sondry silk colours, lace of silke, venice gold and venice silver embroidery, r18ed fringe, yellow silke worke, red with red silke worke, red with yellow silke worke, grene with sondry colours.


I have made linen stockings in the past but they are beginning to fall apart- partly due to fraying and partly due to the fact I made then out of a very light weight loosely woven linen. 


So I used my old pair as a pattern and started to make some adjustments. I plan to do some embroidery above the gusset on the outside of the foot and blackworked welts or tops. I am using a heavier weight linen. 


If you are interested in Linen stockings I suggest these sites:


Renaissance tailor

Cloth Hosen and Stockings of Late 16th and Early 17th Centuries

18th cent. hose (yes it is after our time period but they are very close in construction and she explains the math brilliantly)


If you need a pattern I would suggest this one:


reconstructing history cloth hose