15th to 18th Century Monmouth Cap Pattern
Pattern and instructions by Mara Riley

Monmouth caps were originally named for the area of England that produced large numbers of them and were worn by laboring men and sailors. Monmouth caps were sometimes referred to as Kilmarnock cauls or more commonly later on watch caps. This pattern includes knitting instructions for basic 15th to mid 18th century Monmouth. Because of the stretch of the fulled wool one size fits most people. This pattern requires a set of 4 size 10 double pointed needles and about 175 yds. (1 1/3 skein) of brown or red sheep bulky yarn or equivalent.

$4.50

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Hand Knit 15th to 18th Century Monmouth Cap
by Christina Neitz Research by Mara Riley

Now in stock!

You really must feel these caps to understand them! They are hand knit and fulled of 85% wool and 15% mohair into a dense very warm cap. The mohair makes them luxuriously soft and the fulling tightens the knitting into a hand made cap like no others on the market. A button is at the very top and a button hole is at the side the origin and function of which are unknown. For each cap sold $1.00 goes toward a textile based charity such as prayer shawls or caps for preemies and chemo patients.

Monmouth caps were originally named for the area of England that produced large numbers of them and were worn by laboring men and sailors. Monmouth caps were sometimes referred to as Kilmarnock cauls or more commonly later as watch caps. These caps were worn from the 15th to mid 18th century. Because of the stretch of the fulled wool one size fits most people but please tell us your hat size. Historically the most common color may have been red and striped caps may have become common in the 18th century. These are available in yellow, red, green, brown, gray, striped and blue so please provide us with your preference of first, second and third choices. Since each cap is hand made no two are alike.

In 1769 The Virginia Gazette reported "RUN away . . .  a blacksmith by trade, and by birth an Irishman . . .  he had on and took with him . . .  a thick woollen cap".

$45.00

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Gunnister Gloves Pattern
Pattern and instructions by Mara Riley

Gunnister Gloves Pattern is developed after those gloves excavated from the Gunnister bog of Scotland dated at the late 17th century. This pattern includes women's medium, men's medium and men's large sizes. This pattern requires a set of 5 size 2 double pointed needles and 6 oz. of 2 ply sport weight yarn.

$5.00

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Mill Farm Woman's Knitted Stocking Pattern

Knitting instructions for basic 18th to mid 19th century stockings with adjustable sizing. This pattern requires a set of 5 size 2 or 4 double pointed needles and 6 oz. of 2 ply sport weight yarn.

WPF 100 $3.00

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18th Century Scots Bonnet
Pattern and instructions by Mara Riley

This hat is currently called a "tam", but in the 18th century was known as a "Scots Bonnet". It was such a common garment that it became a symbol of Scots, particularly Scottish Highlanders.

This Scots bonnet, or "Tam", pattern is based on the one on p.4 and 6 of the Shire Booklet Scottish Knitting by Helen Bennett. The bonnet pictured in this book dates to about 1718. For a good looking bonnet we suggest one 2 ply, 4 oz. skein of fishermen's weight midnight blue using size 7 (4.5 mm) 10" needles.

$4.50

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18th Century Knitted Mittens
Pattern & Instructions by Mara Riley

Adult sizes for hands from 7" circumference to 10.5" Children's sizes 5.5" - 6.5". Ms Riley's note on cuff treatments: The garter stitch technique used for the cuff is found regularly on stockings and on the Gunnister glove, which helps prevent the edges of the knitted garments from rolling. This pattern suggests using a size 5 or 6 needle (3.75 to 4 mm) and the 7" are plently long and worsted weight yarn.

One of the mittens recovered on the wreck of the General Carelton of Whitby (1792) had a row of fringe around the wrist and a second row about 1.5 inches from the wrist, either as decoration or perhaps to help retain warmth.

$4.50

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18th Century Women's Knitted Mitts pattern
Pattern and instructions by Mara Riley

Adding to her collection of period knitting patterns, Mara Riley has designed these mitts which were in Mara's own words 'inspired by a reference in Linda Baumgarten's What Clothes Reveal in which a knitter advertises that she will remake old stockings into mitts.

Accordingly she modeled the detailing on these mitts, including the "seam" down one side of the arm, on details from 18th century common stockings.

These mitts are knitted in 2 ply sport weight yarn. and will fit a medium sized woman's arm but size may be adjusted by using larger or smaller needles.

$4.50

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