Tartan hose vs plain hose

[Bugbear]

Interesting, Pleater... And back there we were talking about cadadh hose made from the same tartan fabric that one's kilt is made from, cut on the bius, of course. I can see how this could possiblely be adapted to what you are saying.

[Pleater]

If the diversion can be forgiven - there are lots of similarities between knitted garments and previously made from cloth equivalents.

The English workman's smock with its gathers and embroidered patterns is mimicked with strips of garter stitch and rice stitch motifs of stars, diamonds, and many traditional patterns seen in many different crafts.

The stretch and fluidity gained by cutting cloth on the bias means that an item would accomodate different sizes, within limits, and that is perfectly mimiced by the elasticity and ability to deform found in knitted fabrics, particularly ribbing.

Weaving is quite a quick method of producing fabric, but the knitting frame, an early knitting machine, was devised over 400 years ago, and has been constantly upgraded to do more and more comples knitting ever since.

Domestic knitting machines have been capable of making tartan hose for some considerable time - I would guess at 100 years, though it might be longer, and the resulit would be a flat piece of knitting which would require seaming just like the bias cut cloth.

Once the intarsia method is mastered, or short rowing which also can be used to make diamonds using multiple colours is not difficult, though it does take time compared to standard machine knitting techniques.

Ah - the DH requires my attention

Anne the Pleater

[Friday]

A stirruped sock has been used in baseball uniform for many years>



This picture from Baseball Express

For the use you are suggesting you would want it to have a shorter stirrup and have the leg cover more of the top of the sock.

J. Higgins and others also have diced hose tops:



Which are similar but do not seem to have the stirrup.

Side note J. Higgins advertise Argyle hose for $45 I have no idea about the quality.