While I agree that every day hairnets were most likely made in color to match the wearer’s hair as closely as possible, I tend to grab the brown one because it matches my hair, not all of them were. Which brings me to another point of debate. But not necessarily my first choice for a portrait sitting unless it was an exceptionally pretty one involving beads and fancy stitches. Something to allow you to move about without destroying your hairstyle. I tend to agree with the people at Blockade Runner - a hairnet or snood is a practical item while doing physical activity. I can’t imagine that our ancestors were less likely to do the same. I meet very, very few fellow needleworkers who don’t “tweak” patterns to suit their own tastes. Or even goofed up entirely but like the result so kept it. Human nature being what it is I’m sure that they started experimenting. Civil War Ladies were probably fairly comfortable with it. Without those funky gathers.Īccording to Wikipedia the first published crochet pattern appeared in 1824 in a Dutch magazine. If I were to decrease the mesh size and work in sewing thread instead of crochet cotton I bet I could get a pretty close copy. And, for the record, the mesh size isn’t that much smaller than the 1940 style snoods I currently crochet. I’ve got two problems with them it’s machine made so looks like very fine crochet (not netting) and it starts life as a rectangle or square so has these cumbersome, unadjustable gathers at two ends. It really does look like the ones the cafeteria ladies wore when I was a kid. It’s available at beauty supply stores for about $1.50. It seems that for serious Civil War re-enactors the acceptable modern equivalent to a historical hairnet is something called a Wave-O-Net. Why else wear it for a portrait? Showing off one’s skill in fancywork was common practice back then just as it is today. The back is probably a simple net design and possibly could have included beads or other ornamentation. Our lady above is wearing a headdress/hairnet. Some of them bear a strong resemblance to a modern snood, just more finely done.
#RAT AND SNOOD FULL#
Godey’s is full of patterns for various crocheted “headdresses”. There was plenty of crocheted headgear during the Civil War. I’ve added the bold type of course, but you see my point? “ This net, which has a very beautiful effect on the head (because the hair is shown to much greater advantage through the large square holes than in the ordinary style of net, whether done in crochet or netting), is made of bands of diamond open-hem, crossing each other, and edged on each side with a border of beads.” I’d like to offer this quote from Godey’s in 1861: Most of the Civil War clothing authorities on the web seem to insist that hair nets are netted, like fishing nets, not crocheted. Near as I can tell, the basic difference between a snood and a hair net is the size of the thread and the technique used to make it. The fact that a snood can be pretty too, well, that’s just icing. This picture is on While you’re there take a moment to read the entire page - the man makes sense! I wear my snoods for house work, yard work and for keeping my hair from becoming a total rat’s nest when I’m riding on a motorcycle. Most of the pre 1920 patterns I see call for much smaller hooks and needles and much finer yarn/thread than is commonly used today. I heartily agree that the modern ones made of thick yarn just don’t look right. Notice the word “thread” in the last sentence. Looks awfully similar to a crocheted thread snood doesn’t it? Although I have high hopes this time after a brief foray into Teneriffe lace and major web-surfing on net making in the fishing universe.īack to the point. I’m left-handed and I just can’t seem to get it. It did start me thinking though.Īnd buying netting tools to make yet another stab at that confounded knot. I use the tags because I want my wares to be found and those words are what all my esteemed competitors use.
Trust me, if you are attending a function that requires absolute historical authenticity they’ll make sure you know. My crocheted snoods are based on vintage patterns and happen to fit the general public’s idea of what is acceptable for Renaissance Faires and Civil War reenactments. But I do read an awful lot of old pattern books and period magazines. Now I’m not an authority by any stretch of the imagination. Which is correct for your reenactment? And what’s the difference anyway? Oh, and where do you get one?
Much has been written on the subject of snoods and hairnets.