Progress Report (nalbinding and tablet weaving)

No pics this time!

I've started Nalbinding Project #6 -- a Finnish Stitch hat.  Finnish stitch (the version I'm using) is Finnish 2+2 F1, or Hansen UUOO/UUOOO F1.

I'm using another acrylic of some sort, a multi-ply that isn't so loosely spun as the purple.  Well, it might not be 100% acrylic, but it's not scratchy and it doesn't felt.

I'm having some trouble getting the increases right.  My first try was following a friend's hat -- put 9 stitches into the center, then double the stitches for rounds 1, 2, and 3.  For me, though, round 2 was already alarmingly flat, and round 3 ruffled badly.  So....  take out rounds 2 and 3.  Try 1 st, 1 inc for round 2.  Hmm, too pointy.  OK, take everything out.  Follow the pattern I did with the most recent Oslo stitch hat, starting with 11-12 stitches in the center.  And that doesn't work well, either -- I have a delightful little cone!

I'm not sure if I'll keep going and have a hat with a bit of a point.  Or I can repeat a couple of increase rounds (I'm up to 3 st, 1 inc) to get a more rapid increase at this part of the hat.  Or take part or all of it out and try again!  The poor yarn is not looking so happy with all the friction, though.  Or keep it as an example and start with new yarn, unraveling the current little cone only if I need the yarn.

So that's been educational.  I do like doing Finnish Stitch and I like how it looks.  I wasn't able to do a magic loop start without getting confused, so I'm using the slip-stitch loop where pulling the tail tightens the loop.

Hmm, what might be a reasonable way to start this hat in Finnish stitch?  Maybe start with 14-16 stitches in the center?  Or maybe try a bottom-up hat and then I can see what it's like to decrease to the end rather than increase from the beginning?

I'm also doing some tablet-weaving to test out a friend's tablet (not the nalbinding friend, a different friend).  I'm doing a pattern from the V&A Museum that's estimated to be from the 15th-16th century: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O361853/braid/.  Aisling discussed it on her website and gave a link to her chart on Twisted Threads.  https://aisling.biz/historisch/sp%C3%A4tmittelalter/ein-mittelalterliches-band-aus-dem-victoria-albert-museum and https://twistedthreads.org/pattern/ZaafqJSdsWwZcpBgE

I'm using slightly different colors, just because.  But it's quick and easy, a little 10-tablet threaded-in pattern that is 4F4B  (or double-face if you want to think about it like that).  It's cute, though the edge cards are displeasing me a bit.  The original had the edge cards participate in the 4F4B turning, so that's what I'm doing in spite of the slight messiness. 

Aisling has another pattern that I might use for the second set of tablets I'll be testing.  But that won't happen until the current one is done.  I really appreciate Aisling and everyone else who so generously share their discoveries and charts them out so that others can benefit from their hard work.

I also need to make some fingerloop-braided cords and possibly another long braid.  I'm not sure what I'll do for that yet.