Herakleion, Saturday 27 February 2021
Construction of the men’s Cretan headscarf
The Cretan men’s scarf as a handicraft-construction is a knitted one with the technique of chaining. Its shape is isosceles triangle and additionally are the fringes.
Both the main part (triangle) and the fringes are made with chains with a certain way of counting.
Starting we make ten chains which we close aside, that is, the first one. We have just made about the first centimeter of one side of the triangle that will become equal to the second that will be formed with the next ten chains that we will also close at the end. In the middle now, the initial thread that is left over is the top of the isosceles triangle and a sign whenever we grab our knitwear to continue. It should be down until the completion of the main part of the scarf, that is, the triangle.
Then we make eight chains, which we close by pressing on the curved edge of the side that has formed.
Continue with ten chains that we close aside.
Then with eight stepping in the middle.
Then with six that will step on the curved edge.
You will have understood that the ten chains that close at the end have the role of the ounce of the equal sides of the triangle.
Then with ten chains that close aside.
Eight that step in the middle.
Six that step in the middle and another six that will step on the curved edge.
This is how we start.
The logic of the handkerchief triangle is: Ten chains that close at the end (ougia). Immediately after eight that step in the middle. Then continuously six pressing in the middle until it becomes the last chain of the line to step on the curved edge of the ounce. Then again ten ounce chains and so on.
We form about fifty-five lines of knitted bread and then we make the fringe all around in the following way:
We knit fifteen chains and close the five. Dip into the hole with top thread and close twice. Dive twenty times and close twice at a time. A beautiful circle is formed, the so-called “teardrop” which we connect with eight chains to the next row of knitted.
At the vertices of the triangle there is a peculiarity for the sake of needlework. Instead of connecting with eight chains in the next row, we connect with ten chains at the same point where we started.
Good luck!
Christina Ampartzaki
