Scoggers and Hoggers

Scoggers were "armwarmers" worn by sailors for warmth and protection when working, while hoggers were the legwarmer equivalent.

A scogger was found on the Mary Rose, a ship that sank in 1545. It is a tube 30cm long knitted from black wool at a gauge of 6 stitches per inch. It was knitted on 4 needles, and is shaped via decreases (knit 2 stitches together) at the end of each needles during certain rounds, therefore decreasing 3 stitches evenly around the tube. Similar items were found in excavations of 16th century London. The excavated items have decorative borders at each end, consisting of single rows of purl stitches with 2 rows of plain knitting between each purl row.

Records show that Queen Elizabeth I wore knitted sleeves, both simple ("garnesey knit slevis") and ornate ("a peire of slevis of whit knit work with braunches of gold").

While ornate sleeves knitted from silk were fashionable in Spain in the early 16th century, cheap sleeves made from plain white wool were also worn. For example, a pair of sleeves knitted from flesh-coloured and red silks and lined with mulberry satin and trimmed with gold fringes and large seed pearls were valued at 15,000 maravedis, while knitted sleeves from plain white wool cost only 62 maravedis. These plain cheap sleeves were probably similar to the scoggers in use in England.

Your scoggers should be suited for the social class and station that you wish to portray with your garb. Generally, scoggers were knitted in plain stocking stitch with just a simple border at each end, using a relatively course wool. They were a practical garment, whereas knit sleeves were made from fine silk, and had ornate patterns, and could be decorated with goldwork or jewels, and were lined to protect the fine silk. Scoggers are an easy project for those learning to knit in the round, and a very practical accessory for cold events!

Skills needed

Cast on, knit, knit 2 together, cast off, knitting in the round.

Materials needed

2-3 50g balls of 8 ply wool per pair, a set of 4 double pointed needles (around 3mm is a good size), tape measure, tapestry or wool needle.

Instructions

Change your measurements if you want to make a hogger instead.

• Measure your forearm and wrist circumference, and the length of your forearm (in inches). Allow a little bit of ease, as these would have been worn over shirt sleeves.
• Knit a small sample piece in stocking stitch and measure the number of stitches and rows per inch. Fill in the table below. If necessary round up to whole numbers.

1. Cast on (F+1) stitches, and place onto 3 needles. Join together (without twisting!) by knitting the first and last stitches together.
2. Knit plain for _ of (C-6) inches.
3. Decreases- Every H rows, decrease 3 stitches by knitting 2 together at the end of each needle for that row, Continue until you have G stitches left.
4. Knit plain for _ of (C-6) inches, or until scogger is desired length. Cast off loosely. Sew ends in.

For a slightly harder scogger, do a border of (purl 1 row, knit 2 rows, purl 1 row, knit 2 rows, purl 1 row) at each end. This will also help to stop the edges from rolling up.

References

• "A History of Hand Knitting" by Richard Rutt. Batsford, 1987.
• "Queen Elizabeth"s Wardrobe Unlock"d" by Janet Arnold. W.S Maney & Son Ltd, 1988.
• "Hispanic Costume 1480-1530" by Ruth Matilda Anderson. Hispanic Society of America, 1979.

This project was originally published in the Guild Newsletter for Midwinter, A.S. XXXIX

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