Vortha (or Vorthas?)

[Wayland]

Isn’t it often the case that the simplest ideas are often the most useful.

This is based on a Saami idea first shown to me by Paul Kirtley on a weekend workshop organised by Steve.

They are very similar to puttees but the problem I have had with puttees in the past is stopping them from unravelling at the most inopportune moments.

The difference with these is the length of cord at each end.



This pair were woven quickly for me as an experiment by Debs just before my recent Arctic trip and the warp was extended, braided off and secured with a simple knot at the end.

To use them a loop on the long end is pushed through your boot laces near the hem of your trousers and then the knot pushed through the loop to temporarily secure them.

The cord and then the fabric band is then wrapped around the bottom of your trousers until you come to the cord on the other end which is then just pushed under the last wrap of the cloth band.

Because there is a knot at the end of the short cord, that tends not to slip out from under the band which secures things very well. The other end being fastened to you boots also stops the trouser hem from riding up.

The intention is to prevent snow from migrating up under your trouser leg and into the top of your boots and this they achieve perfectly.

When removed they are simple and quick to dry out too. Much less fuss than gaiters.

Debs is now weaving a fancier pair for me but I can see these getting plenty of use as they are in the future.

[Wayland]

I had a look but couldn’t find many pictures that show them in use, this one, out on the ice doing some fishing, is about the best I have at the moment.

[Mesquite]

I had a look but couldn’t find many pictures that show them in use, this one, out on the ice doing some fishing, is about the best I have at the moment.

Sorry Gary.. I just have to have a laugh every time I see that picture... the look on your face is classic, almost as if you're thinking 'what the **** am I doing here'

[Wayland]

I certainly wasn't catching any fish, that's for sure.

[Ogri the trog]

What sort of dimensions are you talking for these Gary? I find myself wearing putees regularly and have never had them come loose yet.

ATB

Ogri the trog

[Wayland]

They're about an inch wide and four or five foot long I guess.

The ones Paul showed me were 6' long but mine seem long enough.

[treadlightly]

What's the material? Wool?

[John Fenna]

Hmmmm - I have some putties I may adapt to give the bottom tail.....

[Wayland]

The warp is cotton but the weft is wool on these.

[treadlightly]

The warp is cotton but the weft is wool on these.

Don't suppose their performance in rain has been tested yet given where you've been wearing them. I wonder how well the cotton would fare in our damp climate.

[Wayland]

I think they are more a snow thing really although they might also be good for keeping ticks out I guess.

In our soggy conditions I'll probably go back to my old canvas gaiters but these will be handy to have in my pack for days when they get forgotten.

[MickeS]

You can check out how to tie Vuoddaga (sami), skoband (swedish), skålleband (norwegian) in this video made by Rungkit;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMTNw...layer_embedded#!
In the video he also discusses in what direction the bands should be tied, but its in swedish...

I use a slightly different model, with a leather string that you tie around your pants/shoe, so they are not attached to the shoe like yours and Rungas in the video.

I use my ones in the winter, to keep snow out of the shoes.



And yes, the dimensions - the leather is long enough to go 2 laps around the leg, the woven band is ca 2 inches wide and long enough to reach about 4 to 5 laps around the leg.

[Wayland]

Thank you, that's really useful.



Vuoddaga: That seems a much more likely name than the one I had for them too.


.

[Wayland]

These are the new linen Vuoddaga that Debbie made for me.


Produced using a technique called “tablet weaving” or sometimes “card weaving” these will certainly cut more of a dash.



I’m afraid weaving is a bit of a dark art to me but Debs tells me there is lots of information online although she found a program called “Guntram's Tabletweaving Thingy” particularly useful.

[Martti Kujansuu]

This is based on a Saami idea first shown to me by Paul Kirtley on a weekend workshop organised by Steve.

Finnish author T. I. Itkonen claims on his book Suomen Lappalaiset vuoteen 1945 ("The Finland Lapps to the year 1945") that it was the Finns who tought the Sámi how to made vuodtâ (Paula(t) in Finnish). Instead of tablet weaving these were made in Finnish Lapland with younger and easier to learn inkle weaving, while Finns kept using the older tablet weaving technique.

The length of vuodtâ are mentioned to be two fathoms for men, half of which is cord, and width as two fingers. The Finnish ones were identical but with different patterns and colours. The oldest ones are made of pure wool but more younger and made of cotton or cotton/wool blend.

[RonW]

I do love gear like this!

So if I understand correctly this is wrapped around the bottom of the legs and than tied with a knot?

[Wayland]

Sorry, missed these replies.

I just put the end of the cord through the wrap and the knot on that cord end stops the cord from slipping out if that makes sense.

[Wayland]

Finnish author T. I. Itkonen claims on his book Suomen Lappalaiset vuoteen 1945 ("The Finland Lapps to the year 1945") that it was the Finns who tought the Sámi how to made vuodtâ (Paula(t) in Finnish). Instead of tablet weaving these were made in Finnish Lapland with younger and easier to learn inkle weaving, while Finns kept using the older tablet weaving technique.

The length of vuodtâ are mentioned to be two fathoms for men, half of which is cord, and width as two fingers. The Finnish ones were identical but with different patterns and colours. The oldest ones are made of pure wool but more younger and made of cotton or cotton/wool blend.

That sounds just like what I was shown.

Interesting to find a bit more about them.

[Martti Kujansuu]

An example of Finnish ones from Seurasaari Open Air Museum. The shoes on the photograph, however, were only used during summer by women.