[HNW] Linen for coifs

[annora]

> I'm currently working on a blackwork coif and was wondering if anyone
> has any idea of the thread count of the linen that was used in the
> late 16th century? The linen I'm curently using is 52 by 48 count per
> inch. Not exactly an even weave but close enough that it doesn't seem
> to effect the pattern, that and since I'm doing it in speckle stitch
> and not the usual fill designs it's working well. I'm just curious as
> to how fine a linen was being used.

        The only ones I've been able to count (and they're from photos,
not the actual coifs) have a range of about 43 to 49 threads per inch.  I
don't remember if that was warp or weft but if you'd like I can go and
count them again.  They weren't even weaves.  Some appear to have been
finer but the photos didn't give a scale so I couldn't convert them to
actual dimensions.

--annora