On Bodkins

[Am Bàrd]

Morning all,

In the 'Show us your "Great Kilt" (belted plaid) pictures' thread a few of us were curious regarding the bodkin that is traditionally used to pin the plaid together. Many of us know of various brooches used for the task, but they're not generally accepted as historically correct with the kilt.

So, let's see those bodkins! Any pictures, paintings, historical descriptions - anything bodkin, let's have it here.

~Am Bàrd

[Jack Daw]

Make sure it's not bare so that you won't your quietus make.

[Mark Keeney]

And I thought a bodkin was for turning fabric.

[Woodsheal]

"When they travel on foot the plaid is tied on the breast with a bodkin of bone or wood (just as the spina wore by the Germans, according to the description of C. Tacitus). The plaid is tied round the middle with a leather belt. It is plaited from the belt to the knee very nicely. This dress for footmen is found much easier and lighter than breeches or trews."

- Martin Martin, A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland, 1695.

Some bone bodkins, and an antique silver example:

[Ruanaidh]

Make sure it's not bare so that you won't your quietus make.

Hehehehehe

bodkin [ˈbɒdkɪn]
n 1. (Clothing, Personal Arts & Crafts / Knitting & Sewing) a blunt large-eyed needle used esp for drawing tape through openwork
2. (Military / Arms & Armour (excluding Firearms)) Archaic a dagger
3. (Communication Arts / Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) Printing a pointed steel tool used for extracting characters when correcting metal type
4. (Clothing & Fashion) Archaic a long ornamental hairpin
[probably of Celtic origin; compare Gaelic biodag dagger]

[nehmah]

"When they travel on foot the plaid is tied on the breast with a bodkin of bone or wood (just as the spina wore by the Germans, according to the description of C. Tacitus). The plaid is tied round the middle with a leather belt. It is plaited from the belt to the knee very nicely. This dress for footmen is found much easier and lighter than breeches or trews."

- Martin Martin, A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland, 1695.

Some bone bodkins, and an antique silver example:

RE: left-side photo. May I ask if you know where I could purchase bone bodkins (silver or gold is way beyond my budget)? Smooth bone would slide through woolen or silk tunnels much better than plastic. I'm always on the lookout for a better way to handle sewing tasks.
Cordially, Nehmah
I'd try to carve one, but would cut off a finger.

[Panache]

This is mine




Cheers

Jamie :ootd:

[Woodsheal]

RE: left-side photo. May I ask if you know where I could purchase bone bodkins (silver or gold is way beyond my budget)? Smooth bone would slide through woolen or silk tunnels much better than plastic. I'm always on the lookout for a better way to handle sewing tasks.
Cordially, Nehmah
I'd try to carve one, but would cut off a finger.

Those particular bone bodkins are for sale here:

http://www.wmboothdraper.com/store/i...roducts_id=282

[james a. husky]

Panache...

To an ever-thinking tinkerer such as myself, that bodkin looks like a brass lamp finial with a bit of round brass stock (sharpened) stuck in the threaded bit!

Lots of great sewing notions (including bodkins) can be found from (especially) 18th century living history tailors and fabric shops.

Jim aka kiltiemon (42nd Rgt of Ft., RHR, Lt Col's Coy, War of the American Rebellion)

[jhockin]

not to go COMPLETELY off topic - but reading this thread , my mind did a segue to the expression ( not so common these days - perhaps a hold-over from my English major days?) "odds bodkins!"
Apparently it has absolutly nothing to do with bodkins - but i thought it might be interesting to one or 2other xmarkers:

"Odds bodkins

Meaning

God's body.

Origin

The phrase sounds entirely suited to Tudor yokels and is a stock in trade of any author wishing for a shortcut to convey a sense of 'Olde Engylande'.

A bodkin is a small tool for piecing holes in leather etc. This term borrows the early bodikin version of that word, not for its meaning but just because of the alliteration with body, to make a euphemistic version of the oath God's body. This would otherwise have been unacceptable to a pious audience. That is, odds bodkins is a minced oath."
-so, now you've learned the required 'something new evey day'