Making black woolen hats and wagoners' mittens

The process of making hats and wagoners’ mittens was photographed by Kinga Polakiewicz, volunteer with the “Highlander Treasures” project.

Some traditions are centuries-old, born of needs dating back to times long gone, dwindling over time. Yet there are people out there interested in restoring these traditions. Michał Nakielski is one such person – having been exposed to the art of making wagoners’ mittens at an early age, he has been keeping it alive – preserving the tradition and passing it on. He wants customs rooted in Piwniczna’s culture to survive, and future generations to be able to enjoy local heritage as well.
 

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An interview with Michał Nakielski

My name is Michał Nakielski. I was born on June 27^th 1933. Next month, I will have witnessed eighty-five Palm Sundays. I was born pretty much in Radziejowa, near Przysietnica.

Where did you see wagoners’ mittens for the first time?
I saw them first under Nazi occupation. My father had this gift: whatever he saw or touched, he could make. He made me a pair of leather folk moccasins (kierpce), he made me a bathing tub, he used to make barrels and rattan baskets. I can make things too – it’s my job (laughs).

Did you learn mitten-making from your father?
He did make them, but not many. I had my own epiphany when watching Władek Polański work. I remember watching him work on some religious holiday occasion in the 1980s, and I got interested. He lent me his slat, I used it to make my own, began working, and never stopped. I am deeply grateful to Polański – he was usually reluctant to share his knowledge.

Have you ever taught anyone else wagoners’ mitten weaving?
Yes I have, even at the Centre of Culture in Piwniczna. There was actually a group of locals really serious about it – they caught on, and are still weaving mittens, I am told. I also taught at the local open-air museum here, in Nowy Sącz. I really enjoy it. I want to teach mitten-making, to people of Piwniczna in particular.

I was told that wagoners’ mitten weaving was only a man’s job before the war. Would you happen to know why?
I can’t tell you that secret – I simply don’t know. From what I know, no women would make these gloves in the olden days – just guys. Women did spin yarn on niddy-noddies, though, and wash it afterwards

What kind of material do you use to make the mittens? Is it wool only?
I use one sheep’s wool and one cotton thread.

Are there any special patterns you follow when making the mittens?
No. You can’t really go for any pattern here. Mittens are only different because of the final thumb location. If you take two colours and begin weaving them alternately, you end up with a pattern.

So you make the thumb separately, and only then attach it to the mitten?
Yes. Though I did try to change the technique. I tried making a differently shaped slat, for a mitten with thumb. But I found I would have to waste a lot of yarn.

Do you happen to know how these mittens were used? They are called “wagoners’ mittens”, so I assume wagoners used them.
Yes, they would mostly use them when felling trees in the forest. When using the lumber pick, they would sling the mittens back and tie them together behind the head, to keep them out of the way. And when they were done and began driving the wagon, they just slipped them on, and jog along horsie, it would be.

How long does it take to make a mitten?
It takes me around a week to make a pair these days. I used to be able to finish a pair in two or three days. The neck, it gets stiff as you get older

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An interview with Ewa Sowińska

Small-town traditions tend to remain close to their birthplace. Yet not only did the wagoners’ mitten-making tradition trickle beyond the small community: it actually made it to the huge city of Warsaw. I talked to Ms. Ewa Sowińska, a Varsovian who fell in love with wagoners’ mittens when she first saw them – as she did with other weaving techniques. Having been first taught by Michał Nakielski, she improved the technique over the years. She loves making mittens – and teaching the art to others. She has been running classes for years, sharing the tradition with the young.

How did you find out about wagoners’ mittens?
I discovered their existence when I saw Michał (Nakielski) sell them at the Days of Piwniczna Feast. I was fascinated with their beauty – so I began following Michał around, until I wore him down and he taught me (laughs).

How many years have you been mitten-making?
An exact six. Michał used to teach us in the beginning, he spent a whole year coming to Warsaw and teaching us the ropes. He was amazingly patient with us, and taught us everything he knew. He was also truly happy he found someone to hand his passion over to. Michał told us everything. He was really enthusiastic about working with us, even at his age. We will be eternally grateful to him for his kindness and support during all these meetings. More and more people are into it today.

Do you run classes at the Centre of Culture alone, or with friends?
We do everything together these days. The girls are making whatever they want. Mittens, gloves, hats, wall hangings. Whenever people walk in to learn something, we are more than happy to teach. We used to run four-hour courses, the goal for everyone to learn the basics of weaving, make a hat and mittens. More and more people have been joining us – and keeping the tradition alive.

Do you organise exhibitions to show your work?
Not really, because I mainly make my pieces as gifts. But we do sell them at the Days of Piwniczna Feast. We don’t usually travel – yet we did make an exception once and held a field trip workshop – the interest was huge. We only spent four hours out there, but we were really swamped, everyone wanted to learn and see something.

Have you ever organised workshops at other locations?
Yes, in Bardejów. We held stress release classes for people spending their days in front of office computer screens. It was a two-day multifaceted course.

Do you think that these mittens have become more popular?
I believe that interest in arts and crafts has skyrocketed in general. And there’s something truly authentic at its core. I have learned to spin yarn myself, for example. I know my wool supplier, I even know the sheep. I wash the wool myself, I take it to the laundry, and I spin the yarn with my own two hands.

I was told that wagoners’ mitten weaving was only a man’s job before the war. would you happen to know why?
I think that they just enjoyed sitting down after a hard day’s work, chatting and weaving a bit (laughs). It kind of resembles basket-weaving, another typical male occupation for years.

Has the mitten-making technique changed much over the years?
It hasn’t changed at all (laughs). 

 
Maria Soons

Splecione ręce

Podczas warsztatów, pod okiem Michała Nakielskiego uczestnicy zdobywali wiedzę, jak wyglądał pełen proces tworzenia rękawic i czapek od wykonania przędzy po końcowy efekt, którym są uplecione rękawice i czapki.
 
Tworzenie przędzy:
- przebieranie ostrzyżonej wełny z nieczystości
- pranie
- suszenie
- skubanie (rozrywanie zbitych włókien wełny)
- gręplowanie (czesanie) mające na celu równomierne ułożenie włókien wełny i utworzenie rolki czesanki
- przędzenie czesanki na kołowrotku
- odmierzanie i zwijanie na motowidłach przędzy
- dublowanie na kołowrotku (łączenie pojedynczych nitek przędzy w jeden grubszy splot)
- odmierzanie i zwijanie na motowidłach gotowej nici
 
Wykonywanie rękawic na desce oraz czapek na prawidłach metodą opisaną powyżej:
 
- naciąganie osnowy z dratwy na deskę / prawidło
- ręczne przeplatanie nici między nitkami osnowy