The knitting sheath has a prominent position on the list of tools that were once ubiquitous but have since dwindled into restricted regional use. Although the sheath is only one of a number of devices used to anchor the passive end of a knitting needle, its name is often used as a collective designation for… Continue reading Knitting sheaths and their handedness
As discussed in a previous post, there is no demonstrable geographic or historical basis for categorizing the knitting of fabric primarily with twisted stitches as “Eastern” or knitting with predominantly open stitches as “Western.” Similar conditions apply to the terms “English” and “continental” when used to designate the two most widespread methods for holding yarn. Most… Continue reading More knitting geography
I’ve noted the significance of “The art of knitting in its full extent” (Die Kunst Zu Stricken in ihrem ganzen Umfange) by Johann Friedrich Netto and Friedrich Leonhard Lehmann in several previous posts (but have yet to find a good way to vary the introductory paragraph). This was published in 1800 and reflected in German texts… Continue reading Hooked knitting needles in the French parlor in 1817
A while ago I posted the first of what was intended to be a series of descriptions of various aspects of knitting, translated from the first textbook dedicated to the topic yet noted. This is “The art of knitting in its full extent” — Die Kunst Zu Stricken in ihrem ganzen Umfange — published in 1800… Continue reading Double knitting in 1800
The 1823 issue of the Dutch monthly publication Penélopé (cited in several previous posts) describes how the yarn is held for crochet, placing it the same hand as the hook. “For this one needs a tambour needle, with a small hook at the front…. This is held in the right hand, along with the thread being worked, about… Continue reading Methods of holding yarn for crochet
The shepherds in Landes, the northernmost part of the French Basque Country, were a subject of popular attention during the 19th century for two traits. One was their use of stilts to deal with the marshy heathlands on which their flocks grazed, and the other was their practice of knitting while watching over them. A chapter on… Continue reading A stilted perspective on hooked knitting
The description of Bosnian crochet given by Luise Schinnerer in 1897 and discussed in detail in the preceding post, is echoed in almost all points of detail in the article on crochet in the Encyclopedia of Needlework; New Edition by Thérèse de Dillmont. Its publication date is not known but the first edition, dated 1886, makes no mention of… Continue reading More about Bosnian crochet
