This week I dove a little bit into the different types of darners out there and their Significance in history! I personally like the darning eggs with the short handles, but what are your favorite types of darners?
Our Instagram Page
Reference List
Gilday E. A Darn Good Egg: Darning Tools for Holey Socks. Piecework. 2018;26(1):48-52. Accessed October 16, 2023. https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.snhu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aft&AN=126584944&site=eds-live&scope=site
HABIT F. The Egg and I: Tools for Darning. Piecework. 2020;28(3):12-14. Accessed October 16, 2023. https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.snhu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edb&AN=144272650&site=eds-live&scope=site
https://homethingspast.com/2012/06/07/darning-eggs-mushrooms/
I enjoy steeking, mostly because I hate knitting flat. Why go back and forth when I could go round and round? I know there are arguments that a flat knit garment fits better, but I kind of like the oversized look myself anyway.
Photos on our Instagram
Resources:
https://www.interweave.com/wp-content/uploads/Steeks-Cutting-the-Edge.pdf
https://kddandco.com/2012/04/29/steeks-1-introduction/
https://kddandco.com/2014/08/15/what-is-a-steek/
https://www.hazeltindall.com/steeks
https://icelandicknitter.com/traditional-icelandic-steek-on-my-gamaldags-lopi-sweater/
Hi all!
Blair checking in to see how all of you are doing, you're well I hope? I'm going to be putting out some mini episodes to bridge the gap between our last episode and when we start recording our longer episodes again. These are going to be coming out on a bi-weekly basis, just like our usual episodes. The only exception is that these are going to be about 10- 15 minutes in length and cover one small, particular, subject.
This weeks episode is about the history of circular needles! I found a few cool facts, and I hope you find them as interesting as I did!
Photos on our Instagram!
REFERENCES:
https://loopholes.blog/2020/02/circular-knitting-needles/
https://pieceworkmagazine.com/going-in-circles-a-history-of-knitting-in-the-round/
The Hazy History of Knitting Needles and article by Anne Berk
Found in my colleges online library catalog.
Hi there! In the last episode of this season, we are going back in time to talk to you about a craft that we have mentioned several times over the past few episodes: Nalbinding. Nalbinding is one of the oldest needle-crafts and often coined as the predecessor to knitting. But what is nalbinding, how does it work, and is the craft still alive today? Find out in this episode!
Resources:
Picture of Nålbound sock:
Nålbinding tutorial:
https://spinoffmagazine.com/nalbinding-a-short-history-of-an-ancient-craft/
https://www.studiomyr.com/blog/2022/1/14/the-history-of-knitwear
https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/nalbinding/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C3%A5lebinding
Stitch explanation:
http://vakerrysta.blogspot.com/2017/10/what-does-f2-mean-which-nalbinding.html
Hello there!
We are 2 weeks late with uploading this episode because Denise had her baby! Momma and baby are doing well, recovering and trying to get as much sleep as possible. (Knitting hasn't happened yet, but Denise's feeling her fingers itch for the needles a little bit!)
We talk about Sweden and its knitting history in this episode. We zoom in on Bohus Stickning and what knitting can mean for a society. In short: we talk about a lot of fascinating stuff, yet again!
Enjoy.
Blair's Yarn: Trilogy Yarns - Mustard
Resources
Sweden:
https://pieceworkmagazine.com/tvaaendsstickning-swedens-two-end-knitting/
Berit Westman. (1982). Tvåändasstickning. Västmanlands läns hemslöjdsförening, Västerås
A great book on Swedish knitting (and spinning): https://waltin.se/josefinwaltinspinner/knit-spin-sweden/
Bohus:
To refer you from one podcast to another, it was really enjoyable to listen to this interview on Fruity Knitting: Bohus Stickning - Ep. 112 - Fruity Knitting.
https://www.bohuslansmuseum.se/en/collections-and-history/bohus-knitting-1939-1969/
https://kelbournewoolens.com/blog/2017/05/emma-and-bohus-stickning/
Robson, Deborah & Ekarius, Carol. (2011). The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook. Storey.
Nargi, Lela. (2011). Knitting Around the World: A Multistranded History of a Time-Honored Tradition. Voyageur Press.
Welcome to another episode! Today, we talk about Estonian knitting. A rich history and culture exists that perhaps not everybody knows about. We'll cover how knitting played (and still plays, sometimes!) a role in Estonian society, as well as some different techniques and designs that are typical Estonian.
We hope you enjoy!
Resources:
Welcome to this wonderful episode on Iceland! We dive into a bit of the history of knitting in Iceland, we talk about different weaving techniques found throughout the years, and of course we cannot mention Iceland without talking about Lopi! This is a really fun episode where both of us get to wonder about the magic of crafting as we explore Icelandic traditions. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Our resources:
Patterns mentioned in today's episode:
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/graminees
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/icelandic-handknits/patterns
- Carr, Toni & Cassidy, Kyle. (2022). The Lopapeysa Sweater: A Journey North in Search of Iceland's Iconic Knitwear. Stackpole Books.
- Nargi, Lela. (2011). Knitting Around the World: A Multi-Stranded History of a Time-Honored Tradition. Voyageur Press.
- Robson, Deborah & Ekarius, Carol. (2011). The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook. Storey Publishing.
Beautiful article about the weaving tradition in Iceland: https://thekindcraft.com/iceland-textile/
- A little more information about the Varafeldur:
https://littlelooms.com/weaving-history-the-varafeldur/
- Some good pictures of the warp-weighted loom:
https://medium.com/@zoescope/looms-and-the-role-of-women-in-iceland-71566058c7e9
- Picture of shoe inserts (and pattern!)
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/knitted-shoe-inserts-from-iceland
- A wonderful interview with a traditional pattern maker who has made several shoe inserts!
https://kddandco.com/2014/05/15/a-chat-with-helene-magnusson/
Hi there! This week, we talk about Germany and its knitting history and traditions. We go over some of the older knitting projects people used to make, the projects a man had to knit to be admitted to a guild, knitting during the Wars, and continental knitting. We also go over some of the sheep found in Germany. Thus: another good one! We hope you enjoy.
Resources:
Pattern talked about here:
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/graminees
Books to check out:
World Knitting Patterns by James Norberry
The Ultimate Sock Book by Vogue Knitting
Pictures of the knitting Madonnas: https://annkingstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/7C12A188-4C2E-40D7-8138-5F54A167C263-scaled.jpeg
German knitted rug:
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/217400
a, n. (2014, January 6). Knitting my (German) heritage. Feel Good Knitting. Retrieved April 9, 2023, from https://feelgoodknitting.wordpress.com/2013/01/24/knitting-my-german-heritage/
Annika. (2023, February 2). Merinolandschaf. Rosemary And Pines Fiber Arts. Retrieved April 9, 2023, from https://www.rosemaryandpinesfiberarts.de/merinolandschaf-german-sheep-breeds/
German whiteheaded mutton sheep - Oklahoma State University. German Whiteheaded Mutton Sheep | Oklahoma State University. (2021, April 19). Retrieved April 9, 2023, from https://breeds.okstate.edu/sheep/german-whiteheaded-mutton-sheep.html
Knitting&Death. (2022, June 16). Germany's "Knitting battalions" of the Great War. Medium. Retrieved April 9, 2023, from https://knittinganddeath.medium.com/germanys-knitting-battalions-of-the-great-war-13c1e68c20d1
Nargi, L. (2014). Knitting around the world: A multistranded history of a time-honored tradition. Voyageur.
Thomas, M. (n.d.). Mary Thomas ́knitting Book. Hodder & Stoughton.
Viennese art nouveau lace. Viennese Art Nouveau Lace. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2023, from http://wakges.blogspot.com/2012/01/viennese-art-nouveau-lace.html
Weightman, J. (2012, October 10). More knitting history: World War II. Judy Weightman. Retrieved April 9, 2023, from https://judyweightman.wordpress.com/2012/10/09/more-knitting-history-world-war-ii/
Welcome to Portugal! Today, we speak all about the history of Portuguese knitting and different traditional garments to be found in Portugal. Turns out they knit quite a bit differently in Portugal, using a knitting pin! Enjoy this insightful episode and check out the links below for extra inspiration or to try out this knitting technique for yourself!
Resources
Pomar, Rosa. Portuguese Knitting. Search Press Limited. (2020)
VeryPinkKnits teaching about portuguese knitting technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j-1j8Z16OM&ab_channel=VeryPinkKnits
Rosa Pomar and her Boreia yarn https://fancytigercrafts.com/blogs/travel/portuguese-yarn-traditions-with-rosa-pomar
Patterns mentioned throughout this episode:
Campfire quilt (log cabin baby quilt Denise made) https://suzyquilts.com/shop/campfire-quilt-pattern-download/
Hopi Pattern By Linka Neumann https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hopi-4
Bonnie Cardigan by Orlane Sucche https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bonnie-27
For the PNW Yarn Crawl, Ewe and I Yarns is focusing on Turkey as their theme! Therefore, we talk about Turkish fiber traditions today, so you have some extra background information when you look at all the fiber goodness at Ewe and I! We cover Turkish color-knitting and we highlight Turkish rugs. We hope to see you soon at the PNW Yarn Crawl at Ewe and I!
https://www.eweandiyarns.com/ Email us with suggestions and concerns at: Spinningayarnstale@gmail.com Or follow us on Instagram! Spinningayarnstale
Patterns Talked about today:
The Bonnie Cardigan:
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bonnie-27
Pictures of Turkish Socks as well as a lovely article: https://pieceworkmagazine.com/sock-monday-turkish-socks/
RESOURCES:
This week we are continuing our journey through Europe and we take a pit stop in France! The French have a rich knitting history, just like some of its surrounding countries. The most interesting part is definitely les Tricoteuses; knitters who would watch executions while knitting peacefully on hats. Interesting image? Take a listen to learn more!
Knitting Patterns mentioned:
- Bonnie Cardigan https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bonnie-27
Our sources:
- Beautiful article about revolutionary knitting in France https://lithub.com/on-the-covert-role-of-knitting-during-the-french-revolution-and-world-war-ii/
- Picture of William Lee’s knitting machine can be found here
https://madeupinbritain.uk/Stockings
- Information on natural dyes
https://thebiologist.rsb.org.uk/biologist-features/to-dye-for
- Tricoteuses information https://www.geriwalton.com/tricoteuse-knitting-women-of-the-guillotine/
- Tricoteuses informationhttps://timeline.com/tricoteuse-french-revolution-b9887af073f4
- History of knitting in France (in French) https://textileaddict.me/histoire-du-tricotage-en-france/
- Famous picture of les Tricoteuses https://histoire-image.org/etudes/tricoteuses-revolution-francaise
- Poem about the tricoteuses https://classicalpoets.org/2019/11/09/the-tricoteuses-and-other-poetry-by-frank-l-ludwig/#/
- Additional information on the Jacquard loom https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Marie_Jacquard#/media/File:A_la_m%C3%A9moire_de_J.M._Jacquard.jpg
Spain:
- http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art306902.asp
- Pomar, Rosa. Portuguese Knititng. 2013. Specifically the chapter "A History of Knitting", where Spain is mentioned.
Information on sheep breeds (definitely recommend this book for all fiber fanatics!)
Robson, Deborah & Ekarius, Carol. The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook. 2011. Over 400 pages of beautiful information!
An answer to Blair's question about cheviot sheep: Cheviot sheep are actually from England/Scotland! Read more about them here if you're interested: https://breeds.okstate.edu/sheep/cheviot-sheep.html
This week we are diving into the world of Irish Crochet Lace and Welsh blankets. Two subjects that seem quite unrelated, but can be united by the fact that they are old crafts that were done to stay alive. There are still some ways to support the weavers in Wales, so we added some of those links down below! Definitely worth checking out; hand-crafting used to keep people alive, now we need to keep hand-crafting alive :).
Enjoy!
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bonnie-27
Websites for supporting Welsh weavers:
REFERENCES:
IRISH LACE:
McCooey, N. (2017). Life Saving Lace. Selvedge.
Brooks, M. (2012). Supplementary meterial1. Textile History. https://doi.org/10.1179/0040496912z.00000000010.s1
Knitting, Crochet, and Netting, With Twelve Illustrations (London: S. Knights, 1846)
Castles, H. (2011). Hybrid stitched textile art: Contemporary interpretations of mid nineteenth century Irish crochet lace making (thesis). University of Ulster, Belfast.
WELSH BLANKETS:
Pictures of Welsh Blankets:
https://www.celfadylunio.cymru/home/patterns/welsh-blankets/
FelinFach. (n.d.). Welsh sheep and breeds on https://www.felinfach.com/pages/welsh-sheep-and-breeds
Lucas, M. (n.d.). Caernarfon blankets. Museum Wales. https://museum.wales/articles/2111/Caernarfon-blankets-/
Otterburn, K. (2018, February 8). The A to Z of welsh design: B is for - - 'blanket'. https://welshotter.co.uk/blogs/news/a-to-z-of-welsh-design-b-is-for-blanket
Otterburn, K. (2018, November 4). The story of how Wales got its tapestry... https://welshotter.co.uk/blogs/news/the-story-of-how-wales-got-its-tapestry
This week we're going over the brief history and culture surrounding Fair Isle! There's some....... Misconceptions about this supposedly ancient way of knitting. But! I think my favorite part this week is about how fair isle came to the Fair Isles. I know it sounds a little redundant, but trust me, it's a good one!
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bonnie-27
Resources:
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1427&context=tsaconf
“The art of fair isle knitting history, technique, color, and patterns” Ann Feitelson
https://yarnandknitting.com/know-your-sheep-the-shetland-sheep/
https://www.jamiesonsofshetland.co.uk
https://www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum-of-scotland
Hi and welcome in! This week we're chatting about ganseys! This adventure takes us through a little bit about the history and stitch pattern of a traditional gansey, as well as the culture behind the fishermen wearing them. Sometimes they were great husbands, sometimes they were.........not. But either way it was interesting to research! Thanks for watching
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bonnie-27
Our sources:
Ruhe, Stella. 2014. Dutch Traditional Ganseys: Sweaters from 40 Villages.
Gilpin, Di & Greenwell, Shelia. 2021.The Gansey Knitting Sourcebook: 150 stitch patterns and 10 projects for gansey knits.
Pictures of ganseys
http://www.ganseys.com/gallery/gordons-ganseys/the-netherlands/urk/
A cool article about Ganseys
https://www.selvedge.org/blogs/selvedge/the-hand-knit-gansey
Hi and welcome in!
This is our second episode and that's so weird to think about. Today we chat about the histories of a few different countries, Scotland, England and Ireland to name them. Though there are not as many stocks and socks references in this one, there is a decent amount of banter! MY favorite highlights are the terrible knitters of Dent, tams, and aran sweaters. Thank you for listening again and see you in two weeks!
https://www.eweandiyarns.com/
Blair & Denise (@spinningayarnstale) • Instagram photos and videos
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bonnie-27
References:
Hi and welcome!
This is our first episode of Spinning a Yarn's Tale, a podcast brought to you by Ewe and I Yarns in Chehalis Washington. This episode is a brief history of knitting, and an even brief-er history of spinning and sheep. We chat about the general history without getting too into the details, and there might be some allusions to wearing socks and sandals. We hope to have many more informative episodes filled with maybe a little too much giggling, so please stick around!
https://www.eweandiyarns.com/
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bonnie-27
Show notes:
