OUR COTTON CELEBRATION: 7 Fun Projects to Make Today
KNIT THIS Cotton Victorian
BABY BLANKET KIT AVAILABLE
Baby Blanket
FOR DETAILS SEE p. 2
TURKEY 500-YEA TRADITI Yazm Y azma a & Oy
Letters from the Asyl As ylum um— Do You You Still Have My Table Table Cover? p. 30
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Volu olume me XXI XXIII II
Number Num ber 4
Featur Fea tures es
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10 The The He Heig ight ht of Fem Femini ininit nity: y: Wispy Wisp y Cott Cotton on Dres Dresses ses
26
Mary Polityka Bush
14 A Ha Hand ndke kerc rchi hief ef to Emb Embro roid ider er in Sha Shadow dow Work Work Mary Polityka Bush
18 Framew Framework ork Knitte Knitters, rs, Luddit Luddites, es, and the Cap Capita itall Crime Crime of Pove Poverty rty
30
Elizabeth Hulse
26 Cou Counte nterpa rpane ne Baby Baby Blank Blanket et to Knit Knit Carol Huebsch Huebscher er Rhoades Rhoades
30 Letter Letters s fro from m the the Asyl Asylum— um—Do Do You Still Have My Table Table Cover? Cover? Katherinee Durack Katherin
34 Squa Square re an and d Borde Border r Patte Pattern rn for for Annie’s Ann ie’s Tabl ablecl ecloth oth to Fil Filet et Croch C rochet et Katherinee Durack Katherin
40 Open Open Bay Bay-Le -Leaf af Pat Patter tern: n: A Cot Cotton ton Square Squar e for a Quilt Quilt to Knit 42 Yazm azma a and Oy Oya a from from Turk urkey ey Traditional Handprinted Scarves with wit h Nee Needle dlework work Edgi Edgings ngs
42
Cynthia LeCount Samaké
49 Tur urkis kish h Be Bell ll Oy Oya a to to Mak Make e Cynthia LeCount Samaké
14
52 A Sq Squa uare re to Ma Make ke in Cl Clun uny y Tat Tatti ting ng Dagmar Pezzuto
56 Kogi Kogin n an and d Hish Hishii Stit Stitch ches es of of Aomori Aom ori Pre Prefect fecture ure in Jap Japan an Akiyo Murono
Columns 4 Tapestry The new and the noteworthy
52
Depart Dep artmen ments ts 2 Noti Notion ons s Letter from the editor 60 Abbreviations and Techniques Definitions 62 By Post Letters from readers 64 Calendar Upcoming events
6 Trimmings Birkbeck Edging to Crochet 8 The Last Word Books of interest
Visit NeedleworkTraditions.com for free projects and ar ticles; a link to our eNewsletter, eNewsletter, index; this Needlework Tradition Traditions s; the PieceWork index; issue’s issue’ s Calendar; recommended books; back issues; and much more!
J ULY/ A UGUST
2015
P I E C EW OR K
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Notions
W
hite Gold. Tree Wool. Vegetable Lamb. Vegetable Wool. At one point in time, the natural fiber we know as cotton was known by each of these names (“tree wool” is the direct translation for the German word for cotton, baumwolle). Cotton’s history goes back at least 7,000 years. Greek historian Herodotus (circa 484–425 B.C.) wrote about trees in India that were “. . . growing wild, which produce a kind of wool better than sheep’s wool in beauty and quality. . . .” A fourteenth-century European traveler writing under the pseudonym of Sir John Mandeville started the myth surrounding “vegetable lamb”: “. . . there grew there [in India] a wonderful tree which bore tiny lambs on the ends of the branches. . . .” It’s no wonder that cotton has been a fav orite of needleworkers for eons. For this summer issue of PieceWork, we’re celebrating this marvelous fiber. For a stellar book on cotton’s history, do look for Sven Bec kert’s Empire of Cotton: A Global History (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2014). And Julia Baratta explores cotton’s colorful history in her article, “The History of Naturally Colored Cotton,” available on our community website, needleworktraditions.com/projects-articles. In addition to the fascinating facts about naturally colored cotton—in various places, colors include mocha, tan, gray, black, mahogany, red, pink, blue, green, and cream—Julia details the efforts today to “. . . encourage mills to use naturally colored cotton to cut down on toxic wastes that result from chemically dyeing fibers. . . .” and of a group of farmers who “. . . raise [naturally colored] cotton to preserve it. . . .” Enjoy our celebration of cotton! Some notes of interest: Lacis Museum of Lace & Textiles in Berkeley, California, is looking for tatted items to include in a 2016 tatting exhibition at the museum. For consideration, send photographs to jules@ lacismuseum.org by September 1, 2015. The provisional program for the Knitting Reference Library and Knitting Collections at the University of Southampton’s In the Loop 4 conference August 26–28, 2015, at the University of Glasgow is now available; visit www.soton.ac.uk/intheloop. Here are PieceWork’s editorial themes for 2016: January/February— Historical Knitting, March/April—Domestic Textiles, May/June—A Celebration of Lace, July/August—Country Living, September/October— Handwork and the Mystery Genre, November/December—Silk; visit needleworktraditions.com/piecework-submissions for details.
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Historical needlework at your �ngertips. Find your next issue of PieceWork magazine on the iPad and enjoy added benefits! “Pinch to zoom” to see details up close—from gorgeous heirloom projects to intricate, glorious lace and vintage textiles. Plus live links to take you directly to resources online. Also available for a Kindle or through Zinio. FIND YOUR MOBILE PIECEWORK MAGAZINE AT:
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Tapestry
Imperial Iranian Tent The Cleveland Museum of Art has acquired a spectacular imperial tent created for Muhammad Shah, who ruled Iran from 1834–1848. The interior of the tent is lavishly decorated with inlaid woolen cloth embellished with silk-thread embroidery. The tent will be on display at the museum from July 17, 2015, through June 26, 2016. For more information: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44106; www.clevelandart.org.
The imperial tent of Iran’s Muhammad Shah, who ruled from 1834 to 1848. Collection of The Cleveland Museum, Cleveland, Ohio. Photograph courtesy of The Cleveland Museum.
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Tatting WORKSHOPS
Join Georgia Seitz and learn the basics and beyond of tatting!
NEEDLE TATTING:
SHUTTLE TATTING:
Create exquisite lace using just a tatting needle and thread. Learn the basic steps of needle tatting: selecting needle and thread sizes, chains, picots, rings, joins, spirals, and even Josephine knots with step-by-step instructions.
Create exquisite lace with only 2 simple implements—a shuttle and a ball of thread. Learn the basic steps of shuttle tatting: chains, picots, rings, joins, hiding ends, the reverse order double stitch, and double and triple picots with step-by-step instructions.
These workshops are available on DVD or download the workshops instantly; www.bit.ly/dvd-shuttle-tatting .
Trimmings
T
his column brings a sampling of patterns, charts, and instructions gleaned from vintage magazines and books. Use this as given here or adapt it as you like. The instructions are worded exactly as they appeared in the original publication— Weldon’s Practical Needlework, Volume 2. (The �rst six volumes of Weldon’s are included in PieceWork’s deluxe set now available; see page 41 for more information.)
The Birkbeck Edging. Antique thread holder from the collection of Loene McIntyre. Photograph by Joe Coca.
Birkbeck Edging to Crochet Commence with 20 chain. 1st row —1 treble in the seventh chain from the needle, 2 more treble in the same place, 2 chain, 3 treble in the next stitch of the foundation, 3 chain, miss three, 1 double crochet in the next, 3 chain, miss three, 3 treble in the next, 2 chain, 3 treble in the next, leave three stitches unworked. 2nd row —6 chain to turn, 3 treble under two chain of last row, 2 chain, 3 more treble in the same place, 3 chain, 1 double crochet on the double crochet of last row, 3 chain, 3 treble under two chain, 2 chain, 3 more treble in the same place, 1 chain, 1 treble on the second stitch of the chain that turned. 3rd row —4 chain to turn, 3 treble under two chain, 2 chain, 3 more treble in the same place, 7 chain, 3 treble under two chain, 2 chain, 3 more treble in the same place, 1 chain and 1 treble seven times under the loop of six chain at
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the side of the edging, 1 single crochet in the stitch at the end of the foundation chain. 4th row —Work 5 chain and 1 double crochet seven times under the one chains of last row, 3 chain, 3 treble under two chain, 2 chain, 3 more treble in the same place, 3 chain, 1 double crochet in the centre stitch of the seven chain, 3 chain, 3 treble under two chain, 2 chain, 3 more treble in the same place, 1 chain, 1 treble on the second stitch of the chain that turned. 5th row —4 chain to turn, 3 treble under two chain, 2 chain, 3 more treble in the same place, 3 chain, 1 double crochet on the double crochet of last row, 3 chain, 3 treble under two chain, 2 chain, 3 more treble in the same place. 6th row —6 chain to turn, 3 treble under two chain, 2 chain, 3 more treble in the same place, 7 chain, 3 treble under two chain, 2 chain, 3 more treble in the same place, 1 chain, 1 treble on the second stitch of the chain that turned. 7th row —4 chain, 3 treble under two chain, 2 chain, 3 more treble in the same place, 3 chain, 1 double crochet in the centre stitch of the seven chain, 3 chain, 3 treble under two chain, 2 chain, 3 more treble in the same place, 1 chain and 1 treble seven times under the loop of six chain at the side of the edging, 1 single crochet under the three chain of the fourth row. 8th row —Work 5 chain and 1 double crochet seven times under the one chains of last row, 3 chain, 3 treble under two chain, 2 chain, 3 more treble in the same place, 3 chain, 1 double crochet on the double crochet of last row, 3 chain, 3 treble under 2 chain, 2 chain, 3 more treble in the same place, 1 chain, 1 treble on the second stitch of the chain that turned. Continue thus: each scallop takes four rows, and you do seven chain every third row in the centre.
A fresh approach to tatting New Tatting is not your
grandmother’s tatting book, enjoy 20 projects that redefine the traditional craft.
Tomoko Morimoto presents New Tatting that is fresh, colorful, and modern. Enjoy tatting 20 projects that appeal to people who have never tatted as well as tatters looking for something new and interesting. With step-by-step photos and eye candy designs, New Tatting is the book for the twenty first-century tatter. Tomoko Morimoto 128 Pages, $24.99 ISBN 13: 9781596687455
Order or download online at www.bit.ly/new-tatting-book.
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The Last Word
To learn more about the rich and ongoing tradition of various forms of needlework, we recommend these books. —Editor
Empire of Cotton: A Global History
First Frost: Cozy Folk Knitting
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2014. Hardbound, 616 pages. $35. ISBN: 978-0-375-41414-5.
Fort Collins, Colorado: Interweave, 2014. Softbound, 127 pages, $24.99. ISBN: 978-1-62033-336-5. Visit bit.ly/first-frostpaperback for more information.
Fashion Victims: Dress at the Court of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press, 2015. Hardbound, 352 pages, $60. ISBN: 978-0-300-15438-2.
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A Stitch in Time: The Needlework of Aging Women in Antebellum America Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press, 2014. Softbound, 265 pages. $29.95. ISBN: 978-0-8214-2052-2
An Introduction to Traditional Hand Embroideries of India New Delhi, India: Chitra Balasubramaniam, 2014. Electronic publication. $4.99. ISBN: 978-131-128463-1.
Discover
Knitting Traditions Knitting Traditions Spring 2015 is all about explorers and adventurers—some were attempting to reach the North or South Pole, others to circumnavigate the globe. Not all of them were men. Meet Josephine Peary, who �rst traveled to the Arctic in 1891 with yarn and knitting needles worn on an Antarctic expedition socks, sweaters, mittens, gloves, hats, a
The Height of Femininity Wispy Cotton Dresses MARY POLITYKA BUSH
W
ho among us, enchanted by the Regency-era romances
penned by Jane Austen, has
not imagined herself clothed in a gown so ethereal it would melt Mr. Darcy’s heart? Although the Regency era of�cially lasted from 1811 to 1820, while England’s Prince Regent (later George IV; 1762–1830) replaced his ailing father George III (1738–1820) on the throne, the mood of the era is generally agreed to have spanned a longer period. It was during this time that wispy cotton dresses and gowns were the pinnacle of fashion. These frocks were all things feminine: alluring yet demure, graceful, and elegant. As neoclassical realizations of the diaphanous garments chiseled onto ancient Greek statues, the gowns were �attering to young, sylphlike �gures yet forgave the ample pro portions and �gure �aws of those who were older. Little wonder these dresses were an instant hit and remained so for years. Many were made of muslin because it drapes so beautifully. A plain-weave cotton fabric with identical warp and weft threads, muslin was �rst woven in the Middle East. The word “muslin” is derived from Mosul, the name of the Iraqi city often noted as muslin’s birthplace. From the seventeenth through the late eighteenth centuries, the
Promenade Dress fashion plate by Rudolph Ackermann (1764–1834). Hand-colored engraving on paper. London. June 1, 1814. Collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California; gift of Charles LeMaire. (M.83.161.191); www.lacma.org. Image courtesy of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
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Walking Dress fashion plate by Rudolph Ackermann (1764–1834). Hand-colored engraving on paper. London. June 1, 1814. Collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California; gift of Charles LeMaire. (M.83.161.177); www.lacma.org. Image courtesy of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
British East India Company imported muslin from India and modern-day Bangladesh. By the late eighteenth century, it was being woven in Scotland and England, which reduced the demand for imports. The muslin woven at the turn of the eighteenth century was �ne, soft, and almost transparent. Because it readily accepted dyes and paints, muslin could be dotted, checked, striped, sprigged (patterned allover, often with leaves), or left solid and often embroidered. The earliest muslin was sometimes woven with gold. Pastel pink, which �attered the complexion in the yellow light of candlelit rooms, was popular in the Regency era. (Blue,
which resulted in an unhealthy green under candlelight, and lavender, which became gray, were unacceptable options.) White was preferred above colors. A white dress was the mark of an aristocrat because its upkeep required a great deal of work and servants to perform the drudgery. Lower-class women who dared to wear white were considered presumptuous social climbers. The love affair with muslin garments did not begin with Jane Austen’s heroines or their real-life counter parts. French royalty had established the precedent years earlier. Empress Josephine Bonaparte (1763–1814) was notable in part for the delectable neoclassic gowns of mousseline (muslin) and cotton gauze that were her signature. Many of them, from unadorned to exquisitely embroidered, can still be admired at the Château de Malmaison, Josephine’s country house a few miles outside Paris. Credit for initiating the popularity of the muslin dress, however, belongs not to Josephine but to her predecessor, style maven Marie Antoinette (1755– 1793). This French queen sparked a trend when she shed her feathers and frippery, the mile-high wigs upon which they perched, her priceless jewels, and cumbersome brocade court gowns with their heavily boned, tightly laced corsets, panniers (oval hoops), and other requisite underpinnings. Then la reine slipped into something more comfortable— loosely gathered layers of featherweight cotton that �owed freely over her body, rippled softly around her neck, and were controlled only by a sash at the waist. She can be seen wearing just such a dress, also called a chemise à la reine, in the scandalously casual portrait of her, Marie Antoinette in a Muslin Dress, painted by Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun in 1783. Liberating garments such as this one were the mode du jour whenever Marie escaped the sti�ing formality of court to romp at Le Hameau, the rustic retreat she had built on the grounds of Versailles. Her fashion innovation was not an absolute triumph, however. The chemise à la reine was mocked in France as indecent. To understand how the soft, sheer cotton gown crossed the English Channel to assume the top
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A plain-weave cotton fabric with identical warp and weft threads, muslin was �rst woven in the Middle East.
spot in the fashion lexicon of the Regency era, attention turns to Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (1757–1806), a glamorous and celebrated fashion icon, whose descendant Princess Diana (1961–1997) inherited Georgiana’s voguecentric instincts. In 1783, the duchess received a gift from a close friend with whom she shared a penchant for the latest fashions. That friend was none other than Marie Antoinette. Her gift to G, as the duchess was known to intimates, was a muslin gown. As with everything G wore, the sumptuous, sensuous cotton dress became wildly popular and widely imitated throughout England. The chemise à la reine was voluminous com pared to the almost naïve simplicity of the English interpretation. In reality, it was little more than a sheer night dress. Simply cut and styled with a waistline placed high under the bosom, it was known as a “short body style.” A lissome column of fabric with a slender silhouette when viewed from the front, this style was fuller in the back for easier walking and dancing. A lady’s “best” gowns were embellished with lace, ribbon, or embroidery. Day dresses and more formal gowns featured low, broad, scooped necklines with tiny shoulders and short, puffed sleeves. Long, separate undersleeves could be slipped under the short sleeves and basted in place for warmth, or, if they were sheer, embroidered or otherwise made fancy, for drama. Occasionally, an oversleeve of sheer fabric was attached over the sleeve of an evening dress. Skirts were ankle-length or rose up to 4 inches (10.2 cm) above it. Many dresses and gowns had trains, which were looped over the forearm or tucked up in back (if dragged across muddy lawns, they caused much additional work for the servants). For obvious reasons, an apron might be worn over a day dress. When a gown teetered on the brink of fashion oblivion, trims were removed so it could be recut and restyled, often to �t a smaller person (the cost of all-new garments could be prohibitively expensive). It is dif�cult to separate a discussion of Regency dresses from the undergarments essential to the overall look. As underlayers, they separated the dress from the body, preventing the skirt from gathering up between the wearer’s legs and hobbling her
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dainty steps. A long, sleeveless or short-sleeved chemise or shift was worn closest to the skin. Because bathing was infrequent, the chemise was made of fabric durable enough to withstand more frequent washings, all with harsh soaps. Stays were worn over the chemise. Corsetlike but less restricting, stays lifted and separated the breasts somewhat like a modern brassiere. Light boning, laces, and a busk (a long, narrow, �at piece of wood or whalebone) down the center front of the stays encouraged erect posture which, in turn, produced a gracefully rounded bosom. A sleeveless pinafore-style petticoat with ruf�es or tucks intended to be visible below a dress’s hem came next. It may seem sur prising in this day and age, but well-bred ladies of the Regency era did not wear panties or similar garments because doing so was considered indecent. Because a proper lady would not dream of exposing cleavage during the daytime, the drawstring on her chemise’s neckline could be pulled tighter to gather and raise it well above her s tays, thereby pro viding a modicum of coverage. A frequently chosen option was the chemisette (a dickey or half-blouse). It had a high collar and was open on both sides; ties secured it. Modesty also was preserved with a �chu or tucker, a triangular scarf whose ends were tucked into the bodice of a day gown. Sadly, the fashion also had a dark side. Although the sheer, weightless fabric offered no real warmth, �lmy muslin dresses were worn year-round, even in the bone-chilling cold of dank English winters. (Rarely, some women—mostly those of ill repute— dampened their dresses so the fabric would cling to their bodies, revealing much that was exposed by the lack of undergarments.) Wearing muslin, dry or wet, without regard for seasonal suitability could lead to contracting �u, pneumonia, and other respiratory diseases, sometimes resulting in death. The phenomenon, branded “muslin disease,” was blamed for the 1803 in�uenza epidemic in Paris. Because today’s muslin is not nearly as �ne as its predecessors, highly prizing a muslin dress may seem curious. Now coarser, heavier, more opaque and �rmly woven, muslin plays a supporting, not a starring, role in couture. The term “muslin” often refers to the prototype for a garment made solely for the
purpose of �ne-tuning �t and other details before the �nal garment is cut from more expensive fabric. The mystique of muslin’s history remains tantalizing, however. Regency-era heroines certainly believed in the allure of muslin gowns. And their Mr. Darcys did fall like tenpins. Perhaps we are missing out on something. ❖ F U R T H E R
R E S O U R C E S
Château de Malmaison; www.chateau-malmaison.fr. Hill, Georgiana. A History of English Dress: From the Saxon Period to the Present Day. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1893. Jane Austen Centre; www.janeausten.co.uk/the-worldof-jane-austen. Jane Austen’s World; www.janeaustensworld.wordpress.com.
MARY POLITYKA BUSH of Piedmont, California, treasures the handkerchiefs, both white with hand-crocheted edgings and those printed with colorful �owers, which she inherited from her mother, a lady who was never without a fresh hankie in her purse. Out it came in the event of a sneeze or a drip of ice cream on her daughter’s chin. Mary herself always carries a hankie and believes her mother would approve. Mary's project that follows is a stunning handkerchief.
A companion project follows
Above: Woman’s dress probably made in India for the Western market. Cotton plain weave (muslin) with silk embroidery. Circa 1800. Collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California; purchased with funds provided by Suzanne A. Saperstein and Michael and Ellen Michelson, with additional funding from the Costume Council, the Edgerton Foundation, Gail and Gerald Oppenheimer, Maureen H. Shapiro, Grace Tsao, and Lenore and Richard Wayne. (M.2007.211.867); www.lacma.org. Left: Detail of woman’s dress. Collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California; purchased with funds provided by Suzanne A. Saperstein and Michael and Ellen Michelson, with additional funding from the Costume Council, the Edgerton Foundation, Gail and Gerald Oppenheimer, Maureen H. Shapiro, Grace Tsao, and Lenore and Richard Wayne. (M.2007.211.867); www.lacma.org. Images courtesy of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
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A Handkerchief to Embroider in Shadow Work MARY POLITYKA BUSH
Inspired by the preceding article
Mary Polityka Bush’s ethereal Swiss batiste handkerchief features delicate shadow work.
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A
lady never knows when she will be required to dab tears of joy or discreetly tend to snif�es. Tucked into her reticule, this dainty batiste handkerchief can be withdrawn the instant she receives a marriage proposal or catches cold. Its scalloped border is produced by working closed herringbone stitch on the wrong side of the handkerchief. The ethereal effect is delineated by lines of backstitches formed on the right side when working the herringbone stitches. This technique, known as shadow work, was popular in the eighteenth century in the white-on-white color scheme reproduced for this handkerchief. This will make a charming gift for a bride, a bridesmaid, or one’s dearest friend, perhaps with her initial satin-stitched in one corner. M A T E R I A L S
Presencia Finca Embroidery Floss, 6-strand 100% cotton thread, 8.7 yards (8.0 m)/skein, 1 skein of #0001 White; www.presenciaamerica.com Swiss batiste, 100% cotton fabric, 1 piece, 18 x 18 inches (45.7 x 45.7 cm), White; www.farmhouse fabrics.com John James Needles, tapestry size 28 and sharps size 10; www.colonialneedle.com Embroidery hoop, 8 inches (20.3 cm) in diameter, with inner ring wrapped in white bias binding or twill tape Sewing thread, White Washout marking pen with �ne point
Finished size: 12
x 12 inches (30.5 x 30.5 cm)
Closed Herringbone Stitch
I N S T R U C T I O N S
Handkerchief
Withdraw a single fabric thread in each of four directions to outline a 13-inch (33.0-cm) square in the center of the fabric. Copy and cut out the Scalloped Border Pattern and, using the washout marking pen, trace it onto the square, ½ inch (1.3 cm) in from the withdrawn thread on each side of the square. Alternatively, trace the pattern onto the fabric using a light box or by taping the pattern to a window. Regardless of method us ed, carefully align the straight edge of the pattern with a thread on the fabric as precisely as possible. Be sure the short end bars between the scallops
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Scalloped Border
Pattern may be photocopied for personal use.
match up and connect with one another on each side to form a square. Mount a left-hand corner of the square in the hoop, traced side up. This will be the wrong side of the completed embroidery. Cut the �oss into 1-yard (0.9-m) lengths and separate each length into single strands. Use the single strands to embroider the shadow work border in a closed herringbone stitch. Keep the fabric taut in the hoop with the grainlines straight at all times. When moving the hoop to unworked areas, take care not to crush or damage the completed areas of embroidery. Begin and end all threads along the outer edge of the design by sliding under existing stitches and gently pushing the thread tails as close to the edge of the border as possible. Do not cut off thread tails until all four sides have been embroidered. Keep the backstitches that appear on the reverse side of the closed herringbone stitches about 1 ⁄ 32 inch (.8 mm) long and keep the angle of the crisscrosses as consistent as possible; this will require slightly longer stitches on the curves of the scallops and the angles at each corner. When the entire closed herringbone border has been com pleted, remove the embroidery from the hoop, turn it over and remount it in the hoop so the closed herringbone stitches are on the wrong side. Use single strands of �oss to embroider a trio of French or colonial knots at the point of each scallop. When all embroidery has been completed on the right and wrong sides of the fabric, adjust the closed herringbone stitches, if necessary, and clip off the thread tails. Finishing Soak the completed embroidery in three changes of cold water to remove marker lines completely. Roll embroidery in a thick terry towel to remove excess moisture. Spread it out �at on a dry towel and gently pull it into a square shape. Allow it to air dry. Trim away the excess fabric on all four sides by cutting along the withdrawn thread channels. Finish the handkerchief with a hand-stitched folded or rolled hem. Press the completed handkerchief face down on a terry towel.
6"
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Framework Knitters, Luddites, and the Capital Crime of Poverty ELIZABETH HULSE
The Calverton Folk Museum on Main Street in Calverton, Nottingham, England. The museum is housed in an eighteenth-century stockinger’s cottage. In addition to objects and information on framework knitters, the museum has Victorian samplers and about fifty village scenes worked in needlepoint. Photograph by Malcolm Hankin and courtesy of the Calverton Folk Museum.
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As the Liberty lads o’er the sea Bought their freedom, and cheaply, with blood, So we, boys, we Will die �ghting, or live free, And down with all kings but King Ludd! —Lord Byron, “Song for the Luddites” (1816)
T
he framework-knitting industry began with the invention of an early form of knitting machine, the stocking frame, by William Lee (unknown–1614 or 1615) about 1589. As historian Joan Thirsk and others have demonstrated, the knitted stocking industry was
driven by a change in male fashion. Until the early 1500s, men had worn leg coverings, either attached to breeches or as leggings under tunics, made of woven material cut on the bias and sewn into shape. But in the early sixteenth century, fashionable upper-class men began to favor knitted stockings, a style �rst seen in Italy, Spain, and France, which �tted more closely and showed off the leg to greater advantage. The demand for silk and then wool stockings, initially made by hand, led in turn to the development of the �rst knitting machine. Technical drawing of William Lee’s knitting frame. Included in A History of the Machine- Wrought Hosiery and Lace Manufacturers by William Felkin, published in 1867 in London. Image courtesy of Wikimedia.
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At �rst glance, the stocking frame resembles a �oor loom, with a seat for the operator, several �oor treadles, and a complex mechanism above.
Though much has been written about William Lee and traditions have grown up about how he came to invent the stocking frame, modern scholarship has been able to con�rm little about him—whether he was a clergyman, where and when he was born (Calverton in Nottinghamshire is most likely), or where he earned his MA degree. His most recent biographer, Marilyn Palmer, in the authoritative Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, writes: “That so little is known about the inventor of a machine which gave employment to thousands has led to the creation of considerable legend. Tradition has it that he invented the machine after watching a woman knit, either his wife, who was trying to supplement the income he earned as a poor curate, or a lady who preferred her knitting to his courtship, and on whom he vowed revenge by depriving her of her occupation.” Also challenged by modern scholarship is the tradition that Lee tried and failed to win the approval of Queen Elizabeth I (1533–1603) for his invention. What is known is that, after an attempt to establish himself in London, he signed a contract in 1612 with a citizen of Rouen, France, establishing a company to make silk and wool stockings. Lee, who had evidently brought several knitting frames with him to France, agreed to supply more and to train French workers to use them. But after he died, a number of his workmen returned to London, where they formed the Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters (still in existence) in an effort to regulate the industry by setting prices and making rules about apprentices. Meanwhile, William’s brother James formed a partnership about 1620 with a former apprentice named Ashton, and they began making improved knitting frames, probably in Nottingham. By the middle of the eighteenth century, hosiery manufacture had largely shifted to the East Midlands, drawn there by cheaper rents and lower wages. According to one estimate, of the approximately 20,000 stocking frames in use in the British Isles at that time, more than 17,000 were located in the East Midland counties. (Other countries that developed stocking industries, though on a smaller scale, included France and Germany, particularly in Saxony.) At �rst glance, the stocking frame resembles a �oor loom, with a seat for the operator, several
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�oor treadles, and a complex mechanism above. A course, or row of stitches, involved some eight movements and required considerable physical effort using the hands and arms and the legs and feet, as well as good eyesight. The machine underwent a number of improvements in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, at a time when there was also a signi�cant growth in the number of framework knitters. The early stocking frames produced a �at piece of fabric in what we know as stocking (or stockinette) stitch, fully fashioned, or shaped, by the operator, which was then taken off the machine and seamed by hand. Later, Lee’s invention would be adapted to produce ribbed or patterned fabrics and eventually lace. Other goods, such as gloves, shawls, and underwear, were eventually produced on knitting frames. Workshops employing half a dozen or more knitters have been identi�ed as early as the midseventeenth century, but for most of its history, framework knitting was primarily a domestic industry. Stocking makers, nearly all men, would work at home on a single frame, perhaps assisted by their wives to seam the stockings and their children to wind yarn onto bobbins. Some knitters owned their own frames, but most could not afford to do so and were forced to rent them from master hosiers, middlemen, shopkeepers, or other investors, at rates that were often excessive relative to the price of the frames. The framework knitters worked long hours—by the early nineteenth century as many as seventeen or eighteen hours a day—and might have to walk a great distance each week to collect yarn from the warehouse and deliver the completed hose, for which they were paid by the piece. Out of the modest wages they received, they had to pay for frame rent (even when they were unemployed), “standing room” (space they occupied in workshops if they worked outside their own homes), yarn winding, candles, and needles, oil, and minor parts for the knitting frame, as well as food, coal, and other necessities for their families. It has been estimated that a third to a half of their income went for charges connected with their work. No wonder they became a byword for poverty, the proverbial “as poor as a stockinger.” Most framework knitters were entirely dependent for their pay on the master hosiers who
One of the interior rooms at the Calverton Folk Museum in Calverton, Nottingham, England. A mannequin dressed as William Lee is to the right of the stocking frame. Photograph by Malcolm Hankin and courtesy of the Calverton Folk Museum.
supplied the yarn and marketed the �nished goods. Particularly resented was the “truck” system, by which payment was in goods, perhaps from a middleman who was also a shopkeeper and stood to bene�t by such a practice; deductions were made for frame rent, standing room, or winding the yarn. Attempts were made to regulate truck in the hosiery industry, but it would not be until the Hosiery Manufacture (Wages) Act of 1874 that the practice was made illegal, and “the earnings of labour” had to be paid “in the current coin of the realm . . . without any deduction or stoppage . . . save and except for bad and disputed workmanship.” Framework knitters usually would have com pleted a lengthy apprenticeship, perhaps with a relative. A surviving indenture from 1691 offers details of the apprenticeship of a Nottingham orphan named John Hilton to Rachell Smart, a London framework knitter (unusually, a woman). It spells out the regulations that were to govern Hilton’s conduct—no fornication or matrimony, no playing of cards, no haunting of taverns or playhouses—over the seven years he was in her employ. In return, young Hilton was to be instructed in “her Art” as well as lodged and fed. (The indenture is now held by the Nottinghamshire County Council; www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk.)
The earliest recorded use of cotton for machinemade stockings dates from 1730, when a framework knitter in Nottingham produced a pair using four strands of very �ne cotton yarn imported from India. But the yarn was found to be too “harsh” and in�exible to work on the machine. In addition, cotton yarn was still very expensive (more so than silk). Not until James Hargreaves (1721– 1778) invented the hand-operated spinning “jenny,” a multispindle spinning machine, in the 1760s, and Richard Arkwright (1732–1792) the spinning frame at about the same time could a consistent, hardtwisted cotton yarn suitable for the stocking frame be produced at reasonable cost. (Originally horsedriven, the spinning frame was later converted to water power and then to steam.) Cotton mills quickly sprang up in many places in Britain, especially in Lancashire, which supplied both the East Midlands knitting industry and textile manufacturers in Manchester. Eventually cheaper than silk and �ner than wool, cotton became popular for stockings and other machine-made garments. By the time author William Felkin (1795–1874) sur veyed the framework industry in the 1840s, more than half the frames in employment in Britain were used for cotton, the vast majority in the Midlands. Britain was exporting many thousands of pairs of
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Sparrow Park and the former town hall in Liversedge, West Yorkshire, England. Luddites attacked the town’s Rawfold’s Mill in 1812. Sparrow Park was established in 2012 to mark the 200 th anniversary of the uprising. Image courtesy of Wikimedia.
cotton stockings a year, as well as smaller numbers of stockings made of silk or wool. By the early decades of the nineteenth century, the industry had in fact become glutted with workers seeking employment—at the same time that the demand for stockings was beginning to decline. The industry was vulnerable to changes in fashion, particularly in menswear. Breeches and their accom panying knee-length stockings were increasingly being replaced by trousers for everyday wear. Britain also had been caught up in a series of con�icts— the Seven Years’ War (1756–1763), the American Revolution (1775–1783), the Napoleonic Wars (1800– 1815), and the War of 1812—all of which disrupted overseas markets and drove up taxes and the price of food. Although the Napoleonic Wars initially increased demand for clothing for the army and navy, the long-term impact on the garment industry and on living conditions generally was severe. In 1778, framework knitters had unsuccessfully petitioned Parliament for legislation to regulate wages. They also had formed “friendly societies” to support one another in hard times. However, trade unions, which were already illegal, were further suppressed under the Combination Acts of 1799 and 1800, which introduced new penalties. In 1821, four framework knitters from Nottinghamshire were convicted of
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“offences against the Combination Act” because they had “entered into a combination to obtain an advance of wages”; they were sentenced to three months in jail. The result of all these factors was much unrest in the industry. It came to a head in the notorious Luddite attacks of 1811 through 1816, during which more than 800 knitting frames were destroyed. Although Ludditism is now commonly seen as resistance to new technology of all kinds, the �rst Luddites, who claimed to be followers of the mythical General or King Ned Ludd, were themselves users of knitting frames or other textile machinery. They were demonstrating against the poor working conditions they faced: lower wages, high frame rents, frequent unemployment, exploitation by master hosiers and bagmen (middlemen). In particular, they resented the introduction of wider frames. Traditionally, framework knitters made fully fashioned stockings one at a time on narrow frames, and they despised the “spurious” hose or “cut-ups” produced on the newer equipment. It is notable that only these wider frames were broken; the raiders would leave other frames in the workshops untouched. The Luddites began their attacks in March 1811, after attempts had been made to negotiate higher
Stocking makers, nearly all men, would work at home on a single frame, perhaps assisted by their wives to seam the stockings and their children to wind yarn onto bobbins.
wages and an end to cut-ups. The men, a contem porary broadside recorded, “had commenced their depredations” in Nottinghamshire “by breaking and destroying a certain description of stocking-frames, which, being calculated to execute an extra quantity of work, they imagined were detrimental to that branch of manufacture.” The attacks soon spread to Leicestershire and Derbyshire. In early 1812, the breaking of a stocking or lace frame was made punishable by death; as a contemporary ballad put it, “’Tis death to break a frame.” The poet Lord Byron (1788–1824), whose ancestral home was in Nottinghamshire, famously made his maiden speech in the House of Lords during debate on the legislation. Although he acknowledged that “considerable injury” had been done to the proprietors of the frames, he argued that the attacks had arisen “from circumstances of the most unparalleled distress,” and the workmen were guilty only of “the capital crime of poverty.” Soon after, a number of Luddites were brought to trial in Nottingham; though convicted, they were sentenced to transportation rather than execution. But others were not so fortunate. Ludditism continued intermittently in 1813 and 1814 and broke out again in 1815 and 1816. In the latter year, James Towle (1780–1816), a stocking knitter and Luddite leader, was hanged at Leicester for his part in an attack on a lace mill in Loughborough. Only a small number of framework knitters were actually caught up in the destruction of machinery. And despite the riots and destruction, wages continued to be depressed. In 1833, William Jackson (dates unknown), the secretary of the Framework Knitters’ Society, claimed that they had not risen in twenty years. In fact, they fell by as much as forty percent between 1814 and 1844, while frame rents and other prices rose. Conditions in the industry were so bad by the early 1840s that some 25,000 framework knitters signed a petition to the House of Commons asking for a commission of inquiry. The evidence collected for this inquiry provides some of the most revealing details about the daily life of those who toiled to make a living in this line of work.
William Felkin, who had been trained as a framework knitter and would make a lifelong study of the lace and hosiery industries, described what he had found in a paper that he read to the British Association in 1844 and in testimony before the commission of inquiry that year. His Account of the Machine-Wrought Hosiery Trade (1844) is full of statistics, but it is the details about individual families that are particularly heart-wrenching. The family of William Cawthorn in a village in Nottinghamshire, several of whose teenage children were also employed in the work, earned a total of 18 shillings and 9 pence a week, from which 2 shillings and 10½ pence went to “coals and rent,” leaving 2 shillings a head per week for food and clothing. It was “16 years since this man had a new coat. The family are in a ragged state generally.” About one village Felkin comments, “As to education, not one in twenty, of the children of the framework-knitters in Arnold, attend a day-school, entirely through their poverty.” Some knitters told the commission they were ashamed to send their children to Sunday school to learn to read and write because the children were so badly clothed. They could not attend school during the week because their labor was needed to support the family. The commission in its report acknowledged that the framework knitters were “in a very distressed state, from the very low amount of their ordinary earnings.” It also recognized the evil effects of the “truck” system, but the commission had little to recommend. However, the commission of inquiry concluded that the problem was one of supply and demand; too many sought employment in the trade while demand for the products traditionally produced was in decline. More employment could come only from an emphasis on quality goods and “an increased application of taste and skill in the designs and patterns of the articles manufactured.” The hosiery trade improved somewhat in the second half of the nineteenth century, when demand grew once again and trade-union organization became possible. Stockings and other knitted goods were increasingly being produced in workshops. Dorothy M. Shrimpton, in The Parkers of
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Andrew Snow, Framework Knitter Michael T. Billings has uncovered the story of one of his wife’s ancestors, Andrew Snow, a framework knitter from the village of Kilby in Leicestershire, who in 1807 joined the 1 st Regiment of Foot. Whether he was escaping poverty or seeking adventure, whether he left home voluntarily or was picked up by one of the press gangs that were employed to force young men into service during the Napoleonic Wars, is unknown. Snow served at "Corunna in Spain during Napoleon’s Peninsular campaign, in the West Indies, and at Chippawa, near Niagara Falls, during the War of 1812. Despite losing his right eye at Chippawa, he returned to Leicestershire in 1815 and took up the trade he had left. Ironically, Snow would later be forced to face some of his fellow workers when, as a pensioned soldier, he was called out to assist the police in quelling rioting by framework knitters at Loughborough in December 1830. Billings chronicled Snow’s life in his book, The Story of Andrew Snow: Framework Knitter, Chelsea Pensioner, Survivor of Corunna & Chippawa (Leicester, England: M. T. Billings, 1996). —E. H.
Rantergate, Framework Knitters (Nottingham, England: Ruddington Framework Knitters’ Museum Trust 1989), records the history of the building complex that now makes up the Framework Knitters Museum in Ruddington, which was begun by Samuel Parker (1779–1845) in 1829. She provides an excellent description of working conditions in frameshops of this period, which might house as many as �fty frames crowded closely together. The owners of such places would employ knitters themselves or lease the frames and collect “standing rent” from the operators. The second half of the nineteenth century also saw the gradual transition of manufacturing into factories, particularly after the invention of the circular knitting frame and the introduction of steam power. By 1871, there were 126 hosiery factories in Britain and 223 producing lace. Although the hosiery factories were still vastly outnumbered by workshops, the number of workers they employed was much greater, and more than half the workers were women. By the beginning of the twentieth century, only a few inde pendent framework knitters were still active. John Parker, the last knitter in the village of Ruddington, who had been born in 1845, was working for a mill in Arnold and on “private work” in the early 1900s. But the stocking frame, which had supported thousands of families for more than three centuries, was largely a thing of the past. ❖ ,
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F U R T H E R
R E S O U R C E S
• Marilyn Palmer’s Framework Knitting (Risborough, England: Shire Publications, 2002) is the best short introduction to the subject. Another short, well-illustrated over view is Christopher Weir’s As Poor as a Stockinger: Framework Knitting & the Luddites in Nottinghamshire (Nottingham, England: Nottinghamshire County Council, 1998). Milton and Anna Grass’s Stockings for a Queen (New York: A.S. Barnes & Co., 1969) provides a colorful account of William Lee’s invention, not all of which has been supported by more recent research. • The classic nineteenth-century account of the industry, William Felkin’s A History of the Machine-Wrought Hosiery and Lace Manufactures (1867), has been reprinted with an introduction by historian Stanley D. Chapman (Newton Abbot, England: David and Charles, 1967). Professor Chapman also has written a comprehensive modern history, Hosiery and Knitwear: Four Centuries of Small-Scale Industry in Britain, c.1589–2000 (Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 2002). Brian Bailey’s The Luddite Rebellion (Stroud, England: Sutton Publishing, 1998) highlights the role of the East Midlands framework knitters in the disturbances of 1811–1816. • Much useful information can be found online. The website Knitting Together (www.knittingtogether.org.uk) provides an excellent overview of the history of the Midlands knitting industry through a series of short pro�les and links to other sources. Accounts may also be found on county history websites: for example, Denise Amos’s “Framework Knitters” and John Beckett’s “Luddites” at www.nottsher itagegateway.org.uk/people.htm and Malcolm Hornsby’s “Knitting and the Luddites” at www.loughborough.co.uk/ history/luddite.htm. One can view a �lm of Martin Green working on one of his hand-operated knitting frames at www.lihs.org.uk/framework_knitting_�lm.html. • Many printed documents from the nineteenth century have been digitized, particularly in connection with the Luddite bicentenary of 1811–1817 (see especially www.ludditebi centenary.blogspot.ca). • Several museums in the East Midlands are devoted to framework knitting or have signi�cant collections, in particular, the Framework Knitters Museum in Ruddington, Nottinghamshire (www.frameworkknittersmuseum.org. uk), which preserves a nineteenth-century frameshop, and the Wigston Framework Knitters Museum in Leicestershire (www.wigstonframeworkknitters.org). The Calverton Folk Museum in Nottinghamshire (www .calvertonvillage.com/calmuseum.html) is housed in an eighteenth-century stockinger’s cottage. Outside Britain, the hosiery museum in the Hôtel de Vauluisant, in Troyes, France, holds a collection of knitting frames dating from the mid-eighteenth century onwards (www .tourisme-troyes.com/discover/for-museums-lovers/ vauluisant-museum). ELIZABETH HULSE is a lifelong hand- and machine-knitter with a keen interest in the textile and decorative arts. A former librarian and a freelance editor and researcher, she has published on a wide range of historical subjects. She lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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ing
Your Favorite Issues of Inter weave Knits are
on CD!
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Counterpane Baby Blanket to Knit CAROL HUEBSCHER RHOADES
KIT AVAILABLE! Get our kit with the yarn you need to knit this delightful baby blanket. bit.ly/ pw-baby-blanket-kit
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T
he nineteenth-century Weldon’s Practical Knitter series provides endless inspiration for me. When I was looking for a cotton project, the Knitted Design for Counterpane in the First Series and republished in Volume 1 of Weldon’s Practical Needlework caught my eye immediately. The lace pattern has a woven look to it and just the right amount of variation from row to row to keep it interesting but also easy to knit. The original pattern does not specify any yarn or needle size, although most counterpanes are knitted with �ne cotton yarn. As with many vintage patterns, this one had some obvious errors, and it was unclear how to �nish the repeat at the end of each row. When I charted the design, the errors stood out and were easy to �x. If you want to make a larger- or smaller-size blanket, note that each 12-stitch/24-row repeat of the motif uses about 6 grams (0.2 oz) of yarn. The pattern introduction in Weldon’s Practical Knitter suggests making individual squares or stripes in various contrasting colors and using the motif for projects other than a counterpane. I immediately thought of a baby blanket for a soon-to-be-born granddaughter of some longtime friends. M A T E R I A L S
Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Cotton, 100% organic cotton yarn, DK weight, 150 yards (137.2 m)/65 gram (2.3 oz) hank, 6 hanks of #312 Pear (MC); www .blueskyalpacas.com ChiaoGoo Needle, circular 24 inches (60 cm) size 7 (4.5 mm) or size needed to obtain gauge; www.chiaogoo.com Stitch markers (optional) Tapestry needle
Finished size: 31½ inches (80.0 cm) wide and 36¼
inches (92.1 cm) long, after blocking Gauge: 18 sts and 28 rows = 4 inches (10.2 cm) in charted patt, after blocking
The illustration for Knitted Design for Counterpane from Weldon’s Opposite Page: Baby will love this so-soft, so-sweet blanket.
I N S T R U C T I O N S
Notes: See page 60 for Abbreviations and Techniques. A circular needle is used to accommodate the large number of stitches. If desired, place markers before and after the 5-stitch garter stitch edgings and between repeats while working the chart. When adding a new ball of yarn, leave a 6-inch (15.2-cm) tail of new and old ends. Position the yarn change between 2 purl stitches; drop the old end and add the new end on the next stitch. When �nishing, on the wrong side, double knot the ends and weave each in for about 2 inches (5 cm). Trim ends to about ½ inch (1 cm) so that the ends won’t poke through to right side. Blanket Using the long-tail method, CO 142 sts. Do not join. Next Row: Sl 1 kwise wyb, k to last st, p1. Rep last row 8 more times, ending with a WS row. Work Rows 1–24 of Blanket Chart 10 times. Next Row: Sl 1 kwise wyb, k to last st, p1. Rep last row 7 more times. BO all sts.
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Finishing Weave in loose ends. Block, following washing instructions on yarn tag or steam press lightly under damp pressing cloth. F U R T H E R
R E S O U R C E S
Weldon’s Practical Needlework, Volume 1, includes Weldon’s Practical Knitter: How to Make 39 Useful Articles for Ladies, Gentlemen, and Children, First Series. 1886. Facsimile edition. Loveland, Colorado: Interweave, 1999. (PieceWork’s f acsimile ed itions of Volumes 1–6 of Weldon’s Practical Needlework are included in a deluxe boxed set. Visit bit.ly/weldons-practical-needlework-deluxeedition for complete details.)
of Madison, Wisconsin, has been interested in all things Victorian since she was young. In high school, she spent her pocket money in a small independent bookstore, buying lovely red faux-leather bound, encased editions of nineteenth-century novels, particularly those of Charles Dickens. In college, she found a Dover reproduction of Weldon’s crochet patterns and honed her crochet and pattern reading skills by trying out various motifs and projects. In graduate school, she specialized in nineteenth-century women’s literature. She thanks The Loopy Ewe for expediting the yarn order for this project. CAROL RHOADES
Blanket
Key k on RS; p on WS
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p on RS; k on WS
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yo
19 17
k2tog
15 sl 1 kwise wyb on RS
13
sl 1 kwise wyb on WS
11
patt rep
9 7 5 3 1 12-st rep Chart may be photocopied for personal use. The chart for this project is available in PDF format at needleworktraditions.com/charts-and-illustrations.
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Satisfy your historical curiosities of knitting, crochet and needlework with this deluxe collection! Once a popular Victorian magazine of knit, crochet, patchwork, and other “useful articles” involving needlework, Weldon’s began as a paper pattern company and became one of the most recognized needlework publishers in England. Now available as an extravagant boxed set, Weldon’s Practical Needlework: Deluxe Edition contains the first six volumes of the series. Each hardcover volume is comprised of 12 monthly issues. There are roughly 16 categories and over 2,000 projects included in this collection. In addition to knit and crochet, each volume contains a variety of decorative needlework: crewel, appliqué, cross-stitch, macramé, smocking, bead netting, and other lesser-known techniques. This box set serves as a historical document and a collector’s item. Open a window to another time and place with Weldon’s Practical Needlework: Deluxe Edition as you explore fashion, domestic life, and the history of needlework. Hardcover boxed set with cloth case 912 Pages, $129.99 ISBN 13: 9781620337417
Tis boxed set makes a perfect gift for anyone interested in historical needlework and is the perfect addition to your library! Order online at www. bit.ly/weldonspractical-needlework-deluxe-edition
Letters from the Asylum— Do You Still Have My Table Cover? KATHERINE DURACK
L
ike other bits of needlework from my mother’s family, the ivory-colored
�let-crochet tablecloth was a �xture in my childhood home. I never gave much thought to where it came from, and, had I looked at it carefully, I might have wondered why my mother thought it was worth keeping. The old cloth was marred by several holes, stained from use, and had dye-lot variations that would have been noticeable even when it was new. Only after my great-aunt Edith died did I discover that the cloth represented a deep connection between two old friends. My funny and �ercely independent great-aunt Edith was 100 years old by the time she �nally agreed to let Mom and me pack most of her belongings for storage and bundle her off to Colorado to spend her �nal years with my mother and father. It was hard for her to relinquish her independence. Aunt Edith had lived in her own home since she had it built in the 1920s with her share of the Oklahoma oil money from wells on the family farm. She’d lived there as landlord and tenant, sometimes inhabiting the tiny back room while renting out the front part of the house. During Annie Mathew’s filet-crochet tablecloth and one of her letters to the author’s great-aunt Edith. Photograph by Donald Scott.
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Eight poignant letters sent between 1950 and 1957 identi�ed the maker of the tablecloth as Annie Mathew, a childless spinster who had found shelter in my aunt’s home from time to time.
World War II (1939–1945), while my grandmother (Edith’s sister) worked and my grandfather was a prisoner of the Japanese, Edith took care of my mom and my mom’s sister. For decades, Edith had offered the safety and security of her tiny bungalow to generations of family members and friends whenever they were in need. After Aunt Edith died, my mother, her sister, and I cleaned the house and worked our way through the boxes that had been hurriedly packed three years earlier. An enormous amount of material would be given or thrown away, but we also found treasure: boxes of cards and letters saved over the 103 years of Aunt Edith’s life. Eight poignant letters sent between 1950 and 1957 identi�ed the maker of the tablecloth as Annie Mathew, a childless spinster
Edith in front of her bungalow. The American flag hanging is the casket flag for the author’s great-great-grandfather, John Stevens Templeton, a Civil War veteran. Photograph courtesy of the author.
who had found shelter in my aunt’s home from time to time. (To respect the family’s privacy, Annie’s name and the names of her family members have been changed.) Annie wrote to Aunt Edith from the state mental hospital, where her niece Caroline had abandoned her one day after a drive through the countryside: September 30, 1950 Dear Edith, This is humiliation to have to write you from this institute. I was brought here by Caroline and a man, whose name I do not know, and left penniless. They took my rings and beads and all the other possessions I had. I have written to her repeatedly for money and clothes but she does not respond to my letters. I need some money and in the box you have of mine, there is a crocheted table cover. I have tried to sell it for $25, but you see I have not been successful. There is about $9.50 worth of thread in it, and if you will give me the price of the thread I will let you Edith as a young woman. Photograph courtesy of the author.
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Edith (far right), my grandmother (center bottom), and their two sisters, Lola (left) and Ethel (center top). Photograph courtesy of the author.
have it. I would give it to you for past favors but you see I am sorely in need of money. I have not enough to buy stamps, hairpins or even a hairnet. I asked my mother if she knew anything about this woman who wrote in such desperation to Aunt Edith. Mom remembered visiting Annie Mathew at the asylum, called in jest “the east campus” of the nearby university because the buildings once housed the �rst women’s college in the state, before they were turned over for use by a private sanitarium company in the late nineteenth century. Though deceived and uprooted, Annie’s spirits were good: “I am swell,” she reported, “and that is pretty good. I will be 78 years old this winter.” She asked about Edith’s family, then closed, repeating her plea—“Sure hope you can buy my table cover.” Annie wrote again in late January to thank Edith for a Christmas card and the money and hairnets she had sent. She told a little bit about her life in the women’s ward at the hospital, which Annie
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characterized as “the last stop out of the institution” for those who were �t to leave and had homes to return to. Another letter provided additional details: the ward housed 73 or 74 women who got along pretty well, all of whom ate in a dining room that fed some 1,200 individuals three times a day. The ward was clean, there was enough to eat, and the nurses were kind. There was a dance on Fridays, a movie Saturday evening, and church on Sunday morning. “This is a very pretty place,” she wrote, “and wonderful for such as it is intended.” A two-year gap separated that letter and the next (and those that followed), and the overall tone had changed. The letters spoke of an empty sameness of days during the dull, unending weeks, months, and years Annie spent at the hospital. “The place is just as you saw it,” she wrote, several months after one of my aunt’s visits. “No change, only occasionally some woman goes home and another one comes.” She added, “Things go on here in kind of a monotone way.”
The few possessions Annie had left in a box at Aunt Edith’s house seemed to anchor her to the world outside the hospital: “Do you still have my 2 house dresses, 1 street dress, and the crocheted table cover?” she wrote. She asked again a year later, “Have you got my dresses yet, and also my table cover?” And twice in 1954, “Have you got my dresses and my table cover?” She urged Aunt Edith to hold on to her clothes and the table cover—as if knowing they were kept safely at a place that she once called home helped her to believe that she would one day be able to collect them herself. “Don’t let anybody have them as I will want them when I come to the city. I will not be here forever. God will deliver me some day.” Did Aunt Edith think of Annie Mathew and the long country drive to the asylum when she stepped into Mom’s car, and they slowly pulled away from her bungalow with the shade tree in the front and the garden in the back? Edith must have known that, like Annie, she would never see her home again. Did she look to the future with fear, or glance back with regret? The last letter Aunt Edith received from Annie Mathew was addressed in someone else’s hand. Annie had little to say, and for once, she did not ask about the dresses or the tablecloth. She enlisted Aunt Edith’s help in contacting her niece Caroline, whose address she had lost. She wasn’t well, she reported, and she asked for news about Aunt Edith’s family. “I suppose you are having some cloudy weather. We are here. Please write soon. Much love, Annie.” ❖
Detail of Annie Mathew’s filet-crochet tablecloth.
Photograph by Donald Scott.
is a Cincinnati crochet designer and author of award-winning articles on technical documentation and household technology. After �fteen years on the faculty at Miami University, Katherine founded Patterns for Success to pursue teaching, writing, and crochet design. In addition to researching early crochet instructions, Katherine designs original patterns inspired by real people and events. You can follow her exploration of the intriguing parallels between the nineteenth-century women’s suffrage movement and the evolution of modern crochet on her Moral Fiber blog at https://patterns4success.wordpress.com/about or on Ravelry (patterns4success). KATHERINE DURACK
A companion project follows
Edith as an adult.
Photograph courtesy of the author.
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Square and Border Pattern for Annie’s Tablecloth to Filet Crochet KATHERINE DURACK
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Inspired by the preceding article
NEEDLEWORKTRADITIONS.COM
I
n re-creating the pattern for Annie’s table cover, I used slightly larger crochet cotton than the very �ne thread Annie used. Stitch together three squares (as shown) for a table runner, add two more to create a lacy summer wrap, or follow the pattern using �ne cotton thread and re-create Annie’s table cover to �t your own dining table. Just be sure to make an odd number of squares so the border design works (any odd number of squares in a grid will work: 1x3, 3x5, 5x7, and so forth).
19 17 15 13 11 9 7 5 3
M A T E R I A L S
Handy Hands Lisbeth, 100% cotton thread, size 10, 122 yards (111.6 m)/25 gram (0.9 oz) ball, 279 yards (255.1 m) for each square and 280 yards (256.0 m) for the border, #610 Cream; www.hhtatting.com Crochet hook, steel, size 8 (1.50 mm) Locking stitch markers Tapestry needle
x
1
Finished size: Table runner, 167 ⁄ 8 inches (42.9 cm) x
407 ⁄ 8 inches (103.8 cm); each square, 135 ⁄ 8 inches (34.6 cm) x 135 ⁄ 8 inches (34.6 cm); the border adds 15 ⁄ 8 inches (4.1 cm) on a side Gauge: 12 blocks = 4 inches (10.2 cm) I N S T R U C T I O N S
Notes:
See page 60 for Abbreviations and Techniques. The pattern for the �let crochet square is worked from the center out and starts very much like an old-fashioned granny square. I provide
Notes: Square is worked in rounds from center (X). Relative to center, vertical bars = tr, horizontal bars = ch 3, and 3 tr fill blocks. Rounds begin and end at corner marked with red line. Chart may be photocopied for personal use. The chart for this project is available in PDF format at needleworktraditions.com/charts-andillustrations.
Interpreting the Chart
Opposite Page: Katherine Durack’s lovely Filet Crochet Square and Border Pattern for Annie’s Tablecloth. It’s shown here as a table runner. By creating more squares, you can create a lacy wrap or a table cover.
The main challenge of �let crochet is accurately replicating the design chart. The instructions for the �rst three rounds replicate the pattern of open and �lled blocks in the center of the chart. Notice that: • the vertical lines of the grid relative to the center are tr (4 ch = 1 tr at the beg of a rnd) • horizontal lines are 3 ch sts (creating an open block) • �lled blocks are created with 3 tr Depending on where you are in the design, open and �lled blocks will seem to vary slightly from this general scheme. For example, when �lled blocks alternate with open blocks, it looks like the �lled block is made up of 5 tr. In this instance, think of the 5 tr as being 2 vertical grid lines (the tr on the right and left sides of each �lled block), with 3 tr in between to �ll the block. Refer to the Guide to Stitching Open and Filled Blocks for detailed information.
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traditional instructions for the �rst few rounds and a guide for interpreting the chart to complete successive rounds. Check the accuracy of your work frequently; to track your progress, make photocopies of the chart for each square and mark off completed rounds in alternating highlighter colors. Square Ch 12, sl st to form ring.
Guide to Stitching Open and Filled Blocks Note: Arrows indicate the �rst stitch in the sequence.
Beginning and Ending Rounds Start with �lled blocks at corner lp
Start with open blocks at corner lp
Ch 4, 3 tr in corner lp working sts over tr that completes corner inprev rnd, tr in top of ch 4 at beg of prev rnd
Ch 7, tr in top of ch 4 at beg of prev rnd
Rnd 1: Ch 4, 4 tr in ring, (ch 7, 5 tr in ring) 3 times, ch 3, tr in 4 th ch of ch-4 at beg of rnd. See Figures 1 and 2. Rnd 2: Ch 4, 3 tr in corner lp, (tr in each of next 5 sts, 4 tr in corner lp, ch 7, 4 tr in corner lp) 3 times, tr in each of next 5 sts, 4 tr in corner lp, ch 3, tr in 4 th ch of ch-4 at beg of rnd. See Figure 3.
Working Sides Note: Stitch patterns begin and end with a treble crochet that replicates the grid line on the chart.
Consecutive �lled blocks along a side
Tr in tr, 3 tr in ch-3 sp, tr in next tr (�lled block over open block made), tr in next 4 tr (�lled block over �lled block made)
Consecutive open blocks along a side
Tr in tr, ch 3, sk 3 tr, tr in next tr (open block over �lled block made) ch 3, sk 3 ch, tr in next tr (open block over open block made)
Filled blocks alternating with open blocks
Tr in tr, 3 tr in ch-3 sp, tr in next tr (�lled block over open block made), ch 3, sk 3 tr, tr in next tr (open block over �lled block made)
Turning Corners
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End with �lled blocks in corner lp
Tr in tr, 4 tr incorner lp, ch 3, tr in top of ch 4 atbeg of prev rnd
End with open blocks at corner lp
Tr in tr, ch 3, tr in tr that completes corner lp in prev rnd, ch 3, tr in 4th ch of ch 7 at beg of rnd
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Filled blocks in corner lp
Tr in tr, 4 tr in corner lp, ch 7, 4 tr in corner lp, tr in tr
Open blocks at corner lp
Tr in tr, ch 3, tr in 4 th ch of ch 7 in prev rnd, ch 7, tr in same st, ch 3, sk 3 ch, tr in next tr
Rnd 3: Ch 7, tr in 4 th ch of ch-4 at beg of prev rnd, [(ch 3, sk
3 sts, tr in next tr) 3 times, ch 3, tr in 4 ch of ch 7 in prev rnd, ch 7, tr in same st, ch 3, sk 3 sts, tr in next tr] 3 times, (ch 3, sk 3 sts, tr in next tr) 4 times, ch 3, tr in 4 th ch of ch 7 at beg of rnd. See Figure 4. Rnds 4–20: Refer to chart and the Guide to Stitching Open and Filled Blocks for completing the rem rnds. Break off. With RS tog, stitch the completed squares together, picking up back lps only and beg and ending seams with a stitch through the center ch of the open blocks at the corners. Border Rnd 1: Sl st to join thread to 4 th ch of ch 7 in a corner. Ch 7, tr th
in next tr; work open blocks to end of rnd, working tr at seams. Rnds 2–3: Work 2 rnds of open blocks. Rnd 4: Beg with �lled block, then alternate open and �lled blocks around edge. Rnd 5: Ch 4, 2 tr in corner loop, ch 5, sl st in top of last tr made to make picot, 2 tr in corner lp, tr in next tr, [ch 2, sk 3 st, tr in next tr, 2 tr in ch-3 sp, ch 5, sl st in top of last tr made to make picot, 2 tr in ch-3 sp, tr in tr], rep between [ ] to next corner, ending after last picot block along the side with ch 2. At corner, sk 3 st, tr in next tr, 2 tr in corner loop, ch 5, sl st in top of last tr made to make picot, 3 tr in
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Figure 1 Completing the last corner.
Figure 2
Figure 3 Rounds 1 and 2 completed.
Figure 4 Round 3 ready to complete the last corner with final tr in 4 th ch of ch-7 at beg of rnd.
corner lp, ch 3, 3 tr in corner lp, ch 5, sl st in top of last tr made to make picot, 2 tr in corner lp, tr in next tr. Cont in established patt to end of rnd. Finish with ch 3, sl st in top of ch 4 at beg of rnd. See Figure 5. Break off. Finishing Weave in ends. Block.
MORE FILET CROCHET Forty-two designs are included in a PieceWork eBook, Filet Crochet with Instructions Series No. 2. These delightful designs were originally published in 1915. Visit bit.ly/�let-crochetseries-no-2.
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Figure 5 Border pattern with picot blocks in the last round.
Jane
WHAT WOULD
KNIT?
Enter the world of Jane Austen through timeless knitting patterns inspired by the places and characters in her beloved novels. The gorgeously evocative pieces include cardigans, knitted shawls, bags, and other accessories, as well as knitted projects for men and children.While the projects are inspired by the fashions of 200 years ago, they are every bit as relevant today. Knitters obsessed with Jane Austen as well as stitchers just looking for wonderfully appealing projects will fall in love with these beautiful designs.
The Best of Jane Austen Knits 27 Regency-Inspired Designs
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Edited by Amy Clarke Moore ISBN 978-1-62033-881-0 160 pages, $24.99
Open Bay-Leaf Pattern A Cotton Square for a Quilt to Knit This pattern originally appeared in Weldon’s Practical Needlework, Volume 6, which was published in London in 1891. We asked Judy Alexander to re-create the square, using the instructions exactly as they appeared in that volume of Weldon’s . Judy used 3 skeins of #3718 Natural Cascade Ultra Pima Fine, 100% cotton yarn, 136½ yards/50 gram (1.8 oz) skein, �ngering weight; www.cascadeyarns.com. —Editor
T
he square represented in our engraving is composed of four separate pieces joined together. A design of small raised bay-leaves adorns the centre of the pattern, which further consists of ridged and open knitting, and an outer border of similar leaves. When a number of squares are joined together, the effect is very pretty, and the work is not at all dif�cult to execute. Procure Strutt’s knitting cotton, No. 8, and a pair of steel knitting needles, No. 16. Commence with a long end, which will afterwards be used for sewing up. Cast on 2 stitches. 1st row —Knit 2 stitches. 2nd row — Make 1, knit 2. 3rd row —Make 1, knit 3. 4th row —Make 1, knit 4. 5th row —Make 1, purl 2, make 1, pearl 3. 6th row —Make 1, knit 3, purl 1, knit 3. In places where the last stitch in the row (the “made” stitch of the
Above: A knitted quilt using the striking Open Bay-Leaf pattern shown here will certainly become a family heirloom. Right: The illustration of the Open Bay-Leaf Pattern for Quilt Square from Volume 6 of Weldon’s Practical Needlework .
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previous row) appears twisted, untwist it before knitting it. 7th row —Make 1, purl 3, make 1, knit 1, make 1, purl 4. 8th row —Make 1, knit 4, purl 3, knit 4. 9th row —Make 1, pearl 4, make 1, knit 3, make 1, purl 5. 10th row —Make 1, knit 5, purl 5, knit 5. 11th row —Make 1, purl 5, make 1, knit 5, make 1, purl 6. 12th row —Make 1, knit 6, purl 7, knit 6. 13th row —Make 1, purl 6, make 1, knit 7, make 1, purl 7. 14th row —Make 1, knit 7, purl 9, knit 7. 15th row —Make 1, purl 7, knit 3, slip 1, knit 2 together, pass the slipped stitch over, knit 3, purl 8. 16th row —Make 1, knit 8, purl 7, knit 8. 17th row —Make 1, purl 8, knit 2, slip 1, knit 2 together, pass the slipped stitch over, knit 2, purl 9. 18th row —Make 1, knit 9, purl 5, knit 9. 19th row — Make 1, purl 9, knit 1, slip 1, knit 2 together, pass the slipped stitch over, knit 1, purl 10. 20th row — Make 1, knit 10, purl 3, knit 10. 21st row —Make 1, purl 10, slip 1, knit 2 together, pass the slipped stitch over, purl 11. 22nd row —Make 1, knit 11, purl 1, knit 11. 23rd row —Begins the ridges. Make 1, knit 24. 24th row —Make 1, purl 25. 25th row — Make 1, knit 1, make 1 and knit 2 together twelve times, knit 1. 26th row —Make 1, purl 27. 27th row —Make 1, knit 28. 28th row —Make 1, knit 29. 29th row —Make 1, purl 30. 30th row —Make 1, knit 31. 31st row —Make 1, purl 32. 32nd row — Make 1, purl 33. 33rd row —Make 1, knit 34. 34th row —Make 1, purl 35. 35th row —Make 1, knit 1, make 1 and knit 2 together seventeen times, knit 1. 36th row —Make 1, purl 37. 37th row —Make 1, knit 1, make 1 and knit 2 together eighteen times, knit 1. 38th row —Make 1, purl 39. 39th row —Make 1, knit 1, make 1 and knit 2 together nineteen times, knit 1. 40th row —Make 1, purl 41. 41st row —Make 1, knit 42. 42nd row —Make 1, purl 43. 43rd row — Make 1, purl 44. 44th row —Make 1, knit 45. 45th row —Make 1, purl 46. 46th row —Make 1, knit 47. 47th row —Make 1, knit 48. 48th row—Make 1, purl 49. 49th row —Make 1, knit 50. 50th row — Make 1, purl 51. 51st row —Begins the outer border of leaves.—Make 1, purl 4, * make 1, knit 1, make 1, purl 6, repeat from * �ve times, make 1, knit 1, make 1, purl 5. 52nd row —Make 1, knit 5, * purl 3, knit 6, repeat from * �ve times, purl 3, knit 5. 53rd row — Make 1, purl 5, *make 1, knit 3, make 1, purl 6, repeat from * �ve times, make 1, knit 3, make 1, purl 6. 54th row —Make 1, knit 6, *purl 5, knit 6, and repeat from * to end. 55th row —Make 1, purl 6, *make 1, knit 5, make 1, purl 6, repeat from * to the end, and purl the last stitch. 56th row —Make 1, knit 7, * purl 7,
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knit 6, and repeat from * six times, and knit the last stitch. 57th row —Make 1, purl 7, *make 1, knit 7, make 1, purl 6, repeat from * six times, and purl the last two stitches. 58th row —Make 1, knit 8, * purl 9, knit 6, repeat from * six times, and knit the last two stitches. 59th row —Make 1, purl 8, * knit 3, slip 1, knit 2 together, pass the slipped stitch over, knit 3, purl 6, repeat from * six times, and purl the last three stitches. 60th row —Make 1, knit 9, * purl 7, knit 6, repeat from * six times, and knit the last three stitches. 61st row —Make 1, purl 9, * knit 2, slip 1, knit 2 together, pass the slipped stitch over, knit 2, purl 6, repeat from * six times, and purl the last four stitches. 62nd row —Make 1, knit 10, * purl 5, knit 6, repeat from * six times, and knit the last four stitches. 63rd row —Make 1, purl 10, * knit 1, slip 1, knit 2 together, pass the slipped stitch over, knit 1, purl 6, repeat from * six times, and purl the last �ve stitches. 64th row —Make 1, knit 11, * purl 3, knit 6, repeat from *6 times, and knit the last �ve stitches. 65th row —Make 1, purl 11, *slip 1, knit 2 together, pass the slipped stitch over, purl 6, repeat from * six times, and purl the last six stitches. 66th row —Make 1, knit 12, * purl 1, knit 6, repeat from * six times, and knit the last six stitches. 67th row —Make 1, knit 2, make 1 and knit 2 together thirty-two times, knit 2. 68th row —Knit plain 69 stitches. Cast off loosely. Knit three more sections the same as the above, and sew them together with the commencing points in the centre, and joining by the made stitches, to give an appearance of a row of holes from corner to corner. Proceed with similar squares, until suf�cient are made for the size of the quilt.
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Yazma and Oya from Turkey Traditional Handprinted Scarves with Needlework Edgings CYNTHIA LECOUNT SAMAKÉ
wenty-�ve years ago, I wore white gloves the �rst time I touched needlework from Turkey. An exhibition—The Traditional Turkish House—was opening soon at the San Francisco Museum of Craft and Folk Art, and my job that morning was to arrange dozens of lacy, multicolored strands of miniature �owers made from �ne thread. The enclosed list labeled the strands as oya . I was so enchanted by the delicate yellow daisies and intricate purple zinnias that I lingered over the task, examining each strip, puzzling over the complex techniques that Turkish women had used to create tiny, threedimensional marvels. There also were complicated fan and rondel shapes and strips of �nely worked motifs with beads. Some �owery strands had been stitched onto traditional cotton or silk scarves that the museum labels called yazma.
T
Above: Hava Turgan, an expert at making tatted oya, Cappadocia, Turkey. 2013. Photograph by the author.
Top of Page: A string of oya. For those who haven’t the time or skill to make their own oya, strings of forty flowers are sold at various markets. Rolled around tubes of paper, they wait to be stitched onto the four edges of a square scarf, ten to a side. Photograph by Donald Scott.
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The yazma proved as exciting as the edgings. Many of the delicate scarves sent to the museum for the exhibition were 75 to 100 years old. I could tell that wood-block artists had stamped the �oral motifs by hand, because often the register was a bit off or the same tiny glitch was repeated in each motif around the square of light, gauzy cotton. I �nished up
with the scarves, then arranged another display of embroidered bath ( hamam ) towels and wooden hamam clogs. I went home for the day, with curiosity about the beautiful scarves and their intricate edgings whirling in my head. Many years later, I traveled to Turkey and fell in love with the country: the people, the food, the architecture, the rugs, and the hand-trimmed scarves I had admired so long ago. In Istanbul and Bursa, I found vintage yazma in little hidden shops. I found strips of new �ower blossom oya to buy in a shop below the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. As I traveled to rural regions over the next few years, I saw women wearing the cotton scarves with handmade oya edging in the streets, markets, mosques, and restaurants. (In Istanbul and other large cities, fashion-conscious women wear silky polyester scarves, commercially printed with splashy modern motifs and usually without trim.) I eventually met generous Turkish women who showed me how to make the time-intensive little edgings. Several women let me examine the scarves in their own dowry collections or the ones they were readying for a daughter or daughter-in-law. To protect, cover, and decorate the wearers’ head and neck, large scarves called türban measure 30 to 36 inches (76.2 to 91.4 cm) per side. Thus, strips of �nely stitched needlework trim need to be at least 10 feet (3.0 m) long! (Older scarves called tülbent tend to be smaller.) Turkish women have a centuries-old tradition of embellishing even the functional items they use in their daily lives. As recently as �fty years ago, they stitched beautiful needlework patterns and embroidered intricate motifs to decorate everything from lounging robes and bath towels to purses and headscarves. The Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul has some examples of antique silk scarves decorated with silk thread oya. Some of the oldest Turkish museum examples of oya-embellished cotton yazma are displayed in neat stacks or wrapped onto
mannequins in Bursa’s Ulumay Museum of Ottoman Folk Costume and Jewellery, Izmir’s Ethnography Museum, the Sadberk Hanim Museum in Istanbul, and the new Ethnography Museum in Tokat. The documented period in the long and colorful history of oya-trimmed hand-block-printed yazma dates to the sixteenth century. Informational panels in the Tokat Museum mention a 600-year-old yazma printing history in the town, as well as that yazma were once printed on linen and silk, in addition to cotton. At �rst, Bursa and Tokat competed for scarf printing production. Tokat eventually came to overshadow Bursa through a political and economic scheme typical of Ottoman times—most probably during the period called the “Sultanate of Women” (from 1534 to 1656), when women of the imperial harem exerted extraordinary in�uence over state matters. Especially powerful were the mothers of young sultans (who held the title of Valide Sultan);
Striped silk example of a yazma with huge oya rondels worked around horsehair, visible under some stitches. Photograph by Donald Scott. J ULY/A UGUST
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these women of the palace effectively ruled the Ottoman Empire. It was decreed (by whom is not clear) that the Valide Sultan would receive all the revenue from Tokat province’s important yazma industry. Another declaration stated that no other province in the country could compete with Tokat and that all yazma must be produced there. One source states that the revenue helped feed orphans in the empire. In any case, with this monopoly, Tokat became the center for printed scarves, and the craft �ourished. Tokat’s woodblock artists carved their blocks from pear, lime, or mulberry wood, taking motif inspiration from the grapes, cherries, �owers, and vine leaves cultivated in the Tokat area. They developed a distinctive style, stamping inked blocks on delicate and loosely woven cotton, some only a bit �ner than cheesecloth. The �owered Tokat scarves had artist or workshop logos printed in one corner, and they were sent to markets all over the country, ready to be individualized and personalized with oya by expert needleworkers. (It is important to note that after the Tokat monopoly on printed scarves expired, Bursa continued its yazma-printing industry.) Oya making at its �nest takes amazing patience, perseverance, and a superb sense of design and color; the range of techniques used to make oya is mind-boggling. Scarf styles, customs, and traditions vary according to region: what may be true about oya and yazma in one part of Turkey is not necessarily true in another area. Everywhere, however, the incredible variety of motifs, shapes, and techniques is limited only by the women’s imagination and the materials available. Methods include tatting, hairpin lace, crochet, and needle lace among others. Oya are either worked from stitches inserted into the scarf as it is hemmed or made separately in a long string and then whipstitched onto the scarf. Most oya are worked with cotton, poly-cotton, or shiny rayon thread. Silk thread is reserved for elegant oya for wedding or special occasion scarves. Ig˘ne oya or ig˘ne oyasi (needle lace), the term used here for a sort of looping and knotting in mid-air, is worked with a single threaded sewing needle. Also called “needle embroidery” and “Turkish lace,” the technique is used with �ne sewing thread for the most intricate and delicate oya. Very strong synthetic thread is also used, because it doesn’t break when pulled and tightly knotted. The small motifs are often “starched” with sugar water to make them stand out and keep the forms erect. In the past, shuttle tatting and needle lace were worked over strands of stiff horsehair. Today, women Yazma with oya from the author’s collection. Folded and stitched scarves from five to fifty years old sometimes can be found in certain shops. The bride may have received too many or disliked the colors and designs. Photograph by Donald Scott.
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sometimes loop the tatted stitches around �shing line; both materials serve to keep the shapes rigid. Crocheted oya are faster to create and generally simpler in pattern than needle-lace oya, but traditional crochet work created in a village setting such as Assos on the Aegean is very �ne and beautiful. Women in many places also crochet with some ingenious methods, such as hooking into little buttons and making multicolored button �owers that dangle from scarf edges. The speedy technique of crochet is most common for modern oya necklaces and earrings that are made for young Turks and tourists. Other women prefer to make oya with hairpin lace, often adding loops with dangling sequins. Some oya consist of tiny tassels or little loops of fringe. Often, Turkish women don’t work exclusively in one technique but combine two, such as tatting and beading (boncuk ), in one oya pattern. The most unusual trim, called koza oya, was made from white silkworm cocoons cut in half and carefully trimmed into little bell shapes. I have seen Above: Girl cooking in a small restaurant on the Mediterranean coast. 2014. Photograph by the author.
Top: In most parts of Turkey, yazma are worn daily, even for difficult tasks such as boiling down grape juice into “grape molasses.” Cappadocia, Turkey. 2013. Photograph by the author. J ULY/A UGUST
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watching older sisters, mothers, and grandmothers embroidering, crocheting, weaving, and making oya edgings. In her region, mekik oya (oya made with a tatting shuttle) is a common technique. She said when she was twelve or thirteen years old, all her girlfriends loved to get together and learn oya-making, working samples with a small bone tatting shuttle. They were excited to practice oya, because they realized that the skill was related to the mysterious but inevitable wedding preparations. Someday they would be engaged, and neighbors and friends would start sending over yazma as presents for the eventual marriage. From the age of fourteen or �fteen, they began making oya for their trousseaux. Times and traditions have changed now, but in some places, when a girl becomes pro�cient at needlework, the �rst piece she makes is a handkerchief to be offered to her �ancé during their engagement ceremony, as a token of her love. Called destimal, this handkerchief typically has a needle-lace oya fringe. Now, Zekiye’s own son Hasan is engaged to a local girl who is waiting for him to return from his obligatory army duty. Opening a wooden chest in her living room, Zekiye showed me the stack of yazma received from neighbors along with the ones that she has made for the girl with tatted oya, some of which incorporate beads. All the scarves in the girl’s dowry chest are modern, cotton, and commerAbove: Rolls of hand-made oya in Akarsu Scarf Shop, Istanbul. 2014. cially printed with �owers. Zeyike has taken great Photograph by the author. care to add oya with thread and bead colors that Top:Tugba Duran makes precisely knotted needle-lace oya with a threaded sewing needle. Note coordinate with the scarf colors. Most of the edghow she makes the base in green, then adds each color separately along the strip. Cappadocia, ings took her about a week to make. Turkey. 2010. Zekiye is very happy to be able to give her son’s Photograph by the author. bride-to-be dozens of scarves, adding that she herself had only twenty-�ve to thirty in her dowry. Her only antique examples of koza oya. Today, thrifty mother-in-law (who lives with her and her husband, village women make a relatively fast and inexpenas tradition dictates in this village) added wistfully sive oya that mimics koza oya. Called çaput oya, it that she had received only three on her wedding is made with scraps of cloth. The project that folday, more than sixty years ago. lows incorporates çaput oya. Yazma with their oya edgings appear merely My friend Zekiye, who lives in central Cappadocia, decorative, but they traditionally included symwhere oya creation remains an important part of bols that had signi�cance for those in the know. A traditional country life, makes exquisite oya with a Turkish friend named Hamide told me that when tatting shuttle. I asked her how long she had been her mother was young, needlework-edging styles making oya. She explained that little girls in her rural and scarf color still communicated emotional and Cappadocian village learned to do needlework by social messages. The catalog that accompanied the
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Yazma with çaput oya . The bell shapes made with scraps of cloth mimic traditional koza oya , which was made from white silkworm cocoons cut in half and carefully trimmed into little bell shapes. The project that follows incorporates çaput oya. Photograph by Donald Scott.
The documented period in the long and colorful history of oya-trimmed hand-block-printed yazma dates to the sixteenth century.
Turkish House exhibition lists many of the ways of communicating: If a girl fell in love, she could share her excitement by wearing a white scarf edged with pink or blue �owers. When a new bride left home to live with her husband’s family, she traditionally did not speak aloud for some time, but simply listened and responded to their questions respectfully by whispering or with a sign for yes or no. During this orientation to her new life, a bride nevertheless communicated, using a vocabulary of her own that consisted of messages conveyed by the needlework motifs on her scarves. She edged her scarf with blue-gray grass shapes to indicate that she and her mother-in-law were getting along very well; conversely, blue-gray thorn shapes indicated to sympathetic friends that her mother-in-law was meddling in her marriage. A young bride could announce her pregnancy, important news to her new family, by wearing a yazma edged with pink rose oya. Several sources mention the chili-pepper scarf, but I have been unable to get a consensus on what the chili-peppers symbolize or, perhaps the message differs in different parts of Turkey. Scarves fringed
with little red peppers are said to mean one of two things: “I am on very bad terms with my husband today!” A young wife might wear the chili-pepper scarf to visit her mother-in-law, instead of having to verbalize her discontent with her husband. Other Black yazma with oya from the author’s collection. This example features an exquisitely hand-embroidered motif on one corner. Photograph by Donald Scott.
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Yazma with oya from the author’s collection. Photograph by Donald Scott.
sources say the peppers mean, “I get along well with my husband. We have a ‘hot’ marriage.” In addition to communicating emotional states, oya also served as a code that could divulge social information. They could convey both a woman’s personal status and her place within the larger society. It was possible to tell whether she was married or widowed; if widowed, whether she intended to remarry; if married, the number of her children (particularly the number of sons); and if single, if she was engaged or interested in someone. Names for oya sometimes re�ect current trends, others are amusing, such as Adult Moustache or Belly Dancer’s Earring. And of course traditions change over the years. In the Aydin area, for example, pure white cotton scarves with blue beaded oya edgings were most typical. Today, the bead edging is attached to multicolored commercially printed scarves. Some young women carry on the needle-lace tradition with modern versions that might have a wider audience, such as a long, white silk crepe scarf with
Turkish Textiles To see wonderful Turkish textiles, I recommend the following museums in Turkey: • Uluumay Museum of Ottoman Folk Costume and Jewelry in Bursa • Ethnography Museum in Izmir • Sadberk Hanim Museum in Istanbul • Ethnography Museum in Tokat One may purchase handmade oya trim at Akarsu Scarf Shop in Istanbul. Koza Han (the old Silk Bazaar) in Bursa (downstairs in the section with antiques dealers) and various boutiques in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul are places to purchase yazma with oya trim. —C. L. S.
little needle-lace pink and white bell �owers. That scarf was made this past year by a girl in Izmir who also teaches needle-lace oya making and is passionate about keeping the tradition alive. She realizes this goal is most likely achieved with new and appealing fashions. Most importantly, women all over Turkey told me they wore or made attractive headscarves for the joy of looking pretty in their culture, which values the tradition of head covering. I’m still discovering treasures old and new— scarves with clever techniques and materials unknown to me but typical of a speci�c town or part of the country. The oya forms evolve constantly, and the ingenious women continually create new versions with seemingly endless variety. ❖ F U R T H E R
Maizou, Gérard, and Kathrin Müller. Oya: Von osmanischer Mode zu Türkischer Volkskunst [Oya: From Ottoman to Turkish Fashion Folk Art]. München, Germany: Gesellschaft der Freunde islamischer Kunst u. Kultu, 2011. Nishida, Midori, and CRK Design. The Beaded Edge 2: More Inspired Designs for Crocheted Edgings and Trims. 2010. English edition, Loveland, Colorado: Interweave, 2012. Includes stepby-step instructions for making a variety of edgings inspired by traditional Turkish oya. Visit bit.ly/ the-beaded-edge-2. CYNTHIA LECOUNT SAMAKÉ lives
in California and leads textile and culture tours to many places, including Turkey, with Behind the Scenes Adventures. Visit her company’s website, www .btsadventures.com or call (510) 275-3662. She thanks Zeynep Parlak and Hamide Demiral for help with translations; Esat Uluumay, Zekiye Ogüt, Hava Duran, and her daughter-in-law Tugba for needlework information; and the Hawaiian weavers’ guild travelers, especially Debra Raposky, who helped fold and stitch the little çaput bells (see the following project) on the train to Machu Picchu!
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R E S O U R C E S
A companion project follows
Turkish Bell Oya to Make CYNTHIA LECOUNT SAMAKÉ
Inspired by the preceding article
Cynthia LeCount Samaké’s Turkish bell oya add pizazz to a purchased scarf. The sweet bells also are perfect as tassels on small projects.
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I N S T R U C T I O N S
Ç
aput oya (cloth oya), made today by rural village women in Turkey, are a relatively fast and inexpensive oya that utilize small scraps of cloth. The bell shape mimics one of the most unusual trims, koza oya. Traditionally, koza oya were made from white silkworm cocoons cut in half and carefully trimmed into little bell shapes. M A T E R I A L S
Scarf of choice, 100% cotton, about 13 x 60 inches (33 x 152 cm)
Fabric scraps, 100% cotton, solid colors to coordinate with scarf, enough to cut 52 squares, each 1¼ inches (3.2 cm)
John James Needle, sharps size 10 or 11; www.colonialneedle.com
Sewing thread, small spool of poly-blend, to match scarf or bell fabrics or bead colors
Beads, 1 ⁄ 8 inch (3 mm), in coordinating color; 260 black beads were used on the sample Note: Be sure the needle and thread will pass through the selected beads.
Finished size: Bell, ¾ inch (1.9 cm), including beads
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Notes: In the method below, bells are made, beads are strung, and bells attached sequentially to the scarf. An alternate method is to make all the bells separately, and then attach them to the scarf. Oya Fold opposite edges of one fabric square to the middle (Figure 1). Crease the folds with �ngernail, then fold and crease the other two sides (Figure 2). Knot thread and insert threaded needle under the fold and centered in fold (Figure 3). Fold the square in half and take two tiny overhand stitches in the center to hold the fold together (Figure 4). Turn the square and fold in half again, making a tiny bell shape. Stitch twice in the center and knot thread, but do not cut thread (Figure 5). String one bead onto the needle, hold it at the center bottom of the bell, and take a stitch or two to secure the bead (Figure 6). Poke the needle straight through the interior of the bell to the center top and pull needle through. Thread 4 beads onto the needle and adjust the beads �rmly against the top of bell (Figure 7). Attach completed bell to one corner of scarf. Sew a stitch into the hem about 1 ⁄ 16 inch (2 mm),
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
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Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
adjust the �ower and beads against the edge of scarf. Sew an extra stitch and knot thread to secure it. Run the needle inside the narrow hem of scarf, if possible, so the thread is not visible (Figure 8). 2nd and Successive Bells
Bring the needle out of the hem about ½ inch (1 cm) away from the 1 st bell; knot the thread carefully so the edge of the scarf doesn’t pucker. Thread 4 seed beads onto needle then pierce the center top of another folded fabric square. Form bell by following Figures 4, 5, and 6. Insert needle back through interior of bell and the 4 beads. Knot thread in hem. Run needle through hem to placement of next bell. Continue in this manner to opposite corner. Repeat for other end of scarf. Figure 8
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A Square Doily to Make Make w ith Cluny Cluny Tattin Tatting g DAGMAR PEZZUTO
Dagmar Pezzuto’s sweet doily in Cluny tatting. Photographs by Joe Coca.
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I
nspiration for new projects often comes from vintage needlework, needlework, and and vintage tatted lace lace is delicate and beautiful. This project was inspired by patterns in a Norwegian book, Orkis-Arbejder Hefte 1 [Fancy Tatting Patterns I], published circa 1915. I revised and modernized the text and introduced Cluny petals into the motif. Tatted Cluny leaves or petals resemble Cluny tallies in bobbin lace. The leaf is formed on a loom made by wrapping thread around the �ngers of the hand or by using a plastic loom. If you are new to Cluny tatting, Mimi Dillman’s online tutorial, http://home.netcom.com/~ntrop/mimi/cluny http://home.netcom.com/~ntrop/mimi/cluny.. html, is very helpful. In this tatted square, the center is formed by an eight-petal �ower of Cluny tatting attached to a round center ring. When �nished, a delicate decorative ring is tatted and secured above this ring. I used the split-ring technique to frame the center and included chains and �oating rings in that pattern. In this cas e, the �oating ring is not only decorative but used to de�ne the outline and corners of the square.
I N S T R U C T I O N S
Doily
Wind shuttles CTM. Round 1 R1 = 2DS - 2DS - 2DS - 2DS. clr MP Round 2 CLUNY1= 19 passes. SR1 = 3DS - 2DS - 2DS - 3DS / 9DS. clr CH1 = 4DS - 2DS FR (5DS -. 5DS clr) 2Ds - 4DS. SR2 = 3DS - 2DS - 2DS - 3DS / 9DS. clr CLUNY2 = 19 passes + 2nd picot (R1). CLUNY3 = 19 passes. R3 = 9DS + SR2 3DS - 2DS --- 2DS - 3DS. clr SR4 = 3DS - 2DS - 2DS - 3DS / 9DS. clr CH 2 = 4DS - 2DS FR (5DS - 5DS clr) 2DS - 4DS. SR5 = 3DS – 2DS – 2DS – 3DS / 9DS. clr CLUNY4 = 19 passes + 3rd picot(R1).
M A T E R I A L S
Handy Hands Lizbeth, 100% cotton thread, size 20, 210 21 0 ya yard rdss (1 (192 92.0 .0 m) m)/2 /25 5 gr gram am (0 (0.9 .9 oz oz)) ba ball ll,, 1 ba ball ll of of #610 Cream; www www.hhta .hhtatting tting.com .com Shuttles, 2
Finished size: 9 x 9 inches (22.9 x 22.9 cm) A B B R E V I A T I O N S
DS = double stitch R = ring SR = split ring CH = chain FR = �oating ring clr = close ring CTM = continuous thread method + = join --- = long picot - = picot MP = mock picot RW = reverse work
Figure 1 Shows the order of working the separate elements. As each square reaches rings 3, 6, 9, and 12, they will be joining to an adjacent square.
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CLUNY5 = 19 passes. R6 = 9DS + (SR3) 3DS – 2DS --- 2DS – 3DS . clr SR7 = 3DS – 2DS – 2DS – 3DS / 9DS. clr CH3 = 4DS – 2DS FR (5DS – 5DS clr) 2DS – 4DS SR8 = 3DS – 2DS – 2DS – 3DS / 9DS clr CLUNY6 = 19 passes + 4th picot (R1) CLUNY7 = 19 passes R9 = 9DS + (SR8) 3DS – 2DS --- 2DS – 3DS. clr SR10 = 3DS – 2DS – 2DS – 3DS / 9DS. clr CH 4 = 4DS – 2DS FR (5DS – 5DS. clr) 2DS – 4DS. SR11 = 3DS – 2DS – 2DS - 3DS / 9DS. clr R12 = 3DS – 2DS --- 2DS – 3DS + (SR1) 9DS. clr CLUNY8 = 19 passes + 1st picot (R1). Round 3
Make the �ower ring with 16 picots over R1 R of 16 picots separated by 1 ds. After each 4 th picot, join to the picots of the ring beneath. The 1st join is to the 2 nd picot of R1, 2 nd join is to the 3rd picot of R1, 3rd join is to the 4 th picot of R1, and the last join is to the 1 st picot of R1. Finish off ends. To join two squares: Join by the picots on the �oating rings in the corners and in the long picot of ring 9, which is situated between two Cluny leaves. Edge SR11 FR FR FR
Figure 3 Shows only two squares joined together. When the numbers of squares needed for the entire doily are all joined together, then the edging will go around the entire piece. Illustrations courtesy of the designer.
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Figure 2 Shows the picot that is shared between two squares; i.e., R3 and R9 will join across.
SR10 R9 (the small ring) Repeat R1 = 5DS --- 5DS + (2 picot of SR) --- 5DS --- 5DS.clr RW CH1 = 2DS - 2DS - 2DS - 2DS - 2DS- 2DS. RW R2 = 5DS + (--- R1) 5DS + (- FR) 5DS - 5DS. clr RW CH2 = 2DS - 2DS - 2DS - 2DS - 2DS - 2DS. RW R3 = 5DS + (- R2) 5DS + (- FR) --- 5DS - 5DS. clr.RW CH3 = 2DS - 2DS - 2DS - 2DS - 2DS - 2DS.RW R4 = 5DS + (--- R3) 5DS + (2 - SR) --- 5DS - 5DS. clr RW CH3 = 2DS - 2DS - 2DS - 2DS - 2DS - 2DS. RW R5 = 3DS + (--- R4) 3DS + (--- R) --- 3DS 3DS.clr RW. Corner Refer to the diagram showing the edging that
will go around the squares after you have joined together the number of squares needed for the size of doily you want to make. Note edging rings RB, RC, and RD all join together in the same picot of the �oating ring in the corners. Complete all around. began tatting in 2010 when she found an old shuttle that belonged to her grandmother who had learned this technique as a child. Although tatting is not widespread where she lives in Brazil, she fell in love with it, and Georgia Seitz has helped her to unravel the mysteries of this wonderful technique. DAGMAR PEZZUTO
F U R T H E R
R E S C O U R C E S
Seitz, Georgia. Shuttle Tatting: The Basics and More . DVD/Video Download; bit.ly/dvd-shuttle-tatting.
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Kogin and Hishi Stitches of Aomori Prefecture in Japan A K I Y O M U R O N O
I
n the Aomori prefecture, located at the northern tip of the island of Honshu,
Japan, sashiko patterns are made with
two special stitches— Kogin and Hishi. Kogin was made in the west of Aomori, Hishi in the eastern area. The basic motifs were inspired from familiar things, for example cat’s eye, walnut shell, dragon�y, �sh scale, gourd, and pheasant’s foot. Sashiko is one of the traditional handcrafts of Japan. The technique is one developed by people who lived in the northern areas of Japan, where, as you know, it is very cold in winter, because they couldn’t get warm and needed protective clothing. The materials traditionally used for Japanese clothes were cotton, linen, and silk. Only the upper class and the wealthy wore clothes made of silk or �ne linen. Common people wore garments made from cotton and coarse linen fabric. As cotton plants didn’t grow in the northern Aomori prefecture, people there didn’t weave with cotton. Coarse linen was the only material available, but coarse linen fabric was not suitable for garments because the cloth did not protect from the cold wind. As a consequence, women came up with the idea of �lling in the open spaces of the fabric with threads. With Kogin stitch, the patterns are symmetrical and made with an odd number, so the length of patterns of one row is one stitch shorter or longer than the previous row. As a result, Kogin-stitch patterns are square or diamond shaped. On the other Detail of Kogin stitch. Collection of the Yamagata Prefectural Museum. Photograph by Ryo Shirai.
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With Kogin stitch, the patterns are symmetrical and made with an odd number, so the length of patterns of one row is one stitch shorter or longer than the previous row.
hand, Hishi stitch is two stitches shorter or longer than on the previous row. As the result, Hishi-stitch patterns are lozenge shaped. There is another difference between Kogin and Hishi stitches: Kogin patterns for garments incorporated a variety of large motifs; Hishi patterns consisted of repetitions of a few motifs. Kogin was used mainly for the body of jackets. Making sashiko was a big project for young women before they married. They had to make sashiko not only for themselves but also for their future husband and his parents. A bride made cloth covered with Kogin stitches rather than particular garments as she didn’t know the correct size for her
An example of Kogin stitch. Collection of the Yamagata Prefectural Museum. Photograph by Ryo Shirai.
Learn More Discover Akiyo Murono’s article, “Sashiko: Practical and Beautiful” in the March/April 2011 issue of PieceWork .
Her companion project, “A Sashiko Bag to
Stitch,” offers step-by-step instructions for creating your own
komonoire (pocket
bag). Visit bit.ly/
piecework-march-april-2011-digital.
Trousers worked with Hishi stitch. Collection of the Yamagata Prefectural Museum. Photograph by Ryo Shirai.
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Hishi-stitch apron made with colorful wool yarn. Collection of the Amuse Museum.
future husband or his parents. After her wedding, she would construct jackets for them from the cloth. Making the Kogin cloth was very time consuming; women worked on the cloth by the �re before going to bed or between chores during the day. Hishi stitch was used mainly for trousers. Sometimes the garments were made with used cotton towel as a liner. The people of this area were once poor farmers, so they weren’t able to dye the fabric the traditional deep blue, only a pale blue. The women compensated for this by using white and deep blue thread for the Hishi stitches, so the trousers looked like they had white and deep blue wide stripes. About 140 years ago, wool yarn became accessible. Women in this area then started to make Hishi-stitch aprons with colorful wool yarn. Now, when speaking of Hishi stitch, Japanese people associate it with these aprons. Today, people don’t need sashiko clothes to protect them from a harsh climate, but Hishi and Kogin stitches have been handed down to not only needlework designers but also to young people. So the essence of sashiko continues. ❖
Trousers worked with Kogin stitch. Collection of the Yamagata Prefectural Museum. Photograph by Ryo Shirai.
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AKIYO MURONO studied philosophy and history of art in college. A designer, editor, and author, she lives in Tokyo. Her book, Hayashi Kotomi no Sashiko Note , was published by Chikumashobo in 2014.
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Abbreviations & Techniques beg—begin(s); beginning BO—bind off CC—contrasting color ch—chain cir—circular cn—cable needle CO—cast on cont—continue(s); continuing dc—double crochet dec(s) (’d)—decrease(s); decreased; decreasing dpn—double-pointed needle(s) foll—follow(s); following hdc—half double crochet inc(s) (’d)—increase(s); increased; increasing k—knit k1b—knit 1 in back of stitch k1f&b—knit into the front and back of the same stitch—1 stitch increased k2b—knit 2 in back of next 2 stitches kwise—knitwise; as if to knit k2tog—knit 2 stitches together k3tog—knit 3 stitches together k5tog—knit 5 stitches together LLI—insert left needle into back of the stitch below stitch just knitted, knit this stitch lp(s)—loop(s) m(s)—marker(s) MC—main color M1—make one (increase) M1k—increase 1 by knitting into the front and then the back of the same stitch before slipping it off the left-hand needle
M1p—increase 1 by purling into the front and then the back of the same stitch before slipping it off the left-hand needle M1L—(make 1 left) lift the running thread between the stitch just worked and the next stitch from front to back, and knit into the back of this thread M1R—(make 1 right) lift the running thread between the stitch just worked and the next stitch from back to front, and knit into the front of this thread p—purl p2tog—purl 2 stitches together p3tog—purl 3 stitches together p4tog—purl 4 stitches together p5tog—purl 5 stitches together p7tog—purl 7 stitches together patt—pattern(s) pm—place marker prev—previous psso—pass slipped stitch over p2sso—pass 2 slipped stitches over pwise—purlwise; as if to purl rem—remain(s); remaining rep(s)—repeat(s); repeating rev St st—reverse stockinette stitch (p rightside rows; k wrong-side rows) RLI—knit into the back of stitch (in the “purl bump”) in the row directly below the stitch on the left needle rnd(s)—round(s) RS—right side sc—single crochet sk—skip
sl—slip sl st—slip(ped) stitch sp(s)—space(s) ssk—slip 1 knitwise, slip 1 knitwise, knit 2 slipped stitches together through back loops (decrease) sssk—slip 3 stitches one at a time as if to knit, insert the point of the left needle into front of slipped stitches, and knit these 3 stitches together through their back loops (decrease) ssp—slip 1 knitwise, slip 1 knitwise, purl 2 slipped stitches together through back loops (decrease) st(s)—stitch(es) St st—stockinette stitch tbl—through back loop tch—turning chain tog—together tr—treble crochet ttr—triple treble crochet WS—wrong side wyb—with yarn in back wyf—with yarn in front yo—yarn over yo twice—bring yarn forward, wrap it counterclockwise around the right needle, and bring it forward again to make two wraps around the right needle *—repeat starting point ( )—alternate measurements and/or instructions [ ]—work bracketed instructions a specified number of times
Long-Tail Cast-On Also called the Continental method, this cast-on creates a firm, elastic edge that’s appropriate for most projects. This method is worked with one needle and two ends of yar n, and it places stitches on the right needle. The resulting edge is smooth on one side (the side facing you as you work) and knotted or bumpy on the other (the side facing away from you as you work). Most knitters choose to designate the smooth side as the “right” side. Leaving a long tail, make a slipknot and place on a needle held in your right hand. Place thumb and index finger of your left hand between the yarn ends so that the working yarn is around your index finger and the tail is around your thumb, secure the ends with your other three fingers, and twist your wrist so that your palm faces upwards, making a V of yarn around your thumb and index finger (Figure 1). *Bring needle up through loop on thumb (Figure 2), grab the first strand around index finger with needle, and go back down through loop on thumb (Figure 3). Drop loop off thumb and, placing thumb back in the V configuration, tighten resulting stitch on needle (Figure 4). Repeat from *.
Figure 1
Figure 3
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Figure 2
Figure 4
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By Post
Flower Power I was delighted to see the knitted �owers (March/April 2015). I have an idea about the “Scarlet Geranium” with its large double petal and three smaller petals: It looks very much like a pelargonium, which I believe would have been called a “geranium” in Britain in 1847. This link is to an article from the Daily Mail that explains the name confusion: www.dailymail.co.uk/home/gardening/ article-2334781/Reds-beds-Queen-Victorias-favourite�owers-geraniums-superbly-dependable-summer-plants .html. Melissa Winders Via email
Little Girl “A Little Girl in Red” (March/April 2015) especially caught my interest. My Little Girl in Green needle case is virtually identical to the one shown. I purchased it at a church fair in my home town of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, in the 1970s. Shirley Hansen Via email
And the Answer Is Our generous readers leapt into action in response to our request to identify the technique used to create Mary Matyshak’s table runner and doily (May/June 2015). We received emails, phone calls, and letters: the technique is net darning, also known as net lace or �let lace. Many provided additional resources. Here are a few: Lacis in Berkeley, California, has a variety of books; http://lacis.com/catalog/data/CB_NettingFilet.html. Thérèse de Dillmont devoted �fty-three pages to Filet Lace in her seminal The Complete Encyclopedia of Needlework, originally published in France in 1884 by DMC. Dover’s Treasury of Designs for Lace Net Embroidery, edited by Rita Weiss, offers step-by-step instructions. www.laceguild.org/craft/�let.html. www.�letlace.net. www.needlenthread.com/2006/06/�let-lace.html. www.nordicneedle.net/stitching-techniques/�let-lace. www.marlamallett.com/l-other.htm. Our sincere thanks to all who answered our call. The following responded before our deadline for this issue. Margaret Bhagat Sheilah Cleary Dee diSomma Judith Erdmann Lynn Fleharty Valorie Force-Harper Marilyn Franc Sheila Herman M. Isabel Ibarra Cheryle Jolivette
Roberta Kenney Wendi Kiss William McConnell Megan Mills Marilyn Phipps Dale Pomeroy Kit Schaaf-Poms Joann Williams Linda Willis
Send your comments, questions, and ideas to “By Post,” c/o PieceWork , 4868 Innovation Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525; email
[email protected]. Letters may be edited for space and clarity. 62
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PIECEWORK marketplace Fun Stuff for Fiber Arts Waxed Linen Thread Basketweaving Materials
Seat Weaving Supplies
Royalwood Ltd. 517 Woodville Rd. Mansfield, Ohio 44907 800-526-1630 www.RoyalwoodLtd.com
There’s always more online
BOOKS MAGAZINES DVDs AND MORE
INTERN ATIONAL NEEDL EWORK RETREATS. Learn from Experts, Private Tours,
Stop to Shop
Classifieds
COLORADO
BEADS
Gypsy Wools—Boulder
HEIRLOOM GLASS BEADS, innovative and
www.gypsywools.com Specializing in natural fibers, hand-dyed, handpainted, and natural color. Exotics, rare and heritage breed fibers, and unusual custom spun yarns. We’re not your average yarn store. 3216 Arapahoe Ave., Ste. D (303) 442-1884
IDAHO Knit-n-Crochet—Coeur d’ Alene www.knit-n-crochet.com Friendly service and inviting atmosphere. Come in and see, or shop online, our large selection of yarn, needles, and accessories. 600 W. Kathleen Ave. #30 (208) 676-9276
MICHIGAN Heritage Spinning & Weaving—Lake Orion www.heritagespinning.com Rauma Norwegian yarns including Strikkegarn and Finullgarn. Every shade of Jamieson Spindrift plus Ultra Lace and Cobweb. You’ll feel at home on your first visit! 47 E. Flint St. (248) 693-3690
WYOMING The Fiber House—Sheridan www.thefiberhouse.com Fleece to fashion and fun! Local alpaca yarn. Books, notions, classes, and 30+ yarn lines! info@thefiber house.com. 146 Coffeen Ave. (307) 673-0383
Intimate Groups, Luxury Accommodations Victoria C. Frank, Inc. www.vcfinc.com.
WEBSITES TO VISIT
unique supplies. Color matching, bead sample cards, wholesale—low minimums, retail—no min- WWW.HEIRLOOMCROCH ET.COM. This is imums. 60-page catalog $4. Beadcats, PO Box where you will find a large selection of vintage and 2840, Wilsonville, OR 97070-2840. (503)625-2323; antique crochet and lacemaking books on CD. We also sell fine crochet hooks, threads, and supplies.
[email protected]; www.beadcats.com. WWW.LACEMAKING.COM provides all you EVENTS need to make lace—European bobbins, BattenSeptember 4-5, 2015, the Palmetto Tatters Guild berg, and Princess tapes. Antique and wearable will present their 13th Annual Tat Days in lace. Home of the Lacemaking Circle discount Toccoa, GA, USA, with a theme of "Tatting An- club (Free!). gels Among Us." All tatters welcome. Over 45 exciting classes for Beginners to Experts with To advertise here please call Tina teachers from all across the globe. Huge vending Hickman at 970-613-4697 or email room. FUN for ALL. All events and lodging are
[email protected] easily accessible. Find out more at www.palmetor 970-613-4697 totatters.org. Contact: Donna at
[email protected]. Hope to see you there! SALIDA FIBER FESTIVAL. Salida, Colorado,
September 12-13. Fiber vendors, demonstrations, classes, spin-in, and hands-on activities in this beautiful mountain art town. Featured workshops with Ann Budd. For more information see: www.salidafiberfestival.org
TRAVEL CRAFT CRUISES - Join us on a knitting Cruise!
Travel with like-minded people while learning new skills, meeting locals and shopping for yarn. Visit www.craftcruises.com or call (877) 97-CRAFT.
A d v er t i s er ’s I nd e x
Cascade Yarns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C4 Colonial Needle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Interweave . . . . 3, 5, 7, 9, 17, 25, 29, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39, 59, 61, C2, C3 Lacis Museum of Lace & Textiles 25 WyoFiber, Live!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Paradise Fibers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Royalwood Ltd.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Oomingmak, Musk Ox Producers 63
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Calendar San Francisco, California: November 9–19. The Royal School of Needlework’s Certificate & Diploma Intensive Session, at San Francisco International Airport Hyatt Hotel. 44 20 3166 6938; www.royalneedlework.org.uk. Telluride, Colorado: July 31–August 2. Many Hands Fiber Arts Festival, at Telluride Elementary School Gym. info@manyhandsfiberartsfestival .org; www.manyhandsfiberartsfestival.org. West Spring�eld, Massachusetts: September 18–October 4. The Fiber Festival of New England, at Mallary Complex. (413) 205-5115; www .thebige.com/blog/nefiberfestival. Portland, Oregon: August 7–9. Wardrobe Design Studio Presents The Tudor Tailor, including four workshops on the essentials of historic clothing reconstruction, at Tabor Space. (503) 997-0787; www .wardrobedesignstudio.com. Embroidered Kazakh man’s coat. Uzbekistan, Tashkent(?). Fur, doeskin, silk, cotton. Second half of the nineteenth century. Collection of The Textile Museum; gift of Caroline McCoy-Jones. (2002.5.1). The Textile Museum George Washington University Museum, Washington, D.C. ,
Photograph courtesy of George Washington University Museum .
EXHIBITIONS
Williamsburg, Virginia: September 21–25. Hand & Lock Tambour Beading Level One, Tambour Beading Level Two, Haute Couture, and Monogramming Level One, at The Williamsburg School of Needlework. (757) 259-9400; www.wmbgneedlework.com. Melbourne, Australia: September 11–13. The Craft Sessions, at Yarra Valley Estate.
[email protected]; www.thecraftsessions .com.
Wilmington, Delaware: Through January 3, 2016. A Colorful Folk: Pennsylvania Germans & the Art of Everyday Life, at Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library. (302) 888-4600; www.winterthur.org.
St Andrews by-the-Sea, New Brunswick, Canada: October 23–25. KnitEast 2015, at the Algonquin Resort. (506) 456-3897; www .kniteast.com.
District of Columbia: Through August 24. Unraveling Identity: Our Textiles, Our Stories , at The Textile Museum, George Washington
La Courade, France: July 2–7. Knitting Retreat with Sue Culligan at Le Logis de la Courade. 33 545 96 51 55; www.le-logis-de-la-courade.com.
University Museum. (202) 994-5200; www.museum.gwu.edu/ unraveling-identity. Paducah, Kentucky: Through August 17 and July 10–October 13. A Tradition of Variations from the Pilgrim/Roy Collection and A Small Miracle of a Southern Island: Quilts of Caohagan, respectively, at The National Quilt Museum. (270) 442-8856; www.quiltmuseum.org. Alexandria, Virginia: July 28–August 30 and August 31–October 18. The juried show Parades and What I Did on My Summer Vacation, respectively, at the Potomac Fiber Arts Gallery, Torpedo Factory Art Center. (703) 548-0935; www.potomacfiberartsgallery.com. Lampeter, West Wales, United Kingdom: Through October 31. The Welsh Quilt Party, at the Welsh Quilt Centre, Old Town Hall. 44 1570 480112; www.welshquilts.com.
SYMPOSIUMS, WORKSHOPS, CONSUMER SHOWS, TRAVEL
Bixby Knolls/Long Beach, California: October 17–18. Yarnosphere, at Expo Art Center.
[email protected]; www.yarnosphere.com. Boonville, California: September 18–20. California Wool & Fiber Festival. (707) 459-8558; www.fiberfestival.com. San Dimas, California: August 14–16. The Little Sewing Room Presents The Tudor Tailor, including four workshops on the essentials of historic clothing reconstruction, at The Little Sewing Room. (909) 618-5241; www.thelittlesewingroom.com.
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Western Caribbean: December 5–10. Nautical Knitting Cruise with Melissa Leapman, Laura Nelkin, and Patty Lyons. (800) 700-7172; www.discovercruisesandtravel.com.
Wedding handkerchief of Maria Huber. Embroidered with flowers and a tassel at each corner. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. 1768. Collection of Winterthur Museum; museum purchase with funds provided by the Henry Francis du Pont Collectors Circle. (2013.31.105). Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library, Wilmington, Delaware. Photograph courtesy of Winterthur Museum.
Please send your event information at least four months before the month of publication (e-mail
[email protected]). Listings are made as space is available; we cannot guarantee that your listing will appear.
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