I have made quite a few things using the patterns in this lace sampler
examined and reworked in the book Knitting Lace – A Workshop with Patterns and
Projects by Susanna E. Lewis*Tams, scarves, mittens, handbags, a card case, historical reproductions, etc., and now this dainty little bag using two repeats of Pattern Number 48.
The yarn, Cravanella, in an ivory shade, is a blend of 75% wool and 25% rayon, and, most likely, twenty or more years old. I remember buying it, a slightly unraveled skein, in a remnants’ bin a long time ago.
I knit the bag in two pieces on 3.00mm/ 2 ½ US needles, with a series of
four rows of stockinette stitch and one row of purl at the top. The
gauge/tension is 7 stitches to the inch. The interior of the bag is lined with
a double layer of muslin. The shoulder strap is made of strong white synthetic
cord, by lucet, and then run through a spool-knitted cord in Cravenella. The
lucet cord was made for me by a young friend, two years ago, his first project
made with a newly acquired techinique and tool.
The bag measures 6 ½” wide and 6” high, and the cord Is 36” long. Two buttons with an I-cord loop fasten the bag at the top.
*Knitting Lace – a Workshop with Patterns and Projects, Based on a Sampler from the Brooklyn Museum, Susanna E. Lewis, Newtown, CT: The Taunton Press, 1992
4 comments:
Owning up to my lurking.
You have the most awesome knitting blog that I've ever seen! It is really nice to see these old patterns getting some attention!
I have a question regarding these patterns- do you find them online on places like Ravelry, or do you have some sort of reprinted versions of them? Thanks!
Thank you for the compliment - glad you enjoy the blog!
I get most of my patterns through research. Before the days of the internet, I had to find the original books or reprints of them (sometimes just the parts with patterns), old newspapers, facsimiles, etc. Google Books and other internet sources now allow us to search and download. I still work with original patterns. They are not difficult once one becomes familiar with the terminology. Some items, however, predate the age of pattern books and leaflets so I also rely on the good work of the historic textile communities and the work of trusted individuals who have examined and reproduced surviving garments, samplers, etc. I have worked from original objects, too, as well as photographs, blowing them up to count stitches, rows, etc. Some things can be years in the making as the yarn is not quite right or a better photo comes along and I rip out my previous work or redesign the pattern. I am sometimes amused that three, seven or more years of work on a project can be tossed off in a few photographs and paragraphs at its completion!
The tool used for cord here is called a knitting nancy made by Spears Games. A lucet has two prongs however if you used just the two loops on the knitting nancy, you would get the same type of cord. If you cut it, it will not unravel, if you cut the cord made with four prongs, it will unravel.
I am a collector of knitting spools (french knitters, knitting nancies, etc) and you can see them on - http://spoolknitter.blogspot.com - maybe I will see you there, cheers, Marian aka mazcrazyhaberdasher
Hi nice reading your ppost
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