Friday 30 November 2012

Comb Bag





This pattern comes from Weldon’s Practical Knitter, Number 17, Fifth Series (1887). It is also published in Weldon’s Practical Needlework, Volume 2, Interweave Press, 2000.
There is no actual pattern for the comb bag, only a suggestion and stitch count to make this case at the end of the Nightdress Case pattern in the same edition.
The original pattern for the Nightdress Case calls for “Strutt’s knitting cotton, No. 6” and “a pair of steel needles No. 12” (modern equivalent 2.50mmmm/US 2. No gauge or tension or finished size is stated. This bag would certainly hold a small hairbrush and comb, and a few other accessories for the hair but not one of those lovely large brush and comb sets from the 19th century. Both cases are knit into a zigzag lace strip fabric which is trimmed with a lace edge whose pattern is included in the one for the Nightdress Case. The cases should be lined with “pink sateen.”

I had originally started the Nightdress Case in white thread some years ago but changed to this lovely powder blue after discovering it last winter. Both bags are being knit on on 2.5mm/US 2 size needles, using Aunt Lydia’s Classic Crochet thread (Size 10) in Delft. I have the Nightdress Case on the needles, too, with the same thread, but I thought this smaller bag was a good warm up exercise for the larger project. A good thing, too, as perhaps I can make myself pay more attention to the larger case since there are glaring errors in the lower front part of the lace trim of this bag. I can only say that knitting lace in a poor light is a bad idea and advise that all handwork should be checked every now and then during its production.

The bag measures 8” x 5 ¼”, or 7 ¼” by 11” including the lace border. It is lined with pink imitation silk and trimmed “with strings of pink ribbon to draw.”*


*Weldon’s Practical Knitter, Number 17, Fifth Series (1887)

4 comments:

=Tamar said...

Very pretty. I do wonder whether the teeth of the comb will eventually wear through the satin lining.

One More Stitch said...

I had the same idea. My lining is double-layered but the fabric is still somewhat fragile against the teeth of combs!

A Homely Heroine said...

Thats beautiful lace, oh for the time when lace was cherished and valuable!

Thanks for your comment on my blog, I appreciate it : )

I've not heard of it, but will look into it, thanks for the tip.

=Tamar said...

Maybe they were using something akin to that extremely heavy satin that is sold for wedding gowns. Or maybe they assumed that people would reline it with different colors according to whatever was in fashion, or their current favorite dress.