Shetland Jumper Firms Running Short Of Knitters

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 2-13-2006 | Auslan Cramb

[secret garden]

Don't think I haven't considered it but it's hard to find someone to teach it. :-) It looks like fun.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

I've got a zip-up case, but that couldn't begin to hold all my knitting needles. I must have 10 sets of size 1 dp alone...and lots of 0s and 00s too, and a fair number of 2s.

Comes from working too many projects at once....

[redhead]

"Don't think I haven't considered it but it's hard to find someone to teach it. :-) It looks like fun."

Come to Wasilla. I'll have you taught in two days, then we'll relax and have fun for the rest of the two weeks! ;o)

[blam]

This is an excellent book about the 4,000 year old Caucasian mummies found in China. Elizabeth Barber has a PhD in textiles and she talks at length about the fabrics, weaves,knits, ect found on these folks. Some of the plaids compare to the Scottish plaids of today. They also compare exactly to the Celtic fabrics found in the salt mines of Halstatt, Austria...1,000 years and 5,000 miles apart.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

They didn't have real knitting that early...nalbinding which looks like knitting, though, was done all over the ancient world...it's done with a single needle with an eye like a sewing needle and short sewing lengths of thread. The Romans made striped socks that look something like modern athletic socks with that technique. But you could do a lot more textures with nalbinding than with knitting.

The book sounds very interesting...

[beaver fever]

Ok I'm finished and the bleeding is not half bad.

[Alia]

Great photos of "multi-tasking". :)

[pinz-n-needlez]

Fantastic book! Great photos of textiles, too.

Barber's other books, Women's Work: the First 2,000 Years is a great look at primitive spinning and Weaving. It is a popular cut down of her thesis book, Prehistoric Textiles.

Textile historians rock!

Knitting a Conundrum, I'm coming to the conclusion that circular needles aggravate my tendinitis (an old knitting injury lol), and I'm about to invest in a drawer full of longer and larger dp needles. The vision of you working on your hat is soothing, but then, I'm warped. (About to fire up the cd burner, thanks for your patience.)

Pinz

[redhead]

"My Cowichan sweater weighed in at ten pounds. So tightly knit it was waterproof and you could where it in Arctic temperature with nothing but a tee shirt underneath."

My first handspun sweater was a grey and white natural color wool. It was a "sampler," and had fair isle patterns all over. Each sleeve was different, and I knitted my initials into one sleeve. I still have it, but have sadly outgrown it. It was so warm I could wear it over a sweatshirt in Murdo, SD, at -30 without feeling cold. Wool is the only fiber that is warm when it is wet, which is why fishermen prefer it.

[MamaB]

I can do all of those but find crocheting much faster than knitting plus if you make a mistake, it is easier to correct while crocheting. LOL. That is a very long sentence. The first item I crocheted was supposed to be a sweater for our older daughter when she was about 2. It was so tight that it fit her doll! I still have it in the attic somewhere.

There are sites on the net to learn how to knit plus you can find beginner instruction books. Buy you some cotton yarn, some number 4 or 7 needles and knit a dishcloth. That is a good beginner item to knit. Plus they are useful.

[MamaB]

My mother tried to teach me to crochet for many years. I could not learn that way. Years later, I bought a little book that had all kinds of needlecrafts and taught myself. Maybe you are like me.

[GSWarrior]

Did someone say knitters?

[MamaB]

I get to church activities early and bring my crocheting some times. It is very interesting to hear what others are saying when they think I could not hear since I appeared so busy!

[N. Theknow]

So if I learn to knit, can I move to one of these northern British islands and make a great life for myself?

Hopefully the Shetlands will pony up for your moving expenses.

[SelmaLee]

I flunked out of knitting many years ago. Someone else gave me that advice - and I have a lovely, yellow knitted dishcloth - with 4 large holes in it! However, I can crochet up a storm.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Thanks for the ping!

"Having done some production knitting myself, I can tell you, there are better ways to make your money."

I agree; I can think of nothing LESS I'd like to do to earn a living than piecework. I'll even muck out the chicken coop over that, LOL!

[wouldntbprudent]

bwwwaaahhhaaa!!

[gaborien]

Hi:

I just read your blog and I would like to know where it's possible to get a suitable yarn to knit Cowichan style. We produce an unspun yarn made of a Gotland Merino blend in Estonia and we're looking for selling it in Canada. This yarn is very suitable for Cowichan style knits and also for needling and felting.

If you're interested please take a look at our web www.oldmill.ee
I'll really appreciate if i can get some feedback from you. Thanks for your time

Gabriel
gabriel@oldmill.ee

[Indy Pendance]

I just saw this thread. I hate circular needles, my sil loves them though. I'd rather use double points.

[mollynme]

I only use dp when knitting smaller items (like finishing off a hat). I find I'm much less likely to drop stitches with a circular needle.