Marching towards fine knitting

First, I wish to thank Els van Dam for sending me a big bunch of stuff on
knitting sticks (de breischede). Some uncharitable folks might call it
"evil enablement' but I think it was sweet and she is very generous of her
time and treasure.

Second, this morning, I made a reproduction of a "goose wing" knitting
sheath based on http://www.daelnet.co.uk/features/knitting/thumbnl.htm.
(the picture of 4 sheaths, 2d from the right). The material I used was oak
with the needle hole lined with brass. The length of the finished sheath was
6.75". The needle hole was sized for US #00 needles, and the needles I am
using it with are 11 inches long. The level of craftsmanship was
"functional" with a comfortable beeswax finish. I doubt if a better finish
would improve functionality. The texture of the end grain as it fits over
the point of my hip seems to be an element of how it works. From which I
surmise that the original was made for a man that wore and apron : )
(Women have different shaped hips.) It is also clear that the sheath to the
far right was made to tuck under a belt or sash.

My sheath was made entirely with a very limited set of hand tools including
a coping saw, utility knife, wood rasp, drill, and pliers. Total time to
make was under 2 hours.

My version was made in one piece rather than having a separate, turned,
needle holder.

Many knitting sheaths of this small size are described in museum catalogues
as "small," often with a notation that it might be for a child. Having
actually knitted with this object, I can assure you that it works very well
indeed with these steel needles. It's small size allows it to tuck
comfortably under apron strings and it holds the needle and knitting quite
securely. This not a child's toy. It is the right size for a #00 knitting
sheath.

Knitting motion with #00 needles with a sheath is somewhat different from
what I have developed for the #1 needles, in that the outer few inches of
the needle is flexed the thumb and forefinger to produce the knitting
action. This motion is certainly much faster than anything that I can
achieve with other methods of hand knitting with #00s (i.e., without a
sheath.) This opens up the possibility of really producing useful amounts of
knitting at a gauge of 10 to 12 spi with the fine patterning that a tight
gauge allows. I really love the texture of the swatch that I did this
morning with some Bartlett's sport yarn. This really opens up new vistas in
knitting for me.

Third. Over the weekend I found myself sitting next to a Professior of
Asian Studies. She told me that there is a ancient tradition in Asia of
using two needles to loop spun yarn into lace, i.e., knitting lace. To put
her use of the work "ancient" into context, she said her ~ 200 year old jade
pendent was just "new jade." I think this opens up a whole new avenue into
the history of knitting.

wrote:

Second, this morning, I made a reproduction of a "goose wing" knitting
sheath based on http://www.daelnet.co.uk/features/knitting/thumbnl.htm.

A note for Americans who may have looked at the entire gallery (as I
did). On the various patterns, there is one based on poppies in a field
of corn, and I should point out to you that in U.K., "corn" refers to
wheat or oats or barley. American corn is known in the U.K. as "maize".
You would never see the poppies in a field of American corn!.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

In article ,
wrote:

First, I wish to thank Els van Dam for sending me a big bunch of stuff on
knitting sticks (de breischede). Some uncharitable folks might call it
"evil enablement' but I think it was sweet and she is very generous of her
time and treasure.

hummmm evil enablement you say...???!! LOL

I am sure that some of these old sheaths or breischede will inspire you....LOL

Els

--
Ja for Jazz and cobra loose the rrrrrrrr

wrote:
First, I wish to thank Els van Dam for sending me a big bunch of stuff on
knitting sticks (de breischede). Some uncharitable folks might call it
"evil enablement' but I think it was sweet and she is very generous of her
time and treasure.

Second, this morning, I made a reproduction of a "goose wing" knitting
sheath based on http://www.daelnet.co.uk/features/knitting/thumbnl.htm.
(the picture of 4 sheaths, 2d from the right). The material I used was oak
with the needle hole lined with brass. The length of the finished sheath was
6.75". The needle hole was sized for US #00 needles, and the needles I am
using it with are 11 inches long. The level of craftsmanship was
"functional" with a comfortable beeswax finish. I doubt if a better finish
would improve functionality. The texture of the end grain as it fits over
the point of my hip seems to be an element of how it works. From which I
surmise that the original was made for a man that wore and apron : )
(Women have different shaped hips.) It is also clear that the sheath to the
far right was made to tuck under a belt or sash.

My sheath was made entirely with a very limited set of hand tools including
a coping saw, utility knife, wood rasp, drill, and pliers. Total time to
make was under 2 hours.

My version was made in one piece rather than having a separate, turned,
needle holder.

Many knitting sheaths of this small size are described in museum catalogues
as "small," often with a notation that it might be for a child. Having
actually knitted with this object, I can assure you that it works very well
indeed with these steel needles. It's small size allows it to tuck
comfortably under apron strings and it holds the needle and knitting quite
securely. This not a child's toy. It is the right size for a #00 knitting
sheath.

Knitting motion with #00 needles with a sheath is somewhat different from
what I have developed for the #1 needles, in that the outer few inches of
the needle is flexed the thumb and forefinger to produce the knitting
action. This motion is certainly much faster than anything that I can
achieve with other methods of hand knitting with #00s (i.e., without a
sheath.) This opens up the possibility of really producing useful amounts of
knitting at a gauge of 10 to 12 spi with the fine patterning that a tight
gauge allows. I really love the texture of the swatch that I did this
morning with some Bartlett's sport yarn. This really opens up new vistas in
knitting for me.

Third. Over the weekend I found myself sitting next to a Professior of
Asian Studies. She told me that there is a ancient tradition in Asia of
using two needles to loop spun yarn into lace, i.e., knitting lace. To put
her use of the work "ancient" into context, she said her ~ 200 year old jade
pendent was just "new jade." I think this opens up a whole new avenue into
the history of knitting.


Great pictures Aaron, I really enjoyed them.

Let us know how your first several projects on the sheath turns out.

Hugs & God bless,
Dennis & Gail