Saturday, March 16, 2013

A Winter Gift for Ladies being instructions in Knitting, Netting, and Crochet Work by An American Lady


A Winter Gift for Ladies being instructions in Knitting, Netting, and Crochet Work by An American Lady was published in 1848.  I found an interesting netting note at the end of the Explanation of Terms used in Knitting.  It stated, "The netting meshes are numbered from the knitting needle gauge, as I am not aware there is any other rule for them."  If that sentence had been given in some of the first netting books I looked at, I would have been sure much earlier that my hypothesis, that numbered mesh sticks were referring to knitting needles, was correct.

The netting patterns and stitches in this book are as follows:


  1. Explanation of Terms used in Knitting (page 10)
  2. Netted Mittens (page 20)
  3. A Net Purse in Points (page 23)
  4. Corkscrew Netting for a Purse (page 26)
  5. Netted Curtain (page 33)
  6. Netted Scarf (page 33)
  7. Treble Diamond Netting (page 34)
  8. Single Diamond Netting (page 35)
  9. Tuft Netting (page 35)
  10. Double Netting for a Mitten (page 38)
  11. Netted Lamb's-wool Shawl or Handkerchief (page 41)
  12. Netted Sofa Tidy (page 41)
  13. To work the backs of Netted Mittens (page 42)
  14. Netted Cuffs (page 44)
  15. Netted Bag (page 47)
  16. Bead Netting (page 49)
  17. Diamond Netting (page 49)

No pictures today, sorry.  I spent most of my day at Novice Schola (and most of my week preparing to teach netting).  Novice Schola is an SCA event held annually in Springfield, Massachusetts.  While there, I taught three novices how to tie the netting knot.  When they left,  all three could tie a netting knot.  I hope they retain that knowledge tomorrow.  

While I was at Novice Schola, a friend shared with me a picture she had seen in Woven into the Earth: Textile finds in Norse Greenland by Else Ostergaard.  Included in the picture were two men, and each of them was wearing a net version of our modern belt bag or fanny pack tied around his waist.  One bag seemed to be in diamond-mesh and the other in square-mesh.  Amazing where netting turns up.



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