KNITPICKY

Knitpicky - a picture of anything to do with wool!!

Now back from a lovely long weekend with SIS, I thought I would start off with some wool-related pictures. Though these are not the treasures picked up from the weekend just yet...they will be in the next post.

Below we have the famous Bendigo Woollen Mills.



This is the reason for many a trip to Bendigo, where we (Susan and I) have happily shopped for fabulous wool. Where we have happily admired all the "piles" of glorious wool. Where we have happily wallowed and rolled in wonderful wool - well, perhaps I am getting carried away a bit! .....and below is the actual sales shop with a fantastic back room of bargains. And there is Susan who has just finished loading the car.



Now if you classify a "wool collection" as a "stash", I suppose you would say that the following is the oldest yarn I have. The reason for showing these is because of the post by SIS - Susan in Stitches regarding the oldest yarn in your stash.


Chris (hubby) bought this vintage yarn some time ago and I have kept it in the freezer for a few weeks. "Why on earth **###!!*#+=**!!?" .......I hear you say. Well, it is an old teddy bear trick. These had obviously been "stored" in someone's shed for many years where goodness knows what has been happily feasting on them, so they had to be debugged. Sadly the yarn is badly deteriorated and nothing more can be done with it, but I will be keeping it nonetheless.
Now someone I know thought I was crazy to be collecting wool labels (on top of everything else that I collect) but the labels do have great graphics, especially the older ones, as seen here. To date these properly, I need to do some research and look up all my vintage knitting books (and old advertisements are good too) to work out when these labels and wool were produced. But for now I am estimating the 1920's. If you know for sure, please let me know.

The next two pictures shows some more vintage wool that I purchased last year and is in wonderful condition.


There are two balls of Patons Nimbla Knitting Wool , skeins of - Daphne Crochet Wool from Lincoln Mills, Patons Super Scotch Fingering 2 ply and 4 ply, Azalea Crochet and Knitting Wool.


Next picture shows the label on the end of a wool shop storage box.




Lastly, for spool knitting enthusiasts, there is a great article in the UK Simply Knitting magazine Issue 28 May 2007 on a London-based artist Francoise Dupre. For copyright reasons I dont want to give details of the article here so you will have to look up the magazine.
















Okay, stay tuned for more.........and dont forget to CFLI (click for larger image)!

Later Knitpicky additions........



The above Wool Poster Board found its way into the collection last weekend. It measures 19 X 32cms and would most likely have graced the wall of a fabric shop.

Below is another Poster Board 37 X 45cms, advertising yarns, books and needles for TV Knitting from Patons - around late 50's, note the beehive knitting needles - this also arrived last weekend. It has the extra cardboard piece attached to the back so that the poster can stand on its own probably on a Wool Shop counter top.

WHERE AM I?

For those of you who read susan in stitches, you will know that I am currently visiting Susan and have been here since Thursday, I will be going home Tuesday. I will post again then with news and pics of "treasures" purchased.

MORE SPOOL KNITTERS

Here are some more spool knitters....I have decided from now on that I will go with that name for my posts, it gets confusing otherwise. I wrote a list of all the possible names that they do go by and you can find it at the end of this post. If I have left out any names that you know for these "knitters", please let me know.

Maori Spool knitter



Two pictures below show a penguin spoolknitter by Laines du Pengouin of France in original box. (Unfortunately, the folded lid has separated from the box.) It came with penguin, wool, plastic child-size knitting needles, crochet hook, plastic scissors, and instructions.


I received this spool knitter today - it goes by the name of EZ2Quikrochet. It is a kit for making beaded jewellery, accessories, and trims. It is painted white with question marks all around its handle.

Here is the list in alphabetical order -

Bizzy Lizzy
Bobbin doll/dolly
Bobbin knitter
Corker
Corking doll
Corking spool
Doll knitter
Dolly bobbin
French knitter
Jeanette la tricoteuse
Knitting bobbin
Knitting doll/dolly
Knitting knobby
Knitting mushroom
Knitting Nancy
Knitting Nellie
Knitting spool
Kurken-breien
Peg knitter
Punniken
Spool knitter
Strick barbel
Strick hanni
Strickliesel
Strick puppe
Strick spiel
Strick susel
Strikkelise
Tricotin

WELCOME TO THE WORKROOM or CHAOS!

I think I am being very brave showing you this room, but I am only showing my part of the workroom - and Chris and I share this workroom, if you think my part of it is bad, Chris' desk is much worse.........apart from the extensive sewing collection, this is also the reason why we need to move to a bigger house (hoping to have a sewing museum, too).
The large piles of books, papers and patterns sitting on the desk are waiting to be filed............

........on these shelves, and this is just a small section of the shelves.



Below is part of the needlework tools section.



I have a fascination with old button cards. I'd rather buy buttons on cards than loose. Some of the graphics are a work of art in themselves.




Below are a group of Beutron children's button cards. And I was lucky to be at a button collectors fair some time back where Ken Arnold (author of Needlework & Associated Collectables) was selling the Beutron buttons pictured in his book.
These button cards were intended to be collected, where a booklet was available for purchase from Beutron especially to place these cards in.



The back of one of the cards is shown below. Click on image to read about collecting these cards and pasting them in the Beutron Nursery Story and Painting Booklet.

Here is the closeup of the Merry-go-round shop display showing the various cards available.


Here is the full page advertisement from the Australian Home Journal dated October 1, 1957.

SEWING BASKETS AND CONTENTS

This sweet, petite, basket is approx. 100 years old, measuring 6" X 6" of cane and woven or plaited straw?
(Sorry, but not sure about some of these types of materials.)
This basket is empty and the kapok filled silk pincushion lined
lid is rather dilapidated. I did not take a photo of the inside, but
if you would like to see inside, let me know.
These baskets remind me of the type you see in such movies
as Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Emma, etc.





This is a shamrock or clover shaped red velvet sewing box, decorated with gold filigree, and very ornately decorated gold handle. Taking a guess, as is the case with a lot of these, I would say it is about 80 to 100 years old, and a lot of the velvet on top has worn away. Again, this is empty. I would be very suprised to find any of these sewing baskets with completely original contents and tools. So many would get separated and lost. You would most likely find them with some tools which would have been placed at later times.




It would be very tempting to place several tools in here. In a way it does make it "come to life", to give it a proper purpose, to give it a provenance, but that would not be right. Only if it is going to be genuinely used as such would give it a "new story".



This sewing basket stands about 30 inches (75 cms), and from 1920's - 30's. It is pink silk lined.
The contents are not original to this basket but are only being stored in it. The small shelf under the basket is missing its lining as there is evidence of glue in it.. The lady I purchased this from said that it had a pink silk lining on the bottom and around the sides.
The Coats box pictured beside the basket is a shop counter display box for cotton reels.

Below is pictured some of the contents currently being stored in this basket. Button cards, needle books, and other haberdashery items.



The cross stitch worked pin card has the name Ann Parker worked on it. It is gingham backed.

Also in the basket are four small containers of berry pins, three capsule type sewing kits, two new needlecases purchased from Lacis, a leather covered darning kit, scissors, the cutest sheep buttons, and a tape measure (far left of picture).




Last but not least, I have a picture of the treasures purchased from Noreen of Crone-Findlay. Thanks, Noreen! There is a Bumblebee, Ladybug with baby, and a Red Hat spoolknitter.
The book is one of many available on the website.

TRICOTINS (Knitting Nancies)

Just before we get to more sewing baskets, I thought I would catch up with a previous blog regarding what can be made from the cord that results in using the knitting nancy.

I have some books (available at Amazon or ebay), which are in french or german but are easy to follow (they are written for children after all and you can source some english childrens craft books as well) -
Das Strickliesel Buch (german)
Tricotin Malin (french)
le Tricotin (french).

The following are just some ideas taken from these books:

Use cotton yarn for these flowers.

Potholders

Egg cosies, and baby chickens

Pincushion

Toy Parrot

These are some examples of what can be done - you are only limited by your imagination, after all!

I have placed a link on my blog to Crone-Findlay, a great website for fans of spool knitting. Noreen of Crone-Findlay has books available of her great designs, there are free patterns on her blog too. There are also fabulous painted spool knitters that she has designed which are available for purchase. (And I am also the proud owner of three of her spool knitters.)

Below are pictures of tricotins from a Marie Claire Idees Magazine from 2006.

WHAT'S IN THE SEWING BASKET?

Here is one of my sewing baskets purchased with contents.

(Remember to click photo for larger image)

Photo 1: This basket was purchased in 2006 in Victoria (Aus). It measures about 33cms and made of wicker and cane exterior and rattan interior.
Photo 2: Here are the contents inside the basket. There were also two plastic bags of modern buttons (not shown).
Photo 3: The contents are spread on the table - four needle books, three of which are handmade: one embroidered with wool, one silk, one perforated paper and embroidered, and a commercially made leather needlebook with a label stating - Hall's Nickel Plated Needles. These Needles will work easily and resist rust. Elephant Brand (picture of elephant) trade mark. The Hallmark of Quality. Made in England by Wm. Hall & Co. Ltd. Studley Redditch.
Other contents - several cotton reels, vintage buttons, safety pins in tin, more cotton reels and thread cards in smaller basket, solid plastic thimble, buttonhole scissors, small scissors marked Sheffield England and on the handles are the letters E R 19 53 (souvenir from the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II) darner, and several bodkins which leads me to ........
Photo 4: I have tried to show the decorative bodkin in closeup (not easy to do). It is made of brass.

Sewing Stand

Here is a sewing stand which was purchased in Geelong, Victoria.

Photo 1: We think that the wood is walnut. It is 45cms in height.
Photo 2: On the inside of the lid is a label - A Morco Product Registered Trademark with a lovely picture of a lady.
Photo 3: These are not original to the sewing stand but were being stored inside, so it is only fair that I show these to you - five thread holders (mauchlineware), four sewing kits, the blue glass "blob" that is just showing behind one of the boxed kits is a darner, three vintage dress patterns, beutron buttons, beaded pincushion.
Photo 4: And as well as the vintage mix, there are also some newer reproduction pieces still packaged - DMC, Elizabeth's Vintage Notions, etc. plus some reproduced needle books.

The two photos below show a mass produced doll pincushion and a vintage handmade crocheted pincushion and wishbone thimble holder (love this).

The last photo is the new arrivals - Art Needlework catalogue from the US dated 1932-33. I love looking through these and it is also great for dating some needlework tools. Also shown are more knitting nancies being added to my enormously growing collection with the last two (far right) being new. An unusual item to mention here is the pin card dated 1901 to be exact as it has a calendar of this year on its back. It is advertising Roachsault - Barrett Chemical Co. (pesticide). These were usually give aways. Two last items are a metal knitting needle gauge and a vintage needle book.


So I will be posting more - "What's in the Sewing Basket"? soon.....stay tuned!

SOME NEW ARRIVALS

OR NOT SO NEW

This photo was taken a couple months ago before the lot was packed away with the rest of the sewing collection.
I will be posting some photos of sewing baskets but I have to call on my son (computer expert) to arrange the photos a certain way (you will see what I mean when you see it) and until that is done I hope you will enjoy this photo.
Dont forget to click for larger image.

KNITTING NANCY COLLECTION

We are renovating and the house is in chaos, however, I have finally managed to photo some of the knitting nancy collection.

Knitting nancy, knitting bobbin, dolly bobbin, spool bobbin, knitting dolly, french knitter, tricotin, strickliesel, strick susel, strick hanni, punniken.......the list goes on..... these are some of the names that have been given to these small wooden items with a hollowed out centre and nails on top.
It is very hard to find information on the knitting nancy.......according to some, it is thought to have evolved from the lucet ((a tool for making cord, drawstrings, braids, etc. and lucets found date back to the Viking era. It was a common tool in Europe around the 16th century onwards and made from materials such as wood, bone, horn, ivory, tortoise-shell and mother-of-pearl) ...for further information refer to Lucet Braiding by Elaine Fuller (available through Lacis)).



The first photo shows some of the older nancies in the collection. (You can click on images for a larger and clearer photo. )
On the middle shelf is a Little Maids Knitting Set (from England) which contains a knitting nancy.
Many of these lined up here were purchased from France. You will also see a knitting mushroom, and these also come in various shapes and sizes.



Jeannette la tricoteuse - this of course, is french. There is no date that I can find.




The first - Knitting Nancy ...keeps our Little Girls busy.... comes from England, and the second - Kurken-breien is from The Netherlands. I cannot find any dates on these.


Three characters that can be found are - Madeline, Little Orphan Annie, and Becassine.




The above two photos show a box lid and its bottom - if you are lucky to find these, they contain two spools. The two spools either side of the box are from another box. On the lid is - Toykraft Knitting Spool Set. The date is 1936 and made in the USA. I would guess that these sets were meant to be shared with a friend.


Strick Susel, Strick Liesel, Strick Hanni.


French Knitters - I have seen one of these in a Golden Hands publication from the 70's. As you can see there are many colour variations.

Well, you have just seen a small portion of the collection, maybe I will show you more in the future, as well as what can be made from the miles of cord that you can end up with!
Cheers!

KNITTING GAUGE COLLECTION

Well, it is about time that I did something on the blog, it has been a while!
I had a great Christmas and I am looking forward to a fabulous year ahead, hoping to do some travelling overseas. Over the past two weeks, I have been crocheting coathanger covers - a bit old-fashioned I suppose but I like them. You can check out the photo to see some of them, I have already given away several others. And I think someone knows who these are for!!!















There are two photos of knitting gauges from my collection. These have become somewhat of an obsession - these and knitting nancies (which I will show you next time). There are also some tape measures tucked in amongst them.
































This is a chatelaine that hubby made. He purchased a lot of jewellery bits and assembled the pieces. I think he did a great job!















What is 7cms tall by 5 cms wide and 3cms deep? Why... my latest "sewing" acquisition of course. I received these six sew cute sewing machines in the mail today. They are actually christmas decorations. I have decided to create a sewing themed christmas tree for Christmas 2007. A lot of the decorations will be made by me. I think it will be interesting to see the final result if you can hold out till the end of the year, which, if it was anything like the previous year, will be here in no time!
I apologise for the bad photo but you can get the idea.