Knit Undersleeves

I love undersleeves. They so appeal to me!! Ever since I saw this sweet photo of Mama and adorable baby, I've wanted a pair!



This is really cool. If you check out the original url of this daguerreotype from the Nelson-Atkins Museum, you can really get a closeup of the knitting.
Click Here.

If you zoom in and look at the construction, a couple of really neat things become apparent. You can see that the knitting is striped, using more than one kind of wool. The wool that looks almost metallic-y in the daguerreotype might even be knit in moss stitch and not garter. That's up for debate, since as I look at it, I could argue either way. But what really becomes apparent is that the cuff is knit flat, and not in the round, or in any type of rib stitch. How cool! You can tell that it is simple garter stitch knit into a band, and either sewn in or knit by picking up stitches on the edges (would have to increase quite a bit, and quickly with that method, though!) The cuff only appears to be 10 stitches or so wide, and is obviously knit on smaller pins than the rest of the sleeve. And you can see that metallic-y yarn again around the very outside edge of the cuff. I can't tell if it's a crochet edge, though it could very well be since it ruffles the outside edge of the knitting a bit like crochet can do.

With this image as my guide, I found a pattern in Peterson's magazine from 1862 that shows a knit undersleeve that has the grand poof that my inspiration sleeves do.



Upon reviewing the pattern however, there are differences from my inspiration sleeve. This sleeve is knit all together on one size of needle. Also, the cuff is knit in ribbing, and I do so want to try out that garter-stitch cuff!
So, what I've decided to do is knit this pattern sort of backwards, meaning instead of working it from the upper-arm down, I'm going to work it from the wrist up, omitting the actual cuff so I can sew in my own garter-stitch cuff afterwards, but using the pattern as my guide. This way also, I feel I can adjust the size better, since I tend to be larger in the frame than the ladies our lovely Victorian patterns were written for. I'm about half-way through the first large puff, and unfortunately, I've had to put it on the back-burner for a bit and concentrate on a few other time-sensitive projects, but I'm excited to have it started, and I'll keep you posted!

I'm going to post images of the original pattern, if any of you are interested in trying it yourself!

Ye Olde Knitting Tools

I've heard other knitters talking about muscle sprains and other aches that effect their knitting, but until recently, have never had that happen to me.
Last week I did end up hurting something around my lower thumb area that stretched into my wrist. How I did it I have no idea. It did make knitting uncomfortable so I had to put the pins down for a few days.
This misforture did, however, get me interested in some of the old-time knitting implements of days gone by, when hand-knitting was a commercial industry, and speed and keeping your hands and wrists in good shape a vital part of a paid job.
So I started looking into it, and I found this blog: A Fisherman Knits
Look in particular at the posts on knitting belts and knitting sheaths, and his thoughts on pit knitting vs. knitting with a belt or sheath that you can find here. Very interesting reading! I also like his idea for a clew.
Knitting's past propensity towards very small circumferenced needles makes sense when it is understood that "dense" knitting is much warmer to the wearer than knitting that creates any kind of hole for air/heat transfer. It makes sense! Honestly, I had to wonder when I first started looking at historical knitting if it was just designed to be as labor-intensive as possible, or with some sort of masochistic tendency to knit as painfully as possible. I realize by not grasping the obvious right off the bat, that I am a thoroughly modern knitter with a modern knitter's skew. Knitting for warmth has never really been my first priority, not really - not like our knitting ancestors did. I have never thought to knit a sweater that could be worn by itself, and keep me warm without any other type of outer garment through rain or snow. This is what those tiny steel pins were made to do, take wool and turn it into a very, VERY, functional garment.

Discovery!

I found an amazing pattern yesterday! Lacy and lightweight, it's sort of a cross between a shawl and a shrug with cardigan sleeves- just really pretty and feminine-and lacy, did I mention lacy? You should check it out! Tthe creator has made the pattern available free from her site.
See pics and get the pattern Here.
There is an amazing amount of talent floating about the cyber-knitting sphere. It truly is awe-inspiring! I need to knit faster- I will have the best wardrobe, seriously.