Knitting Without Needles

And that is exactly what I have been doing for the last couple of weeks.. waiting and wondering and fussin!!

The big thing I haven’t been able to blog about, but has taken a bit of my time over the last little bit, is that I was contacted by and given the possibly being on Knitty Gritty.

You all being most intelligent readers have by now put two and two together and realized with a title like that I got my answer..

I didn’t make the cut. *

Here if you want to see my little ‘audition’ video click here

But their loss is your gain, as I will be able to offer up a new pattern, and a new technique that you all might like!

First up is how to add a little bling to your projects!

And then after I get another victim test knitter.. thereallycoolringtotebagthatknittygrittydidn’twant…hmm.. I think that I will have to think up a new name for that pattern, eh?

I also have a little mitten pattern I am working up and will get that one posted as soon as I can. I know my gang needs mittens!! After that though I am going to take a bit of a break from pattern writing and all and just focus on getting some projects done that have been left on the backburner in the midst of the excitement.Today I feel better.. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off and I am in a much more pleasant mood.. it’s all good.

*Before all you loom knitters start whining and sending hate mail.. have no fear..we will be represented…very well..

I found a little object on Ebay that caught my eye. I knew immediately I had to get it. And so I broke my own rule and bid right away and bid HIGH. As luck would have it I won the item uncontested and it arrived here on Tuesday. I

Inside there was this little box. What could be inside?

First I pulled out this little item. This was a bonus, a yarn guide for working with multiple colors, and it can be useful in speeding up my continental knitting.

Next this curious little object which bears much experimentation and thought.

It is a sort of crochet shuttle that can be used to make braided edgings and the like for your knit pieces.

Last came the big prize! This little gem.

This is a knitting loom. It is 123 years old. It was made in approximately 1883. The man who had it for sale on Ebay had found it at a flea market, and the person at the flea market had found it at an estate sale..boy would I have loved to be at that estate sale.

As I held it in my hand I wondered who had owned it, what had they made with it. Was she a Mom like me making things for her kids? Did she use this little loom to make things for her husband who was at war? Was it some society maven making items for a charity drive, or decorative bags for an evening out?  I felt the connection across time to a fellow loomer. A quiet reflection back in time of someone who was possibly a lot like me, just in a different time and place.

The last thing in the box was all the directions for these items. In stunning condition!

They are so familiar, and yet written in the lingo of the time. Very formal language, but still they were doing very similar stitches to what we do. The single stitch the chunky braid stitch, all with different names but yet the same. Knitting things flat in strips and joining them to create larger peices. Or working them in the round.

There was also a notice of a design contest..with different categories for ages and the various looms that the manufacturer made. His plan was to use his entire annual earnings as prizes..$5000, the first prizes were $200 then on down from there. All the winning designs were to be placed in a book at the end of the competition. Now that would be a gem worth getting hold of! Too bad I am 122 years too late!

I daren’t use this little loom, for fear of doing a little bit of damage to the finish. I will probably create a little shadow box for it to display in my house. But for now I will keep it nearby, as inspiration from back in time..a hundred years ago.

I wonder will someone find our looms 100 years from now and feel the same?

Woosh! What a time I had! It was fun!

Lets see.. events today and booty tommorrow!

I met Isela!!!(here she is living it up in the crush of the knit blogger’s meetup)

She gave me this!! (ahh I feel sad I didn’t have anything for her!)

I hooked up with Stephanie (we were . . . → Read More: Rhinebeck hangover