• Knitting in code

    I just finished knitting this lovely lady as a gift for someone special. I’m experimenting and playing with the idea of including a message within the stitchwork itself. This heart has one word stitched into the gray section: look for the odd stitches. I used Madame Defarge’s cipher; each letter of the alphabet is represented by certain combinations of stitches. Here’s the link to more info & to the cipher: https://blog.uwgb.edu/…/knitting-code-a-tale-of-two-very-d…/

  • Wool roving heart

    Here’s a wool roving heart and my first attempt at using code in my knitting. This sample uses Madame Defarge’s Knitting Cipher. Defarge was a character, a tricoteur, in Dickens’ novel, A Tale of Two Cities. A combination of stitches can be used as a code, encasing meaning within the stitchwork. There are different methods for using code in knitting. Other ways might be Morse code, or a simple letter and number (related to position) in the alphabet combination. Or you could make up your own. I can see where colourwork could contain messages too! The possibilities are probably endless. In the case of the wool heart, I used Defarge’s cipher.…

  • So many hearts!

    Blue heart, pink hearts, and purple too… a very happy Valentine’s Day to you. Heart Pattern Notes Finished size: The size of the finished heart depends on the type of yarn that you use. Work flat: All pieces are knitted flat (back and forth) on a pair of straight knitting needles. Tension: Don’t worry too much about tension for this pattern. Casting on: Use the long tail cast on for all pieces. Sewing seams: Use mattress stitch to sew the seams. Yarn & Notions Needles: A pair of 3.75mm straight knitting needles (US 5) or whatever you have on hand Notions: A small amount of toy filling to stuff the…

  • Huron Wristers

    Greetings & a happy December! Here’s a sneak peek at the new wrister pattern in test stitching stage; the wool is from Steele Wool Farm. The colour-work portion is inspired by the fair isle pattern of vintage knit gloves in the collection of the Huron County Museum. Once the pattern is finalized, a kit will be available for purchase. Stay tuned as this idea is under development!

  • New wristers pattern underway

    So November is here and there’s snow arriving in Huron County. It’s time to return to mitten knitting. It’s been years since I’ve made mittens; about 20 in fact. But, I’ve been thinking about a history-inspired stranded mitten pattern and I can’t get the colour-work idea out of my mind. The fair isle portion (see next post) that I plan on doing is a reproduction of the colourwork pattern of a pair of heirloom knitted gloves in the collection of the Huron County Museum and Historic Gaol located in Goderich, Ontario. Happy Stitching!

  • Silk test samples on the needles

    October update: silk on the needles

    Greetings and a happy October to you! It’s been a very long time since I’ve been able to sit down and add an update to the blog. What a beautiful autumn it’s been so far! So much lovely sunshine – perfect weather for fall hikes and finishing up the last of the backyard work. As for me and my knitting… In early summer, I was offered a spot at the Fibre Arts and Creative Textiles Studio gallery in Blyth as a Peer Artist. I have just completed a project that I have been working on: a wool pillow for the FACTS Gallery. The pillow pattern is a recreation of the…

  • Test knit swatches in silk and wool

    A fibre decision made

    A fibre decision has been made. And the choice is… There were many test swatches done and fibres tested until there were three top choices. And then, after some further testing and planning, the choice has been narrowed to two fibres: 100% silk wool / silk blend   The shawl will be a ‘swatch sampler’, consisting of knitted or crocheted squares – or any needlework technique that will lend itself to the fingering weight wool. This ‘sampler’ shawl will be a great opportunity for beginner stitchers to try their hand at a vintage pattern. Kits will be available in the near future that will include yarn and pattern and instructions. If…

  • The quest for sheen begins

    The search for the right fibre for the wedding dress recreation is underway. For the first time ever, I find myself trying to knit with silk in the quest for a sheen to match the lovely shine of a vintage wedding dress dating from 1911. The lace-weight silk yarn in my test swatch has a lovely shine. I’ve never worked with silk before, so it feels a bit awkward, a bit too thin somehow. I’m so used to knitting with worsted-weight wool, my hands feel clumsy. I’ve been experimenting with needle sizes and types, trying to see what feels right. The bamboo needles seem to work best with the silk.…

  • A dress of many patterns

    Hi, everyone! Today on the blog it’s all about the wedding dress recreation project: a dress of many patterns. Last month, I shared the idea of recreating a vintage wedding dress from the collection of the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol. The plan is to recreate the basic pattern of the dress using swatches of recreated needlework items. So, it’s a reproduction on two levels. The needlework techniques used in the swatches will depend on the skills of the volunteers that take part. If there are tatting experts, for example, tatting reproduction swatches could be worked up and incorporated into the dress. The backstory to this idea is here…

  • Stitchers invited!

    Hey, fellow stitchers, Would you like to create a wedding dress using stitched swatches of vintage textile items? In 2019, the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol is planning a clothing textile exhibit! Creating a wedding dress using stitched recreations based on museum textile collection items would be a great way to join in the celebration. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, quilt or embroider, I welcome you to consider participating. The sample you would stitch would be your choice depending on what your interests and preferred needlework technique. Please let me know if you would be interested in participating either by emailing me or signing up for the Stitch Revival…