Knitting America

I ordered this from Amazon a while back, and now it's arrived. It was all I could do to not devour the complete book at one sitting LOL. What a book, and worth the wait in delivery terms.By Susan M Strawn, it's "A glorious heritage from warm sock to high art".Indeed it is. Some absolutely fascinating pictures, huge amounts of information and complete with some twenty old patterns to try. I don't know which one to go for first :) I think it might be the 1890s Victorian Miser's purse; there is also a picture (but no insturctions) for a knitted pence jug, but I have insturctions in another book for that.

One thing that did take my fancy were the Amish socks. I read years ago that soemtimes the Amish had their socks very "plain and simple" below the knee in an appropriate colour, but with a highly patterned and colourful cuff around the top of the leg. I was unable to find any information on them at all, let alone a picture. There are two pairs shown in the book, the ones I like in the most beautiful shade of violet; so, when I manage to get wool of the correct hue, or dye it myself, they'll be on the needles too.

World War 2 mittens

These are now finished. Took a while longer than anticipated as I was knitting other things at the same time! Very pleased with the end result though. They are knitted to an authentic pattern, the one in the photo, I got from a friend several years ago when she was having a clear out. Theh wool is pure wool, in a close approximation of the wool I imagine ws used for the original mittens, knitted in the round on 4 needles. A long rib cuff is followed by several inches of "Ringwood" pattern; this I found very interesting. When I moved to Droset many years ago, I found out that there used to be a glove making industry in Ringwood, just over the border in Hampshire, and that there was such a thing in existence known as "Ringwood knitting", I presumed associated with the glove making. I have been unable to find much out about it though, but here it appears to be, in this pattern. It's a broken rib patter, giving a very nice texture to the knitted fabric - 1 round of 2x2 rib followed by a round of plain knitting. Motivated to do some more research now, need to get hold of Richard Rutt again I think, it may well be in his excellent book, I can't remember. I shall need to invest in that one, I can see :)

I'm not sure what I'm doing next, but I did find a lovely apttern for a vintage tea cosy on the net with which I am very taken, so it may well be that when I find some suitable coloured wool to do it.