As well as being admirable, knitting is widely underrated and undervalued. This is probably because knitting is largely the preserve of women. Okay I know that there are coastal communities where seafaring men knitted happily and effectively but the vast majority of knitters are women.
My mother could knit. Shirley's mother could knit. They each produced dozens of knitted items in their lifetimes. It was a thing that women did. Shirley has inherited that ability and of course with the arrival of Little Phoebe she was delighted to get out her needles once more.
She created a grey cardigan and a mustard coloured one. Phoebe has been wearing both of them so I am sorry to say that my photos show the cute cardigans or matinee coats after they have been washed two or three times. All that possetting, vomiting and liquid overflow takes it toll you know.
Two or three visitors have asked about the dusty pink matinee coat that Phoebe was wearing the other day. I must confess that this was not hand-knitted but produced in a factory in Turkey. It was given to Frances and Stewart as a gift by one of Frances's many friends. It must have been purchased online. A little research led me to this web address.
Both my grandmothers were great knitters and made many items for my sister and I.
ReplyDeleteMy aunt told me that when I was born my Dad decided that he would learn to knit and he made me a pink matinee outfit - the complete set of jacket, mittens and bootees. I think that would have been quite unusual for a man to do that in those days. He was a great Dad though.
I remember you writing about your father before. He proved how good, dedicated and loving fathers can be. We are not all monsters.
DeleteI’m an avid knitter. Both my nieces hated the items I knit for them when they were young and later anything I produced for their children was never worn. However I do have people who treasure what I’ve made. None of this will stop me knitting, it’s very calming, I believe it keeps the busy part of your brain occupied.
ReplyDeleteHow very sad that your nieces disliked the items that you knitted for them. Your craftswomanship deserves applause. How much better to receive a hand-knitted garment than a shop-bought one. That's what I think anyway. Keep on knitting Jenny!
DeleteMy Grandmother used to be a caretaker of a key to an historic church (people who wanted to visit were directed to the key hanging on a hook by her door half a mile up the road - in the age of trust). Her recompense for this 'service' was that folks were invited to drop worn out knitted garments at the church; garments that she (and the grandchildren) would unravel, discard the most worn yarn, skein up the rest, wash it, and she would reknit it into pullovers to be distributed through the mission service of the church. The remade pullovers were made to a standard pattern and inevitably stripy, as were all the knitted jumpers we got from her as kids. There was never a shortage of yarn scraps for any project we wanted to undertake while staying with her. These days such 'upcycling' has a fancy name and is sort of trendy. In those days it was just normal.
ReplyDelete"In the age of trust". I like that term even though it is rather sad that that age has almost fizzled out. A lovely memory to have Tigger. Thanks for sharing it.
DeleteI have two new great-grandsons (cousins, 10 months and 11 months old), plus four older foster-great-grands. And I knit constantly. I've been a knitter almost all my life, but have been getting lots more done during this enforced home-bound stretch. Your new sweetie and her lovely sweaters are very special
ReplyDeleteDo you sometimes take photos of the items you knit Mary? You should celebrate them.
DeleteShirley did a terrific job! I'm impressed by anyone who can knit. It's a completely foreign language to me.
ReplyDeleteMe too Steve but I admire this ancient craft.
DeleteA similar jacket to Phoebe's pink one has now been located at M&S, I'm told, thought it's a hoodie. I'd like to knit something, but newborn Oliver Archie is in Yorkshire and I'm in Australia. We can't trust the postal service these days. For anyone interested, there is a nice Debbie Bliss pattern in Cashmerino Aran on Lovecrafts website.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that Oliver is A Yorkshire babe! They are the best type.
DeleteMy mother was an excellent knitter and a crocheter, as well. She made beautiful things for my children. I always admired that. I never had the knack or patience either, I guess. I am in awe of people who do. Those little cardigans are simply beautiful and every stitch says "love".
ReplyDeleteYes - a lot of love is knitted into a grandmother's knitwear.
DeleteI have an ole auntie that still knits caps, slipper and scarfs for Xmas gifts. I treasure them.
ReplyDeleteYou are lucky to have an auntie like that Linda.
DeleteNitty Norah the nit nurse use to come to our school. My wife knits. I operate the tv remote control.
ReplyDeleteOperating a TV remote control does not count as a craft Dave.
Delete"The nit nurse". OMG. I'm howling. Poor Norah.
DeleteI used to love knitting and can go back to the time when wool was bought on the hank and had to be wound into balls. Pure wool was cheap and Tom had lots of lovely pure wool cardigans and jumpers that lasted for years.
ReplyDeleteI think today and lot of people may be put off of knitting large items as the yarn is so expensive, especially wool. I can't understand why as the farmers are virtually giving the fleeces away that once would have been used in the wool industry.
I blame China, lol
Briony
x
I am surprised that you say "used to love knitting". You could knit Celeste a tea cosy to keep her bushy hair in.
DeleteI have always wanted to learn to knit. Ps: when you learn a new word, you use the heck out of it, doncha? ;)
ReplyDeleteI wonder if possums posset?
Deletepossibly...
DeleteMy mum and mother-in-law were both lovely knitters and knitted many items like cardigans and bootees for our sons when they were babies. I didn't really enjoy doing it so left it to the experts! Babies don't seem to wear bootees these days as you can get tiny socks now. My sister is now the knitting expert in the family and has made some beautiful items. It's nice that it's still a popular pastime.
ReplyDeleteThank heavens your sister inherited the knitting bug Jo.
DeleteBeautiful jackets - I must admit I have been knitting like mad over the last year - loads of dementia muffs. I've done upward of 60 plus and handed them out to local care homes. I meant to add to your post about posseting - I have known that word for the last 30 years as Kay did her share of that as a baby - usually at the most inconvenient times when we were about to go out somewhere.
ReplyDeleteDoes Kay still posset nowadays? One is never too old to posset ADDY!
DeletePosseting! Vomiting! Liquid overflow! Glad I didn't read this while having my tea.
ReplyDeleteDid you have posset for dessert?
DeleteI knit a sky blue sweater, bonnet and booties for my sister-in-law's 2nd son. He is now married with three children of his own and the little sweater set passed down to his daughter. How nice is that? Shirley is a beautiful knitter. My grandmother taught me to knit when I was a child but I've never managed the art of crocheting.
ReplyDeleteWonderful that the young man you mentioned kept your knitted creations Elaine and now the sweater is worn by his daughter. That's lovely.
DeleteYes, when I was a little kid all my mitts and most of my socks were knitted by Mom. I still have a big sweater that she knitted for me. We used to call them curling sweaters. I think I blogged about it one time.
ReplyDeleteWith four sons your mother had a lot of knitting to do! Back then it was a way of saving money apart from anything else.
DeletePoignant is the only word for a baby's clothes.
ReplyDeleteThese colours are consolingly beautiful and remind me of paintings by Joan Miro (a favourite of Hemingway's) and Howard Hodgkin and Paul Klee.
There are YouTube videos on Kaffe Fassett, who started as a painter before he started to knit his dazzling tapestries; and also Annemieke Mein, the textile wildlife artist.
In a country where we make nothing, it is wonderful to see small crafts returning.
I have never worn rings or necklaces. Yet I like to watch jewellery makers at work. And I have a black Oriental box full of polished stones which make people gasp.
I see clothes and colours and stones as metaphors for human language. Syntax. Words.
Haggerty
Grayson Perry is also an accomplished knitter and sometimes puts knitted sections in his brilliant tapestries. I like the idea of your oriental box and all that gasping.
Delete*An Interview with Kaffe Fassett.*
Delete12 March 2012. Hannah Sweetnam. YouTube.
Kaffe came to London (from California) in 1964 and is still working here.
The Beatles were singing I Want To Hold Your Hand in 1964.
Dusty Springfield, Twiggy, Mary Quant, Carnaby Street.
Sidney J Furie was filming Len Deighton's Ipcress File.
Harold Wilson, our best Prime Minister after Clem Atlee, was in government.
Haggerty
Kaffe Fassett on Color.
Delete2014. Make It Coats. YouTube.
Haggerty
Can I have he mustard one in extra large ?
ReplyDeleteThat will take a lorry load of wool. Do you want red heart buttons too?
DeleteThere is magic in transforming any raw material into something useful and beautiful that gives pleasure to yourself or to those you love and as the Nuns would often say "the Devil makes work for idle hands".
ReplyDeleteMy father was a builder 6 days a week and my mother loved to knit and garden and of necessity she learned to cook and preserve for what became a family of ten. She could also embroider and crochet and create hooked floor rugs and I am lucky to have her best one on my bedroom floor, still beautiful and useful 50 years on.
My eldest brother learned tapestry at primary school and macrame when he joined the navy. My two younger brothers are both skilled builders and one sister has a magpie approach to crafting in as much as she starts lots of different things but has trouble settling to finish a project, so that many garments intended for her children were outgrown before completion . My younger sisters have no craft interests at all but had no need to learn.
I have often given thanks for the skills I acquired in being at the "working end" of a large family with a small income. I learned at a very young age how to read,cook, clean, knit, sew, garden, budget and look after children.
While you were contemplating your gap year travel I was spending my Saturday teens sewing an outfit for Mum to wear, setting her hair for a big night out dancing with Dad, then supervising the young ones bedtimes and making the icecream for Sunday lunch before escaping at last into a good book. I made all my youngest sister's clothes including school uniforms until she started high school as she needed special pockets then for her hearing aids.
Those skills came in handy in adult life through recession times but also gave me great enjoyment knitting and sewing for my own 2 babies and now at last for a grandchild.They've also given me many friendships. I belong to a small craft group which includes two midwives who make small quilt gifts for their clients' births and another who makes beautiful quilts for children in care to keep. We meet monthly in each other's homes to share lunch and life stories, admire each other's projects and give support when life gets tough. I'm also part of a larger group who knit beanies, booties and jackets for the neonatal ward.
My hands are always busy and I knit whenever I am watching TV, passenger in the car or waiting in a hospital. It's more social than my other lifeline - a book and you have something to show for the time spent.
Last year I started photographing my knitting before I released it just to keep track of my creations as I sent Christmas gifts to the UK and Australia. Love and time in every stitch to fight the lockdown blues.
Yes, wool is expensive, but there's no point in expending so much time on an inferior product and looked after it can last. After a lifetime of scrimping I am lashing out for this grandchild and enjoying knitting with fine merino wool sourced in NZ but transformed in Italy to include silk before returning here. ( I will happily do all the wool washing for this baby by hand even though the labels say machine washable.)
I still enjoy cooking and preserving what we grow (this week it's tomatoes and courgettes to be turned into relish) and know that friends, family and visiting tradesmen appreciate a home made gift and while I have my favourites there are always new recipes to try.
Neither of my girls have mastered knitting but that may change. I live in hope!
Thanks for sharing those photos of Shirley's beautiful knitting.
Hope you get out for a Guinness today, I'm off to sing and celebrate St Patrick's Day.
Slainte, Adele
My British mother could knit, read a book and watch a television program at the same time...barely glancing at the pattern once she was in the groove of knitting a garment. Though she is long gone, I still have things she knit for my children--Aran cardigans for young boys, small nordic ski jumpers, tiny baby jackets, hats, and blankets. Many of them made from patterns she had from the 1930s and 1940s. My skill will never rival hers--partly because I was a lefty and had a devil of a time learning from her (a right-hander). But eventually figured it out. Have made my fair share of items for the family over the years, but never with the speed and skill of my mum.
ReplyDeleteI think there are many that share Shirleys enjoyment and achievement of making a practical as well as beautiful item to use or gift and I have admired Phoebes lovely jackets too.
ReplyDeleteI have a couple of UFO's (unfinished objects) abandoned due to a combination of change of season and little time to sit still long enough to get the darn thing finished... one vest is still in the 'must finish' plan which has been ongoing for 34 years (embarrassed here) It was for my son who a) got much bigger over the first couple of seasons and b) I found the colour hard to knit with - its a harsh terracotta and it really irritates me - so it languishes as other projects are completed.
During early Covid for us here in Australia it happened in Autumn going into Winter and there was a real upsurge of interest in knitting as folk were confined at home. Yarn and needles sold quickly at the popular stores to the point where needles in certain sizes sold out.
I am wearing socks my Mum knitted for me as I am typing this. They are my slippers when I am at home, warm, soft, comfortable, and in my favourite colours. Knitting is something I have never learned; I did some crocheting when I was a girl, but poor eyesight and lack of patience makes it difficult to do any such crafting. All the more do I admire people who know how to knit, crochet, sew and stitch.
ReplyDeleteI love knitting and spinning as well, watching a material formed and maybe dyed and then the slow knitting that makes a garment. Good for keeping down blood pressure as well. Note to Haggerty. Kaffe Fassett does not knit tapestries, he uses a fine needle.;) He is a hero of mine, though he can be too colourful sometimes.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful little jackets Shirley has knitted for Phoebe.
ReplyDeleteMy mother was an excellent knitter, dressmaker, embroiderer, and she made the most exquisite babies' dresses with smocking. When a schoolgirl, she won prizes for her smocking and embroidery, and as an adult would often be asked to embellish a plain (shop-bought!) dress or romper suit for a baby. My father's sisters were all excellent hand crafters too. My three girl cousins and I were always kitted out in something our mother's had made, though they didn't look it home made, and were quite acceptable in those days. In fact we were the source of some envy amongst friends whose mother's had no idea how to sew or knit. Sadly where I, and two of my cousins are concerned, it's skipped at least one generation. Although I have from time to time made my own clothes in the past - mostly when I was first married and couldn't afford to buy decent quality ready-mades.
I have tried my hand at knitting but it would never grow fast enough, and the tension left a lot to be desired. I even bought a knitting machine at one point, spurred on by a friend who made the most wonderful sweaters on hers! Even that didn't really encourage me, so I gave all my wool and needles away to a friend who knitted for charity - just glad to see it go for a good cause, and the local knitting club, of which I was very briefly a member, raffled my machine for a good cause!
Just occasionally these days I'll put together an item of clothing, mainly to justify having three sewing machines, and an overlocking machine, which mostly lie unused in the cupboard.
Lovely knit items for the precious girl! Shirley is talented! One of these days I'm going to pick my needles back up and begin knitting again.
ReplyDelete