The seventh book of "hows" : or how to knit
April 8, 2016 1:42 AM   Subscribe

The Knitting Reference Library, approximately 300 knitting books, ranging from the 1800s to the 1970s.
posted by frimble (29 comments total) 101 users marked this as a favorite
 
Holy shit.

Sorry, I have no further reaction than this.

Except maybe "Get me some goddamn yarn."
posted by Katemonkey at 1:48 AM on April 8, 2016 [3 favorites]


Oh wait. THAT.
posted by Katemonkey at 1:49 AM on April 8, 2016 [5 favorites]


Oooh that double bison sweater with arrowheads! I am reminded of Roger Moore's modeling days.
posted by kinnakeet at 2:54 AM on April 8, 2016 [2 favorites]


Everyone is getting fluted egg coseys for Christmas. At long last the tyranny of the cooling egg-in-the-shell will be ended and the people of the julen shall rise to the greatest of heights and grab the power so long denied us. Then I shall make EVERYONE dress like the Countess of Arundel, for while Mrs. H. R. Haweis is dead on about how tight-laced corsetry is bad, her position on headgear proprietary is completely wrong.

Seriously, though, I'm tempted by this warm thick rug.
posted by julen at 3:14 AM on April 8, 2016 [9 favorites]


Prairie prancers!
posted by GrammarMoses at 5:24 AM on April 8, 2016


"Ladies work for Sailors"

That doesn't sound like the knitting ladies that I know...
posted by RolandOfEld at 5:35 AM on April 8, 2016 [2 favorites]


These books and many others are also available from the University of Southhampton, UK. The head librarian is Linda Newington, who also organises the In The Loop knitting conferences. These conferences take place roughly every two years and cover a range of academic work on knitting (and crochet): from historical treatises via textile conversation to gender & sociology. Highly recommended.
posted by kariebookish at 5:43 AM on April 8, 2016 [5 favorites]


Dang. Dang. I may never get work done again.
posted by XtinaS at 5:51 AM on April 8, 2016


I love knots, especially nautical knots. Knitting is a kind of knotting--delightful to know this is out there.
posted by rmmcclay at 6:14 AM on April 8, 2016


I love knots, especially nautical knots. Knitting is a kind of knotting--delightful to know this is out there.

If you haven't yet, you may want to look up needle lace and tatting (shuttle lace). There, you're actually building up your fabric out of cleverly constructed knots.
posted by frimble at 6:22 AM on April 8, 2016


This collection is a goldmine! It's hard to decide who in my life needs this glorious sweater.

Also: real life boy or ventriloquist's dummy?
posted by julen at 6:46 AM on April 8, 2016 [2 favorites]


Well then. There went my day. Wait, it's Friday. So there goes my weekend.

(self, repeat after me: IDoNotNeedAnotherProject IDoNotNeedAnotherProject IDoNotNeedAnotherProject)

Do I really need to feed the family?
posted by jlkr at 6:48 AM on April 8, 2016 [1 favorite]


As a young praemunire, I once transcribed a bunch of patterns I got from the Bodleian. Wonder what happened to that Web 1.0 (probably 0.75) website.
posted by praemunire at 8:15 AM on April 8, 2016


Nice, many thanks for this!
posted by carter at 8:23 AM on April 8, 2016


One of the things my mom taught me that sticks with me to this day is how to knit. I haven't really done it regularly in years, but I still have that Doctor Who scarf I/we made in high school.

I love the idea that you can give me three hunks of yarn and a week, then I can give you back a hat or some socks or a sweater. And I'm just using these two sticks and some math.

I hope it's not oedipal, but hot damn, knitting is sexy.
posted by Sphinx at 9:09 AM on April 8, 2016


OH MY.
posted by orange swan at 9:21 AM on April 8, 2016 [1 favorite]


RIGHT ON.
posted by holborne at 9:32 AM on April 8, 2016


WOOLEN HELMET!!!!!!

Shared this post with my knitter wife.
posted by terrapin at 9:58 AM on April 8, 2016


kinnakeet, looking at the pattern - they are buffalo heads!
posted by sweetmarie at 9:59 AM on April 8, 2016


Time to haul yarn!
posted by peripathetic at 10:16 AM on April 8, 2016


RolandofEld: That doesn't sound like the knitting ladies that I know...

No, that sounds more like the Seamstresses' Guild (hem, hem).
posted by hanov3r at 1:26 PM on April 8, 2016 [3 favorites]


they are buffalo heads

Thank you for clarification.

Since first viewing this post, I have been digging through bags of remnants and unused skeins, eyebrows sweaty from the effort of decision--there's just so much fantastic stuff here. So many resources, so few fingers...

And back to that warm thick rug, I'm thinking there is serious potential there for experimentation with texture and color. Serious potential. Thank you julen for pointing it out.
posted by kinnakeet at 1:41 PM on April 8, 2016 [1 favorite]


needle lace and tatting (shuttle lace). There, you're actually building up your fabric out of cleverly constructed knots

See also bobbin lace, which even more mysteriously builds up fabric out of non-knots*.

*distracted from apologizing to topological precisionists by wondering if there's a style that spit-joins threads to make true knots.
posted by clew at 3:40 PM on April 8, 2016


Caption this cover photo!
posted by andraste at 4:13 PM on April 8, 2016


OHHHHHH MYYYYY GODDDDD
posted by kassila at 4:40 PM on April 8, 2016 [2 favorites]


From the about tab: "...A selection of the patterns have been digitised but is dependent on copyright clearance. "

I'm guessing that's why all the Sirdar patterns I looked at are just an image of the cover, (which makes me sad, because a few of them are sweaters I would totally knit) Still, I can see I have an entertaining time ahead flipping through the victorian knitting books...
posted by surlyben at 6:19 PM on April 8, 2016


Caption this cover photo!

"To Serve Man".
posted by clew at 8:10 PM on April 8, 2016


This is going to cost me hours and hours.
Thank you!
posted by SLC Mom at 10:15 PM on April 8, 2016


This man's jumper is so beautiful that it GLOWS.
posted by NoiselessPenguin at 3:24 AM on April 9, 2016 [1 favorite]


« Older There’s no such thing as free information   |   Cheating at Triathlon Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments