Here is my first knitting stick, and the only one I currently use. At some point, I was sent some kind of knitting stick by a hobbyist, thinking of making them for sale, I guess – but it did not look like any stick I have ever seen – and I’ve seen hundreds. Nor did […]
Month: July 2013
This week, I went in search of my relative David Dawson, father of Dan Dawson. I had spotted David’s name cropping up frequently on Dan’s various patents, for improved dyeing processes and machinery, as”David Dawson, gentleman”. It turns out David credited himself with the development of magenta as a synthetic dye, and the 21 year […]
The Tour de Fleece runs every year, for the duration of the Tour de France, hand-spinners all over the world set their own wheels spinning, like the cyclists, setting themselves challenges and try to spin yarn daily, even if it’s just for ten minutes. Some people use the Tour to expand their skills, others just […]
One thing about Yorkshire folk is – we don’t suffer fools gladly. Look away now if you’re squeamish. This is going to get honest. Anyone coming here from Ravelry, pull up a chair and bring the popcorn. You already know where I’m going, with this. I like exploding myths and poking at bullshit with a […]
“Textile historians often find it difficult to tell whether early knitted objects are made using a single needle, as here, or using more than one needle, as the finished articles are so similar in appearance.” [From the holy writ, source of all sources ™, Wikipedia, text to the image shown left]. Just back from the […]
They say “blood will out”, and so it seems to have proved. We broke the last brick wall in my family tree a few months back. Names included: Lister, Smith, Dawson and Crabtree; a long line of wool weavers, clothiers, and mill-owners in Longwood, near Huddersfield, and in Halifax. My surname should have been the […]
PENELOPE HEMINGWAY 