This past few days I’ve been playing with my “new” spinning wheel; a Timbertops Lonsdale in oak, bought from a fellow Raveller at the weekend. Timbertops are renowed as the Rolls Royces of spinning wheels. That is so true. They are now made by Woodland Turnery in Wales, who have just gone into production with […]
Author: PLH
I was really excited last week to get my usual ‘Traditions Today’ email from Interweave, because it was trailing my article and “Mrs Jackson of York“‘s stocking pattern in the forthcoming ‘Knitting Traditions, Spring, 2013’. Available for pre-order now, and should be out at the start of April. I hope those of you who […]
I prefer to take my information from the horse’s mouth. Other folk go to the opposite end. And some of the misinformation coming out re. ‘swaving’ is, frankly, a load of old pony. Let’s see what Dalesfolk – who saw it – said ‘swaving’ was. Then see if you can find any reliable/accurate demo of […]
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Her Name is Finger Paper
Just a few textile related items from Selby inventories, from the second half of the 17thC. In amongst this, there are some interesting items. A ‘worsett’ (worsted) wheel would possibly, at these dates, be a sort of intermediate style wheel, somewhere between a great wheel and a smaller wheel. The spinner sat down – instead […]
“If the youngest daughter in a family is married first, the eldest had better unravel one of her garters; knitting the same, mixed with other wool, into something a man can wear. This she must present to the one she has special regard for, and it will most likely incline his heart to her.” [Yorkshire […]
… “I was too far out all my life And not waving but drowning.” Stevie Smith, Not Waving But Drowning So, what is “swaving”? In the words of the oft-quoted passage from William Howitt’s ‘The Rural Life of England’ (1838): “…As soon as it becomes dark, and the usual business of the day is over, […]
“A tribute to the merit of Captain Raynes, of the Stirlingshire militia, was paid on the 4th … as an acknowledgement of … his indefatigable and unabated zeal in bringing to justice a number of those infatuated creatures calling themselves Luddites.” [Caledonian Mercury, Monday, November 30th, 1812]. In 1812, Yorkshire became the fulcrum of a […]
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Ori-Esque Mitts
What kind of idiot decides to knit a Dr Who scarf and a pair of mitts in under ten days? Yes, Gentle Reader… you are looking at her. Well, actually you are looking at a picture of Ori, the youngest and most naive dwarf in ‘The Hobbit’ – which is quite appropriate as it was […]
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“Authoress and Designer”
I’m wondering if I have found the UK’s first ever fabulous person who, self-described as “Designer” on a Census? It’s fun to go hunting well known 19thC knitting manual writers, on Censuses. Whether it is 1841 or 1881, you often find them as “Berlin Wool Dealer”, or next to an occupation described as “Berlin Wool […]
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Remembering
This is my Great Uncle, William Boothman, Gunner X8 Battery of Trench Mortars in the Royal Field Artillery. His unit were nicknamed ‘the Suicide Squad’. Men joining it, reckoned their remaining lifespan in days or weeks. He survived several years… William ran away to join up and was fetched back home, at least once. This […]
PENELOPE HEMINGWAY 