Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Textiles and Tea, Tuesday knitting group

 Today's T and T was about this weaver, teacher, historic reenactor with emphasis on demo'ing early fiber arts.



This pouch, woven and assembled by his wife, was carried by a soldier into the Battle of Bull Run, and survived pretty well, to become a study focus for textile historians, including Penny.

She also studies and teaches about the whole path, sheep to wearer, of textiles.


This is a gamp, a kind of sampling of warps, wefts and proportions


And here's knitting, using her own spun yarn, the famous Hitchhiker shawl a lot of people have knitted, but not with yarn they spun rainbow style. She's wearing it in the thumbnail


Here are functional pieces, demonstrating weaving and color patterns




Interesting lady, who seems totally versatile, up for learning anything, and planning on learning next how to use the Viking vertical loom, the one where the warp threads are tensioned with rocks. It's a general Paleolithic loom. You can see Sally Pointer building one and showing it in use, on her YouTube channel.


But first there was the Tuesday knitting group with these 



amigurumi pugs! The cow in the background will be accompanying G, the crocheter, to football games as a mascot! Cowgurumi.

And this truly elegant, perfectly fitted sweater is modeled by D. who knitted it, in a beautiful blue green Malabrigo mixture color, which doesn't show up here at all.


but look at the detail -- that cabling, the roll collar, and the shoulder which you can't see, is carefully shaped, knitting top down, with grafting and other clever techniques. This is the knitter of the double knitting you saw recently. Spectacular skills all around today.

Definitely worth coming out in the rain for. 

The evening I spent at a live interactive online event on a Spoutible pod, discussing Super Tuesday, with several hundred participants. Some results came in during the discussion, including the re-election of Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, yay!  And Haley won a second primary. There's talk of her voters going Biden rather than T***p in the general, but that might be wishful thinking. There's also talk of gop voters staying away altogether if they don't want T as their candidate. We'll see, like so many other things!

Since tomorrow Handsome Son is visiting, I made that chocolate cake I make, and a couple of pieces went next door to Gary, who seemed a bit down about his current painting job, and I thought there's a PINOCC. Person in need of Chocolate Cake.

Lab work this morning, bi annual, nbd.

Happy day, everyone, I'm investigating tapestry crochet, which turns out to be a kind of crocheted entrelac. I'm sure that's perfectly clear to non fiber folk! It reminds me of asking a wonderful cook friend what was pancetta. She said, oh, you know, it's like lardon! Very clear, yes.

Don't get blinded by science and posh terms! But do keep up your reading knowledge. Here's a handy guide




Photo AC





30 comments:

  1. Lots of fab crafting here today, especially that rainbow Hitchhiker shawl!

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  2. What a fun post. I'm glad Haley won VT, even though they say she's pulling out today. I suppose it makes sense -- money to campaign will run out. Still -- I liked her feistiness about Trump and that helps reinforce him to Rs who might now vote Biden. I hope. (I wonder, though, if she'll run Indy or No Labels... we'll see.)

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  3. “Man sits outside for two years. Nothing happens.” I was afraid to admit that’s what I thought when I read it.

    The creations are incredible. I love the rainbow hitchhiker shawl.

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    1. Yes about Thoreau! What a poser. Going to his mother's every evening for dinner. Getting his sister to do his laundry. Gah.

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  4. The sweater is gorgeous, what a perfect fit. I'm often tempted by a pattern or a KAL but I've never knit a sweater because I just don't seem to wear them in my day-to-day life. Once bought a irresistible thriftshop cardi from Ireland, washed and blocked it, and it's been in my cedar wardrobe ever since - at least three years.

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    1. Since I moved from the freezing houses of the UK I haven't knitted sweaters. Too warm indoors. Jackets are better for me, layers.

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  5. I do enjoy the weaving, even though I am clueless. I understand knitting and crochet, to a point, just can't do it. This is to say I like your textile posts! Those stuffs are so cute. 20% of MN voters were undecided on Biden and it wasn't an organized effort. I am PINOCC, most definitely. I have not read Ulysses, The Odyssey and Beowulf. I think I never will.

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    1. I've read practically everything on the chart. The short form is better!

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  6. A gamp is intriguing, a most pleasing sampling . Abridged book is the best laugh of the week! Thank you, we needed that! LindaSue

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    1. It's good, isn't it, both are. One's a fiber short form, one a lit'ry short.

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  7. As always- such talented people in both your knitting group and in the T&T videos.
    I can't even begin to express my terror at how the polls are leaning.

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    1. I disregard polls. The ones showing Biden ahead get no traction in the media. The ones the nyt uses are admitted by them to be slanted right.
      Yes, no lack of talent anywhere.

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  8. pancetta + lardon = bacon, more or less.

    I wonder if the soldier returned from Bull Run in as good condition as his pouch?

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    1. Cookspeak doesn't seem to do bacon! I guess he did at least return, since his pouch did. It looks a bit worn, as I expect he did too.

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  9. Wow! What a fantastic post. Such talent. That sweater is amazing. Have a nice day today.

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    1. Isn't she good! It's a treat to see what she makes.

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  10. Wonderful results at the knitting group!

    The abridged classics are priceless!

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  11. That is wide ranging from antique pouches to a summary of English lit, with weaving, knitting, politics, and chocolate cake in between. Your political scene is such a roller coaster i feel like doing what I had to do in a local bus yesterday - just close my eyes and wait for the end result.

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    1. My ragbag of a blog yields all kinds of subjects. I can't afford to shut my eyes and wait. Civic work to be done around here.

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  12. I admire the weaving so much. And that sweater wow is all I can say.
    Such a wonderful group you are in.
    I hope your blood work is good and you enjoy your son
    Cathy

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    1. The afternoon with handsome son was good.

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  13. I had to look up pancetta. It made lardon look obvious, when I looked it up.

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  14. When I was a young boy I was taught to knit, and once actually completed a pair of socks. My knitting career died there!

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    1. That's pretty skilled stuff! I guess you quit while you were ahead.

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  15. Seeing that pouch reminded me of the originals of the name 'hussif (or husswif)". I think that pouch would fit the description.
    Glad your knitting group encompases crocheters because otherwise we'd miss out on seeing those cute pugs.
    No matter what happens it seems that the US is in for a really rocky political ride.

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    1. Aren't the pugs great? We have knitters, stitchers, crocheters, Tunisian crocherers, spinners, weavers, quilters. People bring whatever's portable, so that's often knitting and crochet.

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