Thursday, March 15, 2007

Ain't it Sweet

Denise Interchangeables came today! Now I can start on the Baby Bolero, a more challenging project for a newbie like me. I am not sure I can keep up to the same pace as my fellow knitting bloggers. I will cast it on to get a feel for the needles and put it aside until the second baby hat is done.

I am really intrigued by this knitting jewellery I have seen lately. Might have to give it a whirl.

Today was a whirlwind. We went to a nearby heritage village and enjoyed pancakes and syrup. Between my sister-in-law and I we have six kids under nine. Our youngest ones are going to be the ages one, two, three, and four in the next few months so it is busy when we all get together, but quite fun. I am pausing for a moment to imagine if they were all mine — gulp.

All these kids make me think of one of my favourite books of last year, The Birth House by Amy McKay. It is a great book about friends, mothers, midwifery and the Occasional Knitters Society (everyone should be a member). And so, I leave you with this nugget of knitting knowledge to impress your friends with:

During World War I many women all across Canada joined together in the practice of knitting items for the soldiers. The Red Cross slogan, "Knit Your Bit" and songs such as "I Wonder Who's Knitting for Me" became part of the popular culture. Thrumming - a knitting technique used in Newfoundland and most of Atlantic Canada - is a process where pieces of roving are worked into mittens, hats, and socks. It makes them amazingly warm and almost waterproof. (Which is why soldiers were known to trade almost anything for a pair of socks knit by a Newfoundlander.) Borrowed from www.thebirthhouse.com





2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah! Give that knitted jewellery a whirl. I would like to see it in action.
Our Tuesday night knit group is called the occasional knitters, you can be a satellite member.

a friend to knit with said...

hope you like your denise's! Thanks for the ww1 piece! It always amazes me......how profound knitting is! great pics