A few years ago I met my parents in New York. I had taken
the train to New Jersey and after getting all turned around and my Dad rescuing
me from Hackensack, NJ, we were enjoying a nice evening outside the camper. The
plan was that after our weekend exploring NY, we would drive together to my aunt's, where I was living in W.V. Since this was the plan my mom brought
somethings of mine that were still in NH. Amongst the things was a silver and
red tube.
Inside the silver and red tube was a small collection of
knitting tools that I had never seen before. It had been my Great
Grandmother’s, who was an avid knitter. They would go on vacation to Maine and
she would knit one sock on the way up and the match on the way down. When she got
older she made every one of us Great Grandkid’s a pair of mittens. They were
the warmest and best mittens in the world. I have yet to find a store bought
brand (that aren’t leather) mittens that live up to the warmth, and dryness
of those mittens. When they started to feel wet that was the sign for us all to
go inside.
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| Grandma's knitting needles |
Now this tube was a treasure trove, a history of knitting in
one little package. There were plastic, metal, pin, circular, and double
pointed almost an entire histories worth of samples of knitting in one little
tube. You see the earliest form of knitting is done on double pointed needles
in the round. All paintings done of knitting show this method. At first there
was no name for the art, early mentions of it call it knotting, interwoven,
mesh and net. It isn’t until 1527 in Paris that a capknitters’ guild under the
patronage of St. Fiacra (An Irish man but mistaken as a Scott by the French at
that time) actually makes it known that in deed there are knitters guilds.
Double pointed needles are how these hats would have been made by the Guild.
Same for any sweaters, mittens and socks made, they were all knit in the round,
on double pointed needles.
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| A. double pointed B+C Pin needles D.Early circulars |
Double pointed needles would be the main way to knit
anything until 1842 when it is noted that “a knob was sometimes put on the end
of a needle.”
This was to prevent the
yarn from being pushed off when you were working but for some project like
scarfs, and sweaters that are pieced together, this is useful. In the
Dictionary of needle work in 1882 the pin needle is mentioned. Soon enough the
pin need the most recognized knitting needle of our time takes its place among
knitters.
Most recently is the invention of the circular needle. Now
it isn’t exactly circular rather it is a double pointed needle with a flexible
piece in the center of it. Some have tips that can be interchanged. The
earliest were made of steel like cable. They make knitting socks easy and you
aren’t afraid to lose your needle but if poorly made they come apart easy and
your yarn can get caught on the joint between where the needle and cable meet.
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| One can never have too many knitting needles of all shapes and sizes. |
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| Other tools include starting top left: cable needle, stitch markers, stitch holders, neeedles, and crochet hooks, |
Every needle is useful, they come in all shapes and sizes
and give us warm mittens and sweaters. So here is to an old fashion tool, for
an art that is making a comeback.
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