Knitting on point

I will be the first to say some of my ideas can be a bit on the borderline crazy. One of those ideas came to me back when I started my research on the history of knitting. It started when I was trying to track down when different types of knitting needles came about. When I was able to track down knitting beginning around the 14^th century and was done in the round. I had already guessed earlier knitting was done on double pointed or pin-needles but further research not only proved that pin-needles weren’t around until the late 1700s early 1800s but circular needles didn’t appear until around 1940s. Have I ever mentioned I love it when my instincts are right?

The Madonna Knitting c. 1400. She is making a seamless garment with double pointed needles and if you look closer there are two colors of yarn. This is thought to be the oldest image of knitting

Images I found and continue to find showed that image. People, both male and female knitting in the round on double pointed needles. Now I learned how to knit socks on circular needles but after doing a few hats on double points I decided to do it on socks. The first thing I noticed that although I was fearful of losing one of the empty needle, I didn’t. The next part was a nice little surprise. I now didn’t have to do any math beyond gaging to do my socks. I hate math so this was an extremely pleasant surprise. It almost does the math on its own. Heels are perfectly set up on the needles that the math almost does itself.

A girl knitting with double pointed needles in the Faroe Islands. Note she is working with two colors hanging from her waist and four needles, three with the holding the project one working the stitches.

I then decided to try it on a 17^th century sweater. The problem with this is they don’t make double pointed knitting needles that you can buy long enough for knitting a sweater. Hats, mittens and socks yep, but sweaters nope. If you’ve been following my blog over the last year you know that I did make some long enough. What I have found was awkwardness. After a while the awkwardness has gone away, the movements have gotten smoother, and the unfinished needles got smoother too.

A sock knitter in 1646 from the Victorian and Albert Museum. again working with two yarns probably 2 colors and I love how he has socks draped over his sholder.

I may never use circular needles again.