About Weldon's Practical Needlework

From Interweave Press:

About 1885, Weldon’s began publishing a series of fourteen-page monthly newsletters, available by subscription, each title featuring patterns and instructions for projects using a single technique.

About 1888, the company began to publish Weldon’s Practical Needlework, each volume of which consisted of twelve issues (one year) of several newsletters bound together with a cloth cover.

Each volume contains hundreds of projects, illustrations, information on little-known techniques, glimpses of fashion as it was at the turn of the twentieth century, and brief histories of needlework. Other techniques treated include making objects from crinkled paper, tatting, netting, beading, patchwork, crewelwork, appliqué, cross-stitch, canvaswork, ivory embroidery, torchon lace, and much more.

From 1999 through 2005, Interweave published facsimiles of the first twelve volumes of Weldon’s Practical Needlework.
Showing posts with label Week 2 Knee-caps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Week 2 Knee-caps. Show all posts

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Week 2: Knitted Knee-Caps Pattern is Ready

The knitted knee-caps earned a "two thumbs up" from our model, a high school runner.  She is negotiating a pair in return for her modeling chores.

You can download the free pattern here
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Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Week 2: Knee-Caps

I finished Knee-Cap #1 last night.  This is a pretty straightforward pattern, nothing fancy in the knitting.  And I think they are actually a pretty good idea for someone with achy knees.

However, they are not designed for someone with CHUBBY legs.  Too small for me.  I'm sure they would fit a Victorian leg just fine, and most likely someone with slim legs (or not fat ones anyway) would be able to wear them.  But a Chub-Deb?  Nope.

I'll knit the second one today, and find a suitably slim model to show how they fit.  I couldn't find any crimson yarn in the stash that worked, so went with gray Morehouse Farm Merino 3-Strand Wool, which is nice and soft.
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Sunday, January 8, 2012

Week 2: Knitted Knee-Caps In Red Wool

I am still "easing into" the projects by choosing some simpler patterns to start with.  This week's project is "knee-caps", which will be knit on US #4 needles, in worsted weight yarn.  The original pattern calls for "Crimson 3 thread superfine fleecy wool" which is roughly equivalent to worsted weight.

I tried Cascade 220 yarn but it was too thick for the #4 needles.  So I'm using Merino 3 Strand by Morehouse Farm, which is nice and soft, as I imagine a fleecy wool would be.  It's not crimson though, I only have gray.  Sad, I wanted red knee-caps!

What ARE knee-caps?  If you are of a certain age, you have experienced those days when your knees complain with an arthritic kind of ache.  You may have spent a long day on the ski slopes, or running a 10K race, or gardening...or some other activity that put stress on the old knees.  Knee caps are just the thing to coddle and soothe your achy joints!

Victorian houses lacked central heating and older folks would have been especially susceptible to drafts and cold air.  Things like knee-caps, wristers, mitts and night caps would have been handy to keep warm.
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