atherleisure | Entries tagged with victorian knitting

I dropped my first stitch when working with size 6/0 needles. It wasn't fun picking it back up. Fortunately it had only run a few rows, but I'm not quite sure I got it quite right. I couldn't tell looking at the pattern so no else will be able to tell either. I was so glad I had a crochet hook small enough to pick it up with.

It took months to get around to sewing the soles on my new slippers, but I finally did it over the weekend.

Even though I traced a pair of shoes that are pretty close-fitting, they still seem quite big. Oh, well. They'll do. The pattern was published in 1901. Here's the Ravelry page: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/MCBurbage/ladies-bedroom-slippers

A dozen or so years ago I made a pair of knit garters for a friend. When we met up in Williamsburg a few weeks ago, she asked if I could fix them for her, but they were in pretty bad shape. It's nice to know a gift was so well-used. My Regency/early Victorian garters that I made around the same time were still in really good shape since I only use them for 1790's through 1840's. Since I had them with me and don't even like purple, I gave them to her and decided to knit a new pair for myself. I looked at what yarns I had and found that there was plenty of coral-pink fingering weight yarn left from my 1930's Eleanor sweater so I used that. Now I have new garters.

They're practically the same as the old ones except that the old ones were 20 stitches wide on size US1 needles and the new ones are 19 stitches wide on size US1.5 needles. Why? I bought the US1.5 needles recently and hadn't used them. No better reason.

One more ball of yarn out of the box!

I finished the 1901 leaf mat I was knitting. I knit the center section a few weeks ago and then knit the edging last weekend while driving up to Denton and then down to College Station and back. I blocked it during the week and then sewed it to the center section on Saturday. Project done and photographed and posted!

I knit the center part of a mat from the same Fancy and Practical Knitting that I got the bicycling sweater pattern from a few weeks ago. I cast on the edging but haven't gone very far on it yet.

The yarn is a firmly twisted cotton that is probably a #10. I bought it with a view to making a blanket with one of the quilt square patterns from Weldon's Practical Knitter, but I really didn't like how the first square I made came out. It just didn't look like I wanted it to. I think it needs a softer yarn. A doily-type object looks much better with it. Fortunately, I only paid a dollar a skein for it. (Or was it half a dollar per skein?)

Why is it so hard to get worked up about taking pictures of things? I now have a 1901 split skirt and bicycling sweater, a 1919 cape sweater, an 1890's corset, and a few silk 1930's and 40's undergarments that are finished that I'm struggling to get worked up to taking pictures of. Goal for the weekend: Put on and take pictures of the 1901 bicycling outfit.

Since the cape pieces get big, I started a small project that would be more portable. It's a pair of slippers from the same book as the bicycling sweater, Butterick's Fancy and Practical Knitting. The same pattern is in both the 1897 and 1901 editions.

I finished the first upper today.

It blithely tells you to sew the uppers to soles so I presumed you used to be able to purchase soles. I've seen quite a few patterns from the Victorian era through the 1940's that are just for the uppers for slippers. Evidently you can still buy soles, though I had presumed that was a thing of the past. That being said, a lot of the hits were for Etsy shops overseas so they're clearly not available in the same way they used to be. (Knit Picks carries some two-piece soles but not single piece soles, which seems weird.)

About half of my time this year was spent cross-stitching, which takes a lot of time, but I still made quite a few things. I’m pleased with what I made, but I didn’t make my new favorite thing. There are a couple of things that I still need to get pictures of, but since it’s already January 10, I decided to go ahead and post this and fill them in later.

( This year’s projects behind the cut )

I finished the knitting on my 1901 bicycling sweater yesterday. I'd like to get it assembled over the weekend, but we'll see. I also just kind of want to work on the "Street Scene" cross-stitch today.

Knowing I was close to finishing the bicycling sweater, I cast on a 1919 cape sweater that I think will be really cool. I'm about fifty rows into it. It's garter stitch like so many c. 1920 sweaters seem to be, which makes it super easy. At some point it might not be a particularly portable project because it's basically made in two pieces with just the collar and belt done separately. We shall see. At any rate, I hope it will make good winter knitting when a pile of wool in the lap isn't so objectionable.

I had barely enough yarn to finish the row.

I'm three rows short of casting off for the shoulders on the back of my 1901 bicycling sweater.

I made some knitting progress this week.

1. I finally sewed together the pieces of the red sweater to go with the cabled cardigan I made a few months ago. That project is now finished.

2. I finished knitting the front of the 1901 bicycling sweater. So much ribbing. I cast on the back and am a dozen rows into it.

It's the weekend, and I have goals.

1. I finished knitting the second sleeve of the red shell to go with the cabled sweater I made earlier this year. I'd like to get that made up this weekend.
2. I finished the cross-stitching and started the outlining on my daughter's Christmas stocking. I'd like to get that finished this weekend and sew up the stocking.
3. A couple of weeks ago when it was nice out, we started putting together a rack to go over the garage door. Then it got hot again. This weekend is supposed to be in the 80's so I'd like to get it finished.
4. Now that the knitting is finished on the red sweater, it's time to start the 1901 bicycling sweater. I cast on a swatch last night and would like to finish that, decide which needles I want, and cast it on.
5. I've been working on a birthday present for my daughter. She'll be gone all day Saturday at a marching contest so I'm hoping to get about another quarter of it finished.

I don't know that I'll do all that because I also have errands to run and a house to have ready for company next week and more trim in the living room that I want to paint.

If by any chance I get through all of the work and the stated goals, it would be great to start the Christmas stocking for my second daughter.

I sat down to look at the pattern for the 1919 sweater cape I want to make this week. That one was a bit of a puzzler. For awhile I thought that their stitch counts and row counts were all messed up, but then I finally figured out that they had just written it differently from any other pattern I've ever followed. I finally got my head wrapped around it so I think after I make it, I may put my translation up on Ravelry so that if anyone else is interested in making it, they can read what I came up with. I think it's right...

Usually when a pattern says to increase one stitch every sixth row six times, they're saying that you should knit thirty-six rows before the next instruction in the pattern (or sometimes they mean to knit 31 rows). Here it's more like start increasing one stitch every sixth row while you're knitting the number of rows in the next instruction, which is neither 36 nor 31.

That being said, I think there are two errors in the pattern, but one of them is a substitution of "rows" for "ridges," and the other is to pick up 640 stitches along the hem, which doesn't quite mesh with the number of rows that you're picking up stitches on.

I ended up doing tons of stocking knitting over the weekend and finished my knickerbocker stockings. Now I only have two knitting projects in progress. I'm going to work on finishing the red cardigan, now that I have the yarn for it, before I get back to the brown sweater.

I wove in the ends and took a picture of my first stocking.

1890’s Knickerbocker Stocking in Balantyre Plaid

I've started the second one. I had to wait for a fair bit at the optometrist's office yesterday so I got through the cuff and into the pattern section.

I finished the first of my 1890's knickerbocker stockings. I think they'll be lovely and warm and soft in the winter. They're quite thick since they're basically two layers of sportweight wool. I'll get a picture after I weave in the ends.

I finished knitting all the pieces and parts for a 1930’s or 40’s purse and beret. I started putting them together, but I ran out of crinoline, which is used to give both the bag and hat structure. I’ll have to get more. The dress they go with is nearly finished. I intend to hem it tonight, which will finish it except for two non-functional buttons. I didn’t really like what I had so will look at the store when I go to get crinoline.

I really liked the yarn that I used for them so I bought more to make the knickerbocker shooting stockings I’ve had my eye on for quite awhile. Not that there’s any rush, but I went ahead and cast the first stocking on last night since I’m not that excited about the sweater I’m working on. (It’s fine, but I’m excited about the stockings, which I had tried to start a few weeks ago only to find that the yarn that I had bought for them a couple of years ago didn’t even work when doubled.)

I finally finished the 1902 vest. It's been sitting for a couple of months waiting for ribbons. I bought some at JoAnn yesterday so it's finally done.

I'm glad it's done, and I'll wear it the next time I do early 1900's. At least now I have a period chemise that isn't part of a combination undergarment so I can wear my combination corset cover and drawers happily.

Last night I finally sat down to finish off the 1902 vest. I ran a ribbon around the neck and then started weaving ribbon through the mesh at the front of the bust. I got about halfway through and ran out of the spool of ribbon. So much for thinking I had almost ten meters. I must have used most of the spool for something, though I can't think of what offhand and can't be bothered to look it up.

So the perfect color ribbon that I had wasn't long enough and was too battered. The ribbon I ordered was too vibrantly pink. The ribbon I decided to fall back on was way too short. What's next? I'm seriously thinking I'll just go to JoAnn and get a spool of polyester ribbon. At least I can choose a color in person. It's not like anyone is ever going to see this as a next-to-the-skin garment.

I've been making progress on (almost) all the projects I have in hand right now.

1920 tuxedo sweater: I've finished knitting the body, the belt, and one pocket. I've cast on the second pocket. I've knit as much of the collar as I can and have now run out of yarn. I will finish knitting the second pocket and sew all the green pieces together, but then this will be on hold until I buy more white yarn.

"Street Scene" cross-stitch: I finished the third row of blocks on the seventh page last night.

1860's dress: I'm nearly finished. The skirt is complete. The bodice is functionally complete except for a couple of hooks at the waist. I'm in the process of trimming it. Then I need to make cuffs for it and baste them in. I also need to baste it to the skirt.

1902 vest: This is the one thing that hasn't seen any progress. I got pink ribbon, but the pink is very pink and looks terrible with the mustier pink of the yarn. I don't love ivory ribbon with it, but I think matching pinks online is going to be more trouble than it's worth. I'll just use the ivory.

Going forward:

I'm wearing the 1860's dress next weekend so I need to finish it. Then I ought to spend a night or two finishing off the 1902 vest just because it's been lingering for so long. I expect to finish knitting the second pocket for the tuxedo sweater so I also ought to sew together that so that it's as done as it can be at present. Then I need to make a pair of culottes for my daughter before I start on the 1826 promenade dress.

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At Her Leisure

An account of a lady's leisure hours

Entries tagged with victorian knitting

First Dropped Stitch

Finally!

New Garters

1901 Leaf Mat

Finished but Not Finished

Why So Hard?

Slipper Upper

2024 In Review

Knitting Finished

Barely Enough

Knitting

Weekend Goals

Puzzling Through

Stockings

Stocking

Halfway

Time for More Crinoline

Finally

Continuation of the Ribbon Saga

Moving Along