Thank you Elsje this was wonderful . What i find interesting in this discussion , that rarely any info was [or is now] found from the East [ Middle East] from where this Blessed art originates. Climate asc well as most people being Numads at least part of the year, haven`t left much written material, about the techingues in which it was done. But please rmember that Much info isn`t known , most is quite recent info, and speaks more of the last centuries than about the Former ages. Just a thought ,, reading all this Beautiful info. mirjam
In article , snipped-for-privacy@actcom.co.il (Mirjam Bruck-Cohen) wrote:
Mirjam, both articles base their information, on Dutch and English historian's writings (Dr. Hendrik Wiegersma). Indeed these details were all collected during the early Twentieth century. A comment in one of these articles said that lots of know how was based on the finding, and studying of the Breischede itself. The ones found in the Netherlands, and neighborouring country Belgium, as well as from England, and Scotland. Do not forget that at that time in Holland there were still men and woman using this tool, and that in itself brought lots of good insights on how it was used. The knitting itself was done with small differences. However when you think about it, we all have the use of two hands, and we also know that there are two basic stitches. So the rest are small variations on a theme, such as how to hold the knitting needles, and knitting with the thread around your neck, using hooks at the end of your knitting needles as some of the South American native indians do. They got their techniques from the Portuguese and Spanjards. Now you have a trail back to the beginning, since those two countries had close relationships, friendly or unfriendly with North Africa, and the countries around the Mediterranean Sea. A close Dutch friend went on a trip to South America, and brought back a small hand knitted bag for me. She watched the man she bought it from, knit it. He had the thread wrapped around his neck first, running from the ball pinned to his jacked. He used very fine knitting needles with indeed little hooks on the end.
Those little bits of historical textile nuggets are great to gather.
OK back to real work here, have a great day everyone
You know of course that the first knitting needles looked more like crochet needles they had hook at the end .. Still i tottaly agree with Elizabeth Wayland Barber`s insight, that male Archeologists or Non Textilic working researchers, who did those kinds of researches were not always aware of all the facts, or how this tools were REALLY used . . Alas in my experience i get every year a student or 2 from some Archelogy department , researching some Textilic related matter, The IDEAS some of those professors have , arising from the plain fact "that THEY NEVER TRIED it themselves" Illuminates Professor` Wayland Barber`s remark. Thus whenever i read any such research i try and do it myself.. Many years ago i was lucky to have a neighbour who came from a country where people knitted with all this methods . She willingly taught me , and i even excelled at it. But it was very useless to me since i didn`t knit while walking on the road in the mountains. i usually do it sitting [ sometimes standing] in buses, trains, doctor`s waiting rooms , bank lines, etc,,,, if i had on those contraptions, it would be Unefficcient , cause distractions etc.... having my knitting or other handcraft in a little cloth bag [ no nylon noises] into which ican quickly push my work when i have to move in my line , enter the doc`s room , get off the bus ,,,, is more efficient and even SAFER for me and others .... I live NOW here and i don`t walk those old pastures. i adjusted my Style of work to my life now. Maybe i sound a bit strong about this subject , but it parrallels other debates going on in other parts of life. In my Art i have professional debates with `conventional` artists, who feeling that Fiberart is gaining slowly a position, [ and it is still far from being shown as much as painting/sculpture] but those artists feel threatened,and thus the New trend is painting and than Glue some threads or old embroidery here and there over the painted canvas and claim "we do Fiberart As well !!!" . This than gives Curtaors, the `wonderful` excuse when Fiberartists complain, about the fiberart not being shown enough, That They Show `fiberart`, and they point than at some photographs or camvasses that have some threads stiched here and there .... I am al for learning new and old things , but i am also for taking the things in proprtion of time, of us the makers now,, not the makers of than . mirjam
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