Name
Lecture: History of Knitting: Reviving an Old Tool (NEW!)
Date & Time
Saturday, November 4, 2017, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Photos
Session Type:
Lecture
Skill Level:
All Levels Welcome
Teacher
June Hemmons Hiatt
Category
Lecture
Class Details:
Join June Hemmons Hiatt, author of The Principles of Knitting, for a slide show and talk about the history of an old, nearly forgotten tool called a knitting belt, knitting stick, or sheath. Once used throughout Europe by professional hand-knitters until about a century ago, these devices gradually disappeared everywhere except in Shetland, where they are still used. Worn at waist or hip, the tool supports the right needle in a fixed position. With no need to hold the needle, the right hand is free to manage the yarn, allowing the knitter to achieve remarkable speed with little effort or fatigue, and produce a very even fabric. June will relate how she first learned about these devices and began to knit this way, and what she has learned since about their history, who used them, and why they have almost disappeared. The talk is accompanied by slides that illustrate the history of knitting, the charming variety of tools like this found in museums, and videos showing how they are used.
Homework:
None
Supplies to Bring:
None
Length of Class
1 hour lecture
Day
Saturday