Home » Archives for tabitha » Page 8

Author: tabitha

The Blob That Ate My Adventure

So, I know we were planning to continue our Ladies Work-table adventure. And I have done some preliminary work, but the writing style of the book is so antiquated, it’s taking me a bit of effort to translate it into modern knitting terms. I haven’t given up on it; it’s just taking more concentration that I anticipated.

Along the way, my head ended up in the clouds (i.e. I got distracted by Nuvem). I was attracted to the pattern because it claimed to produce a shawl substantial enough to replace a cardigan. This really appealed to me because I really don’t like coats (unless I can have a lovely long trench coat like Doctor Who or Sherlock). I prefer a cape or shawl that I can toss on as I run to the car but then easily remove once I’m back indoors. Hopefully, this will be just the accessory I’ve been looking for.

Read more

Tabitha’s Test Kitchen

In which tabitha tries desperately to replace worn out kitchen gadgets.

 

Who knew that getting a new can opener would be a difficult thing to do. I know I would be considered old-fashioned but I prefer hand-held manual can openers. For one thing, they are quieter and generally faster than their electric counterparts. They also take us less storage space, and most importantly, they don’t require electricity, which makes them handy in a power outage.  Read more

Studying the Map

“No one can look upon THE NEEDLE, without emotion; it is a constant companion throughout the pilgrimage of life.”

Before you begin any journey, you have to take time to prepare. It is important to collect the necessary supplies and to study the map (It’s best to make sure you understand all the symbols and runes).  You wouldn’t want to take a wrong turn in Albuquerque and end up hopelessly lost.

To read our knitting “map”, we have to determine a few things – when the book was written; where it was published;  its target audience.  These details can help us decipher the outdated text. In the case of The Ladies’ Work-Table Book, the book was published in New York in 1844 with young ladies being the target audience. From this information, we can assume that the patterns will use mostly US terms and measurements but the language will be quite formal, a bit flowery, and somewhat archaic – think Dickens or Austen.

With that in mind, let’s explore the materials and tools recommended for knitting and crochet.

Read more

Vintage Adventures

Yes, I know. It has been a ridiculously long time since I did any blogging. I could make excuses or give you pages of explanations but I think I will spare you the gory details and simply say I wasn’t feeling well. Now, let’s move forward.

I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately thanks to the encouragement of the adult summer reading program at my local library. I do much of my reading on a Kindle now so I am constantly searching for inexpensive reading materials.

Read more