Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

KNIT MAN'S SOCKS INSTRUCTIONS

Date Range From

1939

Date Range To

1970

Materials

PAPER, CARDBOARD

No. Pieces

1

Length

27.8

Width

21.5

Description

KNITTING PATTERN. PAPER PATTERN GLUED TO CARDBOARD BACKING. PATTERN DEPPICTS BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOS OF TWO PAIRS OF SOCKS ANDA SKETCH OF A PAIR OF SOCK WEARING CROSSED LEGS PROPED UP IN FRONT OF A FIRE. MARKED "MAN'S SOCKS, MATERIALS: 1 OZ. 4-PLY FINGERING WOOL..." HAND MARKED WITH VARIOUS MEASUREMENTS AND NOTES IN BLUE AND RED PEN AND PENCIL THROUGHOUT. PAPER IS WRINKLED AND TORN ALONG ALL EDGES. GLUE USED TO ADHERE PAPER TO CARDBOARD HAS CAUSED PAPER TO DISCOLOR. PAPER IS YELLOWED THROUGHOUT. GREEN PRICE STICKER STUCK TO CARDBOARD BACKING.

Subjects

TEXTILEWORKING T&E

Historical Association

DOMESTIC

MILITARY

History

ACCORDING TO THE DONOR, WENDY AITKENS IN AN INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY NICOLE HEMBROFF, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT, IN JULY OF 2011, HER MOTHER, KAY JAMIESON NEE FARRIES, PROBABLY GOT THIS PATTERN EITHER BEFORE OR DURING THE WAR. IT GOT TATTERED AND REINFORCED BECAUSE SHE USED IT SO OFTEN. THE DONOR SAID, "DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR, KAY KNIT MANY SOCKS TO SEND TO MEN SERVING IN THE MILITARY. YEARS LATER SHE USED THE SAME PATTERN TO KNIT HIKING SOCKS FOR WENDY." AITKENS SAID HER MOTHER "KNIT ALL OUR SWEATERS, TOUQUES, MITTS AND MOST OF OUR SOCKS. SHE KNIT HEAVY CURLING SWEATERS FOR HERSELF AND DAD. THESE SWEATERS WERE PATTERNED - OFTEN WITH CURLING DESIGNS [ROCKS AND BROOM OR SCOTTISH THISTLE]... MANY OF THE BABY PATTERNS WERE REUSED WHEN TWO GRANDDAUGHTERS WERE BORN. KAY KNIT SWEATERS ALMOST EVERY YEAR FOR THE GIRLS AS THEY GREW OLDER." AITKENS SAID, "MOST WOMEN KNIT IN MY MOTHER'S TIME. IT WAS JUST SOMETHING YOU LEARNED." IN ADDITION, MAKING CLOTHES WAS LESS EXPENSIVE THAN IT IS NOW. "MY BROTHER ALWAYS HAD PULLOVERS AND MY SISTER AND I HAD CARDIGANS. I THINK SHE EVEN KNIT HERSELF A WOOL SUIT.... THE MITTENS [SHE KNIT] ALWAYS HAD IDIOT STRINGS." ACCORDING TO THE DONOR, KAY JAMIESON WAS A WONDERFUL KNITTER AND SHE HAD VERY EVEN TENSION. SHE COULD ALSO ADJUST A PATTERN TO FIT. AITKENS SAID, " SHE WOULD KNIT WHILE VISITING OR WATCHING TV." JAMIESON MOST LIKELY GOT HER KNITTING SUPPLIES FROM EATONS OR KRESGES. EATONS IN PARTICULAR HAD A NICE SELECTION. WOOL IN A WIDE VARIETY OF COLORS WAS THE MATERIAL SHE WORKED WITH, AS THERE WEREN'T MANY SYNTHETICS AROUND IN THOSE DAYS. THE DONOR WAS TAUGHT TO KNIT BY HER MOTHER ALTHOUGH SHE "DIDN'T TAKE IT SERIOUSLY UNTIL I MET LANNY. I WANTED TO KNIT HIM A FISHERMAN'S SWEATER FOR CHRISTMAS." AITKENS' DAUGHTER ROBIN HAS ALSO CONTINUED ON THE FAMILY TRADITION OF KNITTING. SHE HAS SOME OF JAMIESON'S NEEDLES AND BOOKS. AITKENS SAID, "THE FIRST ITEM SHE KNIT WAS A RED SCARF FOR ME." FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE PERMANENT FILE. FOR FAMILY HISTORY SEE P20090030001.

Catalogue Number

P20090031007

Acquisition Date

2009-09

Collection

Museum

Less detail