The Old Hand Knitters Of The
Dales by Marie Hartley
& Joan Ingilby
Hand Knitting
Probably the most comprehensive
account of the social and economic importance of knitting throughout
history can be found in 'The Old Hand-Knitters Of The Dales'
by Marie Hartley & Joan Ingilby. Not only was knitting a
source of much needed income for the poor (especially in rural
communities) but also a craft that brought people together. Moving
on rotation from house to house in the evening, knitters (both
men and women) would sit in the dark (the candles snuffed out
to preserve the wax) and exchange gossip and tell stories. Knitting
songs, like sea shanties, were sung to pass the time and encourage
the knitters to greater speed.
Wordsworth writes in 'Michael', (1800):
'.....while far into the night
The housewife plied her own peculiar work,
Making the cottage through the silent hours
Murmur as with the sound of summer flies.'
The Old Hand Knitters Of The Dales - back cover text:
'For centuries, hand knitting was a way of life for the dalesfolk of Yorkshire and Cumbria. They knitted as they drove the cattle to the fields, as they walked to market, and as they gossiped and sang around the fire on winter evenings. The few pennies they earned from making stockings, jerseys, caps and bonnets were a vital source of extra income.
Today little remains of the industry except the spinning galleries of old Westmorland and the carved wooden knitting sticks found in museums and private collections. But when Marie Hartley and Joan Ingilby set out to research this much neglected aspect of Dales heritage in the late 1940s, it was still possible to watch older residents demonstrate the traditional rhythmic up-and-down 'swaving' movements and buy hand-knitted garments in village shops.
From the camaraderie of Robert Southey's 'terrible knitters e' Dent' to the trials and tribulations of the local mill owners, Yorkshire's most celebrated historians have stitched together personal recollections, documentary evidence and their in-depth knowledge of the Dales in this new and updated edition of a classic work.
Robert Rutt, in his A History of Hand Knitting, said of this book: 'It's influence has been great and good'.'
The Old Hand Knitters Of The Dales
Published by:
Dalesman Publishing Co. Ltd.
Stable Courtyard,
Broughton Hall,
Skipton
North Yorkshire BD23 3AZ
00 44 (0) 1756 701381
The Hand Knitted Elvis Wig
The hand knitted Elvis wig pattern is here and FREE. Brainchild of artist and Shed head Simon Thackray, the knitted Elvis wig was specially designed by Sirdar to coincide with the world's first North Yorkshire Elvis Bus Tour.
 The
Shed's Autumn Programme 2007 |
The Shed's Special Projects
"Weird and wonderful" Daily Telegraph
| Simon Thackray - "performs miracles from his eyrie" Yorkshire Post |
| The Shed Gigs Booking Now - "The smallest show on earth" Guardian |
| Lol Coxhill in a skip - "His latest scheme is rubbish." Guardian |
| Knitted Elvis Wigs - Vogue Knitting and No.1 on Google! |
| The Fish & Chip Van Tour - on the Richard and Judy Show |
| The Yorkshire Pudding Boat Race - Big Breakfast to Sky News |
| North Yorkshire Elvis Bus Tour - Afternoon Play on Radio 4 |
| Mrs Boyes' Bingo - featuring Mark Sanders |
| The Shed Comes To Town - and Malton comes to life! |
| Hat - the original knitting performance |
Trademarks
and Copyright TOP
The Shed® and The Yorkshire
Pudding Boat Race® are registered trademarks
of Simon Thackray T/A The Shed. © Simon Thackray 1992 -
2007.
Yorkshire Pudding Boat™ is a trademark © Simon Thackray.
Address,
Telephone
The Shed, Brawby, Malton,
North Yorkshire YO17 6PY
Telephone +44 (0) 1653 668494
The Shed is supported by Arts
Council England, Yorkshire
and Ryedale District Council.