Scarf Construction

[cwbelle]

Re: Scarf Construction

Excuse me, I meant to direct that last post more specifically to Mrs. Terre Lawson.
Thanks!

[GWilson]

Re: Scarf Construction

I noticed in the photo that Brian had posted the man had fringes on his scarf. I looked at another photograph of a scarf that someone was wearing and it didn't have any fringes. ( I couldn't find the photo ). Were fringes very common on scarves?

[Carolann Schmitt]

Re: Scarf Construction

I loved Mrs. Lawson's comment about items in garter stitch by beginning knitters, but I wanted to point out that an item done in garter stitch does not necessarily indicate a beginning knitter. I imagine that Terre's comment may have been true on many occasions, but garter stitch-based patterns are quite common in the mid-19th century, and are typical of early- and mid-Victorian knitted items. Period knitting and needlework manuals list instructions for many items done in garter stitch patterns, and many of the earliest Shetland lace patterns are garter-stitched based.

The measurements I posted and that Karin referenced are from a supplement to Miss Lambert's Guide to Needlework. They are not the only size that a scarf was made in - just a recommendation from one source. And the use of fringe seems to be a knitter's option. I would have to go back and re-check all my primary sources to see if there is a trend one way or the other for using fringe; and even then knitter's preference and the amount of wool available for the project would be additional factors in determining the use of fringe on scarves.

[KarinTimour]

Scarves on the Bertrand

Folks:

This past week in New York I've been very grateful for my scarves and all my outerwear!

As Carolann has noted, there is more than one length to knit a scarf -- on the "Military Authenticity Discussion" Miss Vicki Betts has posted some long quotes from a dissertation that mention scarves found on the Bertram -- 70 inches long, 10 inches wide.

If you want to read more about it, the thread is entitled "Sweaters?"

Sincerely,
Karin Timour
Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid Society
Email: Ktimour@aol.com

[Kate Vogel]

Garter Stitch

I recently happened upon a box of women's dresses from the 1920s at work that was stashed underneath the stairs. While I went through them, I found a few fragments of brown and red yarn and when I got to the bottom of it I found an entire scarf. The accession files date it as being mid 19th century (the woman who opened the museum penciled in "1855?" on the accession sheet she was using at the time). It's entirely done in garter stitch, was done with what is obviously hand spun and dyed wool, and unfortunately has some truly wretched damage caused by mice. I'm in the middle of studying for my exams at the moment, but I'll do a write up of specifics on it once I get back to work and can examine it in earnest. It was knit for a resident of Hartland by his wife, who from her sewing and weaving seems to have been a very accomplished woman as far as fiber arts are concerned. It is brown with several fine stripes of red and white and has brown fringe if I recall correctly.

[KarinTimour]

Re: Scarf Construction

Dear Katie:

That scarf sounds wonderful -- mice damage and all. I don't know where you are working -- would Hartland have been in the Confederacy? If so, a brown scarf with red and white stripes sounds like it was made to show the wearer's allegiance, and I'd strongly suspect that it was made after the war started, though we'll probably never know.

Looking very much forward to the specifics when you get done with exams,
Karin Timour
Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid Society
Email: Ktimour@aol.com

[Kate Vogel]

Re: Scarf Construction

Karin,

Actually, Hartland is in SE Michigan-it's about as North as you can get. ;)

[Skeet]

Re: Scarf Construction

Greetings, I am having a lady at my work knitting me a scarf. In my unit we have 2 members who where them. They are 5 feet long and 7 inches wide. One of them is black and the other is blue. The one I am having done is dark blue and a cross thread of wool/cotton. In the picture it looks like it is black. I really need one at our camp of instruction in March! Your most obiedent servant, Pvt. Daniel D. Morgan, 10th Va

[Kate Vogel]

Dexter Scarf

Here are the specifics on that scarf that I found rotting away in the bottom of a box. It was also playing host to moth larvae, so it is in bad shape in a few places, but it is thankfully in good enough shape to actually study it, but will need to be deaccessioned soon due to moth and mouse damage, a lack of storage space and the previously mentioned infestation.

Mae Dexter's Father's scarf (donated to the Florence B. Dearing Museum in the late 1950s, AN 1060) was knit around 1859, but the record keeping during the 1950s was abysmal at best, so to be on the safe side, I would say plus or minus five years. The other pieces in the collection that belonged to her father all date from 1850-1869.

The primary color used is brown, with red and blue stripes at the ends of the scarf.

Width: nine inches
Length: 74 inches
17 knots of fringe (brown) on each end of the scarf with twelve strands of yarn (three inches long) to each knot

This scarf is entirely knit in a very tight, even garter stitch


cast on nine inches of brown wool
knit seven and a half inches with 13 rows to the inch

*three rows red
five rows blue
three rows red
10 rows brown
(wrong side) five rows red
10 rows brown
repeat three times from * (right side again)
end the striped section with (wrong side) five rows of red

38 inches of brown (13 rows to the inch)

Repeat striped pattern backwards so that you start with
*(wrong side) five rows red
10 rows brown
three rows red (right side again)
five rows blue
thre rows red
10 rows brown
repeat from * three times (wrong side)
end the striped section with (right side) three rows red
five rows blue
three rows red

knit seven and a half inches brown wool

cast off and tie fringe

I'm waiting for my boss to send me the digital pictures she took of this and I will post them when I get the chance to.

[Spinster]

Re: Scarf Construction

Too cute Miss V.---I'm gong out to give the brown vat a stir since its shaping up to be a nice sunny day, and drop a hank of wool in about noon. I've got a surplus of red and blue right now, but the last of my brown is on the needles.

I believe I'd be raising my hand and screaming "pick me, pick me" when it come times for the museum to dispose of this item. Put it in the freezer for a few days (inside a bag) to kill any lingering critters.

While you do say "cast on nine inches", please count the stitches for us, so we can guesstimate the wool size and needle size.

[Kate Vogel]

Re: Scarf Construction

Terre,

I've got first dibs on the scarf once it's officially not property of the museum, sorry. ;) We froze it and it has been picked clean of visible larvae, cocoons, so we'll see how that turns out. I'll count stitches for you when I get home. I'm reproducing it as well and I have been very happy with the results so far.


Katie