knit suspender pattern

[hiplainsyank]

Friends, I have read that braces/suspenders were sometimes knit during the Civil War era, and have searched for a pattern here and a few other places (Ragged Soldier, AGSAS), and have been unable to find one. I have some nice leftover wool yarn and thought I might knit a pair.

Did they use patterns for this rather simple-sounding task, or do any of you know where one might be had?

Thank you for your help.

[Matthew Semple]

Re: knit suspender pattern

I have not come across references on braces (suspenders) knited out of wool yarn. I am familiar with crocheted silk braces.

Mark Jaeger posted scans of Godey's Ladies Magazine which gave directions on how to crochet braces out of silk. Click on the godeysep63braces.pdf and the godeyapr64braces.pdf files on this thread:

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5632&highlight=godey%27s

These directions do not use a pattern. You might be able to adapt them to your needs.

[Silvana Siddali]

Re: knit suspender pattern

Could you tell me where you saw the reference to knitted suspenders? I'm always on the hunt for references to period knitting.

Crocheted suspenders would probably work better anyway, since crochet is less elastic. I'm wondering whether knitting wouldn't have too much "give" to work well?

[johnf1862]

Re: knit suspender pattern

In my collection I happen to have (one) brace almost identical to the one illustrated in the 1864 Godey pattern. The differences being that this one has webbing sewn to the back and the appendages are different as well. The piece measures 2" x 33" and is all handsewn. The date "1864" is crocheted onto the front (?) of the piece, the same year the Godey's pattern is dated.

The images are rather prodigious...sorry.

[KathyBradford]

Re: knit suspender pattern

That's a beauty! Thank you for sharing your pictures, John.

[hiplainsyank]

Re: knit suspender pattern

I cannot recall exactly where I originally got this idea in my head, but this morning when I first began searching for a pattern or example, I came across this from the Blockade Runner website when I Googled "civil war knit suspenders":

A Blockaded Family in Southern Alabama

A Blockaded Family page 95.
Of course braid and tape could not be bought, nor cold we weave that sufficiently narrow to make a neat appearance on dress goods; but we soon found that long "chains" of crochet thread wold answer nicely for braiding. Balls of it were crocheted of various colors; black, white, red, blue and dark brown were the colors most used. It was braided on in various ways; sometimes singly, at times we would sew three or four chains together of colors to blend making the tape an inch or more wide.

A Blockaded Family in Alabama.
Page 49.
We soon became very apt at knitting and crocheting useful as well as ornamental woolen notions, such as capes, sacques, vandykes, shawls, gloves, socks, stockings, and mens suspenders. Our needles for such knitting were made of seasoned hickory or oakwood a foot long or even longer.

A Blockaded Family in Alabama.
Page 50.
Handsome mittens were knit or crocheted of the same lamb's wool dyed jet black, gray, garnet or whatever color was preferred. A bordering of vines, with green leaves and rosebuds of bright colors, was deftly knitted in on the edge and top of the gloves.

[Spinster]

Re: knit suspender pattern

The date "1864" is crocheted onto the front (?) of the piece, the same year the Godey's pattern is dated.

The images are rather prodigious...sorry.

Actually, those detailed images are wonderful---and a close inspection of them indicates that the braces are needlepoint on canvas rather than crochet--------still certainly a wonderfull period piece!

[hiplainsyank]

Re: knit suspender pattern

this time I googled "knit galluses" and came up with this, from Huckleberry Finn of all places:

One of these fellows was about seventy or upwards, and had a bald head and very gray whiskers. He had an old battered-up slouch hat on, and a greasy blue woollen shirt, and ragged old blue jeans britches stuffed into his boot-tops, and home-knit galluses -- no, he only had one. He had an old long-tailed blue jeans coat with slick brass buttons flung over his arm, and both of them had big, fat, ratty-looking carpet-bags.

[hiplainsyank]

Re: knit suspender pattern

Further, this from a history of the Disciples of Christ church in California during the Gold Rush:

"Bro. Mac," as he was commonly called in after years, at that time was tall and spare. He had almost a red head, and a florid complexion. He was dressed for the occasion of his first sermon in California in home-spun, convention, "Kentucky blue jean" trousers, a "hickory shirt," and yarn knit "galluses" and no coat.

[hiplainsyank]

Re: knit suspender pattern

And from an online history of the settlement of Iowa (appears to be referings 1840s as well):

Settlers dressed just as they could. Until general stores were at hand, clothing was home made. The garments brought from the old home to the new by the immigrants were made to last a long time. The family that possessed a loom was deemed fortunate, and ability to weave jeans was ranked far ahead of piano playing.

Wolf skin, raccoon skin, and other fur were popular for caps for the men. Wool hats also were favored. The women wore calico sunbonnets or quilted hoods. Jeans cloth was dyed in the dark of the back walnut, or might not be dyed at all. Pantaloons were held up by knit "galluses", drawn tight. The coat might be a blouse, with straps sewed to the back so that they could be buttoned in the middle, as a half belt.

[hiplainsyank]

Re: knit suspender pattern

This, from a 1902 edition of an Arlington, TX, newspaper, which here is quoting from a Washington Post article:

What has become of the old-fashioned man who wore a paper collar and who brought the printers a jug of cider when he came to town at the last season of the year, and who later on, about hog-killing time, brought the editor enough back-bone and tenderloin to last a week? It was this same old-fashioned man who drank sassafras tea in the spring to thin his blood and who wore suspenders which he called “galluses,” knit from the wool grown on the backs of his own sheep.

It's unclar whether"old-fashioned" applies to the term "galluses" or knit ones, my guess is both.

[hiplainsyank]

Re: knit suspender pattern

The the Civil War letters of William Laban Brown, a member of the 3rd TN Cav (US). This particular letter was from May 1865, so apparently these galluses he refers to have stood the wear and tear of the field:


Well boys, I guess you are fixing to plant corn. The woods are right green here and have been for 2 weeks. I wish I was there to help you work. Well, Mary Jane, I have the galluses you knit for me yet. Well, Hariet I want [to] hear from you. Well, Mother I think I have got to be tolerably good cook.


There were a few other interesting historical references to "knit galluses" but I thought these probably sufficed. Apparently they were worn by working/lower class people, or by settlers away from stores.

[markj]

Re: knit suspender pattern

In case you haven't already been provided the patterns:

March, 1855
Godey's Lady's Book
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Vol L page 260

GENTLEMEN'S KNITTED << BRACES>> .

Materials.&#151 Rich, dark blue, or crimson crochet silk; two knitting-needles, No. 14.

Cast on 19 stitches.

1st row.&#151 Knit 2, m 1, k 1, slip 1, k 1, pass the slip stitch over, p 1, k 2 t, k 1, p 1, k 1, slip 1, k 1, pass the slip stitch over, p 1, k 2 t,
k 1, m 1, k 2.

2d.&#151 Purl 5, k 1, p 2, k 1, p 2, k 1, p 5.

3d.&#151 Knit 2, m 1, k 1, m 1, slip 1, k 1, pass the slip stitch over, p 1, k 2 t, p 1, slip 1, k 1, pass the slip stitch over, m 1, k 1, m 1, k 2.

4th.&#151 Purl 6, k 1, p 1, k 1, p 1, k 1, p 6.

5th.&#151 Knit 2, m 1, k 3, m 1, slip 1,k 2 t, pass the slip stitch over, p 1, slip 1, k 2 t, pass the slip stitch over, m 1, k 3, m 1, k 2.

6th.&#151 Purl 8, k 1, p 8.
7th.&#151 Knit 2, m 1, k 5, m 1, slip 1, k 2 t, pass the slip stitch over, m 1, k 5, m 1, k 2.

8th.&#151 Purled.

Repeat this pattern until you have done the length required for one-half of the << braces>> . Then cast on, and do another length. When made up, they should be lined with white Petersham ribbon, and finished with white kid trimmings.



August, 1861
Godey's Lady's Book
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Vol LXIII Page 161

KNITTED << BRACES>> .

Materials.&#151 Knitting cotton, No. 6; two knitting needles, No. 15, bell gauge.

THE great charm in these << braces>> is the readiness with which they can be washed; so that they may be changed at least once a week. The only fittings required are two broad buckles, attached, to loops of buckskin leather, through which are slipped leather straps having a button-hole cut at each end. There is a buttonhole made in the knitting itself at the other extremity of each brace; so that the only thing to be done is to detach the << braces>> from the buckles, and replace them with a clean pair every week.

Cast on twenty stitches, and knit in plain garter-stitch about a finger-length, as tightly as possible. Begin the brioche stitch thus: m 1, slip 1, knit 1. You thus increase to thirty in this row; and after it, do the ordinary brioche stitch for three and a half to four and a half finger-lengths, according to the height of the wearer. Knit nearly a finger in plain stitch, contracting to the original twenty in the first row; then, for the button-hole, knit backwards and forwards ten stitches only; then the other ten only; then eight rows the entire width after which, knit together the two first stitches and the two last except the edge stitch, in every alternate row, until ten only are left, when cast off.

To make a good edge, slip the needle in the first stitch, as if you were going to purl it; and take it off without knitting, in every row, whether plain or brioche, throughout.

Fasten off the ends securely.

Those who knit very loosely should use needles somewhat finer, as it is essential the << braces>> should be closely woven and strong.

************************************************** ************************

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[markj]

Re: knit suspender pattern

Here's another pattern, although it leaves much to be desired in its specificity. If you need more info, let me know.

February, 1870
Godey's Lady's Book
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Vol LXXX Page 180

GENTLEMAN'S KNITTED << BRACES>> .

THESE << braces>> are very easy to make. They are knitted plain with gray cotton, and joined together at the back with a piece of gray calico, stitched on double. For each brace, cast on 58 stitches on middle-sized steel knitting-needles, knit the cross way in rows till the brace is long enough. Our pattern is eighteen inches long. The << braces>> are then completed with straps of gray calico, neatly stitched, and fitted up with eyelet-holes and buckles, as seen in illustration. The ends of the straps are finished off with leather; a large buttonhole is worked in the middle of the leather part.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[col90]

Re: knit suspender pattern

I just got back from the Ladies and Gentlemen of the 1860s conference, so give me a little time, but I have several patterns from books of the period as well that give knitted patterns for braces. I'll dig them out and post them.

Colleen