Friday, July 29, 2005

Grandmother's yarn

It seems as though the blog is having a run on Grandmother's knitting habits and yes, we are having a run. But this posting is not my grandmother's knitting hand me downs, but my friend Naomi's grandmother's (hmmm two possessives in a row, but I digress) yarn that she has been keeping as though age would enhance it like fine wine (in actuality, Naomi and I have a thread of kindred spirit as we can't part with our possessions - especially if we might be able to use it at a future date.
Naomi has me beat on this one.) She revealed to me today (if you click on the image you can see the yardage and dyelot numbers - I believe this is extra bulky yarn - there is 65 yards per skein.



Several years ago when I visited mother she and I were looking at her quilting supplies and discovered a dilapidated old box with several skeins of yarn and a couple of inches of ribbing on one needle. Mother did not knit and had not crocheted in years. Quilting was her thing so I was given the yarn.
This past week while searching for some of my yarn supply, my children 'straightened up' my house while I was in the hospital, I ran across the old box. It contains 8 skeins of Bernat Woolydown of 3 0z, approx 65 yrds, article 5200, dye lot 6146 color 5242, one size 10 1/2 knitting needle and instructions. My grandmother had handwritten directions for knitting Kunkledown Ribbed Jacket Style no. 405 and there is a printed directions for a Hairpin Lace Stole using Coats & Clark's "Red Heart" Superfingering 3 ply yarn.My grandmother crocheted and tatted but I never knew her to knit anything. My guess is that the box dates back to the later 40s or 50s. The yarn is a lovely cream color now, it may have been white originally. The papers with the instructions are now light brown. (I should have taken a picture of the picture of the stole on the other side....)

Does anyone have any suggestions on the wool yarn and what to make with it? Some of it had been knitted already on size 10 1/2 needles and it was tight on there. I believe it could use a larger needle (here I enter my opinion on the matter - was it the needle or the knitter that made it so tight or both?) It's a treasure alright and Naomi knows it.
If you would like to comment or make suggestions or just merely WOW at it with her for having such a true rare find of stash, you can email her and tell her what you think! - She would love to hear from you!

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