Knitting at the Smithsonian

Here is the second half of our Smithsonian adventure - the knitting. This is also in the Textiles exhibit in the Museum of American History. Above you can see Historical American Mittens, and look! There's even a pair of fingerless mitts there. I didn't get any notes on the mittens since a certain 5 year old had basically had it with being dragged around museums by that time. This is proof that even Historical American Knitters weren't all right in the head. The lacy thing by the number 7 is the start of a stocking (never finished, but it would have been gorgeous). The "yarn" is somewhere between a buttonhole twist and quilting thread in thickness - yes, that's it on the spool. Number 8 is a tiny pair of knitted gloves made in China and given to some Historical Americans for something or other around the turn of the century - the one before last, not the one that just happened (aren't you glad I don't teach your kids history?). These little gloves are knitted with tiny little stitches and tiny little fingers, and even all the ends are woven in. If you look at a standard knit T shirt from today and shrink the stitches down some more from that, you'll have the stitch size about right. I'm feeling pretty good about my 10 stitches per inch socks from yesterday, but compared to these gloves, my socks look like the monster in a bad 60's horror movie.

Just to add, I did email the Smithsonian about the spinning wheel/chair relationship. I haven't heard anything back from them but if I do I'll be sure to share!