Knitting History


I followed a rabbits trail this morning and came upon this article.
The trail started at Julie's blog.

When Knitting was a Manly Art


"Knitting for Britain" became quite competitive. Who could knit the fastest, or make the longest scarf, or make the most noise with his needles? A good many of us took up knitting seriously and made socks, sweaters, and woolen hats. We would knit in bed after lights out and, some of us, even more surreptitiously, in chapel. Finally, the headmaster had to take steps to limit the activity.

"Knitting for Britain" was something of an escape from more serious work, I suppose; therapeutic, perhaps, at a time when life was becoming so tangled. But no one ever thought it odd that a school of 200 boys should be busily whiling away the hours in such an activity.



Do you think boys are naturally more competitive than girls?

I do.

I know a man who says the main, most important reason to participate in sports is the importance of competition.
He says it is vital to compete every day.


I was very surprised by his comment. I had never thought of it that way.

I thought the importance of sports was physical activity, team work...fun.

tra la

Am I just being a girl?


But any way, back to the knitting article.
I thought it was a delightful slice of life. (WWII, knitting, boys school)

Charming.

Just like the book I am reading.

The City of Bells by Elizabeth Goudge.

Enchanting.

It's a nice and pleasant change after the dark, Crime and Punishment.

The City of Bells is Mitford in England. But written by a better writer.


*********

One more British/knitting comment.

Helen Mirren was nominated for an Oscar yesterday for her role The Queen.

She was interviewed wearing the simplest light pink garter stitch scarf, it looked like alpaca or cashmere.

(I don't know what else she was wearing, or what she said, I only had eyes for the scarf)

Elizabeth Zimmerman would have loved it!

I know I did!


Encourage one another,
Donna