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Using vintage threads for knitting, crochet, etc


ElgaKoster

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All the talk about learning to knit in miniature made me want to try a beautiful French made vintage thread that I bought in 2013 at Tinsel Traders in New York. It is a very thin ivory colored thread wrapped with an even thinner metallic thread.

It wasn't the easiest to knit with and I would like to try a crochet piece with it too...but I think where this thread will shine is in bobbin lace making. I used 0.7mm needles for the knitting and 1mm to cast on with.

I plan on making my little knitted sample into a pull string purse lined with silk, kind of regency style, the photo is a bit dark, it was a struggle to get the metallic wrap to show.

post-6-0-61355300-1416501241_thumb.jpg.

A question to those of you who have used vintage thread before...how does it hold up over the years, this is something I always wonder about.

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Elga, your knitting is beautiful.  I have only used antique silk sewing threads in petit point, so I have no experience in using it for knitting.  of course all Fiber can dry rot, so I do some gentle testing... before I use.  I usually get some wet, so I can see if it still have some strength, and I usually try to pull it to see if it has any tensile strength left in the fiber;  If the fiber passes both tests; I use it.  When you think about the age of English Embroidered caskets that are in various museums it is obvious silk can last a long time.  If those caskets were embroidered in 1580 to 1700, then these treasures in museums are 300-400 years old!  The metallic is obvious in the photo; you have me wondering about your piece's true size.  Yes, a drawstring knitted bag will be wonderful...did they have tiny beads at the bottom of those drawstring purses?  That is what I'm picturing in my mind right now.... Probably not accurate; but I can imagine getting into an open buggy, the little hat, the long skirt, some gloves and the drawstring bag.     I like Althea's suggestion for a knitted flower for a drawstring purse; but I do not know when knitted flowers were used as decoration.  I suspect light, heat and bugs could be the culprit that affects fibers; but perhaps if we have any one that works in conservation they can shed some of their knowledge with us.

 

Tamra

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Elga, Oh, I remembered this morning, I also used antique silk threads to start caning a wastebasket kit; that remains unfinished.  (There is no room to cane the opposite side.  Clearly I learned that you should cane a wastebasket before it is assembled.  If it was in the instructions I missed it! )    I used it because we liked the color of this silk thread, vs the options I had in my stash for current silk sewing thead.  The pineapple is gorgeous.  Will you make one of these in miniature?  The Kyoto Institute Costuming Book is one of my favorites.  Let's add visit Japan and go to the Kyoto Institute to the list too.

 

Check out www.allfreeknitting.com/jumbo-pineapple-bag

 

I'm sure it would need to be miniaturized, but it would be a fun pattern. Of course I'm not much help on miniaturizing a pattern...

 

Tamra

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Here is another version of the pineapple purse, it is already knitted with quite fine needles and thread, I haven't knitted enough that I would feel confident to try it in mini...

http://www.gancedo.eu/Pine_Apple_Bag.pdf

I finished my little reticule with a row of holes for the drawstring and a crochet edge.

post-6-0-95341100-1416578152_thumb.jpg

Then I lined it with a piece of silk ribbon and made a plaited drawstring from silk thread, to give a bit of weight I put some beads inside. It was fun to make something else for a change.

post-6-0-79028500-1416581512_thumb.jpg

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