Saturday, May 7, 2016

Fustian Cloth

Every day I learn something new--and I'm glad I do!  Take Fustian Cloth and Cutting--I didn't know what that term meant until I came upon an article and video about Fustian.  I'm very familiar with velvet, corduroy and other welted fabrics, I did not know about Fustian cutting.

Video is worth watching to understand about this technique.


Early in the 16th century, towns in South Lancashire had a reputation for making cotton goods, in reality these good were made mainly of wool with a small mixture of linen, both constituents being home grown, whilst cotton had to be imported. Large numbers of Flemish weavers had settled in Manchester and surrounding areas to escape persecution in their own land. They were the first to use cotton imported from India and Asia Minor. To evade laws passed to protect the woollen manufacturers, the Flemish weavers mixed linen in with cotton and this material was the starting point for fustian that was used in the district up until the beginning of the 20th century, Cadishead is best known for fustian cutting, by the 1870’s it would have been well nigh impossible to find a house without a cutting frame or a family unconnected with cutting. Fustian cutting is an operation in the manufacture of velvet and involves cutting by hand of loops woven into the cloth to create the pile. The basic requirements were a frame on which to spread the cloth to drum tightness, and a knife to cut the loops of the cloth. The frame was about 6ft by 2ft6ins wide and 3ft high. The knife was around 18inches long it had a wooden handle and the tip was drawn out to a sharp point which was ground to a sharp edge at the top. The cloth was brought by horse and cart from warehouses in Salford and Manchester it was woven to give continuous tunnels along the length of the material. The pile was created by the cutter passing a knife through the tunnels cutting the threads at the centre of the arch. There were between thirty to forty of these tunnels per inch so one can imagine the skill and concentration required. Most of the family would take part in the operation with the women working the frames in spring and summer whilst the men were working on the farms. The men would take over in the winter months when there was not a lot of work elsewhere. Around 1770, fustian cutting was carried out mainly in farm workers cottages. By 1840 terraced houses were being built with cutting shops built on the end. This followed on from farm houses that had stables attached to them which had been modified for fustian cutting By 1860 two storey terraced houses were being built with the attic built to house the cutting frame. The attic in Academy Row, Cadishead is set at the back of the terrace, giving a lop-sided appearance to the gable end. The higher part of the gable end would face towards the south to get the most light. The attic would run the whole length of the terrace, but could only be accessed from the end house. By the end of the nineteenth century mill- type structures of three stories were being built. These buildings showed the change from cottage craftsmen to factory tradesmen. A good example of one of these buildings is the building opposite the Ship Hotel in Irlam. Along with these factory type buildings a new longer frame was developed. These frames could be up to 12 yards long and the operator would walk along the length of the frame. The worker would be walking around twenty miles a day. As the fustian could only be cut in one direction the cutter would have two frames and would walk up one and down the other, totalling around twenty miles a day - twenty miles of precision cutting. In the 1870’s and 80’s fustian cutting was at it’s peak, the master cutters with an eye to business would convert a portion of their cutting shops into grocers, green grocers and shops of other trades, paying wages one day and then taking it back the next. New industry was brought into the district through the building of the Manchester Ship Canal at the end of the 19th century and young workers were attracted to these industries with the lure of better pay and better working conditions. The industry of hand –cutting was finally doomed by the invention of machinery to do the job. The machines could cut fustian ten times quicker than a hand cutter. These machines were introduced just before the First World War even though hand cutting went on in Cadishead until 1928. For more information on Fustian cutting, Irlam and Cadishead Local History Society

Friday, May 6, 2016

Lunch With Mother


 Today we are having lunch with Mother to celebrate Mother's Day.  This 95 year old lady is still chugging along with her BMW walker (purple no less!) at the assisted living facility.


She does have a little dementia but she gets her way no matter what--the gals at The Bridges know
how to keep her happy and the staff in good moods.
You go Mother! 

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Summer Accessory

Robert Kaufman has a free pattern for you to make
this wonderful crossover bag.
Just think of the endless fabrics you can choose from!
One for each outfit in a different color!
I have some Indigo dyed fabric I think that will be just perfect.

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Wednesday Yarn Along

Have you been busy with your yarn along--doesn't matter if you work it on Monday-Friday or weekends, I hope you are doing something with fiber.


This is the beginning of cuffs for Craftsy sock knitting class with Lucy Neatby.  It is a free class with three sock patterns and lessons to go along with the patterns.  I finally got out my sock yarn and begin.  I enjoy doing two socks at one time with two circular needles.

Problem--I worked part of the pattern and since this yarn was so "lively" for the want of a better word, I couldn't see the pattern emerge, so off to find a solid sock yarn that would work!
Why work for days on a pattern that you can't see?!  Nope! 
I switched to this yarn!  Hurray, easy to see the pattern!  I used the tapestry needle as 
suggested by Lucy in the lesson--works great.
onto knitting up this pair of socks to the heel and then see what we thing I can
learn about turning a heel.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Avonlea KAL


Welcome to the Avonlea MKAL!
Themed around L.M. Montgomery’s heartwarming ‘Anne Shirley’ series, Avonlea is a delicate lace shawl that’s perfect for evening countryside strolls and late summer weddings.
It features 5 repeating patterns, each uniquely linked to a part of Anne’s story, and a knitted on edging that will have you dreaming of the sea….
The shawl is triangular and knitted flat. There is a small crocheted provisional cast-on, but an ordinary cast on can be used if necessary. There are also single cables, nupps and different laces. Beads are optional, but will add an extra touch of glamour.
Avonlea is suitable for intermediate knitters.
The MKAL consists of 6 clues, each released weekly starting with clue one on 10th May. It will be free to download up until this date, when it will increase to £2.50. When the MKAL finishes at the end of June, the price will rise to £4.20.
For those who sign up to join the MKAL before May 10th, the clues will automatically be added to your Ravelry Library. Happy stitching!

Monday, May 2, 2016

Have You Seen This?


How great is this?!  Knitting reference books are stored in the vault of University of Southampton Library
You could spend hours upon hours browsing through this collection of works

 All at the touch of a finger, you can turn pages without taking the trip to the library or
wearing white gloves.
This is technology at its best! 



Sunday, May 1, 2016

Happy May Day!

May Day

May Day, or Labor Day, is a public holiday in many countries worldwide. It usually occurs around May 1, but the date varies across countries. It is associated the start of spring as well as the celebration of workers.
Argentina: Daylight Saving Time start on December 30, 2007
May Day, known as Labor Day in some countries, is a day of rest and is usually held in the spring.
©iStockphoto.com/angel rodriguez

Celebrate May Day/Labor Day

May Day ceremonies that stem from the traditional centuries-old May Day traditions are celebrated across the world. In Hawaii, May Day is known as Lei Day to celebrate the island’s culture.
In the United Kingdom, May Day is still celebrated in many towns with the crowning of the May Queen. Maypoles can still be found in some towns and May Day traditions may include hobby horses and local people dressed in costumes.  In Oxford, traditions are upheld for May Day celebrations, starting with the choir of Magdalen College singing from the top of the chapel tower.
Labor Day stems from the efforts of the labor union movement to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. In Mexico, it is referred to as Primero de Mayo, and is a national holiday honoring workers. Some groups organize parades or protests to promote and protect workers' rights.

Public Life

May 1 is a national holiday many European countries including (but not exclusive to): Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.  It is also celebrated in countries in Central America, such as Costa Rica and Panama, and in some parts of the Caribbean, including Cuba. It is also a national holiday in Mexico. In South America, it is observed in countries such as: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. May 1 is also a national holiday in the Russian Federation and Asian countries such as China, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The Labor Day holiday, or Labour Day, is celebrated in the United States and countries such asAustralia and Canada at different times of the year.

About May Day/Labor Day

Originally a celebration of spring and the rebirth taking place in nature, May Day dates back pagan cults that worshipped trees and other symbols of nature. Traditionally, May Day is characterized by the gathering of flowers and the fertility rite of dancing around the maypole. In recent years, particularly in socialist and Communist countries, May Day has become a labor festival honoring the military and industrial efforts of the country.
The eight-hour movement to reduce the working day from 10 to eight hours began after the Civil War. It was a major aim of the National Labor Union, whose first congress met in 1866. By 1868 congress and six states passed an eight-hour legislation. In 1884 the National Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Assemblies decided to call for a general strike on May 1, 1886, to enforce demands for employers to observe the eight-hour day. In 1947, amidst the anti-Communist Cold War hysteria, the US Veterans of Foreign Wars renamed May 1 as "Loyalty Day" and a joint session of Congress later made the pronouncement official.
In many countries, the May 1 holiday was obtained by trade union agitation supported by socialist parties. However, in Germany where such agitation had proved fruitless, it was instituted in 1933 as a gift from Hitler, being promptly followed by the abolition of trade unions. In the United Kingdom, a May Day Bank Holiday was instituted in 1978 for trade unionists to celebrate, but was held on the first Monday in May to minimize the damage to business.
In China, Labor Day was extended to 3 days during the 1990s. The Chinese government made it a seven-day holiday by moving the prior and upcoming weekends together with these three days. This holiday allowed millions of Chinese people to travel during this period. The Chinese government reduced this holiday period down to one day in 2008, while simultaneously reviving three traditional Chinese holidays: the Dragon Boat Festival, Tomb-Sweeping Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Symbols and Superstition

Many ancient customs associated with May Day come from the old Roman festival of flowers. These include gathering branches and flowers, choosing or crowning a May Queen and dancing around a bush, tree or decorated pole (the May Pole). The sports and festivities held on this day symbolize the rebirth of nature as well as human fertility. In Spain, a tall pine tree is used as a Maypole. It is decorated with ribbons, beads, and eggshells as people dance around the pole and sing May songs.

Road trip continues

 Crossing over into Tennessee, we are now on interstate highways: lots of 18 wheelers, less green nice scenery, some dogwood trees and redbu...