the blue blog archives: a knitting machine

Much knitting progress to report. Sooty mango is well underway. Once the silly ribbing was over (of course it's ribbing up to the waist), my tension evened out beautifully (yay!) and I made it all the way up to the armholes on the back. Here the official photo.

And in the time it took my husband to read the boys their goodnight story (um, well, repeat the goodnight story from memory, since we kinda forgot the books!), I knit up a swatch for their Phildar vests. This is going to be a super easy, quick knit. Bulky yarn... good.

And check out this discovery in the in-laws' attic: an old knitting machine that belonged to my husband's grandparents.

All the parts are there including the old instruction booklet. The machine model is called "Frauenlob" (women's praise). Don't you just love it?! Could it be any more 1950's sounding?! Could it be any more German sounding?! How funny. My father-in-law wants to see if he can get it in working order again so I can try it out. So, more to come!

posted by alison at 12:13 am | in sooty mango , vacation 2003

Comments

You are already one of the most productive knitters I know. Can't imagine how quickly you would turn out items with a knitting machine!

Posted by: Melissa at October 22, 2003 7:23 PM

Oh, that Phildar vest is a lovely pattern. Becky and I made them last December and Brooke has just grown out of hers now :( They are so quick and easy to make and look fantastic. What colours do you have for them?

Posted by: kerrie at October 23, 2003 3:36 AM

Hello Alison! I'm a regular reader..
Where can I find the pattern for the Phildar vest & what yarn are you using? I looked around a bit on your site & on the Phildar site & can't find it...thank you!

Posted by: charlotte at October 23, 2003 3:46 AM

Have knitting those vests! And what a lucky find from the attic. That name is a treasure in itself. Hehe. If your father-in-law gets it working, we MUST see pictures of you using it.

Posted by: Becky at October 23, 2003 6:33 AM

Wow! What fun! and your knitting is so-o-o lovely.

Posted by: Marg at October 23, 2003 8:04 AM

Wow! So cool. A slice of knitting life from the past. Can you bring it back to the states?

Posted by: Chris at October 23, 2003 8:40 AM

The knitting machine looks like fun! Have a good time playing.

Posted by: Sharlene at October 23, 2003 9:02 AM

Oooh, I love finding treasures like that in the family. It looks like a beautiful little machine. I'm a sucker for things like that you can take apart and get into working order, definitely let us know how it goes!

Posted by: Amber at October 23, 2003 9:52 AM

Um, Alison? You, the energizer bunny of the knitting world on a knitting machine? I'm standing back......;-)

Posted by: claudia at October 23, 2003 11:29 AM

Well, well, well. It appears that the goddess of knitting fortune continues to shine upon your curly head. How fantastic!!!!!

Posted by: Kerstin at October 23, 2003 12:37 PM

Your knitting looks great, even continental style. That's the only way I've ever knitted but being a transplanted German...... what can I say.

I haven't been in Germany in so long........... I think it's about time I take DH and my little girl on a long airplane ride!!!

Posted by: Uli at October 23, 2003 2:59 PM

Kerrie, I've been wanting to make these vests ever since you and Becky made them, but I was off bulky wool and large gauges for a long time. After a summer where I spoiled myself with aran weight asc and then a brief return to fingering weight Baby Wool which did my wrist in, I was ready to give bulky another try. Love, love, love that Fantasia yarn!

Charlotte, the yarn is Fantasia from Phildar, which you can get through the Dutch site www.breiweb.nl or possibly from www.knitntyme.com (send an email to ask about something not listed on the main site). The catalog (Tricotez Calin #3) is from last year, so it's not available through Phildar anymore. You might ask the two shops above if they still have a copy (the Dutch site would have it in Dutch though!) or ask Becky if she can sell you a translation of the pattern. She does translations and has contact info at the bottom of her main page. The vest is pretty much just a square with a few decreases at the armholes, though. Couldn't be simpler. It's all about that big, bulky, fabulous yarn!!

My father-in-law has almost got the old machine running again. Some oil and some new felt for the needles to glide over and all the parts are moving again. If he can get it to knit, you can be sure we'll be thinking of a way to bring it back to the states! It's BIG though. And HEAVY. Genuine 1950's high quality metal construction.

Uli, you should definitely bring your daughter to Germany! It has been so great for my kids to see Germany and hear everyone speaking german. I hope they'll remember some of this trip, so we can talk to them about Oma and Opa and all the fun things we did here. They've definitely learned a few new (important) words like "Bonbon" and "Kakao"!

Posted by: alison at October 23, 2003 4:26 PM

lucky you! the machine looks impressive. the sweater looks pretty so far too.

Posted by: Melissa Lim at October 23, 2003 5:24 PM

Hi! I really love your site and your new poncho! I have included a link to your site from my site -- I hope this is OK with you. If not, please let me know by email.

Posted by: Jodi at October 24, 2003 3:45 PM

Alison, your ribbing looks similar to mine... or at least at that distance it reminds me of my ribbing issues. I have had problems with the left-most column of knit stitches appearing different than the rest. In 1x1 ribbing it's not too noticeable but in 2x2 or 3x3 or more it bothers me. I knit continental and wonder if that has something to do with it... recently I've switched to Mary Thomas' "combined" method of knitting, which is supposed to create an more even tension in back and forth knitting, because (she says) the length of yarn for knit and purl stitches is the same. In this form of knitting the knit stitches end up lying the other was on the needle-- see M. T.'s Knitting Book. My ribbing is better but not great. I'd love to hear if you figure out what causes this...

knitting machines are really fun but actually very different than handknitting-- check out Susanna Lewis (I think that's the right name, I'll check when I get home, I'm on vacation too for a spinning retreat in Michigan!)

Carrie

Posted by: carrie at October 25, 2003 12:00 PM