Hello again!
Last week, my musings about knitting traditions ended with a remark about something I found in my parents’ attic. Well, here it is – a knitting sampler. I found it in 1999, after my Mum suddenly and unexpectedly died from a brain aneurysm, aged 66.
During the decade or so before she died, my Mum worked as a housecleaner. She left other people’s houses sparkling and immaculate, but didn’t always have much time or energy left for her own home. The Christmas before she died, she told me that it bothered her that the house was so messy, and I promised to help her sort things out in the New Year. But then she died in January.
In memory of my Mum and for my Dad’s sake, I tackled the tidying after all. It was a difficult and hectic time. I was grieving over my Mum, my Dad was developing Alzheimer’s, I had a young daughter and a job. So when I found the knitting sampler, I just stored it away safely in a box in my own home and forgot about it.
Years ago I had a similar experience with the blocks for an old quilt, unfinished, boxed and kept in a trunk without any info about who, where or when. It led me down a path of my own quilt making.
I like your idea of letting it inspire you to do your own knitting sampler. Hand stitching tells us stories, or sparks our own imaginations to make our own stories. Follow follow!
Your comment made me look through your quilt gallery again. Deep down in your archive are a few sort of traditional quilts, but the rest is very modern and different. I wouldn’t have thought that it all started with a few old quilt blocks. That’s an interesting story, too!
Wat een mooi verhaal, en een echt breimysterie!
Jaren geleden had Carla Meijsen een project met een breirol, Sampler M. Het patroon en meer informatie zijn op Ravelry te vinden.
Je zou deze patroontjes kunnen gebruiken voor op je keukendoekjes?
O ja, inderdaad, daar heb ik wel eens van gehoord. Ik ga er naar kijken. En een goed idee, om hier iets mee te doen op keukendoekjes. Dank je!
Zo grappig om de mini blokjes uit de sampler te zien. Ze zijn zo herkenbaar voor mij : mijn grootmoeder (1876 geboren!) breide in dit patroon washandjes van ongebleekt katoen! Ik heb er één ooit van haar gekregen en het is nog altijd in mijn bezit.
O, wat ontzettend leuk om te lezen! Ik kan me voorstellen dat het washandje van je grootmoeder een heel dierbaar bezit is. Bedankt voor je berichtje.
Your story is a heartwarming one, and the work done looks amazing! Have you tried to reach out to historical societies or places like Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI; Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, VA for any answers? They might be able to shine more light not on WHO did it, but why and how’s…they might be able to give you a rough timeframe of the work. I am very interested in any information you may come up with; it seems like a great mystery to me! Thank you so very much for sharing.
Now that’s a coincidence – I just spent some time with the sampler in my hands yesterday, musing about it! I’ve thought about taking it to a museum to find out more, but haven’t done so yet. Thank you for your enthusiasm – it warms my heart. Did you read my post about the reconstruction I knit as well? I’ve also designed a monogrammed guest towel with one of the stitch patterns, and a pair of fingerless mitts with two others. Thanks for your suggestions about places to look for information. I’ll take a look at them, and if I find out anything new, I promise to share it.