WWW: Continuing Traditions – Lambs and Buttons and Jabots

Knitting a Soul: A lovely essay, excerpted from the book ‘Zen and the Art of Knitting’, about creativity and learning and the satisfaction that comes from making.

Imaege and pattern (c) Donna Druchunas and Ava Coleman

Love this: Feminist Knitting patterns. In particular, the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Jabot is fantastic, an homage to a very strong woman. The jabot is a traditional style of collar, fashionable in the early part of the twentieth century. They were worn to soften the look of a severe jacket or collarless blouse, and that’s exactly how Justice Ginsburg wears hers, with her US Supreme Court robes.

If you want to better know the history of women, get to know their buttons: on a new book, ‘The Button Box’, by writer and teacher Lynn Knight. From the article… the book is ‘part memoir, part conceit for a consideration of politics and culture, though both notions are grounded, metaphorically and actually, in her own personal collection of family buttons. “You couldn’t get something more mundane than a button but they can tell larger stories,” Knight says.’

On the topic of buttons, a profile of “Tender Buttons”, a legendary store on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. In operation since 1964, the owners have curated a remarkable retail experience, and a one-of-a-kind collection of these tiny and practical works of art. The photo slide show is absolutely wonderful.

It’s lambing season, and the Herdy Shepherd is sharing pictures of the activity on his farm. Perhaps not entirely safe for work or lunchtime viewing: some of the pictures are quite messy, depicting the details of animal births.

First proper day of lambing pic.twitter.com/pCN8II5zuz

— Herdwick Shepherd (@herdyshepherd1) March 28, 2016

West Coasters: what are you doing the weekend of May 13-15? Come join Kate at Vogue Knitting Live in Pasadena, maybe? I’m teaching classes on all sorts of things, including my always popular Socks for Absolute Beginners. (Yes, really. As long as you know how to knit and purl, and have even half an hour’s experience working in the round, I can teach you how to make socks.)

For those versed in the minutiae of computer languages and linguistics, this little video is rather a hoot.