Greenland, Norway, Iceland: How a Collar Became the Yoke Sweater

Annichen Sibbern's 1930 design, most likely the first circular yoke, and the yokes that followed in Sweden and Shetland

Oct 8 • Jonathan Lasham

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Spinning Linen, a Nålbound Bag & a Cheviot Gradient

Notes from the Needles #10

Oct 2 • Jonathan Lasham

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2

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September 2026

Before the Circular Yoke: Round Yokes on Ordinary Sweaters in the 1930s

Crocheted, knitted and sewn-on round yokes in 1930s patterns from Australia, Britain and the United States

Sep 25 • Jonathan Lasham

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The Wee Peggy: My First Spinning Wheel

Notes from the Needles #9

Sep 18 • Jonathan Lasham

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90 Years of Sweater Styles

Set-in sleeve construction went from 90% of patterns to the least common: how sweater styles have shifted over the past century.

Sep 11 • Jonathan Lasham

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A Finished Sweater, an 1898 Hat & a Doily Detour

Notes from the Needles #8

Sep 4 • Jonathan Lasham

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3

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August 2026

Knitting vs. Crochet at Work: Why One Was Fine and One Wasn't

Crochet and knitting may seem alike, but in 1867 only one got a matron investigated for insubordination at work. A Victorian case study in the double…

Aug 28 • Jonathan Lasham

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I Caught the Spinning Bug

Notes from the Needles #7

Aug 12 • Jonathan Lasham

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How 'English' Is English Knitting, and How 'Continental' Is Continental?

A look at why we call them English and Continental knitting styles, and how school curricula in England, Sweden, Finland, and Estonia shaped them.

Aug 4 • Jonathan Lasham

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July 2026

Victorian Stockings: Casting On and All About the Seam Stitch

Notes from the Needles #6

Jul 28 • Jonathan Lasham

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The Knitting Sheath: The Forgotten Tool Behind Hands-Free Knitting

A carved stick every working knitter kept at the hip for 300 years. So why did it disappear?

Jul 21 • Jonathan Lasham

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Tampere Yarn, Welsh Stockings & a Substack Update

Notes from the Needles #5

Jul 14 • Jonathan Lasham

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