I’ve heard of cultures that leave a small mistake in their work on purpose -have you ever heard of this? It would be interesting if that was the case and they found the fragment that had the mistake!
I know this is a tradition in Navajo weaving, so it’s possible this culture had something similar. It’s certainly a subtle enough mistake that they probably still looked perfect.
My Swedish-American grandmother, who taught me to knit, said this as well. She said that on occasion she would deliberately make a mistake, just in case one wasn’t already there. Out on the Northern Illinois farm where she grew up—and her immigrant parents spoke Swedish only—her mother, a weaver, said and did the same.
Yes, this kind of thing fascinates me. Even in Sweden and Finland, continental knitting wasn’t the norm until curriculum changes in the late 19th or early 20th centuries. Sweden especially had a strong “right-handed” tradition due to the prevalence of twined knitting.
I really appreciate that you provide a way to listen to your posts. I am a brand new subscriber! Lifelong knitter and crocheter and fascinated by the history. Do you provide the audio version so that we can knit while we listen? I was just doing that!
My grades in college went up when I started knitting in class (I started because I needed something to counteract my anxiety). So that's when I got the hang of knitting and reading!
I'm Estonian and I had not heard of deliberately leaving in a mistake until I moved to the US. Our national museum has many fragments and items with mistakes and imperfections, for example the motif on mittens is not centered (very fine knitting, 80-100 stitches in the round) or woven belt has a slightly different pattern in one end or embroidery is not quite symmetrical or woven skirt stripes are not all the same width. This is considered normal and when people make folk costumes, often done as museum item copies, some copy the mistakes too! And some introduce new mistakes by accident:)
I’ve heard of cultures that leave a small mistake in their work on purpose -have you ever heard of this? It would be interesting if that was the case and they found the fragment that had the mistake!
That’s a pretty interesting thought!
I know this is a tradition in Navajo weaving, so it’s possible this culture had something similar. It’s certainly a subtle enough mistake that they probably still looked perfect.
My Swedish-American grandmother, who taught me to knit, said this as well. She said that on occasion she would deliberately make a mistake, just in case one wasn’t already there. Out on the Northern Illinois farm where she grew up—and her immigrant parents spoke Swedish only—her mother, a weaver, said and did the same.
Interesting! It sounds like this could be quite a widespread practice, then.
I *think* from what I have read, also the Amish. “Only God is perfect.” But perhaps thats just legend.
Oooo thanks, I hadn’t heard that!
Just double check it. Some of my sources have turned outtobe unreliable. But I always liked it too
Quilters also leave mistakes. Only God is perfect.
This is exactly what came to me!
I visited a Palestinian textile exhibition in Dundee - similar an error was deliberately included in the embroidery of a dress
I love how a lot of these seemingly very different cultures that knit/weave have that in common! That is really cool!
That’s fascinating. Funny to think it’s our mistakes that tell our stories. I like that.
Yes, it’s interesting to think it’s part of what makes us unique.
I found this so interesting and the detail in the mittens in the photo is extraordinary. I've learnt something new! Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome, great to know other people are interested in the things that fascinate me!
Thank you! I’m happy to hear that.
What an interesting article! This was a great read, and I have definitely learnt some new things. Thank you, so much!
I find it very interesting that they were 'English' knitters until the Finnish passed down their way
Yes, this kind of thing fascinates me. Even in Sweden and Finland, continental knitting wasn’t the norm until curriculum changes in the late 19th or early 20th centuries. Sweden especially had a strong “right-handed” tradition due to the prevalence of twined knitting.
I really appreciate that you provide a way to listen to your posts. I am a brand new subscriber! Lifelong knitter and crocheter and fascinated by the history. Do you provide the audio version so that we can knit while we listen? I was just doing that!
Awesome! I haven’t quite mastered knitting while reading just yet, so if there’s audio, I’m using it.
My grades in college went up when I started knitting in class (I started because I needed something to counteract my anxiety). So that's when I got the hang of knitting and reading!
I'm Estonian and I had not heard of deliberately leaving in a mistake until I moved to the US. Our national museum has many fragments and items with mistakes and imperfections, for example the motif on mittens is not centered (very fine knitting, 80-100 stitches in the round) or woven belt has a slightly different pattern in one end or embroidery is not quite symmetrical or woven skirt stripes are not all the same width. This is considered normal and when people make folk costumes, often done as museum item copies, some copy the mistakes too! And some introduce new mistakes by accident:)
Wow, that’s fascinating!
I often wonder if new techniques or designs have origins in accidental mistakes, slip stitch patterns especially.
I think a lot of newer crochet stitches certainly do!
This is fascinating. Thank you
I'm a knitter, one or two mistakes per project are par for the course
Thank you for this
This is incredible! What one is able to “read” from a sample of fabric so long ago brings history to life in a really unique way.
Yes, I bet whoever made it would never imagine the power their knitting holds.
This is fascinating. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who had to immediately go and get yarn/needles to check which way round I wrap my yarn.
Thanks! Yes it’s definitely something I needed to see on my own needles to check I was writing it correctly.
I did just that. Helped that my knitting was on my knee as I read!