It never occurred to me to me that that vestigial “pepper” dangling off a tomato pincushion had a special purpose—I thought maybe it was just to segregate the pins from the needles, but it’s really pretty keen I think that it’s resonant and gets people talking and maybe appreciating the neglected knitting-basket in the corner.
The Victorian Era design (introduced as seamstresses and tailors became more common and pins less dear—being kept under lock and key in prior ages) invokes a belief that a tomato on the mantle (as was the fashion at the time) of a new home would ward off bad luck. If no tomato was available, the new occupants would improvise with something of that general shape and colour and the sampler work of making a tomato pincushion served a dual purpose—as did the composition of the hassock itself—the tomato being stuffed wool wadding to prevent rust and the little strawberry was filled with sand to sharpen the pins, though superfluous now due to the way pins are manufactured and treated so as not to dull and are considered disposable now. I wonder what other sorts of surprises are lurking in the design everyday, maybe antiquated things.
Monday 4 January 2016
fingerhut
Thursday 17 December 2015
5x5
purl two: upon request the BBC would send out the knitting instructions for the Fourth Doctor’s iconic scarf
food pyramid: Vox examines at different ways nutritional guidelines are influenced and imparted globally
zodiaco: Salvador Dalรญ’s astrologic menagerie plus a hint into the obsession the artist had with his departed elder brother, Salvador Dalรญ
tween: proposed EU rules would raise the social media age of majority to sixteen
catagories: ๐ฌ๐ง, ๐ฎ๐ธ, ๐, ๐, ๐, ๐งถ, food and drink, networking and blogging
Friday 23 October 2015
king-biscuit flour-hour
One of my all-time favourite blogs, the always inspiring Nag on the Lake, directs us to an interesting chapter in American history told through the flour-sack dress.
What I found really striking and unexpected was how the manufacturers wanted to extend a sense of dignity to their resourceful models and included instructions for removing the inked on company logos and provisioning information, so one was not an unwilling, walking advertisement. Further, anticipating this need for thrift to remain for the foreseeable future, having spanned from the time of the Great Depression through the rationing of World War II, the manufacturers introduced an array of fabric patterns (at considerable expense, I am sure) that were really dazzling and on-par with the most spectacular store-bought textiles and clothing. That’s pretty keen and it would really be something if modern businesses could be as considerate for their loyal customer-base and if the modern consumer was as driven to make-do.
Saturday 13 June 2015
5x5
viewer-discretion advised: graphic and unsettling no-nukes animation from 1956
this just in: how the hammering in of the Golden Spike for America’s transcontinental railroad marked the beginning of breaking news
purl 2.0: artist incorporates chunky stitches for maximum comfort
figleaf: the cyber attack on US government workers is bigger than anyone is letting on, having targeted security clearance questionnaires
Saturday 28 February 2015
stioch or yarn-bombing
catagories: ๐, ๐งถ, antiques, lifestyle, philosophy
Thursday 4 April 2013
predator or hyper-color
Sunday 20 January 2013
Wednesday 24 November 2010
cornucopia
catagories: ๐งถ, holidays and observances, language, networking and blogging