The Tedium of Garter Stitch

Nineteenth-century knitting did have some lacework, but a surprising number of patterns are simply garter stitch. Miles and miles of garter stitch. Garter stitch without end.

I made many reproduction items and then just couldn't take it anymore. I needed to make things with holes in them, things with ribbing, things with cables.

In preparation for an upcoming talk, however, I thought I should have a new reproduction to show off. Thus, I began the Capuchon Religieuse. The pattern comes from Knitting a la Mode, Confections from La Mode Illustree, Journal de la Famille 1862-1865. The book is available at Knitorious or through the authors.

The yarn is a hand-dyed indigo lace weight from Terre Lawson. I'm fairly sure I traded for it, but it is available through Robin Stokes.

I cast on and knitted garter stitch for 120 rows, increasing regularly. I got bored. I knitted garter stitch for 60 more rows, decreasing regularly. Still bored.

Then things started to get interesting.

I started to run out of yarn.