Collecting Postcards aka Deltiology March 28, 2008

Today’s Irish Times had a very interesting article on collecting postcards.  This is one of my hobbies.  I just love the lure of the old photo, or the special message, or the unusual postage stamp, or the reminder of places visited.  There is so much social history in old postcards.   One of the themes that I try to focus on is of course cards relating to craftwork, and especially weaving, spinning, and knitting.

Somewhere in my collection of  the Journal of the Association of Weavers Spinners & Dyers  is an issue with an article about collecting postcards relating to weaving, spinning and dyeing.  I’ll try to find that issue and add to this entry.  In the meantime, here are a few samples from my collection.  I can’t say that I have any postcards relating to dyeing, but I do have quite a few relating to weaving, spinning, and knitting.  At the Dublin City Book Fairs there are usually one or two table holders who have postcards as well as books and I always ask the person if he has any postcards for me.  Usually that question draws a blank but just occasionally in my browsing I find one.  Here is one I found fairly recently.        A staged rendition but interesting nonetheless.  The caption reads Irish Spinning Wheel and this verse follows  ”The Irish people cannot only design beautiful things, but can also execute them with indefatigable industry”  John Ruskin     The postcard is dated June 6 1905 and is postmarked Dublin June 14  05  with a British One Penney red stamp and addressed to a woman in Queensland Australia.

  This is from a slightly later date, 1909.  The card is titled Irish Spinning Wheel.  no verse on this one.  It is has a green stamp and is postmarked Jersey SP 22  09 , and is addressed to a woman in Jersey.

 and finally this more modern one, a reproduction of a watercolour painting titled Old Guernsey Lady Knitting.  The artist was Peter Le Lievre (1812-98) and the painting is in the Guernsey Museum and Art Gallery.

A fellow member of the Online Guild is also a collector and recently she had a query regarding a Dutch postcard of a man spinning on a big wheel.  That postcard was one of the old tinted type – and that man spinning on the big wheel was on a boat.  Why, was the question?  Various answers came from Dutch members of the Guild.   In rereading the messages, I’m not sure that the question was fully answered – cow deck, spinning a thread to be woven to make covers for the cows.  Intriguing.

What intrigued me especially about today’s article was that there is actually a name for people who collect postcards.  We are called deltiologists – I never knew that!

Knitting at the Book Fair March 25, 2008

Since this is supposed to be primarily a knitting blog, that title is just an excuse to write about the Dublin City Book Fair.  I was so busy selling books that I didn’t get much knitting done.  These book fairs take up the whole day.  I got there shortly after 9 a.m. in order to have time to get set up for an 11 o’clock opening.  This also allows time to browse other tables to see what’s new (or old!).  Come 11 o’clock my 300 (approx.) books were all set out and I had only bought 1 book from another participant. 

By the end of the day, I had sold quite a few books, talked with a lot of interesting people, purchased a few bits and pieces myself – several postcards, a small stamp collection, a book I probably already had about Nepal, and a book I definitely already had – Weaving: The Irish Inheritance. 

 

When I spotted the weaving book I just had to rescue it from a remainder box.  That book deserved a better home.  And besides it was the hard back edition, and I only had it in soft cover. 

One amusing coincidence happened early on shortly after the Book Fair opened – a person who appeared at my table was wearing a sweater identical in colour to the yarn I was working with – snap!  This lead to a long discussion about machine knitting.  She had done most of her jumper on her knitting machine but she said she really found it very boring – she prefers knitting by hand.  I am not quite sure why she continues with the machine – from what she said I gather that when the machine breaks down it takes great patience and possibly a course in yoga to fix it – plus a mechanically minded husband.  Her sweater was nice – particularly the yellowy green colour but we were in agreement about preferring knitting by hand. 

Conversation with another customer re knitting lead to where to find yarn stores – an elusive subject.  We ended up talking about London and the yarn department at Liberty’s.

  knitting continues while customer browses

Bitter cold March 23, 2008

Following the surgery on my toes last week I haven’t been able to wander very far.  This has left plenty of time for reading and knitting – I don’t mind that! 

A little while ago, the sockladyspins who lives in the far north of British Columbia had a blog entry about knitting and felting.  I admired her beautiful knitting and commented that I would find it hard to felt the items as I thought they looked lovely the way they were.  But she pointed out that in that bitter cold of the far North where temperatures hit 40 below and cattle have to be fed regardless, a felted hat and mittens would be so much more useful – and she had knit her items extra large on purpose having felting in mind.  The felted results were beautiful too but of course stitch definition gets lost in the process.  Needs must.  What I’m getting round to saying is that this exchange of comments prompted me to read a book which I have had on my unreads shelf for about 6 months.  I have read a lot about the development of the American West but know very little about what happened in Canada. 

  here was my answer – The Pioneer Years 1895-1914, Memories of Settlers Who Opened Up the West, by Barry Broadfoot.  This a Canadian publication, first published in 1976.  And it is a wonderful collection of memoirs about the western part of Canada.  In almost every memoir in this 400 page book the extremes of climate are mentioned – this really emphasized to me the need for warm clothing in that bitter bitter cold of their long winters. 

Knitting and reading this book – that’s what I’ve been doing while resting the sore toes.  I obtained the Canadian publication at the Dublin City Book Fair last November.  I am participating in the March Dublin City Book Fair tomorrow – I hope I can find another Barry Broadfoot book.  (And I’m also hoping I sell enough of my own books to justify purchases of all the other treasures I might find – the anticipation is half the fun.) 

I’ll take my knitting of course while watching potential customers peruse my books.  This is a good opportunity for knitting my yarn remnants into those squares, eventually leading to another blanket.

Knitting Stash Assessment March 21, 2008

Like most enthusiastic knitters, I have too much stash – yarn left-over from completed projects, yarn left-over from projects that were never started, yarn which I have acquired just because I liked it but didn’t necessarily have any particular project in mind, and finally yarn which has been given to me. 

  So I set out most of my stash and then I practised my sketching skills

  In this sketch you can’t see the numbers I have put on each ball or hank of yarn but on my working copy I have numbered each bit and I have a separate list giving the key to the numbering. 

This is proving to be an entertaining exercise.  I have the photo, the numbered sketch, the guidelist of the yarns, a few ideas, and the needles.  Progress should be made.

I no longer feel so overwhelmed by this stash.  I am whittling it down, slowly but surely.  And assessing it systematically in this way is giving me more and more incentive to use it up.  I’m really looking forward to having an “after” photograph.  In the course of all this, I feel compelled to keep knitting bits and pieces for another blanket.  And I have also been thinking of specific projects for some of the larger quantities of specific yarns in the stash.  I still have quite a bit of the self-striping sock yarn – surely enough to make 2 more pairs of socks.  And I have started a Print o’ the Wave lace scarf with some lovely handspun yarn sent to me by Bettina. 

 here are a few shapes knitted from the stash for the next blanket (hodge podge) number 6

The stash weighs approximately 5 lbs. – let’s see what it weighs in a month’s time – an arbitrary time length but why not.

Knitting Hits the Headlines March 18, 2008

I, along with many other knitters, am enjoying reading about the adventures of Franklin, a very enthusiastic blogger.  One of Franklin’s projects is to photograph 1000 knitters, each working on a particular scarf.  At this point he has photographed almost 500 knitters – I wonder how long the scarf is now.  He started out visiting yarn stores in the Chicago area but the project is now taking him further afield.  His latest exploits in Eau Claire Wisconsin hit the front page of the local newspaper.  Shooting 1000 stitches in time – photographer capturing 1000 knitters for book – so scream the headlines.  It’s really terrific to see knitting getting such publicity.  I’ll have to save this to show to the next person who tells me that knitting is dying out or that people no longer knit – I know that yarn stores are disappearing – but not the knitters and the enthusiasm for knitting.  Stitch N Bitch groups are springing up like wildfire all over Ireland.  And it’s not only a new generation of knitters – I have been asked to spend an evening helping a group of contemporaries to pick up the needles again.  In thinking about getting ready for this evening I find myself asking just what it is that has me so enthusiastic about this pastime.  It’s creative, it’s challenging, it’s colourful.  I’ll stop there for now.  The three C’s.

Spontaneous reply March 15, 2008

Earlier this week I went for day surgery on sore bent toes.  This required a general anaesthetic – I think Michael the anaesthesiologist was making conversation as he prepared to inject the required potion – he asked me what I did for exercise – at that point, with my eye on the clock and the big doors in front of me leading to the operating theatre, I searched my brain for an answer.  I swim I replied (this I do rather infrequently), then I thought hmm, I walk (again not something I do all that much), but then, inspiration, I KNIT.  Michael did not respond.  So I fumbled on and finally thought oh ho, lawn bowling………and then next thing I knew it was over an hour later and I was in the recovery room.

Now I am home and have plenty of time for knitting as I recover.  I am not all that nimble on the crutches yet but I am gradually getting more able.  Much of my post-operative time has been spent reading – Lark Rise (to be in tune with the BBC series), a collection of articles and essays by Barbara Kingsolver, and a Larry McMurtry novel Somebody’s Darling.  And I am very pleased to have a collection of my hodge podge blankets which are so comforting and colorful and easy to arrange over a stretched out leg.      

 Hodge podge 3 in the morning sun

 latest hodge podge ready for a border – this is the one I am working on at the moment – earlier referred to as mindless knitting but now the squares are assembled and I am working on a garter stitch border.

Kilternan Country Market March 9, 2008

As regular readers of this blog know, each Saturday morning I attend Kilternan Country Market, our weekly country market.  Kilternan Country Market is a member of the Irish Country Markets Ltd., which is closely allied to the Irish Country Women’s Association. 

Our Kilternan Market is featured this month in Panorama, a local community magazine.  It was most exciting!  This month’s issue was delivered to the Market this morning and each member received a copy.  Photos of each of us had been taken a few weeks ago and the article plus the photos has appeared.  There we all are. 

The Market has grown over the years from its early days starting in 1964.  It has become an institution, beloved by members and friends.  It is a sort of Saturday morning club where producers and customers meet for their morning coffee and chat.  And in its way, the Market gives a social history of the area.  We have many loyal customers and they are as much a fabric of the Market as we the producers.  Maybe there could be a sequel to the Panorama  article and the customers could be featured.  

A bit of history.  I officially joined the Market in January 1984.  My purpose was to try to sell some of my knitted and woven craft items.  Not only has the Market served this purpose but it has also become an important centre for me socially.  I have made many friends among the members and the customers.  Loyalty is the name of the game.  Loyal members and loyal customers who keep coming each week and get to know each other well over the years.

Inevitably in the course of time since I joined, some members have passed on.  We miss them dearly but I am so glad I had the privilege of getting to know them.  The same is true for many of our favourite customers.  But new members have joined and new customers keep coming.

When we worked overseas and I was away for long periods of time, I was relieved that my Market membership was kept for me.  It was such a feeling of homecoming when I would return after a period of two or three years away and be welcomed with open arms. 

The emphasis in the Market has been on home baking, plants and flowers, jams and jellies, chickens and eggs.   All items for sale in the Market are home produced, no bought in merchandise is allowed. 

Crafts have tended to take a back seat – yet we are important and recently, in particular, sales of craft items have taken a great leap forward, I am happy to say.  And hand knitting is leading the charge.  There are several of us bringing hand knitted items and we are all selling very well.  I have also been making notecards from my own photographs and those have been selling well also.  So one way another, I usually manage to have at least one or two sales each week.

Here is just one example of some of the knitting I have been taking to the Market.

 three pairs of socks for sale at the Market – one pair sold, two remain

Report on knitting projects ……. March 8, 2008

I am currently working on two knitting projects – (1) a cardigan in natural shades, and (2) a blanket (hodge podge) made up of yarn from my stash

  here is the progress on the back of the cardigan.

     and here are a couple of photos of Hodge Podge 5 – it is almost finished.  I just have to finalize the border.

 Not much other news – another week of band practice and music lessons and ensemble playing.  The band (Rathfarnham Adult Beginner Band) is practicing for a concert scheduled for April 25.  We hope we can entice family and friends to attend.  I liken ourselves to Alexander McCall Smith’s Really Terrible Orchestra.  According to him, the audience come just to hear how terrible the orchestra is.  Well, that is good for a laugh  but there actually is an orchestra by that name in Edinburgh and  I doubt that the play is all that bad.  And hopefully our friendly audience here in Dublin will appreciate our beginner efforts.

And since I am getting so involved in playing music, when I go to my weekly art group I tend to do sketches related to music.  Here is my effort from our meeting on Friday morning.

Goats March 2, 2008

On her farm in Devon, Lesley has been eagerly awaiting the arrival of baby angora goats.  Well, much to my surprise, not a baby goat, but a full grown goat jumped across the road in front of us as we were driving along our well travelled route from Enniskerry to Dundrum (Dublin, Ireland).  It has been many years since I have seen goats in this area.  And even then, the goats were not near the road – they were perched way up high on the rocks overlooking the road. 

 not a very good photo but there is the wild Enniskerry goat

A little bit about knitting….. March 1, 2008

Just a little bit about knitting today.  More about the Book Group meeting this month.  This was our annual dinner meeting and we not only had a delicious pot-luck dinner but also a featured speaker.  This year’s speaker was Gerard Dawe – a figure of note in the Irish literary world.   Gerard calls himself a poet, but at the meeting he talked about his recent book, My Mother’s City.  This was fascinating.  His book is mainly about the Belfast of the 1950’s-70’s.  The world he grew up in.   I arrived in Belfast in August 1968.  To a newcomer, it was a peaceful scene.  Little did I know of the Troubles with a capital T that lay ahead.  We were in Belfast for only a short time before moving to Dublin.   Dublin is only a little over 100 miles south of Belfast.  But there is a world of difference.  It is hard to articulate the differences and I as a newcomer felt very much the role of observer and of trying to understand the subtleties and complexities of what to me were 2 new countries, North and South.  I have now lived in Dublin for almost 40 years – I’m still observing, learning, and puzzled over the differences, not only between the North and the South of Ireland, but also the differences between my New England background and my adopted island of Ireland.

And speaking of adopted home – we went for a bit of nostalgia last night.  Does the play Our Town by Thornton Wilder ring a bell with any of my readers?  This is small town New Hampshire in the early 1900’s.  Small town New Hampshire, my home away from home. 

Now as to the knitting.    this is the beginning of Hodge Podge no. 5, aka mindless knitting of squares now being assembled.      

  and here are 3 previous hodge podges having an airing in bright sunshine earlier today.