Hobby Month - January 15, 2020

DIANE'S CORNER ... Celebrate Hobby Month

Hobbies – we all have one or more. From reading to gaming, we all have something that keeps our minds busy. So join us as we delve into the pages of the book that is Hobby Month!

History Of Hobby Month

Since humans became sentient we have always had hobbies. It started out with smaller hobbies, such as swimming, hunting, and drawing on cave walls. We have always done things to keep ourselves busy during the long days, but where did the word hobby come from?

The origins of the word hobby suggest that initially it was the word given to pursuits that others thought somewhat childish or trivial. However, as early as 1676 Sir Matthew Hale, in Contemplations Moral and Divine, wrote “Almost every person hath some hobby horse or other wherein he prides himself.” He was acknowledging that a “hobby horse” produces a legitimate sense of pride. By the mid-18th century hobbies flourished as working people had more regular hours of work and greater leisure time.

They spent more time to pursue interests that brought them satisfaction. However, there was concern that these working people might not use their leisure time in worthwhile pursuits. The hope of weaning people away from bad habits by the provision of counter-attractions came to the fore in the 1830’s. This has rarely waned since. Initially, the bad habits were perceived to be of a sensual and physical nature and the counter attractions, or perhaps more accurately alternatives, deliberately cultivated rationality and intellect.

thanks for the Travelogue pics, Wren

THE "ROOFLESS" CHURCH

"Roofless Church" in New Harmony, Indiana is an unusual open air church, which just has a walled garden with a small alter under rosebud shaped canopy. The interdenominational church dedicated in 1960, was designed by the architect Philip Johnson. The church was commissioned at the request of Mrs. Jane Blaffer Owen, who  believed that "only one roof, the sky, could embrace all worshipping humanity."

Joke of the Day

WHAT'S WRONG DOC?

A man walks into the psychiatrist’s office with a zucchini up his nose, a cucumber in his left ear, and a breadstick in his right ear.

He says, “Doctor, what is wrong with me?"

The psychiatrist replies, “You are not eating properly.”

Beneath the fifty feet (15.24 metres) high canopy, which is covered with cedar shingles, is a bronze sculpture named "The Descent of the Holy Spirit". The sculpture as well as massive decorative bronze gate at the entrance were designed by Jacques Lipchitz. The North face of the wall has a large balcony with benches and provides a good view of the nearby Wabash River.

Word of the Day

amain

MEANING:

adverb:
1. With all one’s strength.
2. At full speed.
3. With great haste.

ETYMOLOGY:

From a- (on, in, to) + main, from Old English maegen (strength, power). Earliest documented use: 1540.

USAGE:

“The wind now rising amain, he in vain strove.”
Herman Melville; Moby Dick; Harper; 1851.

WORLD'S LARGEST WOODEN CHURCH

Kerimäki, a small village in Finland, boasts of the largest wooden church in the World with a seating capacity of 3000 persons and overall assembly capacity of 5000. It is also the most spacious church in Finland. Designed by architect A. F. Granstedt, the Church has a length of 45 meters, width of 42 meters and a height of 27 meters. At the time of its construction it was considered a carpentry marvel. Completed on September 25th 1847, it was consecrated on June 11th 1848.

Idiom of the Day

NO PAIN, NO GAIN

You need to suffer or work hard to get what you want or deserve
Person A: “That gym class was so hard I thought I was going to pass out!”Person B: “No pain, no gain!”

Because of extreme cold conditions the services in the church are held only during the summer months. However on Christmas morning the parishioners gather inside the huge church and light up hundreds of candles, making the interior warm enough for the congregation.

This Day in History

1559 - England's Queen Elizabeth I (Elizabeth Tudor) was crowned in Westminster Abbey.

1844 - The University of Notre Dame received its charter from the state of Indiana.


1870 - A cartoon by Thomas Nast titled "A Live Jackass Kicking a Dead Lion" appeared in "Harper's Weekly." The cartoon used the donkey to symbolize the Democratic Party for the first time.


1892 - "Triangle" magazine in Springfield, MA, published the rules for a brand new game. The original rules involved attaching a peach baskets to a suspended board. It is now known as basketball.


1906 - Willie Hoppe won the billiard championship of the world in Paris, France.


1908 - Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority became America's first Greek-letter organization established by African-American college women.


1936 - The first, all glass, windowless building was completed in Toledo, OH. The building was the new home of the Owens-Illinois Glass Company Laboratory.


1943 - The Pentagon was dedicated as the world's largest office building just outside Washington, DC, in Arlington, VA. The structure covers 34 acres of land and has 17 miles of corridors.


1953 - Harry S Truman became the first U.S. President to use radio and television to give his farewell as he left office.


1955 - The first solar-heated, radiation-cooled house was built by Raymond Bliss in Tucson, AZ.


1961 - Motown Records signed The Supremes.

1967 - The first National Football League Super Bowl was played. The Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League. The final score was 35-10.


1967 - The Rolling Stones performed on TV's "Ed Sullivan Show" and were forced to change their lyrics of "Let's Spend the Night Together" to "Let's Spend Some Time Together."


1986 - President Reagan signed legislation making Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday a national holiday to be celebrated on the third Monday of January.


2001 - Wikipedia was launched.


2006 - NASA's Stardust space probe mission was completed when it's sample return capsule returned to Earth with comet dust from comet Wild 2.



DAILY SQU-EEK

If You Were Born Today, January 15

You are a practical person but at the same time highly creative--a rare combination! Others quite naturally respect you. With so many talents and interests, it can be hard to choose only one path. Many of you have quite a few sideline hobbies. Most of you are very good with words. The key to success is focus, which might come a little later in life. You are a little temperamental, and others don't always know what to expect from you as a result. Famous people born today: 

1412 Joan of Arc, Roman Catholic Saint and national heroine of France (legendary date), born in Domrémy, duchy of Bar, France (d. 1431)

1908 Edward Teller, Hungarian-American physicist, father of the Hydrogen bomb (Manhattan Project), born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 2003)

1929 Martin Luther King Jr., American clergyman and leader of the Civil Rights Movement (Nobel 1964), born in Atlanta, Georgia (d. 1968)

1951 Charo [Maria Baeza], Spanish-American actress, comedienne and flamenco guitarist (Chico and the Man, Love Boat), born in Murcia, Spain

1971 Regina King, American actress (Southland, If Beale Street Could Talk), born in Cincinnati, Ohio

thanks, Karla

READERS INFO

1.

(Not So) Totally Useless Facts of The Day:

Where does the most expensive coffee in the world come from? The answer would be the Black Ivory Coffee Company in Thailand. These roasted and processed grounds (which come from elephant dung) sell for over $500/pound. That better be some good tasting coffee!

Bones found at Seymour Island indicate that, 37 to 40 million years ago, penguins stood at a formidable 6 feet tall and weighed 250 pounds.

Samsung dominates 15% of South Korea's entire economy.
The company owns hospitals, universities, apartment buildings, and even funeral homes throughout the country.

2.

1967 -

On January 15, 1967, Green Bay Packers quarterback 

Bart Starr completed 16 of 23 passes for 250 yards, with 

two touchdowns and one interception as the Packers rolled 

over the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10 in the first AFL-NFL 

World Championship game (which would later become 

known as Super Bowl I). For his efforts, Starr was named 

the game’s MVP and was awarded a shiny new 1967 

hevrolet Corvette Sting Ray convertible (above). 

The car is documented with a tank sticker that says "Courtesy Delivery – B. Starr." It presents with its original and patinated Goodwood Green paint, which was chosen to match the Packers’ home jerseys and is only slightly touched up. Just 48,000 miles show on the odometer and the listing says they are believed to be original.

3.

SPARKS Literary Festival 2020

Jan 26, 2020 | Saint John's, NL

Suncor Energy Hall|230 Elizabeth Ave

Organized by Memorial University’s Department of English, The SPARKS Literary Festival is an annual celebration of the written and spoken word in Newfoundland, Canada. The event features emerging and established Newfoundland writers across a variety of genres. Come enjoy live readings, informal discussions and participatory workshops throughout the day.

further information: SPARKS Literary Festival - Schedule

4.

Hampton Roads Indie Author "I Am The Dream" Book Festival 2020

Feb 1, 2020 | Norfolk, VA

Military Circle Mall|880 N Military Hwy

In honor of African American History Month, over 50 of Hampton Roads most talented indie authors and local artists will come together for our very first, I Am The Dream Book Festival. There will be books from all genres. Authors will be answering questions about the story behind their books as well as autographing copies.

further information: Hampton Roads Indie Author "I Am The Dream" Book Festival

5.

Kalamazoo Valley Museum Storytelling Festival 2020

Feb 7 - 8, 2020 | Kalamazoo, MI 

Kalamazoo Valley Museum|230 N Rose St

Gather around and take a step into the imagination of others for a while at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum Storytelling Festival. For two days guests can escape the monotony of their daily lives and jump into the worlds created by some of the most creative authors and poets around. Allow yourself to get wrapped up in an amazing tale, lose yourself in the story the visual artists portray, and even take the opportunity to learn some history through the African American story quilts. With as many brilliant authors, educators, vendors, and artists that travel from all over the country to the museum, it’s bound to be an experience you won't forget.

further information: Storytelling Festival: Growning Stories - Kalamazoo Valley Museum

LIVING ON TOP OF A PILLAR OF ROCK

The Katskhi Pillar (aka Katskhi Column) - a 40 metres (130 ft) tall limestone monolith in the village of Katskhi, Imereti, Georgia, lays its claim to the fame because of a small church which sits atop it. The rock has been venerated by locals even before the arrival of the Christianity in the region. Reportedly pagans built the temple at this unusual location as to them the pillar was symbol of fertility.

Pictures of the day

Ivor Novello (15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951) was a Welsh  songwriter, composer and actor who became one of the most  popular British entertainers in the first half of the 20th century.  His first big hit was Keep the Home Fires Burning, remembered  as among the greatest of World War I songs. Later he  contributed numbers to several successful musical comedies,  and wrote the scores of complete shows. In the 1920s, he turned to acting, first in British films and then on stage, achieving  considerable fame, and in the 1930s he had some of his biggest successes with stage musicals. This image forms part of the  George Grantham Bain Collection at the Library of Congress,  which includes photographs taken by Bain and images covering worldwide events gathered by him for news distribution  purposes; the date, location and photographer of this  nonchalant portrait are unknown.

Turkey

Snow-covered mountains around Mount Bolu after snowfall in Duzce.

The earliest recorded climb to the top was in 1944 when the climbers found in the ruins of the stylite church, a crypt and 600-year-old bones of a hermit who probably was the last stylite who lived there. Stylites meaning "pillar dweller" is derived from Greek word stylos (pillar) and is used for Christian ascetics who live on pillars, preaching, fasting and praying. Stylites were common in the early days of the Byzantine Empire and the first stylite was probably Simeon Stylites, the Elder, who climbed a pillar in Syria in 423 and remained there until his death 37 years later.

knit
thanks, Ethel

Newborn Vertebrae

knit
thanks, Rae

Sasha Pullover

knit

Hedgehog pattern by Amy Gaines

knit

Dagny Pullover

knit

Little Owl Variation pattern by Susan A. Coes

AMAZING SEE THROUGH CHURCH

A highly interesting and visually impacting art work in the shape of a church, with traditional spire, has been installed in an open area of  rural Borgloon, Limburg, Belgium. The walls, roof and the spire of so called church are made of layers of steel flats with gap between each layer, somewhat akin to a fully opened Venetian blind. This unusual design plays a visual trick upon the viewer - depending on the angle of view and the elevation/location of the viewer, the church either merges fully or partially with the landscape or becomes totally visible to the beholder. Although officially called "Reading between the Lines", it is quite often referred as "The See Through Church" and also "The Invisible Church".

Knit Pattern of the Day: 

thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent

Candice Baby Blanket and Hat

crochet
thanks, Gabby

Apple Crisp Cowl

crochet
thanks, Joy

African Mandala Necklace

crochet

Sweet Pink Spring Scarf by ELK Studio

crochet

Loopy Love Children's Slippers

crochet

Coffee Tapestry Square Afghan Project – Square 8 -

This cute little 4-way bridge in Alexander Park, Tsarskoye Selo (Tsar's Village), now part of Pushkin, St. Petersburg, Russia is known as Cross Bridge (Russian: Крестовый мост - Krestovy most). The bridge which from top look like a cross, was built in 1779 on the orders of Empress Catherine II, who wanted to build at Tsarskoye Selo, "... a Chinese summer-house on arches with four risers."

RECIPE

thanks, Anita

You Can Make These Flavored Butters in Minutes!

The Bridge spans a T-junction of the Krestovy Canal and although it is small in size, it has magnificent look and shape. A beautiful pavilion over the water, supported by four strong curving arched bridges, each having 23 steps of granite. The keystone, at the junction of the bridges, is in the shape of large pendant hanging over the water. The key stone also provides base for the beautiful octagonal shaped pavilion with four ogee arched doors and four ogee arched windows. The roof is typical “Chinese” roof painted with fish scales pattern, in tune with nearby "Chinese village".

CROCKPOT RECIPE
thanks, Anna

Easy Crockpot Italian Chicken Recipe! {2 Ingredients!}

Bridge of Vases, popularly known as Chinese Bridge, is a small bridge over the Krestovy Channel in the Chinese Village in the Alexander Park of Tsarskoye Selo, Pushkin, St. Petersburg. There are two other smaller Chinese bridges in the park and to distinguish this bridge from the other two it is generally referred as Large (or Big) Chinese Bridge. Main feature of the bridge are its exquisite parapets in the form of tall granite vases with ornamental intertwined branches of red coral emanating from the vases. In addition to granite vases and forged iron branches of coral, the bridge is decorated with four Chinese figures seated on pedestals holding Chinese lanterns on long poles.

SWEETS

thanks, Shelley, New York Food Correspondent

Indoor S’mores Recipe

The Bridge which leads to main gate of the Catherine Palace, was commissioned by Catherine the Great as part of her plan to create a Chinoiserie in her park. The bridge was designed by Charles Cameron and was completed in 1781. 

ADULT COLORING

WORLD'S FIRST AQUEDUCT - BARTON AQUEDUCT

The Barton swing aqueduct on the Manchester Ship Canal is not only the World's first swing aqueduct, it is also World's only such aqueduct. Built in 1894 it is considered as an engineering marvel for that time.

CRAFTS

thanks, Mary

Make a Loopy Yarn Unicorn Wreath

The aqueduct located near Barton upon Irwell, Greater Manchester, carries the Bridgewater Canal over Manchester Ship Canal. Unlike other aqueducts, it swings open to allow movement of large ships in the Manchester Canal. In closed potion it allows passage of smaller boats plying in the Bridgewater Canal to cross the Manchester Canal below it.

CHILDREN'S CORNER ... crafts

thanks, Kitty

Gem & Paperclip Bookmarks

STRANGE CUSTOM OF BABY JUMPING

The World is full of many odd traditions, however the festival of "Baby Jumping" in the small village of Castrillo de Murcia near Burgos, Spain is perhaps one of the most strangest. 

The tradition known as El Salto del Colacho (the devil's jump) or simply El Colacho, dates back to circa 1621. It takes place every year after the feast of Corpus Christi. The festival is held for four days after the feast of Corpus Christi. El Colacho (devil) in yellow/red costume and wearing a mask roams the street to the beating of drums. He also carries a castanet and a stick having a hanging ponytail at one end and playfully chases young children.

PUZZLE

Polo Mallets Jigsaw Puzzle


The baby jumping is performed on the final day when agile men representing the devil (El Colacho) jump over the babies, born during the preceding year, who lie on mattresses in the street.  It is believed that devil's jump takes away the evil, cleansing the babies of original sin, ensure them safe passage through life and guards against illness and evil spirits. Though the Catholic Church frowns over this ritual yet it is continued to be performed every year.

WORD SEARCH

assist beach bunch campaign cottage digest

fall figurine flame fumigate galore government grime hoar

image level magic mate mote orbit

particle picnic press relish renewed rolls rotate

same scent small sore spate specialize spies summer tomato venom

GIANT HANDS OF CHANDIGDARTH, INDIA

Le Corbusier, famous Swiss-French architect, urban planner and one of the pioneers of modern architecture was very enamoured with "Open Hand" symbol. One of his most famous project was the planned city of Chandigarh, India and the city authorities adopted the "Open Hand" as the emblem/symbol of the of Chandigarh. There are several Giant Open Hands scattered in and around Chandigarh.

SUDOKU ... very hard

solution:

MAGNIFICENT CARPET ON RUDOLF NUREYEV'S GRAVE

Rudolf Nureyev one of the most celebrated ballet dancers of the 20th century, who had defected from the Soviet Union at the young age of 23, died of AIDS related problems on 6th January 1993 Paris. He was buried in Russian cemetery in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois close to Paris. In 1996 his friends and admirers built a beautiful memorial to him in the shape and colours of the oriental kilim rug which Nureyev loved to carry with him. The rug designed by his artist friend Ezio Frigerio is made of mosaic tiles of several shades of red, blue and gold.

QUOTE

thanks, Isabel

THE EERIE CHAPEL OF BONES

Chapel of Bones (Capela dos Ossos) in Évora, Portugal is an eerie chapel with spine chilling atmosphere. Entire surface of its walls and pillars, from top to bottom, are covered and with human skulls and bones held together by plaster. 

The chapel was created in 16th century when it was decided to close down 42 monastic cemeteries so that the land occupied by the cemeteries could be released for other uses. About 5,000 skeletons from the cemeteries were exhumed and re-consecrated into a single chapel.

CLEVER 

If you've ever cut yourself on the edge of a broken eggshell, you know that those thin shells are stronger than they look. 

Turn them into a DIY abrasive cleaner that you can use to scour stuck-on food in pots and pans. First, choose clean shells and let them dry completely. Use a food processor, coffee grinder or mortar and pestle to crush the shells, then mix them with baking soda and get scrubbing.

THE TORCEL SCREW

El Tornillo Del Torcal (meaning The Torcal Screw) is an stunning and amazingly balanced stack of rocks formation in the alien looking landscape of El Torcal Nature Reserve, situated in the Sierra del Torcal mountain range south of Antequera, Spain. The karst landscape of the area is a geologist's paradise and is full of impressive rock formations and the Torcal Screw is one of the most prominent and famous rock of this area. It perhaps derives its name from Archimedes' Screw.

EYE OPENER 

thanks, Debbie

Interesting Facts about Knitting

factretriever

No one knows how old knitting really is, though it is generally 

thought to be older than crochet and younger than weaving.

Many ancient textile fragments thought to be knitting have 

turned out to be nålebinding (Danish for literally “binding with

a needle), an ancient form of needlecraft that is sometimes 

referred to as “single-needle knitting.” The history of knitting 

is not well known because fabrics used for knitting are made

of wool, silk, and other fibers that decay rapidly. Additionally,

knitting needles are hard to distinguish beyond a doubt from

hair picks, skewers, spindles, or the other many uses of a 

sharpened stick. Historians believe that knitting is a relatively

recent invention because there are no ancient legends of 

knitting like there are legends of spinning and weaving, such

as Arachne, Ixazaluoh, Nephthys, and Amaterasu. There are 

no ancient gods or goddesses who knit.

The earliest known types of knitting by nomadic people in the

desert places of North Africa actually used circular or narrow,

oblong wooden frames. The knitting action was similar to 

“bobbin work.” Historians are unsure when the frames were 

dispensed with and knitting began to be directly on hooked 

knitting needles. One of the earliest known examples of 

knitting (formed on two sticks by pulling loops through loops)

were a pair of cotton socks found in Egypt from the first 

millennium A.D. Many of them have knit into them khufic 

(a decorative Arabic script) blessings, symbols to ward off 

evil, or both.

Men ruled knitting guilds for centuries

Knitting was initially a male-only occupation. In fact, when 

the very first knitting union was established in Paris in 1527, 

no women were allowed. When the knitting machine was 

invented, hand knitting became useful but nonessential. Like

quilting, spinning, and needlepoint, knitting has become a 

leisurely activity. The world’s fastest knitter is Miriam Tegels 

of the Netherlands. She can hand knit 118 stitches in one 

minute. 

Linda Benne has been the North American speed-knitting

champ for the past 10 years. She can knit 253 stitches in 3 

minutes. The record for the most people knitting simultaneously 

happened September 2012 in Royal Albert Hall, London, 

when 3,083 people knitted together for 15 minutes.

Mega knitting is a recent term that refers to the use of 

knitting needles that are greater than or equal to half an inch

in diameter. Mega knitting uses needles that have been 

carved at the tips into hooks. The hooks help prevent 

stitches from slipping off the needles. Mega knitting usually 

creates more chunky, bulky fabric or an open lacy weave.

The knitting machine was invented in 1589 (during the reign of 

Queen Elizabeth) by William Lee, a clergyman. After the invention

of the knitting machine, knitting was gradually taken over by 

guild-organized cottage industries in the 17th and 18th 

centuries. The full-fashioned knitting machine was invented in 

1864 by William Cotton of Leicestershire, England.

Early knitting needles were typically made from bone, ivory, or 

tortoise shell.

Knitting originated in the Middle East and entered Europe with the Crusades

 Knitting is considered to have originated in the

Arab world, and from there, spread with the Crusades into 

Spain. The term “to knit” wasn’t added to English until the 

1400s. David Babcock entered the Guinness World Record 

when he finished the Kansas City marathon in 5 hours 48 

minutes 27 seconds—all while knitting a scarf measuring 12

feet, 1¾ inches long. He eclipsed the previous Guinness 

World Record, held by Britain’s Susie Hewer. To be eligible,
competitors must complete the marathon in less than six 

hours. Live TV, a Norwegian public broadcasting network, 

plans to dedicate five hours of airtime in an attempt to break

the knitting world record. 

The current nonstop record is held by Australia at 4 hours 

50 minutes. The longest French knitting is 16.36 miles 

(26.33 km) long by Edward Hannaford in Sittingbourne, UK. 

He has been working on the French knitting since 1989 and 

is working on it still. Knitting first appeared in England during

the 13th century in the form of felted caps that were worn by

soldiers and sailors. However, knitting did not become a 

popular method for creating other garments due to the 

difficulty of producing quality steel needles

. 

Queen Victoria was a prolific knitter until her death. In fact, 

the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901) saw an explosion of

all sorts of handwork, including knitting, which coincided with

the development of trade with the wool growers. 

During WWI, vast quantities of knitted socks, scarves, mittens, 

and helmets were sent to the soldiers in France. Knitting gave 

emotional comfort to the women who were at home waiting for 

news from the front. Americans have sex an average of 6 minutes 

per sexual encounter. These six minutes burn about 21 calories.

A person burns 55 calories by knitting for half an hour.

our grandma burns more calories knitting than the average 

couple burns during a typical sexual encounter

 

Changes in fashion in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as well as

the huge influx of cheap imported knitwear, led to decreased 

interest in knitting. The cost of buying yarn compared unfavorably

to buying ready-made clothes.

While knitting has gone in and out of fashion for the last 200 

years, the early 21st century has seen new interest in knitting 

with an influx of new fibers, with yarns made from bamboo, soy, 

hemp, alpaca, camel, microfiber, and more. Additionally, there 

are hand-painted and hand-dyed yarns, pure cashmere, and 

other exotic blends. There are also beautiful needles made from

bamboo, rosewood, and ebony. There are three basic types of 

knitting needles: standard “pin” style, double pointed, and 

circular.

The word “knit” is derived from the Old English cnyttan, which

means “to knot.” During the 1940s in the World War II era, 

interest in continental knitting (or knitting with the yarn in 

one’s left hand) decreased because of its origins in Germany,

while English knitting (or knitting with the yarn in the right hand)

rose in popularity. Its reintroduction into the United States is 

most often associated with Elizabeth Zimmerman. While both 

continental and English knitting (knitting with the yarn in the left

hand vs. knitting with it in the right) are used in the U.S. and 

England, Japanese knitters usually prefer the continental style 

and Chinese knitters prefer the English style. Many other 

countries typically use the continental style, such as Peru, 

Turkey, Bolivia, Greece, and Portugal. Knitting acts as a 

natural antidepressant and can help ease anxiety, depression, 

and chronic pain. It can also protect the brain from aging.

“Ravelry” is a social networking site for those who knit, crochet,

spin, and weave. In 2013, the site had over 3 million members 

worldwide. The U.S. Olympic Committee sent a cease-and-

desist letter to the knitting website Ravelry.com stating that 

their “Ravelympics” infringes on their copyright. The letter 

states that Ravelry’s afghan marathon, scarf hockey, and 

sweater triathlon “denigrate” the Games.

Famous people who knit include Julia Roberts, Vanna White, 

Cameron Diaz, Sarah Jessica Parker, Julianna Margulies, and 

many others. Some women in the past have attempted self-

abortions with knitting needles. However, a woman’s uterus is 

almost always tilted forwards or backwards, and inserting a 

rigid instrument into the abdominal wall, such as a knitting 

needle, can easily puncture its wall. A large number of women 

have either died or experienced serious complications from 

self-abortions with knitting needles.

The women knitted between executions, voicing their praise after each head fell

Tricoteuse is French for “knitting woman.” During the French 

Revolution, a group of knitting women would sit beside the 

guillotine and knit through the executions. The Commune of 

Paris organized and paid these women to attend beheadings 

and tribunals “to greet death, to insult the victims, and to glut 

their eyes with blood.” They would jeer and shriek and knit as 

the upper class were led to the guillotine. It is important to knit 

a sock with “negative ease,” which means the circumference of

the sock is smaller than the circumference of a leg and foot to 

keep the sock from slouching or shifting.

For the first four or five hundred years of knitting’s history, the 

most common knitting materials were cotton and silk, not wool.

Some scholars argue that further proof that knitting was 

invented in the Middle East is found in the way knitters work 

their stitches: even though English speakers write from left to

right, knitters work the stitches from right to left.

In the 1350s, “knitting Madonna’s” began to appear in Europe, 

depicting the Virgin Mary knitting. These include Our Lady 

Knitting (c. 1325–1375) and Visit of the Angel (1400–1410). 

These paintings are important markers that indicate when 

knitting entered Europe and how knitting was done. In 1566, 

King Eric of Sweden owned 27 pairs of knitted silk stockings 

imported from Spain. Each knitted pair cost the same as his 

valet’s yearly salary. There were shepherds in the Landes 

swamps in France known as tchangues (“big legs”) who would 

knit on stilts while they watched their flocks. The need for stilt 

walking and shepherds were obliterated by the early 20th 

century when the government planted a forest of maritime 

pines over the swamps

.
The first knitting pattern book of any kind at all was the 16th-

century Modelbuch, which was a printed pattern collection 

specifically for embroidery and lace. By the mid-17th century, 

patterns specifically for knitting were emerging within some 

pages of pattern books. In 1761, Susanna Dorothea Kriegl 

published an early pattern book devoted exclusively to knitting,

the Strikkemøstre (Knitting Patterns).

The term “Stitch-n-Bitch” has been used at least since WWII to

refer to social knitting groups. It is also the title of a 2003 

knitter’s handbook. Scholars note that these social groups often

act as a form of resistance to major political, social, and 

technological change in Western societies.

Knitting is becoming more popular as young adults seek ways to express their creativity, reject cheap mass consumerism, and relax in a technology-free way 

 Between 2002 and 

2004, the number of women knitters in the U.S. ages 25–35 

increased nearly 150%. 

The countries of East Asia have no native history of hand 

knitting. Though hand and machine knitting now are popular 

there, knitting has come to them mostly through the 

modernization process in the 19th and 20th centuries. Because

wool was scarce during the early days of knitting, other material,

such as cotton and silk, were popular knitting materials. 

Jeannette Huisinga owns the worlds largest knitting needles. 

Each needle weighs 25 pounds and stands at 13' .75.'' 

Huisinga had to knit a 10X10 square with the massive needles 

to qualify for the title.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

It is not what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable. -Moliere, actor and playwright (15 Jan 1622-1673)

OPTICAL ILLUSION

Would you be surprised to learn that the two people in the image  are actually the same size?