My mother-in-law works at a working historical farm. She works in authentic historical garb, and cooks, spins, and cleans in an authentic historical manner, giving tours to visitors and explaining her processes.
She mentioned to me last year that at the later-season (fall and winter) gigs, her co-worker had a bosom-buddy, or sontag - a historical woolen shawl that wrapped around to allow a woman to work while she wore it. She mentioned that she would like that for Christmas this year, and then she (hopefully) forgot about it.
So, I made one! It's humungous, and I followed a basic pattern from 1860 that I adapted, due to my gauge. I also created a button using
Kate Davies Button Tutorial. The garter edge was knit with the body, and when I broke for the "wings," I cast on the 6 stitches needed for the "inside" garter ridges. Later, I went back and knit from the cast-ons, and applied a garter ridge by picking up a stitch from the neck edge, and knitting two together near that edge to maintain the six stitches.
I knit a 6-stitch garter ridge strip, and knit about 300 rows, and then continued that same applying technique to attach it to the bottom back of the sontag, and then knit another 300 rows. I then knit an applied i-cord all the way around that garter strip, which stabilized and strengthened it.
I sent it off to her for a late birthday/early Christmas gift, so she could use it this fall season, and thankfully, she loves it!
Ravelry Project Page
Round Five of Sock Madness brought me to my knees. It used more stitches and yards than any of the other rounds. It was just filled with bobbles - I was not a fan.
They were also far too big for me. Far too big. Since I started a day or so late, and a few of the speedy teams had finishers already, I knew this going in, and decided to knit it for my mom. I used the yarn I had bought for her - Knit Picks Stroll in Wine Tasting - and knit them on size 2 needles. When she visited in April, I tried them on, and they fit comfortably.
