Sunday, May 18, 2008

Eleanor cuff

I knit a swatch with some scrap wool on size 0 needles with my new chart. Overall I'm pleased, but I don't think it is quite right. Just a simple change is needed, but it is close.

The pictures I used are on the Realm of Venus website in the workshop collection. The close up of the cuff from the Moda alla corte dei Medici: gli abiti restaurati di Cosimo, Eleonora e don Garzia, Firenze, Centro Di, 1993 was really the most useful piece in this puzzle.

Here is the detail of the original stocking from the wrong side (or at least I'm calling it the "wrong side" some might prefer to have this side displayed).











This is what I'm referring to as the right side of the cuff from my swatch.









This is reverse of the cuff on my swatch.










The leg pattern is pretty apparent, but I'm less convinced as to which side should be out. The rice stitch and horizontal rib pattern is fully reversible, but the garter rib is not and while it has been a held theory that the cuff folds down so that the "right" side is displayed, the stockings are displayed both ways in the "Moda di Firenze". While I would wear the stockings with the cuff folded down so that the purl bumps that form the lattice show, G2 prefers the side with the purl bumps in the lozenge. Actually either way would work and due to the nature of the stockings they really could be considered reversible.

This is a fascinating project.

1 comment:

Alwen said...

Thanks! That's an excellent photo, very interesting.