Knitting Sheath
1679 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Knitting sheaths were attached to the waist and used to support one knitting needle so that the knitter only needed to use one hand for plain knitting. Many women supplemented their incomes by making knitted goods for sale and a knitting sheath made it possible to knit while carrying out other domestic chores, in particular carrying or feeding infants.
Knitting sheaths were often made as love tokens. This carved boxwood example bears the initials AT and the date 1679 with an inscription, 'I am box and brass within, my place is on your apron string'. The hole at the top of the sheath to hold the needle is lined with brass.
Knitting sheaths were often made as love tokens. This carved boxwood example bears the initials AT and the date 1679 with an inscription, 'I am box and brass within, my place is on your apron string'. The hole at the top of the sheath to hold the needle is lined with brass.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Carved boxwood with brass lining |
| Brief description | Knitting sheath of carved boxwood, English, 1679 |
| Physical description | Carved boxwood with geometric decoration and brass lining to hole. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Object history | Bought from Charles W. Brown 'C.W and J.H. Brown, Antique Furniture and China Dealers', 21 Oxford Street, London, from whom the Museum bought various small items of metalwork, woodworking tools and woodwork 1891-1907, according to the nominal file MA/1/B29J1. (Brown is not listed in Mark Westgarth, A Biographical Dictionary of Nineteenth Century Antique & Curiosity Dealers (Regional Furniture vol. XXIII, 2009)). The accessions files mention an article in the Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorlan Antiquarian Society, vol. VI, p. 91, on the history and use of knitting sheaths. |
| Summary | Knitting sheaths were attached to the waist and used to support one knitting needle so that the knitter only needed to use one hand for plain knitting. Many women supplemented their incomes by making knitted goods for sale and a knitting sheath made it possible to knit while carrying out other domestic chores, in particular carrying or feeding infants. Knitting sheaths were often made as love tokens. This carved boxwood example bears the initials AT and the date 1679 with an inscription, 'I am box and brass within, my place is on your apron string'. The hole at the top of the sheath to hold the needle is lined with brass. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 774-1907 |
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| Record created | January 2, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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