tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38112535242938470982024-03-13T22:21:46.447-07:00brightmeadowknitsenthusiastic Machine KnittingBrightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.comBlogger213125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-83664395810760996972024-01-16T13:18:00.000-08:002024-01-16T13:18:17.652-08:00Custom production Knitting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><div><br></div><div>I've been working on a project recently. I was asked to make hats, with the group logo, for a group by a friend. I decided to do a simple hat knitted as a rectangle, sewn into a tube, and gathered at top and bottom. Then one end is folded into the other and the brim is folded up. It's simple and fits most people well. </div><div><br></div><div>Let me explain that I've never done production knitting and rarely take commissions. I think the market is accustomed to fast-fashion, inexpensively-mamufactured garments that are produced on an industrial scale and priced accordingly. I don't want to work in a sweatshop!</div><div><br></div><div>This hat is made of 2/24 acrylic yarn. I thought I would have enough of the white to make a dozen hats, but as it turned out, I ran out. </div><div><br></div><div>I knew that new 2/24 acrylic in quantity is available from MacKellar Associates in Rochester Hills, Michigan. They buy it in quantity for their baby blanket business, The Blanket Lady. We were travelling to Michigan anyway this week, so we stopped by to pick up two cones of white yarn. It was only an hour out of our way, and took us up familiar highways from our ten years living in Michigan.</div><div><br></div><div>The lady at the front desk was kind enough to take us back to the blanket-knitting area for a quick tour. They had four Brother electronic knitting machines, very similar to my own, with motor drives, just like mine. Two women were each monitoring two of the machines, while a third woman in each trio ran the steamer to flatten the curling edges to prepare the fronts and backs of the blankets for seaming together on the Merrow industrial seamer. </div><div><br></div><div>Our tour guide mentioned they have hundreds of orders. The blankets feature the baby's name and birthday. She mentioned, as I already knew, that the machines were manufactured in the 1970's and they are looking at getting new machines. I was curious, and she said they may get one from Barcelona. I wondered if it was the Kniterate. That retails for about $16, 000. I shamelessly begged to come back to see it. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div><div><br></div>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-37111201076877422822023-09-06T08:04:00.001-07:002023-09-06T08:04:41.519-07:00Ironweed as a Dye Plant<p>You may have seen tall purple flowers waving in the breeze along the highway. It is a plant called Giant Ironweed (<i>Vernonia Gigantea</i>). </p><p>For natural dyeing purpose, there is a large range of colors available from this plant with various mordants and modifiers. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5JbM5HfZnhqIur9ODxraUs8Q-uD7jkYRcbpaZulH3eKwJH4yHnBv_RhH0hc3mYV1c9LTP73pQMvsSdjOT7x616H8zdwblLrjj0iL_omElVqfh1ZAGRU85F24vW6ydr-Dhc7reASnwf41RgaJg_LVHxdMWygejVYA6JvmM17j_AfN2hlBb5gj7A8D6kQ/s4080/IMG_20230906_103346630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="4080" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5JbM5HfZnhqIur9ODxraUs8Q-uD7jkYRcbpaZulH3eKwJH4yHnBv_RhH0hc3mYV1c9LTP73pQMvsSdjOT7x616H8zdwblLrjj0iL_omElVqfh1ZAGRU85F24vW6ydr-Dhc7reASnwf41RgaJg_LVHxdMWygejVYA6JvmM17j_AfN2hlBb5gj7A8D6kQ/w640-h282/IMG_20230906_103346630.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>I was surprised by the results. </p><p>The first time I dyed with this plant, I used alum mordant and added an iron modifier. After the first skein resulted in a deep charcoal color, I removed the skein, and saw that there was a great deal of pigment left in the dyepot. So I dyed three additional skeins, each resulting in a lighter variation of grey. I used rhubarb leaves (oxalic acid) as a mordant for a couple of skeins. </p><p>The second time I dyed with this plant, I used an alum mordant. I cut the flowers off the stems and prepared two dye baths, one with only the purple flowers, and one with the deep green leaves and reddish stems. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYv4DYoRRZ7quxspe47CsjaiIHzHHYt5hUJZLtsMUftNhEeaAogM2mZALI_2d5S3bxLjvnH3cLmFzdeB9eCBd9PUuv_gOvhX8WokwHRFdo4HRBgmGW9M1erYIa7lqTrVLJ6WG0tW0cZbMbbK94mbSHA7X0hFfQa7f9iDWcYmI28_k014IcTHwmbMBCtc/s4080/IMG_20230904_171110652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="1792" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYv4DYoRRZ7quxspe47CsjaiIHzHHYt5hUJZLtsMUftNhEeaAogM2mZALI_2d5S3bxLjvnH3cLmFzdeB9eCBd9PUuv_gOvhX8WokwHRFdo4HRBgmGW9M1erYIa7lqTrVLJ6WG0tW0cZbMbbK94mbSHA7X0hFfQa7f9iDWcYmI28_k014IcTHwmbMBCtc/s320/IMG_20230904_171110652.jpg" width="141" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Flower dyepot</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The purple flowers resulted in a reddish liquid. <div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0oFVAb0vYY5K-ESckyaJ_-tTG2aJAxuffyLFWRcqGJBs7N1WVJ2-OclNausw3r8lsqRwFrOq0ijJKp5wiVpSARJ1DROgMth9f3wTG8t27YHsrRufW_Pf7fQj70djWfQzge0rG8X1yp6DKx2In0qyWfaxEFwfs4WNDjzKpudnuIm8L9YMwQ6-571kSfU/s4080/IMG_20230904_171129852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="1792" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0oFVAb0vYY5K-ESckyaJ_-tTG2aJAxuffyLFWRcqGJBs7N1WVJ2-OclNausw3r8lsqRwFrOq0ijJKp5wiVpSARJ1DROgMth9f3wTG8t27YHsrRufW_Pf7fQj70djWfQzge0rG8X1yp6DKx2In0qyWfaxEFwfs4WNDjzKpudnuIm8L9YMwQ6-571kSfU/s320/IMG_20230904_171129852.jpg" width="141" /></a></div><br /><p>But the yarn did not take the red dye (stain?). It looked like spaghetti, with a yellowish cast. I didn't particularly like the color. But I left the yarn in to simmer for an hour. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZdnKn-uJxxsXrq2u4QBmUzNsFITptlpRCHXM4HahOEv3bh5S7g96SlPNsqg-ro-dnW8Mibr1UzgbUGWJqrb9NoMLziesx-mTl2eNOnq6lXhcBjDqcb5S-5ksdH32DVhgFz3l8MOS57eG4VsAjuMPaV_QZiRukrD52QgPaOhN2V-YSjFPKdIUyMtWhuc/s4080/IMG_20230906_103620633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="1792" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZdnKn-uJxxsXrq2u4QBmUzNsFITptlpRCHXM4HahOEv3bh5S7g96SlPNsqg-ro-dnW8Mibr1UzgbUGWJqrb9NoMLziesx-mTl2eNOnq6lXhcBjDqcb5S-5ksdH32DVhgFz3l8MOS57eG4VsAjuMPaV_QZiRukrD52QgPaOhN2V-YSjFPKdIUyMtWhuc/s320/IMG_20230906_103620633.jpg" width="141" /></a></div><br /><p>After an hour, the yarn had taken on a rich, grey-green color. </p><p>I wanted to know what would happen with an acidic or basic modifier, so I split the exhaut pot into two and added baking soda to one and vinegar to the other. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJUfbFRRxmrxSkDv-8B3gnJiHWRoXtY-DLj_bF8chsEWGFu9yFLMDc5szd1ycO3Ub5Mzw2ITKpS2Ggicvab464COm39O2vyP00zu3_k6iHjz1swy4SlkVh9fNABCcv8JCHhJmulEbuKFzuG7pUrRE94xfgeSww5EJWag5SmS6bGO8cO0qaKtw5_eGtfU/s4080/IMG_20230906_103609503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="1792" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJUfbFRRxmrxSkDv-8B3gnJiHWRoXtY-DLj_bF8chsEWGFu9yFLMDc5szd1ycO3Ub5Mzw2ITKpS2Ggicvab464COm39O2vyP00zu3_k6iHjz1swy4SlkVh9fNABCcv8JCHhJmulEbuKFzuG7pUrRE94xfgeSww5EJWag5SmS6bGO8cO0qaKtw5_eGtfU/s320/IMG_20230906_103609503.jpg" width="141" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The acidic modifier did push the color towards mauve, but on drying it was more of a taupe. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpb1_8LEKOv1nxWEN7qBxE8z72ckWqp6gR1HjgDPlEzDVTXxs9-hcwWdQO2rJdGU-M_FyBaMi4sMbNEaZJ10VSK2k8GpfOFDw-q4PRixUrJovBp7D5g3j67m9wLZESu8lneNkI3WN6MuLufnVLFEiQ5TOLawje1m1xxHuDkrFp1i0AGWPzWzgWtd0KX60/s4080/IMG_20230906_103632685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="1792" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpb1_8LEKOv1nxWEN7qBxE8z72ckWqp6gR1HjgDPlEzDVTXxs9-hcwWdQO2rJdGU-M_FyBaMi4sMbNEaZJ10VSK2k8GpfOFDw-q4PRixUrJovBp7D5g3j67m9wLZESu8lneNkI3WN6MuLufnVLFEiQ5TOLawje1m1xxHuDkrFp1i0AGWPzWzgWtd0KX60/w141-h320/IMG_20230906_103632685.jpg" width="141" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>When I added the baking soda to the exhaust liquid, the dyebath foamed up and almost overflowed the small pot I had it in. It was a bright green. But the result ended up being a light yellow. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div></div><div><br /></div>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-15628013376564340022023-09-02T13:55:00.000-07:002023-09-02T13:55:15.553-07:00Polygonum persicarium as a dye plant<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRF0YlPTeo__Pi-jiSrD06BOelVFfvmZ5vfbDuO3YCin3yvek7IhPCALiDT_vS2lnsDILCMbNnsJ1ox6OlCJ2S0Y0dd_PSxdBG_4DVGgEzLha5oqMTxB2JcGlHAp0AY9eMMLM-ivIPSMek_3EayqubyW7YRKsme_W7Ka5Jd7NUyeknJZPFEoWViTRvTgQ/s4080/IMG_20230902_132710840_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRF0YlPTeo__Pi-jiSrD06BOelVFfvmZ5vfbDuO3YCin3yvek7IhPCALiDT_vS2lnsDILCMbNnsJ1ox6OlCJ2S0Y0dd_PSxdBG_4DVGgEzLha5oqMTxB2JcGlHAp0AY9eMMLM-ivIPSMek_3EayqubyW7YRKsme_W7Ka5Jd7NUyeknJZPFEoWViTRvTgQ/w360-h640/IMG_20230902_132710840_HDR.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>The tomatoes in the bottom of the screen will draw your eye, but the plant I am asking you to look at is in front of the tomatoes. I'm showing you the whole photo so that you can see the scale of the whole plant. <p></p><p>It is <i>Polygonum persicarium</i>, also known as Lady's Finger or Lady's Thumb - or Redshank, or Smartweed. </p><p>Here's a zoom into the flower.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_AYZqAUO6vfPoHWWjOLCPXY-etYqv1HF9Io3q4nzDxw7jCYhGVXf6ftOnCNinOhmihezuAfdg8rY27dZJVZQ9S_9rlCITS-taFz-PrzDgxr6VKYu7nOxFoLk4mfjWc-0lFmpX85YLNl2TwQxfhdCo24m3gJBulcIcNmKKfkTOxP4Oz1YbX5uWuV1Wx8A/s592/IMG_20230902_132710840_HDR-EDIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="570" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_AYZqAUO6vfPoHWWjOLCPXY-etYqv1HF9Io3q4nzDxw7jCYhGVXf6ftOnCNinOhmihezuAfdg8rY27dZJVZQ9S_9rlCITS-taFz-PrzDgxr6VKYu7nOxFoLk4mfjWc-0lFmpX85YLNl2TwQxfhdCo24m3gJBulcIcNmKKfkTOxP4Oz1YbX5uWuV1Wx8A/s320/IMG_20230902_132710840_HDR-EDIT.jpg" width="308" /></a>,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p>And here's a zoom into the leaf and stem nodes. You can see why it is called "Redshank." </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZ2008HgdyIzHHzBJAc5B99QwrcagCsBp_Bw89o6mBzaaLRlUZkeKsPmG11Ne0XgeOPycRvpyxIljM9p66X_K1ykk0JWEod9nA_WwNRsxv1f74mKpfd1SeVqsXoo9xOVLJY-ynZADQ3G8pgTQqKIpAd-GfHmvRFQVPQG_GXaNwpTEZoZDD-3bcn47oq4/s1529/IMG_20230902_132710840_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="1529" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZ2008HgdyIzHHzBJAc5B99QwrcagCsBp_Bw89o6mBzaaLRlUZkeKsPmG11Ne0XgeOPycRvpyxIljM9p66X_K1ykk0JWEod9nA_WwNRsxv1f74mKpfd1SeVqsXoo9xOVLJY-ynZADQ3G8pgTQqKIpAd-GfHmvRFQVPQG_GXaNwpTEZoZDD-3bcn47oq4/s320/IMG_20230902_132710840_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>If you live anywhere near the Midwestern US, I am sure you have seen this plant as a weed in your garden. <div>It is actually edible, as long as you use it moderately. It has oxalic acid in the leaves, which can be a problem for those with kidney stones. I hadn't seen it recommended for use as a dye plant, but I was curious. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is in the buckwheat family. Smartweeds and knotweeds belong to this family. I was interested in its use as a dye plant, because I have ordered and received seeds for another buckwheat family member, Japanese Indigo (<i>Persicaria tinctorium, </i>previously<i> Polygonum tinctorium</i>). It's the wrong time of year to plant them, but I have every intention of planting them next spring. The plant photos I have seen look fairly similar to smartweed, but smartweed is an annual and Japanese indigo is a biennial, with a rosette of leaves in the first year and flowers in the second. Japanese indigo is also known as Dyer's Knotweed. Indigo dye can be extracted from the leaves of Dyer's knotweed. </div><div><br /></div><div>There is also another non-native, invasive plant in the same family, which has a similar name. That would be Japanese Knotweed (<i>Polygonum cuspidatum </i>or<i> Renoutria japonica</i>). It is a major threat in areas along waterways. In my Master Gardener class earlier this year, my group did a presentation on control of Japanese Knotweed. It is not easy, as the plant spreads by rhizomes, by stem cuttings, and prolific seeds. It crowds out other native plants and destroys habitat. Maybe another day I will try it out as a dye plant. I noticed a stand out by the Malabar Farm horse camp. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the meantime, I have plenty of smartweed in my tomato garden that is not supposed to be there. So the other day I gathered a bunch of it and put it in a dyepot. I experimented with the technique of mordanting the fiber at the same time as dyeing it. In other words, after cooking the plant for an hour, I strained out the leaves and stems and added the iron mordant to the dye pot before adding the dry fiber. (I was in a time crunch, I had lots of stuff to do before leaving to attend the dye class up in Northfield.) </div><div>I brought the pot back to a simmer for about an hour, then turned it off and left the fiber in the dyepot overnight. The next morning, I did not have time to deal with it, so left it again until I returned home on Thursday night. I pulled out the fibers and rinsed them, then left them to dry. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJNt-uybwXgQqj7QPeftyiMgHijUEMUWh6ARV95kzVKNwAB2WBf8SoXjpR2JBkNUpNRKmbhxxln7HC9TjSj38Lt2hVPo5I1sQmoZKKC1PyzOFVEipIw3EsJHVrbHEDqJ2vNbAqtYH84813j6m-GjErgRKVAoTXYSR5nc-SulqOiNbkR4xmiyUTFBY_LA/s4080/IMG_20230902_135641111_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="1792" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJNt-uybwXgQqj7QPeftyiMgHijUEMUWh6ARV95kzVKNwAB2WBf8SoXjpR2JBkNUpNRKmbhxxln7HC9TjSj38Lt2hVPo5I1sQmoZKKC1PyzOFVEipIw3EsJHVrbHEDqJ2vNbAqtYH84813j6m-GjErgRKVAoTXYSR5nc-SulqOiNbkR4xmiyUTFBY_LA/w282-h640/IMG_20230902_135641111_HDR.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJR5yGS3t7GsxUc2uFTDnlbFoAbUO-j9DqadQD8ozXaeGKaQru6OSRKmUi2YaJlObS0jD8CLQvZL3S0B_EuUiCyakNw91ZF4sMDGrisAUx7J8yKlSJQrWthrL4lo_eKI50o9AIbiY-zOkOnKekIneN7Sr-Y8GOCW4iinnHFSWSd_hcVpS0RCzlFdcr46c/s4080/IMG_20230902_135721181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="1792" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJR5yGS3t7GsxUc2uFTDnlbFoAbUO-j9DqadQD8ozXaeGKaQru6OSRKmUi2YaJlObS0jD8CLQvZL3S0B_EuUiCyakNw91ZF4sMDGrisAUx7J8yKlSJQrWthrL4lo_eKI50o9AIbiY-zOkOnKekIneN7Sr-Y8GOCW4iinnHFSWSd_hcVpS0RCzlFdcr46c/w282-h640/IMG_20230902_135721181.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><br /><div>The color appears greenish-grey. Iron mordant will "sadden" any color, so it is contributing the grey color. It appears different under different lighting conditions. </div><div><br /></div><div>You will notice the twistiness of the fibers. I'm not sure if I shocked the wool by raising the temperature too fast. The yarn is from Made In America yarns. It's a single-ply and did not have these twisties before I simmered the yarn. I bought "Big Superwash Wool" which is 3 or more pounds of 80% merino and 20% nylon. It arrived in two cones. The two cones seem to be somewhat different - this one is a single ply and the other appears to be a multiple-ply yarn, although they are both sock weight. Or maybe I mislabeled them and this is the alpaca I ordered in the same batch? </div><div><br /></div><div>This is a question that needs resolution. Guess I have some work cut out for me. In the meantime, there is still a lot of pigment that was not exhausted in the first dye bath, so I will be doing a second skein to exhaust the color or any remaining mordant. I'll take the opportunity to look at the fiber again. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the meantime, I just stumbled across <a href="http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/Survival/Pages/smartweed.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">a web page from Brandeis University </a> that does mention smartweed as a dye plant. However, it does not distinguish between the several different species of smartweed and knotweed. The "<a href="http://www.wildcolours.co.uk/html/japan_indigo.html#:~:text=Japanese%20Indigo%2C%20also%20known%20as,nodes%2C%20which%20are%20somewhat%20hairy." rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wild Colors</a>" website does discuss Japanese Indigo cultivation and use as a dye plant,</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p><br /></p></div>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-92005570189067051482023-09-02T10:09:00.004-07:002023-09-02T10:09:57.087-07:00Fiberarts Guild at Malabar Farm Dye Workshop with alk&me<p>Kris Jenkins was the instructor for a great full-day workshop at her studio, alk&me, in Northfield Ohio on August 31. </p><p>We had six participants scheduled, but unfortunately, two of them cancelled at the very last minute. So we went ahead and dyed their yarn for them. </p><p>This was an acid-dye workshop. The skeins we dyed were all sock yarn, 75% wool and 25% nylon from the Knomad yarn company. They only sell wholesale, so you may not have seen their label at your local yarn store, but you may have seen their yarn with labels from indie dyers. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkjfBTGZbTIkMDEUYoS9mxwjVy0zZKdWLgv0doLqCJIqMEg3FKX03B0IqHmGrOOL1l6ps2wnqBnhcPwahiZUfmtoiK27QNBM5d5zMaSS2gJpZ8UpkhqmpTvHyr19OEf2FXodi2c9uLafQV7H24MTEKht-81I-vixWnYFipQ-PezV4ECzvettsBHUAiENs/s4080/IMG_20230831_183131814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkjfBTGZbTIkMDEUYoS9mxwjVy0zZKdWLgv0doLqCJIqMEg3FKX03B0IqHmGrOOL1l6ps2wnqBnhcPwahiZUfmtoiK27QNBM5d5zMaSS2gJpZ8UpkhqmpTvHyr19OEf2FXodi2c9uLafQV7H24MTEKht-81I-vixWnYFipQ-PezV4ECzvettsBHUAiENs/s320/IMG_20230831_183131814.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Shelly asked for blues, greys and pinks. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytRK6vc6XTJIc2rNs8LUR9bjsTHEGGr18kQrgS8fjGqBVccZco5mgppUZZaMV7mY4gQK6w5YVSey2dJSL2MyrhqOK-tF2o3kzF2VZ9mnV-KVOQm1ATEGlnvabQldQs783WJJVH779_z0ogczP-LQgPk_8mGjjQBgIM72Z1sX1xG35vStULQ5cNlWZqGI/s4080/IMG_20230831_153919603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytRK6vc6XTJIc2rNs8LUR9bjsTHEGGr18kQrgS8fjGqBVccZco5mgppUZZaMV7mY4gQK6w5YVSey2dJSL2MyrhqOK-tF2o3kzF2VZ9mnV-KVOQm1ATEGlnvabQldQs783WJJVH779_z0ogczP-LQgPk_8mGjjQBgIM72Z1sX1xG35vStULQ5cNlWZqGI/s320/IMG_20230831_153919603.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kris kept us enthralled for six hours. She also got wet and kept us laughing. We had a great time. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm45EFdMjzVs9ADLxt33HhHKRlVu7LVXxX8kr7AkMgVC43dVqsjVaNZ-IezeOOsbcDl3BmjZXRM4qi4Xl6zoYFrSHilm-aLVTSfoN4uhFIlAvXzhLz2FmQhbw1YkA9OrLpQcyf_AJOLmdwdDqBT01WMv5u-v9luO4U7Bl-S-uy5v9FLGbMKl1SkY4Xh4M/s4080/IMG_20230831_183120224_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm45EFdMjzVs9ADLxt33HhHKRlVu7LVXxX8kr7AkMgVC43dVqsjVaNZ-IezeOOsbcDl3BmjZXRM4qi4Xl6zoYFrSHilm-aLVTSfoN4uhFIlAvXzhLz2FmQhbw1YkA9OrLpQcyf_AJOLmdwdDqBT01WMv5u-v9luO4U7Bl-S-uy5v9FLGbMKl1SkY4Xh4M/s320/IMG_20230831_183120224_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kailey asked for shades of blue. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7SkPxdPiV-sA058yIbG4oe0IKU8VJUOlxaM8fTjhzOaL8WGFc6GC0IgfqV7vJbIbZ10tLk74OFqlft63HwUJ2oQAh2cI7ISmGffqvbbiBZuH5XSKPJ0BpNjVGO7HaMyVi1mzhIQodU1oeMtQe7HW3Lw2_u0h45Ovq2Zp9sYVTO6Dt4u4DgXvmhsJOyM/s4080/IMG_20230831_154048961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7SkPxdPiV-sA058yIbG4oe0IKU8VJUOlxaM8fTjhzOaL8WGFc6GC0IgfqV7vJbIbZ10tLk74OFqlft63HwUJ2oQAh2cI7ISmGffqvbbiBZuH5XSKPJ0BpNjVGO7HaMyVi1mzhIQodU1oeMtQe7HW3Lw2_u0h45Ovq2Zp9sYVTO6Dt4u4DgXvmhsJOyM/s320/IMG_20230831_154048961.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Some of our yarn just out of the spinner. Subtle differences between Independence Red, Chinese Red, and Poppy Red. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdNUyyXhbg3DXs43EjUis0emBhvE386Ri9Ay9MJRt_atWovvgQEET9__As6kkhDVAHEfzJy27_0FhhTAVpOtF8qwRXbFAk7_-ulxpRBeoYzTE1SPRu6CjmQoFqKyGT3MVz-ZPLooWNJenGdq2p01W8BFSl9lTSflBtxTj6er0PNLmxSTGjEbcRdNt5J0/s4080/IMG_20230831_154011187_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdNUyyXhbg3DXs43EjUis0emBhvE386Ri9Ay9MJRt_atWovvgQEET9__As6kkhDVAHEfzJy27_0FhhTAVpOtF8qwRXbFAk7_-ulxpRBeoYzTE1SPRu6CjmQoFqKyGT3MVz-ZPLooWNJenGdq2p01W8BFSl9lTSflBtxTj6er0PNLmxSTGjEbcRdNt5J0/s320/IMG_20230831_154011187_HDR.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />Kris had three pets that were quite at home in the studio. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-MQREdfKin4dBXpbheD_NjrE3Y8LwrFKmrtjAqKd_TvdynsvsFJ8m7A_zSaeNgdW6K2Xmw3Wyk4k9o0g1x7gktljiVwFINxLMpW6wtOBXSSh76JXitKz8MHqGxpFCRhEPi696FjgbzgbVE2xjQcVzzQMWEXxfHipHrYnt9nE-SfHDavm0Dz4L8fPuLk/s4080/IMG_20230831_154003386_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-MQREdfKin4dBXpbheD_NjrE3Y8LwrFKmrtjAqKd_TvdynsvsFJ8m7A_zSaeNgdW6K2Xmw3Wyk4k9o0g1x7gktljiVwFINxLMpW6wtOBXSSh76JXitKz8MHqGxpFCRhEPi696FjgbzgbVE2xjQcVzzQMWEXxfHipHrYnt9nE-SfHDavm0Dz4L8fPuLk/s320/IMG_20230831_154003386_HDR.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Some of Kris' other skeins drying in the sunshine.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0l5lVRYdQXsltKsrvcpfHKvhvRL49kQ6Ek8ELkBSaEOJgfgE4JeVYZycQMh_s9gYM9kvgN431u0gRQUQI8a0oIKQd2rMg4IbsJtZlx5EIyw9ZWZBlsDAscmU112TGqj4IW-dSMh60gEOwuKG7a1xV8_J4CwmeCAsOhtPcp2374ZR-N9kNTwbCAgA8vLg/s4080/IMG_20230831_153948468_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0l5lVRYdQXsltKsrvcpfHKvhvRL49kQ6Ek8ELkBSaEOJgfgE4JeVYZycQMh_s9gYM9kvgN431u0gRQUQI8a0oIKQd2rMg4IbsJtZlx5EIyw9ZWZBlsDAscmU112TGqj4IW-dSMh60gEOwuKG7a1xV8_J4CwmeCAsOhtPcp2374ZR-N9kNTwbCAgA8vLg/s320/IMG_20230831_153948468_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Vic, me, the other Shelly, and Deb.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1sQLCQ-2zK0bAqQAs0a54JESfkyy19VNNkWYr8tGyS9MBnk8YaariDno0saPs55s-UTKK6lhquhNsVYFuhkgZFNaS6efpulbw8wOFXSkLVUYA9ieQQGKWl7obiYRQqJLuCrfI_yEiGYLJ0eXLDf4Y9eDokBOzFArxTqwr8H8GuL79pA-bjavCYw444Vw/s4080/IMG_20230831_153931391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1sQLCQ-2zK0bAqQAs0a54JESfkyy19VNNkWYr8tGyS9MBnk8YaariDno0saPs55s-UTKK6lhquhNsVYFuhkgZFNaS6efpulbw8wOFXSkLVUYA9ieQQGKWl7obiYRQqJLuCrfI_yEiGYLJ0eXLDf4Y9eDokBOzFArxTqwr8H8GuL79pA-bjavCYw444Vw/s320/IMG_20230831_153931391.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Vic, Shelly, and Deb. </div><br /><p><br /></p>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-58504941963383861132023-08-26T18:32:00.000-07:002023-08-26T18:32:42.121-07:00Ready to DyeI volunteered to do a presentation on Natural Dyeing for the Master Gardener Volunteers in Richland County, Ohio on September 11. <div><br /></div><div>I have been spending a lot of time preparing for it. In addition to creating a PowerPoint presentation with lots of photos of dye plants, I have been re-reading all my books on the topic of Natural Dyeing. Of course I have to demonstrate my experience as well (no one is as authoritative as someone who has actually done the thing.) And I have been scouting my neighborhood fields and parks for dye plants. </div><div><br /></div><div>So I have been actually doing the natural dyeing as well. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdI26ifOwUwx0wxDeG_HxSb2rVvc-OSBGDx5ew5qBiB7VNA7gERJDokmXHMyZpLUEEIqMpRxK3ijD7CB2sR4SJ5ZfB5k3FGCiQiZOJGKJhlAvHOOpQLzIhZpaKC1hZu6x3I-k-8OWgeBM5DPA7Vr5QZhLjLCiVk-Qc4bGWrbopf1d-1kOXL9VZCLQhrs/s4080/IMG_20230826_120451836_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdI26ifOwUwx0wxDeG_HxSb2rVvc-OSBGDx5ew5qBiB7VNA7gERJDokmXHMyZpLUEEIqMpRxK3ijD7CB2sR4SJ5ZfB5k3FGCiQiZOJGKJhlAvHOOpQLzIhZpaKC1hZu6x3I-k-8OWgeBM5DPA7Vr5QZhLjLCiVk-Qc4bGWrbopf1d-1kOXL9VZCLQhrs/w640-h360/IMG_20230826_120451836_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>From left to right:</div><div><br /></div><div>Crabpple bark, false indigo, Ironweed, Ironweed, Ironweed, Ironweed, and Horseweed. The Ironweed dye bath had so much pigment that I was able to use it four times, getting a different result each time with different mordants and modifiers. </div><div><br /></div><div>I am in love with the color of the crabapple bark. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have gotten out some naturally-dyed yarn I have dyed in the past. Clockwise from top left - Dandelion root, goldenrod, dandelion root again, black walnut, and pokeweed. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgafj4UsG3uznPQ4gx4_tDytHaQoB24l15qLLgirLSGcMy7LUwrraxCwzr92JDIx5k679hAxn1a3_FVJqj_FWNlugUyWIeeYR0KnKNEq0dvBXPKLxjv3zI14tMxYcawq0Wp0YLdcWdMf8M1e0TDMm7lm6uvXl4NFBJCsIDmPvh9APVXQYJfvIj0emf_hy8/s4080/IMG_20230826_170318910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgafj4UsG3uznPQ4gx4_tDytHaQoB24l15qLLgirLSGcMy7LUwrraxCwzr92JDIx5k679hAxn1a3_FVJqj_FWNlugUyWIeeYR0KnKNEq0dvBXPKLxjv3zI14tMxYcawq0Wp0YLdcWdMf8M1e0TDMm7lm6uvXl4NFBJCsIDmPvh9APVXQYJfvIj0emf_hy8/w360-h640/IMG_20230826_170318910.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I have previously blogged about these dye experiences, so I was able to retrieve the dates and processes used. <div><br /></div><div>I decided to start a new journal of my natural dyeing experiences. I had an empty journal from the "Good Vibes Yarn Tour" that I hadn't used yet, so I dedicated it to the purpose. By using a paper punch to punch holes in the page, I can tie a small sample of the yarn showing the color produced. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRTRxGB433RJKKbk0aXEOmX6qpj1QosBNZALqmMOtNtvVTS93bb_cmGrTIvjMeAkWv9K8jkELvlizM21RVppEPWXeUq-tWgCV3cLUicwbDzairIDwa_U8CA_4QecYtUU2vfRFi-oth1muOmOP5xJHhB4kWk9KETabDagaTsa84xNBam-6ZFiC_wDTuUc/s4080/IMG_20230826_211820087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRTRxGB433RJKKbk0aXEOmX6qpj1QosBNZALqmMOtNtvVTS93bb_cmGrTIvjMeAkWv9K8jkELvlizM21RVppEPWXeUq-tWgCV3cLUicwbDzairIDwa_U8CA_4QecYtUU2vfRFi-oth1muOmOP5xJHhB4kWk9KETabDagaTsa84xNBam-6ZFiC_wDTuUc/w225-h400/IMG_20230826_211820087.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>I did one more dyepost today from the sumac fruits and leaves I had collected at the farm. It yielded the taupe color at the bottom of the photo, not the reddish brown I was expecting. I am struck by how well all these colors from nature complement each other. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBNRsg0kliBDju_pCChV2h-r4b2TCiknTTmdb2HuYN54PQtwrmXya0VQf78VgpoPoa4BT5YaKMcur9Ntu2bQn7GCw_nZ3RI1mFVQc20RbEcXu0EnuDqsXTLwjV4mLwO-zmrUgrL3gjU4q7V0o2iBrcscmYJni1Qvi0tjK_o1iUQCVBYMnhRy1ArmThAM/s4080/IMG_20230826_203502287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBNRsg0kliBDju_pCChV2h-r4b2TCiknTTmdb2HuYN54PQtwrmXya0VQf78VgpoPoa4BT5YaKMcur9Ntu2bQn7GCw_nZ3RI1mFVQc20RbEcXu0EnuDqsXTLwjV4mLwO-zmrUgrL3gjU4q7V0o2iBrcscmYJni1Qvi0tjK_o1iUQCVBYMnhRy1ArmThAM/w360-h640/IMG_20230826_203502287.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I've currently got a white linen top bathing in the sumac dyebath exhaust, and I am cooking some Lady's thumb (<i>Polygonum persicarium</i>) weeds from my garden. It is a member of the buckwheat family, related to both Japanese knotweed (<i>Polygonum cuspidatum</i>), an especially invasive shrub, and Japanese indigo <i>Persicaria tinctoria</i> . None of my books about natural dyeing mention that this weed would yield a successful dye. But I am hopeful! </div><br /></div>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-8722310153323499452023-08-24T09:13:00.001-07:002023-08-26T13:56:14.764-07:00Michigan Fiber Festival<p> Last week was the Michigan Fiber Festival in Allegan, Michigan. I have attended this for several years as a volunteer, demonstrating my circular sock knitting machine. This year, I only signed up for Sunday. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><p>We got to the farm on Thursday night. I drove to the festival Friday, and stopped by and chatted with Clara at the Heritage Spinning and Weaving booth. She pointed out the Knit Michigan booth in the next building. Knit Michigan is a charity to offer comfort items like quilts to persons who are fighting cancer. They had a bunch of bins of donated yarn, and they were giving it away to those who made a donation to Knit Michigan. I found some Paton's Classic Wool in a brown color, as well as a cone of turquoise acrylic. I stopped and took a photo of these lovely black-eyed Susans. Are they Rudbeckia, or some other yellow flower? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj15bH3jXyfQOanW7KM4COlwIsrVia00v-CssHPph8f_PLMG2ohtph6aq-_rNSCrHECe-Mcb0318psZAhQivC6sUFRaZSUlepuV2XHFQfVcHvS33N2OxceZW2ssUT_h3Vk2_SJjkxM6bv1tby5tCQ_-5Kk0jR0ObDEtHHjhwdKziJnlkqYOSlT-ptO-qS8/s4080/IMG_20230820_095554612_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj15bH3jXyfQOanW7KM4COlwIsrVia00v-CssHPph8f_PLMG2ohtph6aq-_rNSCrHECe-Mcb0318psZAhQivC6sUFRaZSUlepuV2XHFQfVcHvS33N2OxceZW2ssUT_h3Vk2_SJjkxM6bv1tby5tCQ_-5Kk0jR0ObDEtHHjhwdKziJnlkqYOSlT-ptO-qS8/s320/IMG_20230820_095554612_HDR.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><p></p><p>I stopped by to chat with my fellow MICHIGAN GEARS friends. They are makers of Georgeous, Easy Amazing Rapid Socks, with their circular sock machines.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCpAH3ilYKvKHbzlHpxX7GjCMJ5biFAq7b6u-di4AMFVUZQqTd-4lA1SERcNxz58Lov1RgKM7x2Dtce9wDarF1S8KnA31vzd1XFY3btHd2hXFK_RORzOOeuyYcO8lagVEDZ4NbaittS2cbjadQmeOabN9DdAFxdXDzasBHVYU1HZbgOR7KcdAbc0LGGoQ/s4080/IMG_20230820_134642459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCpAH3ilYKvKHbzlHpxX7GjCMJ5biFAq7b6u-di4AMFVUZQqTd-4lA1SERcNxz58Lov1RgKM7x2Dtce9wDarF1S8KnA31vzd1XFY3btHd2hXFK_RORzOOeuyYcO8lagVEDZ4NbaittS2cbjadQmeOabN9DdAFxdXDzasBHVYU1HZbgOR7KcdAbc0LGGoQ/s320/IMG_20230820_134642459.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmQciTYT07NubhCVaxK8oq6wIrMsRApnWWezTl8OduoHkcxzRcKmZ4rpFXLZei7OE75jVIWL3SSc6npCZItzrt5_cPmAwLooxK_Ej4Td1EZ-TQjGGcg4z79iF9_rqO4V9N-x4OMGFHjtrke7-xBgzv8vRdeMICEUjkgxDtmkXwMkXscmInkDpba7SkTw/s4080/IMG_20230820_134635096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmQciTYT07NubhCVaxK8oq6wIrMsRApnWWezTl8OduoHkcxzRcKmZ4rpFXLZei7OE75jVIWL3SSc6npCZItzrt5_cPmAwLooxK_Ej4Td1EZ-TQjGGcg4z79iF9_rqO4V9N-x4OMGFHjtrke7-xBgzv8vRdeMICEUjkgxDtmkXwMkXscmInkDpba7SkTw/s320/IMG_20230820_134635096.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> On the way, I stopped by Carol Leigh's booth. She had a display of naturally dyed sock looper kits. The sock loopers are the loops that children use to weave potholders on small looms. I was awestruck by the way she included colors showing the different hues attained by one dye bath, but by using different mordants and modifiers to vary the colors. It wasn't really in my budget, so I passed it by, although I relented on Saturday and purchased a few kits anyway. </p><p> I did find some bargain yarn to purchase, in the Dances with Wool co-op's booth. Skeins of handspun, including alpaca and mohair blends, for only $5 each! Since I got home I am knitting a shawl with my purchases. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1WPg27HVZjz3fYaq0VcwusGCN2vUqIktA0V-73Y4bCw3ifGGeLd1uYSir40BFZ9ztIvwRkzHlXEtOptNA1bPj281JLlQ846oVbKulgJs4Qwv2JssuWW2mIfreFXI9ISe2_B-TlJjqnAjbN9h_uIxN6Wvlq2aEj3U2UwHCWsdaurWVrEIO9Nd97Ombh4/s4080/IMG_20230826_163652060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1WPg27HVZjz3fYaq0VcwusGCN2vUqIktA0V-73Y4bCw3ifGGeLd1uYSir40BFZ9ztIvwRkzHlXEtOptNA1bPj281JLlQ846oVbKulgJs4Qwv2JssuWW2mIfreFXI9ISe2_B-TlJjqnAjbN9h_uIxN6Wvlq2aEj3U2UwHCWsdaurWVrEIO9Nd97Ombh4/w360-h640/IMG_20230826_163652060.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><br /><p>The yarns range from worsted to bulky and I am using a size 9 circular needle. I've had to change needles twice, as the shawl gets larger. I'm currently using my old Boye interchangeable needle set with all the cords linked together. </p><p>On Sunday, I joined the GEARS demonstrators with my Home Profit Master Machine. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMOrImxGpvdVTQttjf2d-I14wEBTC-jghctg9UOEruUHkTKvmuijW65tQ3G0saBNhtWt6uZlgMyNGwv9UKWKRMBVtRO4kNRasiWDB7_e0YGb1C-V8SaqLccYUqHxShoYhyfeHp_GF7JJaNHm9BmdwQoggSsBNwrzGNmMj3iFymsiOnVbf24OQMjLVG7g/s2048/rachel%20grey%20photo%20Michigan%20GEARS%202023%20368367892_10161137240428881_6404063691148751113_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMOrImxGpvdVTQttjf2d-I14wEBTC-jghctg9UOEruUHkTKvmuijW65tQ3G0saBNhtWt6uZlgMyNGwv9UKWKRMBVtRO4kNRasiWDB7_e0YGb1C-V8SaqLccYUqHxShoYhyfeHp_GF7JJaNHm9BmdwQoggSsBNwrzGNmMj3iFymsiOnVbf24OQMjLVG7g/s320/rachel%20grey%20photo%20Michigan%20GEARS%202023%20368367892_10161137240428881_6404063691148751113_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>I learned a couple of new things. I have been hearing Jamie Mayfield talk about the faux Russian join several times, so Nancy was good enough to demonstrate it for me. Also, she had a child's hat hanging from her stand, it was made on a 72 cylinder by knitting at half-pitch (leaving all the cylinder needles plus the ribber needles in work), then dropping every other cylinder needle stitch to get a much larger stitch size. The adjacent stitches take up the slack when the extra stitches are dropped. I was able to do a ribbed edge, then change to half pitch and knit a cylinder. </p><p>All-in-all, a very good trip. </p><p>While we were at the farm, I rode my Gator around the trails and filled up some bushel baskets with sumac bracts and goldenrod, which was surprisingly blooming earlier in Michigan than in Ohio. The flower heads had not yet started to open when we left for Michigan, although I am seeing some now on our return. I hope to do some natural dyeing when back in Ohio. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-58838137761395914652023-07-27T21:35:00.005-07:002023-07-30T18:08:23.230-07:00Katy Kelly Research <p> Kate Kelly was from North Robinson, Ohio, just west of Crestline. She moved to Heyworth, Illinois as a teenager, with her family, including her older sister Mary. She and her sister were demonstrators/trainers of circular sock knitting machines with Franz and Pope Company in Bucyrus, Ohio for many years and presumably travelled by train. </p><p>It was Sunday. I had been attending COWS (Crankers of Wonderful Socks) in Monticello, Illinois. The event was over and most everyone had said goodbye. There was no UCC church in Monticello. So I visited the local Presbyterian church in honor of Katy Kelly, as her lifelong membership was mentioned in her obituary. Surprisingly, the liturgy followed the format almost word for word, that was traditional (not to mention repetitive) in the 1960's-1970's UCC church I attended in Crestline as a child. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJfpo-ncJpq_zcjn4vWCqit8N0GqFi24_LMRswQrGde8G6Wm9FykHhI2wew3lCxQR6DcLFU5C71xITvDLQJkrK_alu-njXHFxPMq4v3ZHjG7OzyqEJLAULIPC0eQ4GYH93ro1R1R8UYkCYU4Aj-GF4sChisSnWY9oewUUqpNP4hiHPez0LwAU9ufwTBU/s4080/IMG_20230723_105331429.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJfpo-ncJpq_zcjn4vWCqit8N0GqFi24_LMRswQrGde8G6Wm9FykHhI2wew3lCxQR6DcLFU5C71xITvDLQJkrK_alu-njXHFxPMq4v3ZHjG7OzyqEJLAULIPC0eQ4GYH93ro1R1R8UYkCYU4Aj-GF4sChisSnWY9oewUUqpNP4hiHPez0LwAU9ufwTBU/s320/IMG_20230723_105331429.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I visited the railroad museum after church. You can see Bucyrus Ohio, where Franz and Pope was located, on the far east side of the 1890's railroad map I found in the museum. I tried to trace a direct line from Bucyrus to Heyworth on the map. A straight line west from Bucyrus, roughly paralleling the route I took on the Lincoln Highway, would have put them at Gilman. To get to Heyworth by train, they would have had to go further west on the train they were on to maybe El Paso, then head south. This map dates from the 1910, though, so it is possible that these rail lines did not exist when Stephen Kelly migrated west in 1881. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1YZfhxHf6fnHo2eOMfCK97z0qcvbKl2tQ7Pdp9MNhWiCgVIPYOvHWOr9qzaEcFmHqx22xW3vrXj0YjTT8QmsnmeLav1VKyNeKlky0An6-Ie1hr0nB49wUNCB1F2JreNkID6ZQWf6Ry3jjufdx7M5rnx3vUw5L4cxSEMi_6OmCrAgg2FKzwg1iWAkako/s4080/IMG_20230723_112832571.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1YZfhxHf6fnHo2eOMfCK97z0qcvbKl2tQ7Pdp9MNhWiCgVIPYOvHWOr9qzaEcFmHqx22xW3vrXj0YjTT8QmsnmeLav1VKyNeKlky0An6-Ie1hr0nB49wUNCB1F2JreNkID6ZQWf6Ry3jjufdx7M5rnx3vUw5L4cxSEMi_6OmCrAgg2FKzwg1iWAkako/w482-h640/IMG_20230723_112832571.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-PooHX3EymDBftzg9tNWV7R0r9zRpiPrrc0QWQAK8LTyRKDiIS7yRYNXQjZ0fMWtgmmY3jlHtGBIuDwbzp1UKe7eQmv4A-aNG5rVDaLemRI7LKzQNitmW1fqlcTWNve1SG6ZZ-pX0VU0zmPL_kvAIc0eGX7oa46dKdYv6ZpbcRkdfOpWIvsymYNk9wg8/s4080/IMG_20230723_112842332.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-PooHX3EymDBftzg9tNWV7R0r9zRpiPrrc0QWQAK8LTyRKDiIS7yRYNXQjZ0fMWtgmmY3jlHtGBIuDwbzp1UKe7eQmv4A-aNG5rVDaLemRI7LKzQNitmW1fqlcTWNve1SG6ZZ-pX0VU0zmPL_kvAIc0eGX7oa46dKdYv6ZpbcRkdfOpWIvsymYNk9wg8/w640-h482/IMG_20230723_112842332.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br />
</p>
<blockquote data-embed-url="https://www.newspapers.com/embed/125742957/" id="newscom-article-:r1:"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"> <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/article/bucyrus-journal-kelley-family-move-to-il/125742957/">Kelley family move to illinois</a> </p> Article from Mar 4, 1881 Bucyrus Journal (Bucyrus, Ohio) </blockquote><p> </p><blockquote data-embed-url="https://www.newspapers.com/embed/125742957/" id="newscom-article-:r1:">The article states that the entire town of North Robinson gathered at the depot, despite the cold rain, so I am assuming they travelled by railroad. </blockquote><p> </p><blockquote data-embed-url="https://www.newspapers.com/embed/125742957/" id="newscom-article-:r1:"> Katy's husband was a farmer, and her sister married a state senator. I had no trouble finding the cemetery in Heyworth and no trouble finding their stones. </blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOdcWltBPB7Y6oUvC4AnpPuNfKo4q1tB-VdhlQlrASukKKAprrOjxeE7dlGod6aAk1b9sJ5Ms4-fQp65NJdsv8heQkxrTwP2nEmWYXgLBh5jNwWBBddIxVAve52PFVayR-sFExr1gVg5Mm1YA-oa2BiHHw5paI-EBUW0ITcJhNiObgGgp6N0V9q06JaI/s4080/IMG_20230723_130725282_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOdcWltBPB7Y6oUvC4AnpPuNfKo4q1tB-VdhlQlrASukKKAprrOjxeE7dlGod6aAk1b9sJ5Ms4-fQp65NJdsv8heQkxrTwP2nEmWYXgLBh5jNwWBBddIxVAve52PFVayR-sFExr1gVg5Mm1YA-oa2BiHHw5paI-EBUW0ITcJhNiObgGgp6N0V9q06JaI/s320/IMG_20230723_130725282_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvtns8Vg6BNdMxHsBddMl9kVIAKSYi3Cb2i9LbbaU9NF6uMKkNPmlHjiZmbqKFNs1o4h9NXAn7JH-HNw_mCMba6nLxob8hYGGLVoLqvl217u-DKRuDcNJVJVzCN7oBq3ugmVwYj-evyMmrJg05DuCGfKpPtjytgX4LnE1YCaoTeaMfwior3HGMWEw7LA/s4080/IMG_20230723_131645556_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvtns8Vg6BNdMxHsBddMl9kVIAKSYi3Cb2i9LbbaU9NF6uMKkNPmlHjiZmbqKFNs1o4h9NXAn7JH-HNw_mCMba6nLxob8hYGGLVoLqvl217u-DKRuDcNJVJVzCN7oBq3ugmVwYj-evyMmrJg05DuCGfKpPtjytgX4LnE1YCaoTeaMfwior3HGMWEw7LA/s320/IMG_20230723_131645556_HDR.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><p>I also found the stone for Stephen Kelly, their father. It was on the other side of my car seen in the background above, about four rows in. </p><p>I also noticed a very large memorial stone with "Rutledge" name on it. I assumed that the size meant they were promiment members of the community. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Fg0C58upw6U6Htye0In4hgJLppNmuLuL8qJUFtsd-zLubGjoEC2sWYkbCQPgczQd8SznrFcMR2UtjwExMA8zyf7zaYQVAw-_I2BukR8GmFsESKSyBoPnlCbM1qABCKdaLFMOlJQHuFfzm3hC3qyblbta0Z_aVTbywSw6_sZ30ogvgPwFvfpOvufFqEo/s4080/IMG_20230723_132026250_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Fg0C58upw6U6Htye0In4hgJLppNmuLuL8qJUFtsd-zLubGjoEC2sWYkbCQPgczQd8SznrFcMR2UtjwExMA8zyf7zaYQVAw-_I2BukR8GmFsESKSyBoPnlCbM1qABCKdaLFMOlJQHuFfzm3hC3qyblbta0Z_aVTbywSw6_sZ30ogvgPwFvfpOvufFqEo/s320/IMG_20230723_132026250_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>It's maybe the same size town as Crestline. I ate a very reasonably-priced and delicious hamburger in Heyworth at one of the two restaurants. </p><p>Yesterday I visited the historical museum in Bloomington, Illinois. The area where I am staying in Bloomington is quite a contrast to the small towns of Monticello and Heyworth. It is more like Hall Road in Macomb, Michigan. In contrast, the Bloomington home of Katy Kelly, where she spent her last years, was a quiet residential street next to the Grove Street Historic District where many Victorian mansions have been preserved. Katy's spacious home appears to have been converted into apartments. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgik0LguBK5cawFUTXc2M0SfIan45z61FczXspVSu-lBfBB6bAVsykWoK0Ccha9tkAUP4JCB-SM3xelhw0d18cJa2isN7tvfJKfGF7vjXmg0-Rn6kVnXYV2LPU-gMJmSrwjkCC6r9up6C0YX7iWBQHtKETkw8y6hI4MzAx970PrZXYd-YeTK2luC4wAg/s3648/DSCN0126.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgik0LguBK5cawFUTXc2M0SfIan45z61FczXspVSu-lBfBB6bAVsykWoK0Ccha9tkAUP4JCB-SM3xelhw0d18cJa2isN7tvfJKfGF7vjXmg0-Rn6kVnXYV2LPU-gMJmSrwjkCC6r9up6C0YX7iWBQHtKETkw8y6hI4MzAx970PrZXYd-YeTK2luC4wAg/s320/DSCN0126.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katy Kelly McComb's home</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6yZ5oC861Gf6YwJXlzwoMMk23bWWp704QtR8SoR7UqaEdWeB59S8PkeusfSNkpRRzt5Z5ed_CjFdZ5QgWEVDZJDvq0gZEqhnFMUfxYWaE6ujVuK_wHVANUMXU_9J-WjNRnXfo19gAXlBRdyhpnci2udAXNIFyUWtFwgB3klawbw1MAiCZJA_gMeWJJ8/s3648/DSCN0129.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6yZ5oC861Gf6YwJXlzwoMMk23bWWp704QtR8SoR7UqaEdWeB59S8PkeusfSNkpRRzt5Z5ed_CjFdZ5QgWEVDZJDvq0gZEqhnFMUfxYWaE6ujVuK_wHVANUMXU_9J-WjNRnXfo19gAXlBRdyhpnci2udAXNIFyUWtFwgB3klawbw1MAiCZJA_gMeWJJ8/s320/DSCN0129.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mansion next door to McComb home.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I spent several hours at the historical museum. I probably exceeded the 90-minute parking limit, but since I was legally parked in a handicapped space, the signage did not indicate a time limit. Luckily I did not get a ticket. <br /><br />When the Kellys first moved to McLean county in 1881, Stephen Kelly landed in Randolph Township. Unfortunately the available atlases were published in 1875 and 1894. He passed away in 1889. So if he did own land, it would not have been shown on the plat maps for either of those years. He could have also been a tenant farmer, or even lived in town. If I want to dig further I will have to visit the government offices. <div><br /></div><div> I found a plat map in an atlas in the gift shop, marked "for display only", showing J B McComb, Katy's husband, in Downs Township, McLean County. The farm was just on the edge of Downs township, next to LeRoy Township. <div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQSacvLZxv2DqISpOhokmhqf8mnV4k3qLihqe3jtlepPjWTVFZYiQNPv6IuxFeDFzN4U_vDAuPmLBg-k0gbos71Ym9dv_nc5qEkWkNmC5zVnKs3H26Mx-LMF7WYuyugmo1UbPdjO_TwWZbbgc37uQDVTYmGscxHL4hw8-ffRf8Vh-U3UDrZ6WrUak-Tg/s4080/IMG_20230724_150407618.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQSacvLZxv2DqISpOhokmhqf8mnV4k3qLihqe3jtlepPjWTVFZYiQNPv6IuxFeDFzN4U_vDAuPmLBg-k0gbos71Ym9dv_nc5qEkWkNmC5zVnKs3H26Mx-LMF7WYuyugmo1UbPdjO_TwWZbbgc37uQDVTYmGscxHL4hw8-ffRf8Vh-U3UDrZ6WrUak-Tg/s320/IMG_20230724_150407618.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The museum had a display devoted to farming in McLean county. It was quite interesting, there was a small "tractor seat" theatre that showed the evolution of farms from small holdings with wheat, oats, corn, beans, and lots of livestock like chickens, pigs, beef, dairy and horses to today's corn/soybean rotation with little livestock. The coming of the tractor meant that draft animals like Percheron horses and and oxen weren't needed on the farm, and the advent of the automobile meant that harness horses were no longer needed. The wheat and oat crops previously raised for livestock feed were not needed as livestock husbandry moved to feedlots and industrial poultry operations. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_IX1wzRsWn4syRPym8054flTZ7Fos7s2q2wnjFDkXH1hFWPkL0vG6qwK6yHvRFz0cMNvsn5Z3SL4snoPdpGjXbJZaJM607-joglIGXFHR8rKBu7aws1RO5h_jUX7oN7_8DRPHHdyNDeHWr9rqHfUKdNzHFZulCXreelnfGlbUtNqfOsEiwinYLMDwYU/s3648/DSCN0165.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_IX1wzRsWn4syRPym8054flTZ7Fos7s2q2wnjFDkXH1hFWPkL0vG6qwK6yHvRFz0cMNvsn5Z3SL4snoPdpGjXbJZaJM607-joglIGXFHR8rKBu7aws1RO5h_jUX7oN7_8DRPHHdyNDeHWr9rqHfUKdNzHFZulCXreelnfGlbUtNqfOsEiwinYLMDwYU/w640-h480/DSCN0165.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRLC693RXQqcdKb--0tTHKyYg6aDttR7zus4y_CwRHCCixD4Ij7ozysq2uS15oWqsRuG94noCH_rksSrAk7W8TQ3GO6eQ75b0kWsLB0M3ubi7P6saw8lG0wr0nk2iHN3J6fU3_pCxOAzTK2qcJtV9x5HnEjOkGb0vp2ra-YMzsUBE93V_GmKlnmZrGnhE/s3648/DSCN0166.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRLC693RXQqcdKb--0tTHKyYg6aDttR7zus4y_CwRHCCixD4Ij7ozysq2uS15oWqsRuG94noCH_rksSrAk7W8TQ3GO6eQ75b0kWsLB0M3ubi7P6saw8lG0wr0nk2iHN3J6fU3_pCxOAzTK2qcJtV9x5HnEjOkGb0vp2ra-YMzsUBE93V_GmKlnmZrGnhE/w640-h480/DSCN0166.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Zf_VQl142GobfIdRThb5XVzrk1Y5ycsaMwmvpJUBMNyE1SVDc4T-WXASTRcxTUEmmiTIvGUX9DhHbYZAbLUlVybwzMzNmdBB6A0CS2oSwyHBmDS5wd0zFmlSJzTpJ7DZhNWp1NfMNCNcwUhsMQapg8bsjOFkhi8KYAS6ruR0MbCVnUZQMIUZclMcH6Q/s3648/DSCN0167.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Zf_VQl142GobfIdRThb5XVzrk1Y5ycsaMwmvpJUBMNyE1SVDc4T-WXASTRcxTUEmmiTIvGUX9DhHbYZAbLUlVybwzMzNmdBB6A0CS2oSwyHBmDS5wd0zFmlSJzTpJ7DZhNWp1NfMNCNcwUhsMQapg8bsjOFkhi8KYAS6ruR0MbCVnUZQMIUZclMcH6Q/w640-h480/DSCN0167.JPG" width="640" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div>I noticed that the lithographs used in the film were very similar to the ones in my 1873 Atlas of Crawford County, Ohio and I presumed that they were taken from a similar atlast for McLean County, perhaps the one I had seen in the gift shop. </div><div><br /></div><div>I then spent some time in the research library in the museum, but really didn't find anything of note. </div><div><br /></div><div>On Tuesday I visited the Heyworth Library, where I spoke with Sunny, a volunteer. She turned out to be also the historian of the local Presbyterian church, so I explained what I was doing and she said she would see if she could find anything. She gave me a few resources, which are also available online. I asked about the Rutledges (the family with the large memorial stone.) I had noticed in one of my newspaper clippings that Mrs. J. B. McComb (aka Katy Kelly) had been the hostess of a meeting of the Rutledge Social Club. I asked Sunny and she wasn't sure who the Rutledges were.</div><div><br /></div><div> I spent some time comparing Google Maps to the Plat map showing the J. B. McComb farm. It seemed to me that perhaps the I-74 highway had been built in the railroad right-of-way. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRgwJjRsTEDd8m02zLhUS7Q1GFegn5i3IMKW5bs_DqjnUfIiEEMGuHPUwbzWwdDsBEnu8cbAvOMnTpaGbM2IearbjcdFVYFcAHaclvYNubhHElf6Iu6j96tuZdG1dMgsbYmsJAwhnjGn3YIILB5rgFEhTupZFfGvd403Luc3nFINBGscFjXs7erufkRak" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="472" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRgwJjRsTEDd8m02zLhUS7Q1GFegn5i3IMKW5bs_DqjnUfIiEEMGuHPUwbzWwdDsBEnu8cbAvOMnTpaGbM2IearbjcdFVYFcAHaclvYNubhHElf6Iu6j96tuZdG1dMgsbYmsJAwhnjGn3YIILB5rgFEhTupZFfGvd403Luc3nFINBGscFjXs7erufkRak" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Then I drove out to the spot where I thought the farm might have been. There was nothing there except corn and soybeans. I drove to the spot where the road dividing the townships of Randolph and LeRoy crossed over I-74 for a higher vantage point over the flat landscape. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx2maiUoQySWAWpGgwJeLIrhcXWH5OlypoFBXYBu7_jFgWXLvYRUnLNaYKUMCcCgZPyfWIubsHo1llQkalwWg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div>"Prairie Madness" is a condition that was described by Willa Cather in her novel "Oh Pioneers!" I found a reference in Wikipedia and also the link to an article in "The Daily Beast' that refers to the novel. </div><div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><span> "</span><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-size: 14px;">Prairie madness was caused by the isolation and tough living conditions on the prairie. The level of isolation depended on the topography and geography of the region. Most examples of prairie madness come from the Great Plains region. One explanation for these high levels of isolation was the</span><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-size: 14px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homestead_Acts" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #3366cc; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Homestead Acts">Homestead Act of 1862</a><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-size: 14px;">. This act stipulated that a person would be given a tract of 160 acres if they were able to live on it and make something out of it in a five-year period. The farms of the Homestead Act were at least half a mile apart, but usually much more.</span><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-size: 14px;"> </span><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-size: 14px;">Although there were thriving Indigenous nations and communities, there was little settlement of Europeans on the Plains and settlers had to be almost completely self-sufficient.</span></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px;">The lack of quick and easily available transportation was also a cause of prairie madness; settlers were far apart from one another and they could not see their neighbors or get to town easily. (In many areas, towns were usually located along the railroads and 10–20 miles (16–32 km) apart—close enough for people to bring their goods to market within a day's travel, but not close enough for most people to see town on more than an infrequent basis. This particularly applied to women who were often left behind to tend to family and farm while the men went to town.) Those who had family back on the East coast could not visit their families without embarking on a long journey. Settlers were very alone. This isolation also caused problems with medical care; it took such a long time to get to the farms that when children fell sick they frequently died. This caused a lot of trauma for the parents, and contributed to prairie madness. "<span style="background-color: transparent;"> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prairie_madness" target="_blank">Wikipedia, downloaded 7/30/2023 1:22 pm</a>. </span></p></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I remember that my own mother had a copy of Cather's "My Antonia" on her headboard of her bed. She had come to an Ohio farm of 80 acres (half an original land grant) when she married my father, having met him on the beach in Jacksonville when he was in the Navy. Ohio's landscape is not nearly as flat as the Great Plains, being in the foothills of the Appalachies, but she still was quite isolated, on a farm six miles from town, away from her family and friends. To make regular long-distance calls to Florida at that time was not in our family's budget. My father's sisters did welcome her, and she joined the local Extension homemaker's club, church, and the monthly township council meeting, but the bulk of her days were spent alone with four children and no car until the late 1960's. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have to wonder if some of Kate Kelly's work with Franz and Pope was a way of coping with the loneliness of the farm land. She could hop onto a railroad and be in Philadelphia in 10 hours. </div><div><br /></div><div>Tuesday night I ate dinner at the Epiphany Farms restaurant in downtown Bloomington. An anonymous benefactor paid my bill, making me feel grateful, and also a little concerned about my possibly disheveled appearance. Did I look like I was in need? </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpB87AGxQ7dOY-zHP9GFSEPR27NWaCOgfVlW-HuD2_xKOuBeMm-gN28o_lUSqAh8_SnW_RVgYWrudiS4dkxBvDw8Gap-PgbecTpm2n8-NAMxUnlfrE0smBM6EaIKnwXG-pEGHOgSpcKaZNjRwsOfm9XH3IkVzK1SYZ9uXkUfX_WRSBDnQiGqFE4g697AE/s4080/IMG_20230725_172943739_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpB87AGxQ7dOY-zHP9GFSEPR27NWaCOgfVlW-HuD2_xKOuBeMm-gN28o_lUSqAh8_SnW_RVgYWrudiS4dkxBvDw8Gap-PgbecTpm2n8-NAMxUnlfrE0smBM6EaIKnwXG-pEGHOgSpcKaZNjRwsOfm9XH3IkVzK1SYZ9uXkUfX_WRSBDnQiGqFE4g697AE/s320/IMG_20230725_172943739_HDR.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I visited LeRoy on Wednesday, the last day before returning home. The library in LeRoy is a new building, built in classical style. The upstairs is the library, and below, in the basement, is the historical museum. The librarians were quite helpful. In fact they pointed me to some scrapbooks kept in the library which are not available online, and in one of them were newspaper clippings about the Rutledge Social club. It was the oldest social club in McLean County, and was organized for the purpose of doing good work and providing a social outlet. I thought about my mother's experience with the Homemaker's club. </div><div><br /></div><div>The librarians also tipped me to the fact that the historical museum was not always open, but it happened that the docent was available that day. So I interrupted my library research to visit the historical museum. The docent was quite glad to see me, it seems that she did not get a lot of visitors. But she was able to provide me with the original copy of several books. I made sure that they were also available electronically online, and snapped a photo of the cover plate to let me research them more thoroughly at home. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-M1mVeGija6u7Rk4QhLzkH7m1OVtLNjai6-i1lG9FfgfGwCojIQGA1VnlFaIPPvGWoqBZEcBUP0vF_vbJfn4O41l2wZ-KUsCz0Pl85i1JYUqb9_yp3GgPIrxKrejB0xJoj9TOgRlE_ldc7iZy5l9AMEsQrgSCgoMc5sBgqOalJN3NWMLWd2R6Npp6CGA/s4080/IMG_20230726_105101183.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-M1mVeGija6u7Rk4QhLzkH7m1OVtLNjai6-i1lG9FfgfGwCojIQGA1VnlFaIPPvGWoqBZEcBUP0vF_vbJfn4O41l2wZ-KUsCz0Pl85i1JYUqb9_yp3GgPIrxKrejB0xJoj9TOgRlE_ldc7iZy5l9AMEsQrgSCgoMc5sBgqOalJN3NWMLWd2R6Npp6CGA/s320/IMG_20230726_105101183.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_O78dgRyPE9MYxXeBZR19IOoodPTHdTmiiWvS-7K-tiFWfGWcQjVHZ57NwQZ3EcJcVB9edvaopslyhnw5izOqK-m26dWaPgVHmZUGm0wnPvXJLhHRMXOAxJkOgtooSlSycnZwtoRLb9Fm5N32rmQiEUu3Sol4gdsNjUHE21HP0GqSCCE-DwpHGclDsg/s4080/IMG_20230726_103157173.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_O78dgRyPE9MYxXeBZR19IOoodPTHdTmiiWvS-7K-tiFWfGWcQjVHZ57NwQZ3EcJcVB9edvaopslyhnw5izOqK-m26dWaPgVHmZUGm0wnPvXJLhHRMXOAxJkOgtooSlSycnZwtoRLb9Fm5N32rmQiEUu3Sol4gdsNjUHE21HP0GqSCCE-DwpHGclDsg/s320/IMG_20230726_103157173.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPy62HiPx9lS-ZAwNFnefMVA6DICktqPIuXJ_eJTSHaJLTOgRBR7lFN4rFCGDeDUNBgywIIpH_YCgDolFpdZ0MGM3GN99tIxvfwRAatBZdUjQ0omD4Ojvz1RevUQFs9jpH1yEWo7qsnj2GFfR7_zXmDVW8esPeASXTvp4wpDwKAYAcArOQWwDcgjuV3nU/s4080/IMG_20230726_103135198.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPy62HiPx9lS-ZAwNFnefMVA6DICktqPIuXJ_eJTSHaJLTOgRBR7lFN4rFCGDeDUNBgywIIpH_YCgDolFpdZ0MGM3GN99tIxvfwRAatBZdUjQ0omD4Ojvz1RevUQFs9jpH1yEWo7qsnj2GFfR7_zXmDVW8esPeASXTvp4wpDwKAYAcArOQWwDcgjuV3nU/s320/IMG_20230726_103135198.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrBAZzyZBu8vstvMAXB2Z5fvFQSXS-lC2cTW0I5kLMZE3KlTC4vqdsMderLuxCS_cAslqv57iMgHjz6t2HlpDMAbI6GoW7txdO-r-EzHj-bey_wThLoE-eyKMTVG9VRbMphYJDYWpnDsEZeWzn9Bv7JFDpZpeXPflYZSr-q0NKKrq7_0oR1YhwPEpXd_8/s4080/IMG_20230726_102924839_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrBAZzyZBu8vstvMAXB2Z5fvFQSXS-lC2cTW0I5kLMZE3KlTC4vqdsMderLuxCS_cAslqv57iMgHjz6t2HlpDMAbI6GoW7txdO-r-EzHj-bey_wThLoE-eyKMTVG9VRbMphYJDYWpnDsEZeWzn9Bv7JFDpZpeXPflYZSr-q0NKKrq7_0oR1YhwPEpXd_8/s320/IMG_20230726_102924839_HDR.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I had been suffering with a cough for the last several days. I had planned on following my visit in McLean county with a stop on the way home to ride with some fellow cyclists, but I decided that it would be too difficult with my coughing and the weather forecast of 100+ heat index and the planned 50-mile ride each day. So I texted in my regrets and drove home. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-9207752162249888252023-07-25T06:01:00.000-07:002023-07-25T06:01:08.623-07:00COWS - Crankers of Wonderful Socks<p> I packed a suitcase full of bicycle jerseys and dresses the day before I was supposed to leave for COWS. COWS is Crankers of Wonderful Socks, a convention of sorts for sock knitting machine enthusiasts held in Monticello, Illinois. The day I was supposed to leave, I took some time to stake my tomato plants which had started to sprawl. Then I watered the garden. Then I pulled some weeds. Then I fixed lunch. </p><p>Mind you I had still not packed up the Home Profit Master Machine and the Franz and Pope machine into the back of my car, nor had I checked over my bicycle. After COWS I intended to spend a few days around Bloomington, Illinois, then head over to the Cardinal Trail in Indiana to stay overnight in a mansion with some over-60 women cyclists. So, a total tour from Wednesday to the following Friday, away from my husband. I really didn't want to leave him for so long. But I was also looking forward to seeing other knitting friends. </p><p>I finally did get everything packed, then I few in a few extra skeins of yarn. Last minute trip anxiety had me packing extra stuff. I also packed my huge poster with the Franz and Pope ad inside its cardboard sleeve. It blocked the rear window and I couldn't see behind me, so I rearranged everything so that I could see. I pulled away from Ohio and got four miles down the road when I realized I had forgotten my wallet with my ATM and credit cards that I had been carrying around in my jeans pocket the day before. So I turned around and went back to get it. </p><p>Finally, I was on the road. I took Route 30 West. This highway is also known as the Lincoln Highway, as it was the route Abraham Lincoln supposedly took from Kentucky through Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. The new interstate roughly parallels the historic highways that are now named 330, 430 and so on. Google maps routed me along some really narrow country roads in western Indiana. I realized how close to the Great Plains I was getting. I thought that northwest Ohio was pretty flat, but Indiana and Illinois are even flatter. The weather was beautiful, the flat horizon defining the border between blue sky and green fields of corn and soybeans. I finally arrived at the hotel in Monticello at about 9:30 pm, and I found my friends Merida and Deb waiting for me to help me set up. They had saved a place for me! They had arrived the day before and started knitting promptly when the event began at noon. </p><p>The next morning I ran into my friend Dorinda from Grand Blanc before breakfast. I was taking my bicycle out to ride to Allerton Park before sitting down to knit. Dorinda was there with her friend Sharon who I also knew from my time in Michigan. They introduced me to their friend Jan, who had brought along some flatbed knitting machines. Left to right, Dorinda, Deb, Merida, Jan, Sharon, and me. You can see my poster behind my head. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4efV6Ro1oTQEObNwaKryK7PpGQEc0LY5VRPQW49tLb38P-PftugMF6jzQbiVeJRfBJAk_ewUHGxuua0vlIIZTUZXewx2bL9kKG_HHFum9YI5YPHhwfly1p_l0rPynmI7bQNHzgPNUEbKFNQuiWGZqJIH9XqUnb3bHHFkoTPEC68kjrVh6vhZHV_oc7E/s2048/received_129153323565923.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1261" data-original-width="2048" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4efV6Ro1oTQEObNwaKryK7PpGQEc0LY5VRPQW49tLb38P-PftugMF6jzQbiVeJRfBJAk_ewUHGxuua0vlIIZTUZXewx2bL9kKG_HHFum9YI5YPHhwfly1p_l0rPynmI7bQNHzgPNUEbKFNQuiWGZqJIH9XqUnb3bHHFkoTPEC68kjrVh6vhZHV_oc7E/w640-h394/received_129153323565923.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Many of the attendees were using their new Tru-Knit machines, which Jamie Mayfield and her husband have started to deliver. This product has been in development for a few years. Yesterday Jamie posted in Facebook "<span style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;">I created the tru-knit to be an open cam machine on purpose. An open cam as defined by me is one that you can see the needle butts in action.</span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Some people like to make a big deal that their machine can go backwards and forwards without raising needles. <a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a>(Machines with closed cams do this)</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">1. That’s with no yarn on the machine (they might forget to mention this part)</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">2. If there was yarn on the machine and you tried to reverse direction, you would drop about 5 stitches because they would be down inside the cylinder when yarn passed them by! I do not understand why anyone would think this a desirable trait of a csm. But for some reason, this is and has been a selling point for years.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I chose an open cam for several reasons:</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">1. I hate fishing out a ribber needle when I drop it inside the cylinder between the wall and the cylinder</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">2. You can not see what’s causing the dead stop. It’s always a needle butt somewhere but with a closed cam, you can’t see it.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">3. The wall around the cylinder gets in my way when doing cables and changing needles.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Now, the open cam has features that make it different than other open cam machines that one would never even notice unless they actually use the machine that they manufacture.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The tru—knit is NOT made from castings. I consider this to be a less than desirable material when machining. The parts are made from solid stock or tubing. They are machined on state of the art CNC machines (please see previous posts for pictures of the clean machine shop where parts would NEVER be piled in a shopping cart) in Missouri.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The machine has no unsightly welds. And parts were never flat then bent by hand, curved parts are machined with the proper (accurate) curve.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Aluminum parts are anodized (a surface hardening process) and some of these parts are colored black. The black will not chip off like powder coating or paint does.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">It is made from non magnetic stainless and aluminum. There is one steel ring on the inside of the machine. It is there so that the anodizer can’t screw it up. The counter counts with a magnet that has to be glued to the machine since there’s nothing that’s magnetic.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The stainless stem weights are magnetic because they don’t get close to the machine.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">All machine brands work differently and you don’t just sit down to a new style of machine and make a sock without previous experience on said machine. One must learn a new operating system before one can make it work. Think of it like this, if you’re an iPhone user and you switch to android, it does the same thing and has the same features but all the buttons are in different spots.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I created this machine with the help of lots of my knitting friends. We sat around making lists of the features we wanted to see in a machine, combining features from antique machines and thinking up new features that we thought would be great if the machine could do that.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I test the machine by making a sample sock that I project to fit the intended recipient. I include a card with the pattern I used. I include the rest of the cone of yarn so that the receiver can make the same sock at the same tension. If it fits, they can use the same rows for the foot. If too big or too small, they can count how many rows to make their sock.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The tru-knit also comes with my customer care. I answer the phone on nights and weekends (just not in the middle of the night). In rare instances where I am not available, I have someone on call to help. I have thousands of references as to my character and my willingness to get someone knitting.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">For those who don’t know, I worked in a family business for many years selling sock machines before my mom relieved me of my duties and I took off on my own.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">If you have further questions, you are welcome to pick up the phone and call me or go to www(dot)tru-knit(dot)com. My phone number and my email address is listed there.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I will not respond to nasty, hateful , or inaccurate remarks.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">You can also see the tru-knit in action for free every Friday on Socktv. If you are a subscriber, you can see it perform all duties and functions. I make mistakes just like everyone else and they are embraced in order to make them a teachable moment. Since that’s what Socktv is about. I also have a tru-knit YouTube channel."</div></div><p><br /></p><p>Everyone knitting with a TruKnit was raving about them. My intentions for the weekend were to make one pair of socks on the Franz and Pope and then do some ribbed socks on the Master Machine. </p><p>It took me all weekend to make a single pair of socks on the Franz and Pope. I knit them from Aktiv yarn. I struggled with the Franz and Pope, and I struggled with not having good habits from knitting frequently enough. They will look better once I block them. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzG95M_ha34rIWFk-qB67DMXEmhBMqYImO1IPwbaWvZtW0GOErdjDcEcZLM4Nq2ZWj9DOQ0w4tOIPeYLwZJh671at9NxOFap-50b4jU_HHNETP4wiTEVOfAWD-BeDUYqgBBJmitDBaK6f685YCuWj8RhzUOQUe6BaxRwAUm1k6PQglHIhE8NPwr8DdLs/s4080/IMG_20230725_074836734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzG95M_ha34rIWFk-qB67DMXEmhBMqYImO1IPwbaWvZtW0GOErdjDcEcZLM4Nq2ZWj9DOQ0w4tOIPeYLwZJh671at9NxOFap-50b4jU_HHNETP4wiTEVOfAWD-BeDUYqgBBJmitDBaK6f685YCuWj8RhzUOQUe6BaxRwAUm1k6PQglHIhE8NPwr8DdLs/s320/IMG_20230725_074836734.jpg" width="241" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When I decided on a 3x1 mock rib, I set up the needles for a 1x1 mock rib, and didn't realize it until I had hung a hem and knit four inches of sock. Well, that was a waste of time! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Franz and Pope advertised that a sock could be made in seven minutes. If I didn't put any needles out of the machine to make a mock rib, if I didn't allow any interruptions or loss of focus, and I didn't drop any stitches, I might be able to achieve that. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Durinda and Sharon were smart, they did not work on sock projects. A crank-in is not an environment where you can achieve perfect focus. Nontheless, Shelly, another knitter from Ohio, managed to crank out several pairs plus a pair of mittens! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQupdGfflQN7T56qunX7ytRAZaSWdKwr3LqHxMHkx0vPt3MLqwFE0hR3F5nPNCqGiNHrxSyet1BHqy--4l_z_xYTQmdjgbzgi0Ok7B0YpktTTVGmk4zAxt1s6ahIiFPkf7Z0Ijhb7v3NyJqGo1uWh7QSWyn8EhD7ckeLwZmk3FgwAhApDtlWZTa-w31g/s4080/IMG_20230721_160234233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQupdGfflQN7T56qunX7ytRAZaSWdKwr3LqHxMHkx0vPt3MLqwFE0hR3F5nPNCqGiNHrxSyet1BHqy--4l_z_xYTQmdjgbzgi0Ok7B0YpktTTVGmk4zAxt1s6ahIiFPkf7Z0Ijhb7v3NyJqGo1uWh7QSWyn8EhD7ckeLwZmk3FgwAhApDtlWZTa-w31g/s320/IMG_20230721_160234233.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOOzg1U2-IYC3g73s40rtdr9JnYIlRTYWHqZz-kncqf8a31biPqzJC8SgFdzkZuBecv_KxAH4OP7ZLBo2MWhhQiVmmz6_LLBcJQWVqZsmmAYhldyWHIe05ZO_AUrUTw4O-sdFiH4g-rHDje76PH1esdDOc_omqyc6k2LvsIjq-mEKkPxrFH6TVGjIqHI8/s320/IMG_20230721_160221026.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RnNlMvN3RYdNHXW9DQeo6PDZVLd-Xf7s5y4UmTIYp-6fYQbwTbhNNC_DYzR736WpHNa0NgnRW2Hy4qzhYZjSYiTz9fxO1y36RXA9f50pZjCw9abB7fagyISzuLNPMq5M0CmGLzCD23sH3RzNJuuVhSe7uoIbwYVz7sOxi4rigf4t6umGINCCR0WHilE/s4080/IMG_20230721_160207400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RnNlMvN3RYdNHXW9DQeo6PDZVLd-Xf7s5y4UmTIYp-6fYQbwTbhNNC_DYzR736WpHNa0NgnRW2Hy4qzhYZjSYiTz9fxO1y36RXA9f50pZjCw9abB7fagyISzuLNPMq5M0CmGLzCD23sH3RzNJuuVhSe7uoIbwYVz7sOxi4rigf4t6umGINCCR0WHilE/s320/IMG_20230721_160207400.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrMorw2kZpi09dG_8pM_fqaLBx_e06-c4GWt0VdXd1TwbIWvs85CVxLosHWd9XR6qXdjdN4DOZA044ZuEAJQShdvebgXNIMTIy00tFx3JF_ZNaVRc2NYRQyOgZOWhcMIoOEZYs4EGKshxFdMnBhmqUEVhBfDyBjH5SSWFa5fWcCUItN2kxoki3LfV_Zk/s320/IMG_20230721_160141173.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fbXB_kIlw4DHDq6mVRyPfCWiyiXv7U4DRD0W0F_FPk5M4VhnzJYPPufwML3ODw9Sg6GHj8bjQKLdgSGZQLSVMH4XuEC0Fvb3QneHsfGeKSWsgI6mBuFYbEDG8h5ZJw7velFbxPpgkPXGF8jUIjkdfCNLusX8MuRjM_xqm3wGrEDYVPWZ0cnKu07NQAk/s4080/IMG_20230721_160137114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fbXB_kIlw4DHDq6mVRyPfCWiyiXv7U4DRD0W0F_FPk5M4VhnzJYPPufwML3ODw9Sg6GHj8bjQKLdgSGZQLSVMH4XuEC0Fvb3QneHsfGeKSWsgI6mBuFYbEDG8h5ZJw7velFbxPpgkPXGF8jUIjkdfCNLusX8MuRjM_xqm3wGrEDYVPWZ0cnKu07NQAk/s320/IMG_20230721_160137114.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZZvnMZLjDJMIIu21W_3FifCA5RmyiCnlT_0SsIsphW5CwoiC5lQ3mmyI_RbU0ogG88yfOKMySqAzOBDEbUpCNNH7dYWaSxZG3hoxJaPVZE-S3Yuk0hiPzsZZcmbjlF1ZpUjtrIzI9XDej5f8bjCsusd58tJlOWYxLbvUAKPb_W0VOPN-8qy6DSLTGNg/s4080/IMG_20230721_160211547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZZvnMZLjDJMIIu21W_3FifCA5RmyiCnlT_0SsIsphW5CwoiC5lQ3mmyI_RbU0ogG88yfOKMySqAzOBDEbUpCNNH7dYWaSxZG3hoxJaPVZE-S3Yuk0hiPzsZZcmbjlF1ZpUjtrIzI9XDej5f8bjCsusd58tJlOWYxLbvUAKPb_W0VOPN-8qy6DSLTGNg/s320/IMG_20230721_160211547.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Despite only making one pair of socks, I had a great time, met some new people, and learned a lot about the Tru-Knit. Can I justify the purchase of a third circular sock machine? Maybe not. </div><br />Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-35651867654678075422023-07-25T05:22:00.000-07:002023-07-25T05:22:34.548-07:00Franz and Pope Restoration Part 6 - Success! <p>I have not heard anything back from the Knitting Elements sales team. I don't know if it is because they don't have needles specifically to meet my specs, or if it is because they only deal in large quantities of industrial needles. </p><p>In the meantime, I responded to Milissa Ellison Dewey's post in one of the circular sock knitting machine groups on Facebook with some facts I gleaned from the research I am doing into the history of the Franz and Pope Company. One thing led to another, and eventually she messaged me privately and she suggested that I try the Imperia needles on the Angora Valley web site as they may be the correct gauge, correct butt height, and only slightly longer needle. The Franz and Pope yarn carrier is not adjustable for height. She happened to have some of that type of needle in her stash (she has an incredible number of antique machines), and she went ahead and installed it in her machine and sent me a short video, it was working perfectly. </p><p>So I went ahead and ordered the Imperia needles from Angora Valley. A few days later they arrived.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOY66ovc8fAAQLG1gAbNo0IMuKfHJNj6wTP_azLvLc9dg1V5b_QppKiG0oEpRSqsmTg3LHw6kfulvwv3wT2RWU1MFiqFAmcunNT3RS2LvP_ICqsTh9iykfSqOOTz0NFyTmycE-XKtGUtP9bIgljyCCa6byXZSuUkcyj3mItf0xYcCyIZQ3tks8A6L2/s4080/IMG_20230611_173049403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOY66ovc8fAAQLG1gAbNo0IMuKfHJNj6wTP_azLvLc9dg1V5b_QppKiG0oEpRSqsmTg3LHw6kfulvwv3wT2RWU1MFiqFAmcunNT3RS2LvP_ICqsTh9iykfSqOOTz0NFyTmycE-XKtGUtP9bIgljyCCa6byXZSuUkcyj3mItf0xYcCyIZQ3tks8A6L2/s320/IMG_20230611_173049403.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><p>The Imperia needle is on the left, and the original needle is on the right. </p><p>They work smoothly in my machine. I was a little concerned about the curve in the shank of the needle but apparently it does not matter. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwA9h-e80nf8trfWKJ9P0LMbwjeDv7LPnWt3NihXR15l14-hGdoq_v7Pip7nSiwSchIVT7DoMNaeaw6cp1lJg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p>I used the vintage weights I ordered from an ebay auction in Nova Scotia, the Kris Krafter buckle, and borrowed my heel fork from my Master Machine. </p>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-43345712735298629242023-05-29T06:39:00.000-07:002023-05-29T06:39:24.068-07:00Franz and Pope Restoration Part 5 - the saga continues<p> The #120 needles ordered from Ali Express did not work in my Franz and Pope. The butts of the needles were indeed shorter than the Lamb/Tuttle needles. Maybe too short. In addition, the shaft of the needle is too fine. The needles rotate within the channel of the cylinder, jamming the cams. </p><p>So I've inquired from another source, knittingelements.eu, as to the availability of needles between the Lamb/Tuttle needle and the #120 needle for a mask-making machine. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQWniyV5U-llsBMlLTl5CjWOx0pGrIa2pVLjewoott0pOEjf-Cdho0UK17JsMKhRz-4bxkSuVBKQmX5PPua3k_svs_NrXxIsEhtZ2jIvE3E764tWSjSDV3rsc_EsOifhrkcwG_o9gDSlMAeEkAt9_c7FqMZ6Xr-mC4g9jQDKxCkwZtBrLR8D7-CIY/s3264/IMG_20230525_130117625.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQWniyV5U-llsBMlLTl5CjWOx0pGrIa2pVLjewoott0pOEjf-Cdho0UK17JsMKhRz-4bxkSuVBKQmX5PPua3k_svs_NrXxIsEhtZ2jIvE3E764tWSjSDV3rsc_EsOifhrkcwG_o9gDSlMAeEkAt9_c7FqMZ6Xr-mC4g9jQDKxCkwZtBrLR8D7-CIY/w480-h640/IMG_20230525_130117625.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>I'm waiting for a response from them. As it were, I am on pins and needles! </p><p><br /></p><p>In the meantime, I visited the location where Katy Kelly grew up, a farm in North Robinson, Ohio. Katy was the demonstrator who travelled to knitting mills for six weeks at a time to help them get set up with their new factories.</p><p>The house is no longer there, and the barn has apparently collapsed. I did not trespass on the property, but took a photo from the road using my husband's phone, as I had forgotten mine.</p><p>The only things that impressed me about North Robinson were a.) How flat the landscape is, b.) How huge the Colonel Crawford school is. It has its own water tower, out in the middle of the farm fields, and c.) How close the railroad was to the Kelly farm.</p><p>I used bing's AI to look for information on Franz and Pope, and it pulled up a new fact for me, a short biographical paragraph of a Franz and Pope <a href="http://www.ohiogenealogyexpress.com/crawford/crawfordco_bios_1881/crawfordco_bios_1881_m.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">bookkeeper named McCutchon. </a></p><p>I need to check the dates to see if he was the bookkeeper before Katy Kelly or afterwards, or maybe even overlapping her time.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-20045095822138864982023-05-03T18:38:00.008-07:002023-05-04T05:01:19.456-07:00Franz and Pope Restoration Part 4<p> To sum up where I am on this project: I got sample needles from Angora Valley for the Franz and Pope machine. The sample needles did not work when I put 2 new needles in the cylinder along with 70 old needles. </p><p>I compared the needles. The butts of the new needles were slightly bigger than the butts of the old needles. </p><p>Someone on the Vintage Krankers page suggested I test them alone. I was easily able to crank a 2 stitch I-cord using the two needles alone. </p><p>So I ordered (so I thought) 2 packages of 50 needles. It turned out that I ordered two packs of 100 needles. </p><p>I put all the new needles in the machine and confidently started knitting away. </p><p>Unfortunately, it is very difficult to turn. I took the machine apart (again) and my husband helped me by providing some hardened steel finger gauges of the correct thickness and hardened steel dental picks to ream any remaining corrosion out of the cylinder slots. There was actually quite a bit left. </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdsi6HhiFc0fmbp_Qh7UzfOzNSNm4a3UvNQUWJWfV72uMVGNOzLAceB63X5wu12wvRgKPJ1BvTAd8Nr8Ee4daTJGiapuOxeb6dKnYEybkfCGuXWjIdUwvzn733vwhIceG28c3UYobOv5tJ3xS7gKsjlMV0LZZbdEjiQLZsLcrjnt9mPM1DRvIFQHI/s640/image.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdsi6HhiFc0fmbp_Qh7UzfOzNSNm4a3UvNQUWJWfV72uMVGNOzLAceB63X5wu12wvRgKPJ1BvTAd8Nr8Ee4daTJGiapuOxeb6dKnYEybkfCGuXWjIdUwvzn733vwhIceG28c3UYobOv5tJ3xS7gKsjlMV0LZZbdEjiQLZsLcrjnt9mPM1DRvIFQHI/s320/image.jpg" width="240" /></a>'</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After I reassembled the machine and put all the new needles back into the cylinder, I can turn it. But, the needles kick out at the top as I crank, throwing the yarn loops off the needles and dropping stitches left and right. Evidently the slight difference in needle butt size is important. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8PBtfFWJx_sjQfX28u_Cl2230JRkpU-Y-kRD5g8J9bxZ_TJpvvJx9LxYLIeEiJcHtHjDlqRXLJ5VGR4UleuHbEVZ7SVeyGfCtzmSJx3MIoyGDapPogTBi1JldghTK6lQTtOucw9AqWxeObUhldcl1XTTR64yeCQfEKgN9bTjohvb_xW_S-eorfYgA/s4080/IMG_20230417_204455752.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8PBtfFWJx_sjQfX28u_Cl2230JRkpU-Y-kRD5g8J9bxZ_TJpvvJx9LxYLIeEiJcHtHjDlqRXLJ5VGR4UleuHbEVZ7SVeyGfCtzmSJx3MIoyGDapPogTBi1JldghTK6lQTtOucw9AqWxeObUhldcl1XTTR64yeCQfEKgN9bTjohvb_xW_S-eorfYgA/s320/IMG_20230417_204455752.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWIku16DQVNFVASMyMh4j6DlUfpjm2fds6aiVWBCrgglua-rjrA4orPBpe6vNuVRkIkWrt-OTJdErQU0_UuFJHdi5nC5zMa9hmW8p8DwYlF89a077M6GjmuRKYqeNEX-MQLCY4_vNEf90JudV2ejINJ7YwVEXUqXmB8uTuPgy2TR2BfDy3_tJE2GG/s4080/IMG_20230407_105052309.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWIku16DQVNFVASMyMh4j6DlUfpjm2fds6aiVWBCrgglua-rjrA4orPBpe6vNuVRkIkWrt-OTJdErQU0_UuFJHdi5nC5zMa9hmW8p8DwYlF89a077M6GjmuRKYqeNEX-MQLCY4_vNEf90JudV2ejINJ7YwVEXUqXmB8uTuPgy2TR2BfDy3_tJE2GG/s320/IMG_20230407_105052309.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had contacted an industrial knitting machine supplier in Germany, Groz-Beckert, and I actually received a call back from a person! He was intrigued because my address was Lucas, Ohio and he was from Lucas County, Ohio, near Toledo. After my inquiry I learned that this supplier usually only sells needles in quantities of 10,000 or so which is a few more than I need. So I thanked him for returning my call. I did receive a follow-up email from the company, also, where they stated that I needed to send actual needles, not just photos. Since I only have 72 of the original needles, I'm not willing to part with any of them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So I asked my husband if there would be any way to grind down the butts of the new needles without breaking them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He thought about it for a day or so and then he came up with this: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52Y2DcJ_oK67hFb_FxoaWvCQ_0rcWTV2pYmCZqk08P3e4NygvSC1FAGj_CXwgYy8mzhsfh3TQuTk74H6vwrDxEnClPvV-M6E1taXkYJfFzaI1ItR6eBCPJL5ALLEr6l51FYSzKipNZ_2TXkTC-OehD9LMSBvkRRRDP4J8Ru0_GrNb7thH_j7BthpD/s873/120%20flat%20knitting%20needle%20Screenshot%202023-05-03%20173406.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="873" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52Y2DcJ_oK67hFb_FxoaWvCQ_0rcWTV2pYmCZqk08P3e4NygvSC1FAGj_CXwgYy8mzhsfh3TQuTk74H6vwrDxEnClPvV-M6E1taXkYJfFzaI1ItR6eBCPJL5ALLEr6l51FYSzKipNZ_2TXkTC-OehD9LMSBvkRRRDP4J8Ru0_GrNb7thH_j7BthpD/s320/120%20flat%20knitting%20needle%20Screenshot%202023-05-03%20173406.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He had decided that grinding 72 needles would be a tedious job. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He found a needle on Ali Express. The description is </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"New 120 flat knitting needle for line of mask making machine/flat knitting machine needle"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Apparently the knitted ear loops of some masks are made using these needles. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It ships from China and it should be here in 30-60 days. 200 pieces for 27.00. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I looked around for other needles with that description and found this one: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6XeOjK91KBLfg5N4yX8QDEX6mSYr6MUfUY00cpfjN89thKGZnzQ0wwwwHWSrXdwQ7bJsMk1esXApMZ-yBj4MlDTDGzGEIGPpmzMRaRU6V7DT1LWY8w7mAschda3jnrEI457seiOVw4nVZvscRAwYlPVlmYxmrFy9lNL6Kq0Wl81hOeGw6fP5e2Nq/s567/BAB%20warehouse%20needle%20120%20line%20Screenshot%202023-05-03%20173836.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="567" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6XeOjK91KBLfg5N4yX8QDEX6mSYr6MUfUY00cpfjN89thKGZnzQ0wwwwHWSrXdwQ7bJsMk1esXApMZ-yBj4MlDTDGzGEIGPpmzMRaRU6V7DT1LWY8w7mAschda3jnrEI457seiOVw4nVZvscRAwYlPVlmYxmrFy9lNL6Kq0Wl81hOeGw6fP5e2Nq/s320/BAB%20warehouse%20needle%20120%20line%20Screenshot%202023-05-03%20173836.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm tempted to order a set of these as well. The size appears to be correct. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am flabbergasted that he was able to find these with a few google searches. He wasn't looking for mask-making machine needles. He doesn't know a lot about knitting machines. I've been looking all over, and the only place I found sock machine needles was Angora Valley. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now I'm going down another rabbit hole to see if I can find where these industrial needles are used. I found another supplier on Ali Express that has a minimum quantity of 10,000 at 5 cents each. Wherever it is that they are used, it surely must be in large quantities. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I came across a video posted on AliExpress showing how these needles are manufactured. It brought back memories for me of working in the Fisher Body Division of General Motors where we had both small and large metal stamping presses.<a href="http://cloud.video.taobao.com/play/u/2153292369/p/1/e/6/t/10300/309521917062.mp4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Manufacturing Process</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I really, really wonder how these needles were made in the 1880's. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm also wondering where these needles are used today. I looked at the reviews on Ali Express and one needle style was reviewed with 5 stars by a Ukranian reviewer, and the other one by an apparently dissatisfied Russian reviewer sending photos of the needles with a tape measure. A third supplier also gave length and width measurements, but had no reviews. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was curious about who was supplying needles in 1880. I found a report associated with the 1900 census on <a href="https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/bulletins/manufacturing/191-manufactures-needles-and-pins.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Needles and Pins</a>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"The steel spring and latch needles used in making
hosiery and in stockinet work are extensively manufactured in the United States. The former is constructed by reducing- the working end on a taper to an
approximate point, and then bending the reduced portion over upon itself so as to form an open loop, a.
groove having been previously made in the needle so
as to come opposite the point. In the operation of the
needle the point stands out at the proper time for the
yarn to be taken, which is to be carried through to
form the stitch. As the forward motion continues the
point is depressed into the groove by coming in contact with mechanism arranged for the purpose, ancl
thus the passage through the loop is secured with-out catching. The latch needle has, instead of the
spring barb, a short rigid hook, which is formed by tapering the working end to an approximate point and
bending it in combination with the latch. The latch is
contained in a groove milled in the body of the needle
and is pivoted upon a rivet which passes through the
wall of the groove. As the latch, the walls between
which it is riveted, and the diameter of tho rivet are
extremely delicate, eitch part being but one one-hundredth part of an inch thick, great care and skill must
necessarily be exercised in manufacturing this needle.
The purpose of the latch is to aid in forming' and casting
off the stitch by preventing the yarn from being
caught under the hook except at the proper time. Inclucles establishments distributed its follows: Illinois, 1; Maryland 1; Michigan, l; Missouri, 2; New Jersey, 1; Vermout, 1."</div></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A <a href="https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1920/bulletins/manufacturing/manufactures-needles-pins-hooks-and-eyes.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow-up report published in 1919 </a>reports that there are 25 manufacturers of knitting machine needles in the US. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PtbshIwQsipAfy65VojYVONSnw-RDpr-N1PK81BNbChj-ATVqTP65DZ-2DSmCXO9VxzD6vhvtjPsdeBIEZJQDRxoDjm8aR1LYGYqVtwq8cBgnQCZNRUYIDHKeMSSM1gu2bEKBmGD-tWqIkcX1UDqeo_tHo5EL6id9K5PEW3V-WfavYRa3WIOu6m-/s473/Needles%20and%20Pins%20Screenshot%202023-05-04%20074931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="263" data-original-width="473" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PtbshIwQsipAfy65VojYVONSnw-RDpr-N1PK81BNbChj-ATVqTP65DZ-2DSmCXO9VxzD6vhvtjPsdeBIEZJQDRxoDjm8aR1LYGYqVtwq8cBgnQCZNRUYIDHKeMSSM1gu2bEKBmGD-tWqIkcX1UDqeo_tHo5EL6id9K5PEW3V-WfavYRa3WIOu6m-/w400-h223/Needles%20and%20Pins%20Screenshot%202023-05-04%20074931.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Where to go from here? Will Google help me find needle manufacturers in for example Illinois in 1880? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Interesting Fact: William Franz was born in Leesville, Crawford County, Ohio. He started his career in engraving and as a jeweler in Plymouth, Ohio, traveled to Cleveland Ohio and Meadville, PA. Meadville, PA is in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-30578156569697501722023-04-30T19:34:00.002-07:002023-05-03T07:38:31.154-07:00Life Story from Ancestry.com for William Franz<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">WILLIAM
FRANZ, Bucyrus ; son of John and Jane (Burwell) Franz, was born May 21, </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">1843,
in Leesville, Crawford Co. His youth up to his 14th year was spent on a farm
and </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">in
attending district school. His father's family then removed to Bucyrus, and young </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">William
went to the Bucyrus Union School until he was 19. He served an apprenticeship </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">with
William Burkhardt in the watch-making business for one year and a half, and
then </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">bought
out his employer and continued for himself He next went to Plymouth, Ohio, </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">and
from there to Cleveland, where he was engaged at his trade. From Cleveland he </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">went
to Meadville, Penn., where he worked at watch making and repairing until 1864,
and in the winter of 1865, he came to Bucyrus and started</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">a
jewelry store in company with H. J. Riblet. This business union lasted some
two years, and then J lr. Franz went to Crestline and engaged </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">in
the same business with Dr. William Pope.In 1868, a fire occasioned them
considerable loss, but they soon resumed business, and continued </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">until 1869.
During the year 1868, they had been interested in the invention of a knitting </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">machine,
and in November, 1869, they entered into a business corporation, known as the Bucyrus
Knitting Machine Works, and commenced the manufacture of family knitting </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">machines.
In 1871, the name was changed to the Franz & Pope Knitting Machine Company,
and has done a prosperous business, having engaged in the manufacture of
hosier}' since1878. In February, 1879, Mr. Franz retired to regain his health,
which had become badly shattered. He was married, Jan. 22, 1868, to Miss Almira
M. Campbell, of Bucyrus. They have four children—Katie J., William C, Mellie A.
and Jay W. Mr. Franz is a member of Crawford Lodge, No. 443 ; of Ivanhoe Chapter,
No. 117 ; Mansfield Commandery of Knights Templar, No. 21, and charter member
of the</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Knights
of Pythias, Demas Lodge, No. 108.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">His
father was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany ,in 1812, and died Nov. 14, 1870.
He </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">was
well educated in his native land, and was in the army there. He came to America
in </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">1837,
and settled first in Gallon and afterward removed to Leesville. He was Justice
of the Peace in Jackson Township for nine years, and was elected Sheriff"
in 1857, and served two terms. He was elected County Treasurer in1867, and
served until his death. He was Lieutenant Colonel of the 101st 0. V. L, and was
wounded at the battle of Perryville and resigned. There are five children
living—J.B., of the St. James Hotel, Mansfield ; Wil Ham; John S., of Marion ;
Mrs. Kate Clymer ; Mrs. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Sallie
Kerr, wife of Alexander Kerr, of Holmes Township. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Submitted to Ancestry in 2017.</span></p><br /><p></p><div><br /></div><div>From FindAGrave.com</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="overview-col biotext-wrapper" style="background-color: #fafafa; box-sizing: border-box; color: #36322d; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; width: 636px;"><div class="overview-panel data-bio pb-0" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding-bottom: 0px !important;"><div class="overview-panel--body data-filled-user" itemprop="description" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow-wrap: break-word; width: 636px; word-break: break-word;"><p class="bio-min d-print-none" id="partBio" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 10.5px;">John Franz Dies At Florida Home<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Eber B Priest had a telegram Thursday evening from Fritz Franz, of Jacksonville Florida, saying his father, John Franz, had died at Tampa that morning. The message contained no other information, and the assumption is that Mr. Franz came to his death suddenly.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />John Franz had resided in Jacksonville Florida for twenty years or more. he originally came from Bucyrus, married Cora Reynolds in that city in 1871, and located in Florida in the early eighties. he was approximately sixty years of age.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />~ The Marion Star- Marion, Ohio Friday, May 19, 1911</p><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-70238927893070321182023-04-28T16:40:00.031-07:002023-05-16T11:50:04.428-07:00Franz and Pope History with Context<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="color: #800180;">1589 - In England, William Lee develops a knitting frame, generally credited as the first knitting machine. It used barbed or spring needles. (<a href="https://knittinghistory.co.uk/resources/a-short-history-of-machine-knitting/#:~:text=Matthew%20Leo%20Townsend%20was%20born,does%20much%20of%20the%20work." rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Short History of Machine Knitting</a>)</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.calvertonvillage.com/x/cdn/?https://storage.googleapis.com/production-homestead-v1-0-9/439/206439/xYtTwsz0/8b4f641b83034dd88af53c510261f329" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="739" height="800" src="https://www.calvertonvillage.com/x/cdn/?https://storage.googleapis.com/production-homestead-v1-0-9/439/206439/xYtTwsz0/8b4f641b83034dd88af53c510261f329" width="739" /></a></div>Photo credit - Calverton Village<br /><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #800180;">1816- Marc Brunel, a French engineer, built a machine in the UK in 1816 that arranged the needles in a circular form rather than a flat bed. It was oriented horizontally. </span><span style="color: #800180;">(</span><a href="https://knittinghistory.co.uk/resources/a-short-history-of-machine-knitting/#:~:text=Matthew%20Leo%20Townsend%20was%20born,does%20much%20of%20the%20work." rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Short History of Machine Knitting</a><span style="color: #800180;">)</span></p><p><span style="color: #800180;">A photo of Brunel's design is available on the<a href="https://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10326390" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Science and Society Picture Library</a> page.</span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">In the early 19th century clothing was still handmade, produced for the family by women in the household or custom-made for the more well-to-do by tailors and seamstresses. The first production of ready-to-wear garments was stimulated by the needs of sailors, slaves, and miners. Although still hand-produced, this early ready-to-wear industry laid the foundations for the vast expansion and mechanization of the industry. (</span><a href="https://case.edu/ech/articles/g/garment-industry" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Case Western Reserve website</a><span style="color: #2b00fe;">) </span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1830's - Villages of Leesville and Middletown established along the first state highway running between Cleveland and Columbus. <a href="https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_a-MyAQAAMAAJ/page/645/mode/2up" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(History of Crawford County Page 645)</a> </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> In about 1835, a number of German families came into the (Jefferson) township (of Crawford County, Ohio), many from Pennsylvania, and a number from the Fatherland, and at present (when the history was written) a considerable portion of the population is German. (<a href="https://www.heritagepursuit.com/Crawford/crCh24.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">History of Crawford County Heritage Pursuit)</a> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1839 - </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Abner Doubleday is credited with inventing baseball in Cooperstown, New York.</span></p><p><span style="color: #800180;">1839 - "A mechanic and a capitalist" are working on the problem of a knitting machine. They visited the workshop of Ari Davis in Boston. Davis told them to go invent a sewing machine instead. Elias Howe was a young man working in the shop and overheard this conversation. He later went on to develop a sewing machine. (</span><span style="color: #800180;"><a href="https://libguides.uml.edu/early_lowell/Elias_Howe_sewing_machine" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">James Parton in History of the Sewing Machine</a>,)</span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1840 - Wedding of Victoria and Albert in England. There is an extensive exhibit of knitting machines in the Victoria and Albert museum in London. </span></p><p><span>1843- William Franz born in Leesville, Ohio. He was the son of John Franz, the former Crawford County Sherriff and later Treasurer, who was a Civil war veteran and who had been born in Baden, Germany. (Biddy Pope obituary, also Myra Franz Obiturary). William subsequently attended school in Bucyrus. He studied and apprenticed(?) in Plymouth, Cleveland, and Meadville, PA. </span></p><p><span style="color: #800180;"><span>1845- </span>Peter Claussen from Belgium developed Brunel's idea and patented an improved circular machine in 1845. It could produce a substantial tube of knitted fabric for cutting and be powered by hand or steam. </span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1848. Amelia Bloomer went to the Seneca Falls Women’s Rights Convention. (Norwood, Arlisha. "Amelia Bloomer." <a href=" www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/amelia-bloomer." rel="nofollow" target="_blank">National Women's History Museum. 2017.</a>)</span></p><p><span style="color: #800180;">1849 - Matthew Leo Townsend from Cropston, Leicester,</span>1<span style="color: #800180;"> UK, the son of a framework knitter, patented a latch needle in 1849. The latch needle is much more versatile than the spring needles, and does not need to be placed horizontally, as the latch itself does much of the work. </span><span style="color: #800180;">(</span><a href="https://knittinghistory.co.uk/resources/a-short-history-of-machine-knitting/#:~:text=Matthew%20Leo%20Townsend%20was%20born,does%20much%20of%20the%20work." rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Short History of Machine Knitting</a><span style="color: #800180;">)</span></p><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1850, Crestline - First came the railroad, and then came the town. It all started in 1850 when a route was needed between Shelby and Galion, a distance of 13 miles, by the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati railroad, or the “Bee Line” as it was known then. The Crestline area, however, wasn’t the first choice by railroad officials for the line – Bucyrus was. However, the leading officials of Bucyrus were interested in a wagon road from Sandusky to Columbus.</span></div><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The next choice was Mansfield, but the citizens there had recently financed a road to Newark and were not interested in funding a railroad. The next choice was Leesville, but the residents there were afraid the railroad would take business from many of the citizens there who made livings hauling stone for the Leesville Stone Quarry. This left the railroad with no choice but to run the line through open country. </span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Since there was no town between Shelby and Galion, it was decided that a station should be placed halfway for passenger convenience. The station was constructed where the line crossed the Leesville road.</span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">This station soon developed into a town, with a general store, post office, and a few homes. Early settlers in the village believed that the town was the watershed of the state, where streams to the north emptied into Lake Erie and those to the south emptied into the Ohio River, thus the name Crest Line. The town was not on the watershed line, but the name stuck and eventually became one word.</span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://crestlineoh.com/history/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(History, Village of Crestline)</a> </span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #800180;">1852 Theodor Groz opened a store for toys and fashion accessories with an attached needle workshop in Ebingen, Germany, today part of Albstadt. In the same year he produced needles for warp knitting and hosiery production for the first time. </span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;">On July 8, 1853, American Commodore Matthew Perry led his four ships into the harbor at Tokyo Bay, seeking to re-establish for the first time in over 200 years regular trade and discourse between Japan and the western world. (<a href="https://history.state.gov/milestones/1830-1860/opening-to-japan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US State Department)</a></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The Pennsylvania Railroad's charter was supplemented on March 23, 1853, to allow it to purchase stock and guarantee bonds of railroads in other states, up to a percentage of its capital stock. Several lines were then aided by the Pennsy in hopes to secure additional traffic. By the end of 1854, the Pennsy purchased stock in the Ohio & Pennsylvania, Ohio & Indiana, Marietta & Cincinnati, Maysville & Big Sandy, and Springfield, Mt. Vernon & Pittsburgh railroads, totalling $1,450,000 (equivalent to $43.7 million in 2021). </span></p><p>1855. Dr. William Pope, age 30, arrives in Crestline from Western New York, setting up practice as a physician and attending to many illnesses and injuries. He invested in oil wells in Crawford County prior to joining William Franz in the jewelry business. (Obituary in Bucyrus Evening Telegraph, Sept. 3, 1890) </p><p>1<span style="color: #800180;">857. Reciprocating circular cylinder knitting machines developed (<a href="https://youtu.be/aEuvwnCd8MA">YouTube - Garment Manufacturing) </a></span></p><p>1860's - Family of Almira Campbell, a seamstress, according to a post on Rootsweb, moves from Pennsylvania to Ohio. This may have included her grandfather Connileas Stantley who was born in Ireland and may have lived in or near Uppingham, Rutland, England before immigrating to US, where knitting machines were in high degree of utilization. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4g9qN8IPm-O1Uw7-zb5rYtjt0ZxHpRdJoZo86of1VnTrlpw1fhCWc41o6NBdQ6cXswRdRTdYIk5USYj9cT14udUWGBtvE_XEvW8qXUGbv5XhenAkmuJQE2C7EiLO8Xq15T4NHqYRWB5QIvvPnY-1aYqVyN0vve0dxFc3VGgNdDo6gIx-nwQzmkA1O/s1607/Screenshot%202023-05-05%20081345.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="112" data-original-width="1607" height="44" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4g9qN8IPm-O1Uw7-zb5rYtjt0ZxHpRdJoZo86of1VnTrlpw1fhCWc41o6NBdQ6cXswRdRTdYIk5USYj9cT14udUWGBtvE_XEvW8qXUGbv5XhenAkmuJQE2C7EiLO8Xq15T4NHqYRWB5QIvvPnY-1aYqVyN0vve0dxFc3VGgNdDo6gIx-nwQzmkA1O/w640-h44/Screenshot%202023-05-05%20081345.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1861 St. Joseph Catholic Church. The first church was erected on the corner of North Street and Bauer Court. The first Resident Pastor was father Puetz. In 1868 the first school was built onto the back of the church. Due to the need for a larger church, a second church was started in the late 1880's and was completed in 1892. </span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">(<a href="https://lib.bgsu.edu/finding_aids/items/show/336#:~:text=In%201861%20the%20first%20church,and%20was%20completed%20in%201892." rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bowling Green State University archives</a>) </span></p><p><span style="color: #800180;">1861 - Walter Aiken introduces his family circular knitting machine with patterns for stockings which required sewing up. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8C3A5LB3Q2F5LJVSF_BuT_ooAIbcZir6MuNJSfyYkpcC6jlM1RMxHne12caFVX7o0i5MtSGURsH_V4l80OLUTTF5v6xRBSJDdpA__sSBjXzz221ZDDra1op2ZMw_bm_Md4agS_EBCSnMiuM2J5AZQaJk231e7s87Vaaz9cDhaKeNNVOMXkw55OtO/s480/Screenshot%202023-04-30%20141956.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="480" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8C3A5LB3Q2F5LJVSF_BuT_ooAIbcZir6MuNJSfyYkpcC6jlM1RMxHne12caFVX7o0i5MtSGURsH_V4l80OLUTTF5v6xRBSJDdpA__sSBjXzz221ZDDra1op2ZMw_bm_Md4agS_EBCSnMiuM2J5AZQaJk231e7s87Vaaz9cDhaKeNNVOMXkw55OtO/s320/Screenshot%202023-04-30%20141956.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #800180;">1861-1865 The circular machine had a great boost during the time of the American Civil War, when the quartermaster general of the Northern army decided the quality of its socks and stockings was far better than the frame knits with necessary seams he had been offered. </span><span style="color: #800180;">(</span><a href="https://knittinghistory.co.uk/resources/a-short-history-of-machine-knitting/#:~:text=Matthew%20Leo%20Townsend%20was%20born,does%20much%20of%20the%20work." rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Short History of Machine Knitting</a><span style="color: #800180;">) </span></p><p><span style="color: #800180;">1861- </span><a href="https://eaiainfo.org/socks-and-stockings-shirts-drawers-and-sashes/">Socks and Stockings, Shirts, Drawers, and Sashes – EAIA (eaiainfo.org)</a> reports much detail about socks during the civil war, discusses the sewn socks produced by Aiken knitting machines. In addition, "George “Johnson,” who in 1861 contracted for 25,000 pair of army socks, was likely George Johnstone, a Germantown, Pa., woolen hosiery manufacturer. By 1870 he patented two improvements in circular knitting machinery which may have resulted from wartime manufacture. " - Richard Candee is quoted extensively in this paper - an eminent scholar on circular sock knitting.</p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The ready-to-wear industry grew enormously from the 1860s to the 1880s for a variety of reasons. Increasing mechanization was one factor. In addition, systems for sizing men's and boys' clothing were highly developed, based on millions of measurements obtained by the U.S. Army during the Civil War. Eventually, accurate sizing for women's clothing was also developed. </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">(</span><a href="https://case.edu/ech/articles/g/garment-industry" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Case Western Reserve website</a><span style="color: #2b00fe;">)</span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1862 -The Homestead Act, enacted during the Civil War in 1862, provided that any adult citizen, or intended citizen, who had never borne arms against the U.S. government could claim 160 acres of surveyed government land. Claimants were required to live on and “improve” their plot by cultivating the land.</span></p><p><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #800180;">1864- Wm. Cotton of England patented a rotary knitting frame. </span></p><p>1865 - Wm. Franz entered jewelry trade in Bucyrus with H. Riblet. (obituary of Almira Franz, his wife)</p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1865, July. "Washington [D.C.] is not a place to live in. The rents are high, the food is bad, the dust is disgusting and the morals are deplorable. Go West, young man, go West and grow up with the country.</span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">- attributed to Horace Greeley, New-York Daily Tribune, July 13, 1865</span></p><p><span style="color: #800180;">1867 Theodor Groz writes his "Technical Testament" – a highly detailed instruction book on how to manufacture steel, stocking and hinged needles to "the most unparalleled quality".</span></p><p>1867 - Wm. Franz and Dr. Wm. Pope entered the jewelry trade together.</p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1868 - Crestline German Reformed church started keeping records. At first in German, then after 1917 records were kept in English (<a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/866536871" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">World Cat)</a> </span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1868 -<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 15px;">the process by which the United States and the Western powers forced Japan into modern commercial intercourse, along with other internal factors, weakened the position of the Tokugawa Shogunate to the point that the shogun fell from power. The Emperor gained formal control of the country in the Meiji Restoration of 1868, with long-term effects for the rule and modernization of </span><span class="tei-placeName" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 15px;">Japan</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 15px;">. (<a href="https://history.state.gov/milestones/1830-1860/opening-to-japan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US State Department</a>)</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 15px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vsW9UcUBx8_c2wtCJBEkwoE9uge0W6JRsISFWy7kBpejxQ6JxovRYQwknh9cfl8TxjWQ5ud3g6dUwJCyU31ecYyJyHbLSk5WH2dqEzzhfyMa5C8SHZzNFFF8lGr2rI3JWrJAdBmKJfbI0doSohTB8iWY577NFZnK-2t1iBLlc-f-hsgPjqF41nNe/s401/Screenshot%202023-04-28%20175052.png" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="267" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vsW9UcUBx8_c2wtCJBEkwoE9uge0W6JRsISFWy7kBpejxQ6JxovRYQwknh9cfl8TxjWQ5ud3g6dUwJCyU31ecYyJyHbLSk5WH2dqEzzhfyMa5C8SHZzNFFF8lGr2rI3JWrJAdBmKJfbI0doSohTB8iWY577NFZnK-2t1iBLlc-f-hsgPjqF41nNe/s320/Screenshot%202023-04-28%20175052.png" width="213" /></a></span></span></p><p>1868- William Franz and Almira Campbell, a seamstress from Clarion, PA, are married in Bucyrus. </p><p>1870- A Crestline Advocate reporter stopped by the Franz and Pope Jewelry store for a demonstration of the knitting machine, was duly impressed, and reported that "the days of knitting pins are played out". </p><p>1870 - Bucyrus Knitting Machine Company established but disbanded and reorganized the following year as the Franz and Pope Knitting Machine Company. <a href="https://www.heritagepursuit.com/Crawford/crCh9.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">History of Crawford County, Heritage Pursuit, pages 372-373</a></p><p>1870's- H.D. Lee of Galion, Ohio, believing the Franz and Pope knitting machine had merit, secured general agency in five states for the sale of the machine and began promoting it. Sources: <a href="https://www.ydr.com/story/news/history/blogs/yorkspast/2019/10/28/last-tenant-of-the-colonel-hartley-house/40475413/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">York Daily Record, </a> quoting “A Biographical Cyclopedia of Distinguished Men, with an Historical Sketch, of the State of Ohio” by J. Fletcher Brennan in 1879; page 359 and many other sources. H.D. Lee eventually moved to Salinas Kansas, according to an email received by the reporter from a Lee in Galion, Ohio, and founded the company that survives today as Lee Jeans. </p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1871 - Great Chicago Fire</span></p><p><span style="color: #800180;">1871 - Crane Knitting Machines (flat bed) were patented. (Source - The Hand-Cranked Knitter and Sock Machine, Richard M. Candee</span></p><p>1872- A druggist moved into the "room formerly occupied by Franz and Pope" in the Diamond building, implying that the knitting machine manufacturing facility had moved.</p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> In 1870 Japan's first machine-made knitwear was produced by the entrepreneur Nishimura Katsuzō in Tokyo, after he purchased a new Komaru circular sock knitting machine from America; the following year, he purchased a new horizontal ribber knitting machine in order to improve the quality of his products. Following suit, many knitting factories equipped with similar machines were established in Honjo, which came to be regarded as the birthplace of Japan's knitting industry. (<a href="https://www.japanhouselondon.uk/discover/meriyasu/#:~:text=In%201870%20Japan's%20first%20machine,the%20quality%20of%20his%20products." rel="nofollow" target="_blank">JapanHouse, London</a>)</span></p><p>1873- A Japanese man, Fu Kai, was introduced to an Advocate reporter as a visitor at the Bucyrus "Franz and Pope Knitting Machine Works" In December Fu Kai Taich was reported in Bennington, Vermont, learning to run a knitting machine, presumably a flatbed or industrial machine, since the same article reports he was in Ohio learning to use a stocking machine previousliy. </p><p>1873, November - Shipments to Yeddo, Japan commence after receipt of a "gold draft" </p><p>1873 - Publication of the 1873 atlas of Crawford County, Ohio published by Gould and Starr. The back cover is a copy of an ad for Franz and Pope, and the atlas features drawings of the Pope home in Crestline and the Diamond Hall building, also in Crestline, along with many other illustrations of home of prominent citizens. Stephen Kelly's property just outside North Robinson is shown on the plat map. </p><p>1874 - Franz and Pope machines advertised for sale in a sewing machine shop in Crestline</p><p><span style="color: #800180;">1874 - Franklin Needle Company established in Franklin, NH. by Walter Aiken. It eventually became the world's largest latch needle manufacturing company. <a href="https://www.nhhistory.org/object/220943/needle-knitting-machine" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source: New Hampshire Historical Society</a></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1874 - Women's Christian Temperance Union founded in Cleveland</span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1876 -Franz and Pope purchase patents from Crane flat bed knitting machine company. These patents enabled the yarn to stay in the hooks, while not being knitted, through the use of movable cams. This meant that heels and toes could be formed on the machine without removing the knitting. Source (Richard Candee)</span></p><p>1876, April - Franz and Pope plan to mount an exhibit at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia</p><p>1876, October - Favorable reports appear in the Advocate from a visitor to the Exhibition</p><p>1876, November - Franz and Pope awarded a medal from the Centennial Exhibition</p><p>1877, November - OpEd in Advocate complains that Crestline lost the manufacturing facility to Bucyrus and reports that machines are being sold "in every corner of the land and are indeed being exported to other nations"</p><p>1879- William Franz illness (tuberculosis) </p><p>1879- Ida Mae Pope becomes bookkeeper (A Light in the Queen's Garden)</p><p>1879, October - Patent litigation against Bickford ruled that Franz and Pope patents were valid. </p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1880 - Thomas Edison patents the Incandescent Lamp </span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1880 - Amanda Bloomer promotes "rational dress" for cycling. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://fashion-era.com/images/Victorians/1880-cycling.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="189" height="304" src="https://fashion-era.com/images/Victorians/1880-cycling.jpg" width="189" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span><p></p><p>1881, March - Judge rules in favor of Franz and Pope against the Lamb Knitting machine company for patent infringement. </p><p>1881 - Crestline Advocate reports that Franz and Pope has shipped 127 "Steam" machines this season, and "orders not all filled". This would seem to mean that they are producing industrial machines at this point. </p><p>1882 - Tramps appear at house next door to F&P factory demanding the lady of the house prepare the steak they had in their possession. </p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1883 - Frances Willard President of Women's Christian Temperance Union. </span></p><p>1883 - Ida Mae Pope enters Oberlin College </p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1885-1890 Introduction of the "safety bicycle" led to the Bicycle Boom. </span></p><p>1887 - Ad in Crestline Advoice for 20 "girls" needed for employment</p><p>1888 - The Bucyrus Evening Telegraph reports that Franz and Pope are turning out black stockings</p><p>1889, February - The Evening Telegraph reports on a new patent that improves the efficiency of knitting heels and toes with less manual effort. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHatoeVwQLNrkclTpyWLZFAL0gvvqEIMcKqmZDEtj9_4HcVgRMMjHHmV0Dq4qDYHRBS2Npt3urocbvpGNQ69cNq3S6yxMB7cOP1jokUs_Gy-8QTx7DyVwUhm6mLAjj6ItVy48O3nkb4QobBfmj8yge6fB9QlQSCUH1uq4dVlSiII0qspSXe_NPQAPH/s2019/The_Bucyrus_Evening_Telegraph_1889_02_06_page_4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2019" data-original-width="684" height="818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHatoeVwQLNrkclTpyWLZFAL0gvvqEIMcKqmZDEtj9_4HcVgRMMjHHmV0Dq4qDYHRBS2Npt3urocbvpGNQ69cNq3S6yxMB7cOP1jokUs_Gy-8QTx7DyVwUhm6mLAjj6ItVy48O3nkb4QobBfmj8yge6fB9QlQSCUH1uq4dVlSiII0qspSXe_NPQAPH/w276-h818/The_Bucyrus_Evening_Telegraph_1889_02_06_page_4.jpg" width="276" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I interpret this to mean that prior to this innovation, the knitting was customarily made in a tube, removed from the machine, and then heels and toes were knitted in by hand, probably on four needles. I cannot yet determine whether the innovation mentioned here was the ability to knit back and forth with only some of the needles in work, (reciprocating cylinder) or whether it was the addition of a take-up spring to keep tension on the yarn being fed into the machine. </div><br /><p></p><p>1889, July - Miss Kate Kelly was reported as travelling to Philadelphia to perform training there. </p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The website Emerging Civil War (link <a href="https://emergingcivilwar.com/2018/11/02/railroads-her-journey-ladies-traveling-in-mid-19th-century-america/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>) describes the dangers and difficulties of women travelling alone during the 1800's. First, think of the clothing and baggage they would have to wear and handle and keep track of during their trip. Hoop skirts, corsets, crinolines, and so on. They most likely travelled by rail, since the Federal Highway System was still decades in the future and cars weren't common. Roads were in terrible condition. Airplanes had not been invented. A missed train would result in having to make on-the-fly travel arrangements for eating and sleeping, with no google maps app to help find hotels. "The combination of the Civil War and railroad travel gave a woman a level of slightly greater autonomy, allowing her to journey from her home and local community into the wider world beyond with or without a man’s protection. However, the difficulties and dangers of traveling remained, testing and shaping how ladies traveled in war-torn America. Ultimately, her travels and journeys during the Civil War influenced culture, creating a stronger, yet still feminine, image for American ladies that would play an important role in the saga of women, travel, and creating new cities in the West during the post-war years."</span></p><p>1889 , H. D. Lee moves from Galion, Ohio to Salinas, Kansas for his health on the advice of his doctor (he had tuberculosis) and founded the company that would become Lee Jeans. </p><p>1889, Christmas Day - Report in Evening Telegraph about the good year and improvements to the equipment</p><p>1890, February - Evening Telegraph reports sale of machines to knitting mill in Elkhart, Indiana</p><p>1890, February - Announced the issuance of preferred stock to enable hiring of 100 workers</p><p>1890, March - Announcement that J. R. Perrott, a forman of over 20 years experience, has been dismissed. There must be more to the story! </p><p>1890 - Ida Mae Pope leaves for Hawaii (A Light in the Queen's Garden) </p><p>1890, September - Report on the funeral of Dr. Pope in the Evening Telegraph</p><p>1891, March - Ad for black stockings</p><p>1891, June - Announcement that a superintendent has been hired, a Mr. J.G. Prosser</p><p>1891, August - Industrial accident involving hot oil and steam to an employee's face</p><p>1891, September - Report on an order from a company in Marion, Indiana</p><p>1891, October - Katy Kelly hired as bookkeeper</p><p>1891. Lois Pope, Dr. Pope's eldest daughter, married J. G. Prosser. </p><p>1891, October - Feature article on Bucyrus businesses includes an article mentioning both the industrial knitters and a drawing of Franz and Pope home use machine.</p><p>1892, January - Annual meeting to elect officers and directors is reported.</p><p>1892, July - Large order received for a new knitting mill in Bowling Green, Kentucky. </p><p>1892, September - Large order received for a new knitting mill in Bloomfield, IA</p><p>1892, December - The company entertained a Mr. Fettig from Michigan City, Indiana as he planned to relocate his knitting mill from there to Bucyrus. He was to take over the top floor of the Franz and Pope building, and was producing "Reform Underwear". </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"> <span style="color: #2b00fe;">One of the first reform undergarments to be promoted in America was the “emancipation union under flannel” patented in 1868. This union suit combined a knit flannel waist (shirt) and drawers in one. The combination, as the union suit was often called, was continuously improved by various knitwear companies and reformers in America. Susan Taylor Converse of Woburn, Massachusetts, designed an improved version in 1875 and named it the Emancipation Suit. A gathered section across the bodice freed the breasts from compression, and sets of buttons at the waist and hips helped suspend several layers of skirts. The Emancipation Suit also could have been purchased as two separate parts that buttoned together at the hips. (<a href="https://costume.osu.edu/2000/04/14/reforming-fashion-1850-1914-politics-health-and-art/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ohio State University</a>)</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The 1892 United States presidential election was the 27th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 8, 1892. In a rematch of the closely contested 1888 presidential election, former Democratic President Grover Cleveland defeated incumbent Republican President Benjamin Harrison.</span></p><p>1893, January - Report of Annual Meeting and election of directors. Henry Pope, Dr. Pope's son, is re-elected President of the company. </p><p>1893, February. Report of large sale to a new knitting mill in Meridian, Mississipi. Miss Kate Kelly to travel there for a period expected to be six weeks to supervise setup of operations. </p><p>1893, April. Henry Pope travels to Chicago and starts a knitting mill there. </p><p>1893, June. Shipping report detail includes a shipping report of Franz and Pope machinery to Hamburg, Germany</p><p>1893, December. Notice of annual meeting</p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">In its impact on industry and employment, the depression of the 1890s was on a par with the Great Depression of the 1930s. In some places it began before 1890, in a deep agricultural crisis that hit Southern cotton-growing regions and the Great Plains in the late 1880s. The shock hit Wall Street and urban areas in 1893, as part of a massive worldwide economic crisis. A quarter of the nation's railroads went bankrupt; in some cities, unemployment among industrial workers exceeded 20 or even 25 percent.</span></p><p>1894, October. Report of sale of equipment to second penitentiary facility. The first was reported to be successful. </p><p>1890's - Knitting mills, such as the one pictured below in Western New York, often still used sewing machines to finish socks and stockings Source: Observer-Dispatch Utica NY</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/2018/04/30/NOBD/ghows-NY-6aedb56c-8443-0fcf-e053-0100007f7f12-8843e3be.jpeg?width=660&height=477&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="660" height="477" src="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/2018/04/30/NOBD/ghows-NY-6aedb56c-8443-0fcf-e053-0100007f7f12-8843e3be.jpeg?width=660&height=477&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp" width="660" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Here is an interior photo of the Amazon Knitting Mill in Muskegon, Michigan showing hundreds of Knitting machines <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj87WduM0cHPBMuSqWkrgS7TEF-HpkV31izlr4-qaDvMTYPWvW2R1UxtfKMtiHlCk7x92IbZnvCrfyxvEmYRpRsGoZZZ-QafZsmHBmChe67Aps7JdrjVOQLXrq_wjfYyfAWg1Cg6h0q7x_2yZOlGsSO19OkyZY_d8anX-nDcFZpSO-YDA-if8mVZcBV/s500/341378186_1246195356323407_6813270484502667399_n.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="500" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj87WduM0cHPBMuSqWkrgS7TEF-HpkV31izlr4-qaDvMTYPWvW2R1UxtfKMtiHlCk7x92IbZnvCrfyxvEmYRpRsGoZZZ-QafZsmHBmChe67Aps7JdrjVOQLXrq_wjfYyfAWg1Cg6h0q7x_2yZOlGsSO19OkyZY_d8anX-nDcFZpSO-YDA-if8mVZcBV/w400-h299/341378186_1246195356323407_6813270484502667399_n.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Heritage Museum in Muskegon. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><p><br /></p><p>1894, December. Notice of Franz and Pope annual meeting</p><p>1895, January. Report that an industrial accident occurred. Frank Greenich, 17 years old, was polishing a cam when the machinery exploded, crushing his skull. The injury was fatal.</p><p>1895, January. Queen's followers in Sandwich Islands (now Hawaii) post a rebellion which was quickly put down. Ida Mae Pope was a witness to these historical events, as she was teaching in a school for royal children there. J. R. Perrott (former F&P superintendent) and Mrs. Clymer received the Sandwich Island papers in Bucyrus, and report that all the Bucyrus contingent in the Islands are all right. </p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1895 - Frances Willard publishes "A wheel within a wheel - How I learned to Ride a Bicycle"</span></p><div>1895, April. The bicycle craze was upon the nation, and the Evening Telegraph reported on the trend by publishing many items about bicycles and wheels. One of the wheels was on display at the Franz and Pope locations. </div><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1895 Rational dress has been promoted for several decades, finally tailor-made cycling outfits find acceptance. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://fashion-era.com/images/Victorians/1897col%20LA%20NOUVELLE%20MODE%20..jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="203" height="258" src="https://fashion-era.com/images/Victorians/1897col%20LA%20NOUVELLE%20MODE%20..jpg" width="203" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>1895, May. Franz and Pope had a company baseball team, and they publicly challenged the team of another company, </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCDaVKb8TxbPngWv1Jkl38cVSQm0-1UCPXhCyyyRbKwz-_glLiDDaHJW1m47Vz2n8TsJkAjQsnuLj71Mf032HWYgXxN_YeAcVJNb9qWWTdFiSjfs5tqcv5KfNzZIjTb4k3-CkLyW2PcMHYLvnk_SYecjwUgdcJAGmRSoYgUlu1pfG5AtPrm0UPUhG/s6449/The_Bucyrus_Evening_Telegraph_Mon__May_20__1895_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6449" data-original-width="4445" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCDaVKb8TxbPngWv1Jkl38cVSQm0-1UCPXhCyyyRbKwz-_glLiDDaHJW1m47Vz2n8TsJkAjQsnuLj71Mf032HWYgXxN_YeAcVJNb9qWWTdFiSjfs5tqcv5KfNzZIjTb4k3-CkLyW2PcMHYLvnk_SYecjwUgdcJAGmRSoYgUlu1pfG5AtPrm0UPUhG/s320/The_Bucyrus_Evening_Telegraph_Mon__May_20__1895_.jpg" width="221" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1895, December. Franz and Pope facilities were closed by the sherriff to satisfy company debts as was ordered by a judge in Upper Sandusky. The company was expected to reorganize, satisfy debts, and continue operations. A large order for machines was received the same day. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1895, December. A receiver was appointed to reopen the company and process outstanding orders. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1896, there was simultaneously an increase in bicycle popularity and a severe economic depression. Bicycles were one of the few areas of the economy where sales were growing; people were buying bicycles "whether they could afford them or not". This attracted hundreds of manufacturers into the bicycle business. This increase in production resulted in a downward spiral of market saturation, over-supply and intense price competition. Many bicycle manufacturers, faced with excess inventory and prices too low to make a profit, went out of business. (Wikipedia "bicycle boom")</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1897, March. The stockholders re-organized the company and re-initiated operations of the reorganized company. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1897, May. Report of the stockholder approval of the sale. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1898, May. The fifth annual Ohio Women Suffrage Convention takes place in Akron. Speakers include Susan B. Anthony, Anna Howard Shaw and Zerelda G. Wallace. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1900- U.S. Census report reports on manufacture of needles and pins and latch-hook knitting machine needles.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjpdFD69AG7KDDzg9Tv106AJpa8VJMQHI8mlSkIl9EU4OWemvKhTmZoAgA05OMGgcaB2QqHvfxTH8c-0JX-1caeI05FLv1VvnyYTgvtKoiSyXlODmH18VAe2Dp_EjOqNAIJFQQEXlby8dY-OtZGfnoFpy1i2-Tvy2KvEyoi_9CfFdTx9sJPnM5myG/s921/Screenshot%202023-05-04%20125945.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="921" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjpdFD69AG7KDDzg9Tv106AJpa8VJMQHI8mlSkIl9EU4OWemvKhTmZoAgA05OMGgcaB2QqHvfxTH8c-0JX-1caeI05FLv1VvnyYTgvtKoiSyXlODmH18VAe2Dp_EjOqNAIJFQQEXlby8dY-OtZGfnoFpy1i2-Tvy2KvEyoi_9CfFdTx9sJPnM5myG/w640-h248/Screenshot%202023-05-04%20125945.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/bulletins/manufacturing/191-manufactures-needles-and-pins.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">1990 Census</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1903 - Model T Introduction by Henry Ford. Orville and Wilbur Wright fly at Kitty Hawk. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1903 - Lois Pope-Prosser and her husband, Joseph George Prosser, moved to Kankakee, Illinois to join the rest of the family. J.G. went into business with her brother Henry. (Source: A Light in the Queen's Garden, p. 282)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1913, February. Report of the completion of an addition to the building. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1914, January. Henry Pope, formerly the President of the company, and now living in Chicago and operating a successful knitting mill with over 1000 employees, visits Bucyrus with his son. They stopped by the TWO locations of Franz and Pope. One was on Lane Street and was being demolished. The other building was on Carroll. He found two medals from the Centennial Exhibition and took them as souvenirs. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1914, July. Obituary for Ida Mae Pope. The daughter of Dr. William Pope, the company founder, she became a missionary in Hawaii. The obituary reports that the surviving descendants of Dr. Pope are now all living in Chicago. Note: Ida Mae Pope is the subject of the book by Sandra Bonura "A Light in the Queen's Garden". The first chapter of this book mentions the Franz and Pope knitting machine company. The rest of the book details Ida's education, which was enabled through the patent infringement lawsuit settlements, and her missionary work in Hawaii with schools for Hawaii's tradiitonal royal children. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1916, February. Obituary for Almira "Myra" Franz. She was the wife of William Franz. Since he was a leading citizen of Bucyrus, there was biographical information about him in her obituary. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5wu18epluKmjMDLxmzJg3D1kHVfL0koC344-B1sD-W-4oZROU7ATQAE07s0r35AOfRfkm5Vg0AKyEb8jb-iZYF8QyVSRq-jS_gB5M5Z1Qax49SWtM7BMULVRgFFHfa9Im__uihKnzGB7yPxlMYVSaPzZgee67g2-asIYcFZO371o-pKFOdRuXlF4/s617/Franz%20and%20Pope%20Screenshot%202023-04-24%20220211.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="306" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5wu18epluKmjMDLxmzJg3D1kHVfL0koC344-B1sD-W-4oZROU7ATQAE07s0r35AOfRfkm5Vg0AKyEb8jb-iZYF8QyVSRq-jS_gB5M5Z1Qax49SWtM7BMULVRgFFHfa9Im__uihKnzGB7yPxlMYVSaPzZgee67g2-asIYcFZO371o-pKFOdRuXlF4/w199-h400/Franz%20and%20Pope%20Screenshot%202023-04-24%20220211.png" width="199" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1917, November. World War I-era article describing the quantity of socks knitted for the local Red Cross by the Bucyrus chapter. The group used Franz and Pope knitting machines to achieve their large quantities and the article mentioned "that they have come into popularity again". </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1917, December. Another article describing an additional quantity of socks knitted by the Red Cross Chapter using the Franz and Pope machine. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1919. Ohio ratifies the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1922. Connection between Henry Pope and FDR, bonding over polio recovery. See below. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180;">1922. An important needle-production innovation occurs: punched massive needles are introduced. Source- <a href="https://www.groz-beckert.com/en/company/history/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Groz-Beckert</a> <span face="LinotypeUnivers, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1925, January. Death of Dr. Pope's son "Biddy" who was a newspaperman. Two front-page columns given to history of the Crestline street layout and occupants, including Franz and Pope's original jewelry store location. The article also mentions William Franz's career and his ancestors. He was born in Leesville, just northwest of Crestline, and educated in Bucyrus. His father was Crawford County Sherriff. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1938. The federal child labor provisions, authorized by the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA), also known as the child labor laws, were enacted to ensure that when young people work, the work is safe and does not jeopardize their health, well-being or educational opportunities.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1938. Invention of nylon, which has since been used in sock wool to promote longer wear.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The Daily Journal in Kankake IL published an article detailing the 1922 connection between Dr. Pope's granddaughter and FDR while each was recovering from polio <a href="https://www.daily-journal.com/news/local/henry-pope-sr-was-kankakees-connection-to-fdr/article_0831f0c8-96df-11ea-ae13-ab873a559abf.html">Henry Pope Sr. was Kankakee's connection to FDR | Local News | daily-journal.com</a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1970, December - President Nixon signs the Occupational Safety and Health Act on December 29, 1970, which was enacted on April 28, 1971. In its first half century, OSHA has helped transform America's workplaces in ways that have significantly reduced workplace fatalities, injuries, and illnesses.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I was curious about the knitting company in Chicago started by the family of Dr. Pope. I found this obituary for his grandson, Henry Jr. on the website of the Chicago Tribune.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1991, August. h<a href="ttps://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-08-22-9103020443-story.html">ttps://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-08-22-9103020443-story.html</a> "the firm produced millions of pairs of socks annually and was the largest family-owned hosiery manufacturer in the country.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Mr. Pope also was president of Paramount Textile Machinery Co. as well as vice president of Neumode Hosiery Co., which had hosiery outlets throughout the Chicago area."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br style="color: black;" /></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div></div></div>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-81385569235117553042023-04-24T19:37:00.003-07:002023-04-26T16:11:26.740-07:00Franz and Pope Timeline<p> I subscribed to Newspaper Archive and I scoured the archives of the Crestline Advocate and the Bucyrus Evening Telegraph for articles that mention Franz and Pope. </p><p>I found a lot of advertising, but also many things I did not know before. </p><p>Here's a timeline of what I found: </p><p>1870- A Crestline Advocate reporter stopped by the Franz and Pope Jewelry store for a demonstration, was duly impressed, and reported that "the days of knitting pins are played out". </p><p>1872- A druggist moved into the "room formerly occupied by Franz and Pope" implying that the knitting machine manufacturing facility had moved. </p><p>1873- A Japanese man, Fu Kai, was introduced to an Advocate reporter as a new employee at the Bucyrus "Franz and Pope Knitting Machine Works"</p><p>1874 - Franz and Pope machines advertised for sale in a sewing machine shop in Crestline</p><p>1876, April - Franz and Pope plan to mount an exhibit at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia</p><p>1876, October - Favorable reports appear in the Advocate from a visitor to the Exhibition</p><p>1876, November - Franz and Pope awarded a medal from the Centennial Exhibition</p><p>1877, November - Oped in Advocate complains that Crestline lost the manufacturing facility to Bucyrus and reports that machines are being sold "in every corner of the land and are indeed being exported to other nations"</p><p>1881 - Crestline Advocate reports that Franz and Pope has shipped 127 "Steam" machines this season, and "orders not all filled". This would seem to mean that they are producing industrial machines at this point. </p><p>1887 - Ad in Crestline Advoice for 20 "girls" needed for employment</p><p>1888 - The Bucyrus Evening Telegraph reports that Franz and Pope are turning out black stockings</p><p>1889, February - The Evening Telegraph reports on a new patent that improves the efficiency of knitting heels and toes with less manual effort. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHatoeVwQLNrkclTpyWLZFAL0gvvqEIMcKqmZDEtj9_4HcVgRMMjHHmV0Dq4qDYHRBS2Npt3urocbvpGNQ69cNq3S6yxMB7cOP1jokUs_Gy-8QTx7DyVwUhm6mLAjj6ItVy48O3nkb4QobBfmj8yge6fB9QlQSCUH1uq4dVlSiII0qspSXe_NPQAPH/s2019/The_Bucyrus_Evening_Telegraph_1889_02_06_page_4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2019" data-original-width="684" height="818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHatoeVwQLNrkclTpyWLZFAL0gvvqEIMcKqmZDEtj9_4HcVgRMMjHHmV0Dq4qDYHRBS2Npt3urocbvpGNQ69cNq3S6yxMB7cOP1jokUs_Gy-8QTx7DyVwUhm6mLAjj6ItVy48O3nkb4QobBfmj8yge6fB9QlQSCUH1uq4dVlSiII0qspSXe_NPQAPH/w276-h818/The_Bucyrus_Evening_Telegraph_1889_02_06_page_4.jpg" width="276" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>1889, July - Miss Kate Kelly, hired as a bookkeeper, was reported as travelling to Philadelphia to perform training there. </p><p>1889, Christmas Day - Report in Evening Telegraph about the good year and improvements to the equipment</p><p>1890, February - Evening Telegraph reports sale of machines to knitting mill in Elkhart, Indiana</p><p>1890, February - Announced the issuance of preferred stock to enable hiring of 100 workers</p><p>1890, March - Announcement that J. R. Perrott, a forman of over 20 years experience, has been dismissed. There must be more to the story! </p><p>1890, September - Report on the funeral of Dr. Pope in the Evening Telegraph</p><p>1891, March - Ad for black stockings</p><p>1891, June - Announcement that a superintendent has been hired, a Mr. J.G. Prosser</p><p>1891, August - Industrial accident involving hot oil and steam to an employee's face</p><p>1891, September - Report on an order from a company in Marion, Indiana</p><p>1891, October - Feature article on Bucyrus businesses includes an article mentioning both the industrial knitters and a drawing of Franz and Pope home use machine.</p><p>1892, January - Annual meeting to elect officers and directors is reported on.</p><p>1892, July - Large order received for a new knitting mill in Bowling Green, Kentucky. </p><p>1892, September - Large order received for a new knitting mill in Bloomfield, IA</p><p>1892, December - The company entertained a Mr. Fettig from Michigan City, Indiana as he placed a large order for a new knitting mill</p><p>1893, January - Report of Annual Meeting and election of directors. Henry Pope, Dr. Pope's son, is re-elected President. </p><p>1893, February. Report of large sale to a new knitting mill in Meridian, Mississipi. Miss Kate Kelly to travel there for a period expected to be six weeks to supervise setup of operations. </p><p>1893, June. Shipping report detail includes a shipping report of Franz and Pope machinery to Hamburg, Germany</p><p>1893, December. Notice of annual meeting</p><p>1894, October. Report of sale of equipment to second penitentiary facility. The first was reported to be successful. </p><p>1894, December. Notice of annual meeting</p><p>1895, January. Report that an industrial accident occurred. Frank Greenich, 17 years old, was polishing a cam when the machinery exploded, crushing his skull. The injury was anticipated to be fatal.</p><p>1895, April. The bicycle craze was upon the nation, and the Evening Telegraph reported on the trend by publishing many items about bicycles and wheels. One of the wheels was on display at the Franz and Pope locations. </p><p>1895, May. Franz and Pope had a company baseball team, and they publicly challenged the team of another company, </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCDaVKb8TxbPngWv1Jkl38cVSQm0-1UCPXhCyyyRbKwz-_glLiDDaHJW1m47Vz2n8TsJkAjQsnuLj71Mf032HWYgXxN_YeAcVJNb9qWWTdFiSjfs5tqcv5KfNzZIjTb4k3-CkLyW2PcMHYLvnk_SYecjwUgdcJAGmRSoYgUlu1pfG5AtPrm0UPUhG/s6449/The_Bucyrus_Evening_Telegraph_Mon__May_20__1895_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6449" data-original-width="4445" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCDaVKb8TxbPngWv1Jkl38cVSQm0-1UCPXhCyyyRbKwz-_glLiDDaHJW1m47Vz2n8TsJkAjQsnuLj71Mf032HWYgXxN_YeAcVJNb9qWWTdFiSjfs5tqcv5KfNzZIjTb4k3-CkLyW2PcMHYLvnk_SYecjwUgdcJAGmRSoYgUlu1pfG5AtPrm0UPUhG/s320/The_Bucyrus_Evening_Telegraph_Mon__May_20__1895_.jpg" width="221" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1895, December. Franz and Pope facilities were closed by the sherriff to satisfy company debts as was ordered by a judge in Upper Sandusky. The company was expected to reorganize, satisfy debts, and continue operations. A large order for machines was received the same day. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1895, December. A receiver was appointed to reopen the company and process outstanding orders. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1897, March. The stockholders re-organized the company and re-initiated operations of the reorganized company. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1897, May. Report of the stockholder approval of the sale. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1913, February. Report of the completion of an addition to the building. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1914, January. Henry Pope, formerly the President of the company, and now living in Chicago and operating a successful knitting mill with over 1000 employees, visits Bucyrus with his son. They stopped by the TWO locations of Franz and Pope. One was on Lane Street and was being demolished. The other building was on Carroll. He found two medals from the Centennial Exhibition and took them as souvenirs. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1914, July. Obituary for Ida Mae Pope. The daughter of Dr. William Pope, the company founder, she became a missionary in Hawaii. The obituary reports that the surviving descendants of Dr. Pope are now all living in Chicago. Note: Ida Mae Pope is the subject of the book by Sandra Bonura "A Light in the Queen's Garden". The first chapter of this book mentions the Franz and Pope knitting machine company.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1916, February. Obituary for Almira "Myra" Franz. She was the wife of William Franz. Since he was a leading citizen of Bucyrus, there was biographical information about him in her obituary. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5wu18epluKmjMDLxmzJg3D1kHVfL0koC344-B1sD-W-4oZROU7ATQAE07s0r35AOfRfkm5Vg0AKyEb8jb-iZYF8QyVSRq-jS_gB5M5Z1Qax49SWtM7BMULVRgFFHfa9Im__uihKnzGB7yPxlMYVSaPzZgee67g2-asIYcFZO371o-pKFOdRuXlF4/s617/Franz%20and%20Pope%20Screenshot%202023-04-24%20220211.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="306" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5wu18epluKmjMDLxmzJg3D1kHVfL0koC344-B1sD-W-4oZROU7ATQAE07s0r35AOfRfkm5Vg0AKyEb8jb-iZYF8QyVSRq-jS_gB5M5Z1Qax49SWtM7BMULVRgFFHfa9Im__uihKnzGB7yPxlMYVSaPzZgee67g2-asIYcFZO371o-pKFOdRuXlF4/w199-h400/Franz%20and%20Pope%20Screenshot%202023-04-24%20220211.png" width="199" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1917, November. World War I-era article describing the quantity of socks knitted for the local Red Cross by the Bucyrus chapter. The group used Franz and Pope knitting machines to achieve their large quantities and the article mentioned "that they have come into popularity again". </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1917, December. Another article describing an additional quantity of socks knitted by the Red Cross Chapter using the Franz and Pope machine. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1925, January. Death of Dr. Pope's son "Biddy" who was a newspaperman. Two front-page columns given to history of the Crestline street layout and occupants, including Franz and Pope's original jewelry store location. The article also mentions William Franz's career and his ancestors. He was born in Leesville, just northwest of Crestline, and educated in Bucyrus. His father was Crawford County Sherriff. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was curious about the knitting company in Chicago started by the family of Dr. Pope. I found this obituary for his grandson, Henry Jr. on the website of the Chicago Tribune.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1991, August. h<a href="ttps://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-08-22-9103020443-story.html">ttps://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-08-22-9103020443-story.html</a> "the firm produced millions of pairs of socks annually and was the largest family-owned hosiery manufacturer in the country.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Mr. Pope also was president of Paramount Textile Machinery Co. as well as vice president of Neumode Hosiery Co., which had hosiery outlets throughout the Chicago area."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The Daily Journal in Kankane IL published an article detailing the 1922 connection between Dr. Pope's granddaughter and FDR while each was recovering from polio <a href="https://www.daily-journal.com/news/local/henry-pope-sr-was-kankakees-connection-to-fdr/article_0831f0c8-96df-11ea-ae13-ab873a559abf.html">Henry Pope Sr. was Kankakee's connection to FDR | Local News | daily-journal.com</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-57499852661063850772023-04-24T11:25:00.003-07:002023-04-24T17:16:57.577-07:00More history of Franz and Pope<p> I did some more digging. This time on the pages of rootsweb.org at <a href="https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~henryhowesbook/genealogy/crawford.html">https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~henryhowesbook/genealogy/crawford.html </a></p><p><i style="font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Manufactures and Employees.—</i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">C. ROEHR, </span><span class="SpellE" style="font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">planing</span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"> mill, 40 hands; Eagle Machine Works, machinery, 30; C. ROEHR, </span><span class="SpellE" style="font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">planing</span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"> mill, etc., 55; G DONNENWORTH & Bro., lager beer, 8; Bucyrus Foundry and Manufacturing Company, steam excavators, etc., 102; Bucyrus Creamery, 8; T. & O. C. R. R. Shops, 102; P. SAEGER, wagons, buggies, etc., 6; VOLLRATH Bros., </span><span class="SpellE" style="font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">planing</span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"> mill, 16;<span style="background-color: #fcff01;"> FRANZE & POPE Knitting Machine Company, 40; </span>A. SHUNK, SR., plows, etc., 10; T. A. VOLLRATH, flour, etc., 6; Bucyrus </span><span class="SpellE" style="font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Woollen</span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"> Mill; GEIGER & BUSH, copper kettles, 9; NUSSBAUM & BOWERS, flour, etc., ; G. K. ZIEGLER, flour, etc.; D. PICKING & Co., copper kettles, 10.—</span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><i style="font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">State Report</i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"> 1887.</span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">So, they employed 40 people in 1887. Since they started in 1867 in Bucyrus, and Pope's obituary stated that the factory was in operation for 20 years, that may have been the height of employment. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">I note that there are a lot of planing mills, machine shops, and a foundry operating in Bucyrus at that time. Those are exactly the kinds of skills that would have been needed to make the knitting machines and needles. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Back to the "Find a Grave" website where I found several obituaries. I was surprised to learn that one of William Pope's sons was the publisher of the Crestline Advocate, which is still being published today. </span></p>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-38799693642044567862023-04-23T13:51:00.000-07:002023-04-23T13:51:27.531-07:00Crawford County History Fair - Franz and Pope questions<p> Today I drove 25 miles, more or less, to the Lowe-Volk Park where the members of the Crawford County History Alliance were holding a History Fair. </p><p>I spoke with the Bucyrus Historical Society representative and also the Crestline Historical Society representative. The person from Bucyrus was aware of the Franz and Pope machine, because of Sandra Bonura's book "Light in the Queen's Garden". The Crestline representative, who wasn't personally aware of Franz and Pope, promised me that their researcher would dig into the question. I gave them a link to this blog to let them know what I did know. </p><p>What I want to know, and don't -</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>What influenced William Franz to turn from being a jeweler to inventing a knitting machine? </li><li>With the railroad crossroads in Crestline, why did they choose to move to Bucyrus for manufacturing? </li><li>Did Franz's family in Leesville know my family? </li><li>Where was Franz's wife Myra from? </li><li>Where are they buried? </li><li>What was Crestline like at the time of the invention? How many people lived there? </li><li>Did women in Crestline wear knitted clothing other than socks? Are there photos? </li><li>How many knitting machines of each model did they produce? I know of 3 - the first one, the #2, and I've seen pictures of #4. Let's assume there was a model 3. Were there any more? </li><li>Why did they stop making machines, and when? </li><li>Who was the artist for the user guide? </li><li>Who was the author of the user guide, and where was it printed? </li><li>Who was the artist for the patent drawings? </li><li>How many people did they employ over the years? </li></ul><div><br /></div><div>I have found the entry for William Franz on the Find-a-Grave site. </div><div><br /></div><div></div><p></p><div><a href="https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/107989514/william-m-franz">https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/107989514/william-m-franz</a> . There are links to obituaries for his siblings and parents which give some detail about his life. His father was the Crawford County treasurer and a Civil War veteran. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>and one for William Pope here <a href="https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129998409/william-w-pope " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129998409/william-w-pope </a> </div><div><br /></div><div>Dr. William Pope's obituary there stated that Franz and Pope was in operation for "a score of years" and was under continuous improvement. It stated that he had turned from practice of medicine to oil well speculation, to jewelry. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /></div><p></p>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-21131405850552477702023-04-23T10:33:00.000-07:002023-04-23T10:33:35.835-07:00More on Franz and Pope RestorationA member of the Vintage Krankers group on Facebook suggested that testing my "almost-the-right-size" sample needles with the other original 70 needles in the machine might cause a problem, and that I should test the two sample needles by themselves. <div><br /></div><div>I did. It works. </div><div><br /></div><div>I ordered two sets of 50 needles from Angora Valley and am anxiously waiting for their arrival. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the meantime, I'm still trying to find out more about Franz and Pope, the inventors. </div><div><br /></div><div>I got really excited when I saw this post on Rootsweb from 2000. It says "<span style="background-color: #ffffcc; color: saddlebrown; font-weight: 700;">Seek info on Myra (Almira) CAMPBELL who married William FRANZ about Jan 22 She died 20 Feb 1916. Her husband was the inventor of a knitting machine. They lived at 400 E. Mansfield Street in Bucyrus,Crawford Co.,Ohio. Her husband was originally from Leesville, OH. Myra was a seamstress before her marriage. She was born 3 Jan 1844 in PA. Would like family info."</span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjH0RfmEktGIKnpxUGX4QUeS9X7N9MKsAhTGVu7Xqgll_Pxbhe-e-S9q-IOSA9fIXDJ9fGDipaVgEhN5BGMg35p7PybVSh-MWKtoTCPeQZmKMPZy89sQ-EFRM_8ZvCCl-Ie-wfRWYF7027jNTTuhMFSeO14bbNROi5kSmjYtGWO36O7Xyn55VWQwT/s1822/franz%20and%20pope%20Screenshot%202023-04-23%20125832.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="1822" height="23" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjH0RfmEktGIKnpxUGX4QUeS9X7N9MKsAhTGVu7Xqgll_Pxbhe-e-S9q-IOSA9fIXDJ9fGDipaVgEhN5BGMg35p7PybVSh-MWKtoTCPeQZmKMPZy89sQ-EFRM_8ZvCCl-Ie-wfRWYF7027jNTTuhMFSeO14bbNROi5kSmjYtGWO36O7Xyn55VWQwT/w317-h23/franz%20and%20pope%20Screenshot%202023-04-23%20125832.png" width="317" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I tried to respond to the person, but the email address was rejected by the email domain, Yahoo. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, a dead end. For the moment.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am curious that if his wife being a seamstress had any bearing on the invention of the knitting machine. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the meantime, Agatha Stone from the facebook group sent me a message. It included "F&P and Bickford are weirdly connected to the English machines because our akmc had Bickford as its starting point and all our open cam machines like Beehive and Golden Fleece all derive from Creelman money maker which itself derives from world's star which derives from F&P. The CSM 'family tree' is surprisingly connected a lot which I like 🙂 " I did not know any of that, but it is so excited that so many inventors used the Franz and Pope machine as a springboard for their ideas. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-58001972625751417312023-04-17T17:53:00.000-07:002023-04-17T17:53:10.690-07:00Success with the Franz and Pope - Restoration Part 3<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxI3l6kwg3ImMkcQlTPHweJvlH2DEkV9WluV_Tl4dgsBYQ8FLGA6mJsGMR49XYM1Vbf_VZNKf4Mq-PRds6aZQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p>After allowing the cylinder to soak overnight in Marvel Mystery Oil, and a good oiling with a light sewing machine oil, the machine started cranking forward! </p><p>I ordered sample needles from <a href="https://www.angoravalley.com/sockmachines/accessories.html#Needles" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Angora Valley</a> because my husband thinks new needles are needed. </p><p>According to their web site, the Lamb needles can be used as long as the gauge is the same. I thought this was probable. After all, Franz and Pope won a patent infringement lawsuit against Lamb. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPkHglbosvZtSQV6kVrzBv8dT2wA0QMpHJjNSdmHJ3lwQCFSPzEO-73dDWMgdGlrzNObznBeLL4g8Z9DD4w0xPpoGxVzVnvZGBMCIK80qpKrHo8R8MA2XhEuX3J7hT0inDXhL5FUiy-QCx40KX24CJM35mPsAs9gS5lFiE-mxcX2GMI26uc8BBg0tD/s4080/IMG_20230417_204455752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPkHglbosvZtSQV6kVrzBv8dT2wA0QMpHJjNSdmHJ3lwQCFSPzEO-73dDWMgdGlrzNObznBeLL4g8Z9DD4w0xPpoGxVzVnvZGBMCIK80qpKrHo8R8MA2XhEuX3J7hT0inDXhL5FUiy-QCx40KX24CJM35mPsAs9gS5lFiE-mxcX2GMI26uc8BBg0tD/s320/IMG_20230417_204455752.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The gauge appears to be very close, but the butt of the needle is just slightly bigger than the needles that came with the machine. Also I notice that the hook is slightly bigger. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When I replaced two of the original needles with the samples, the crank won't turn past the new needles. So now I am looking for another source of needles. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of my friends suggested just drilling out the cylinder with a Dremel-type tool. I have no courage to do that. </div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-41879830057062451692023-04-07T22:09:00.002-07:002023-04-23T10:33:49.856-07:00Franz and Pope Knitting Machines<p>Some other tidbits on the Franz and Pope History from around the web: </p><p>Advertisement shared on Huntington Library web site: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/api/singleitem/image/p16003coll4/4820/default.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="628" height="800" src="https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/api/singleitem/image/p16003coll4/4820/default.jpg" width="628" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">News article from 1877 announcing that Franz and Pope was going into partnership with Creelman in Canada. Creelman later came out with their own line of knitting machines. Courtesy Angora Valley.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.angoravalley.com/CSM/newspaper4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="484" height="170" src="https://www.angoravalley.com/CSM/newspaper4.jpg" width="484" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The York (PA) Daily Record published <a href="https://www.ydr.com/story/news/history/blogs/yorkspast/2019/10/27/lee-jeans-founder-has-a-york-connection/40445853/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">an article</a> in which they linked the founder of the Lee Jeans company to Franz and Pope Knitting Machines. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/38a972a6f5bd52defbb3bf24fa63a11c64ebd3da/r=382x400/local/-/media/2019/10/27/YorkDailyRecord/wp-PPYR-Yorkspast-9745-HarLeeA.jpg?width=660&disable=upscale&format=pjpg&auto=webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="516" height="540" src="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/38a972a6f5bd52defbb3bf24fa63a11c64ebd3da/r=382x400/local/-/media/2019/10/27/YorkDailyRecord/wp-PPYR-Yorkspast-9745-HarLeeA.jpg?width=660&disable=upscale&format=pjpg&auto=webp" width="516" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The article includes the original patent drawing for the knitting machine from 1869. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/1b4077c275f1ec3deffe1125683540ed4436b9ab/r=245x400/local/-/media/2019/10/27/YorkDailyRecord/wp-PPYR-Yorkspast-9745-HarLeeB.jpg?width=660&disable=upscale&format=pjpg&auto=webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="491" height="800" src="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/1b4077c275f1ec3deffe1125683540ed4436b9ab/r=245x400/local/-/media/2019/10/27/YorkDailyRecord/wp-PPYR-Yorkspast-9745-HarLeeB.jpg?width=660&disable=upscale&format=pjpg&auto=webp" width="491" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The article lists the US patent numbers. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>"Franz and Pope continued to make patentable improvements to this knitting machine; being issued additional United States Patents 99425, 99426, 102529 and 105187 at various times during 1870. " <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.angoravalley.com/CSM/usfp2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://www.angoravalley.com/CSM/usfp2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div>In 1879, in the United States Circuit Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, a judge ruled that their patents had been infringed upon by Dana Bickford of Bickford Family Knitting machines. You can read about it <a href="https://cite.case.law/f-cas/9/721/11649374/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here on the Case Law Access</a> project. The impact on the community of Brattleboro, Vermont in New England is described in <a href="https://www.reformer.com/community-news/the-dramatic-rise-and-fall-of-a-brattleboro-knitting-machine-manufacturer/article_dd2412dc-3276-11ec-a30d-8385af1fabd2.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this news article</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div>In 1881, it was ruled in that their patents had been infringed upon by the Lamb Knitting Company. <a href="https://law.resource.org/pub/us/case/reporter/F.Cas/0009.f.cas/0009.f.cas.0721.2.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">This link </a>to LawResource.org gives the full text. </div><div><br /></div><div>I found this photo of a Franz and Pope with gold paint. It's not the same exact model as mine. Photo courtesy of Victiques. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.victiques.com/Images_Knit/Frnza.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="281" height="192" src="https://www.victiques.com/Images_Knit/Frnza.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and here's another, courtesy of "Images of Old Hawaii". Do you think that Ida Mae Pope took it with her to teach in the Queen's home? This one is similar to mine. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i0.wp.com/imagesofoldhawaii.com/wp-content/uploads/franz-pope-sock-knitting-machine.jpg?resize=300%2C168&ssl=1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://i0.wp.com/imagesofoldhawaii.com/wp-content/uploads/franz-pope-sock-knitting-machine.jpg?resize=300%2C168&ssl=1" width="300" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">OldTymeStockings gives a photo of a later machine with the raised lettering indicating it is a Franz and Pope. This is model #2. Does that mean mine must be a #1, since the company hadn't learned to put identifying marks on it yet? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.oldtymestockings.com/Franz%20&%20Pope%20Sock%20Machine%20a%20-%20American.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="350" height="163" src="https://www.oldtymestockings.com/Franz%20&%20Pope%20Sock%20Machine%20a%20-%20American.JPG" width="350" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">From the same web site, here's a photo of model #4. Why don't things get decorated with gold leaf anymore? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.oldtymestockings.com/Franz%20and%20Pope%20Machine%20a%20-%20American.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="263" data-original-width="350" height="263" src="https://www.oldtymestockings.com/Franz%20and%20Pope%20Machine%20a%20-%20American.JPG" width="350" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>From <a href="https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-1800s-cast-iron-franz-pope-243631067" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Worthpoint</a>, an image from an auction listing of a machine with all the doodads. I can't share the photo here, but if you click the link you can see it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Evidently William Franz moved to Forth Worth, Indiana later in life. His obituary is shared on the Fort Wayne Daily Gazette. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://img.newspapers.com/img/img?institutionId=0&user=9775928&id=42903937&clippingId=4128201&width=557&height=316&crop=2685_5102_655_379&rotation=0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="546" height="316" src="https://img.newspapers.com/img/img?institutionId=0&user=9775928&id=42903937&clippingId=4128201&width=557&height=316&crop=2685_5102_655_379&rotation=0" width="546" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div></div></div>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-58265675398261349222023-04-07T18:14:00.003-07:002023-04-07T18:23:17.214-07:00Franz and Pope Restoration Part 2<p><br /></p><p> Earlier I posted Part 1 of my restoration efforts. I had to laugh at the booklet advertising the machine. A complete sock in seven minutes! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspkRTJqmLavXY4cYniDJN1GCW26lHrj8Rtev8LcsBC0iQBvrCPPB0ZfHMXvPeqI8OSo2UrS2VKd2UodsB-MxR5zRgjQBXuIDzLT2F5-IbcIL663DJD4aBSqIEtjpnm4ZC0mn8cwmgtBk0Avvh2HQfkS8V1T_NBzvOxZBVEua6DeqfOw8nf27sFCuK/s435/Franz%20and%20Pope%20Advertisement_2023-04-07_21-20-05.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="435" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspkRTJqmLavXY4cYniDJN1GCW26lHrj8Rtev8LcsBC0iQBvrCPPB0ZfHMXvPeqI8OSo2UrS2VKd2UodsB-MxR5zRgjQBXuIDzLT2F5-IbcIL663DJD4aBSqIEtjpnm4ZC0mn8cwmgtBk0Avvh2HQfkS8V1T_NBzvOxZBVEua6DeqfOw8nf27sFCuK/s320/Franz%20and%20Pope%20Advertisement_2023-04-07_21-20-05.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> I had to take a break for lunch. I made soup from leftovers in the refrigerator. Turkey, turkey broth, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, onion, celery, mushrooms, roasted butternut squash, and spinach. A little seasoned salt and a little turmeric. It was really good, so good I had two bowls. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdgdyjM1Z58TQafPf7f7FeQymHkvnuG61ub6_8J7fREit7rw8WIi-Bnj0EXG5ow2KY3SsyJlrdFCOc-NdIZ0Md39ErEDeSCgf2FXSl9vX7ZNCDCmy48PH_mdelHtyUIyhwQXnJTHr206_vLla6xLjtszyAbMv9cZCnvtEOz_QnvRsCRkIJGDmKVuT/s4080/IMG_20230407_132744774.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdgdyjM1Z58TQafPf7f7FeQymHkvnuG61ub6_8J7fREit7rw8WIi-Bnj0EXG5ow2KY3SsyJlrdFCOc-NdIZ0Md39ErEDeSCgf2FXSl9vX7ZNCDCmy48PH_mdelHtyUIyhwQXnJTHr206_vLla6xLjtszyAbMv9cZCnvtEOz_QnvRsCRkIJGDmKVuT/s320/IMG_20230407_132744774.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="text-align: center;">Well, I was having trouble with the trailing cam latch, it is sticky. </span></p><p><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzMWLGAkxw1rqn6leVy-8rFeEtks71ZqGm-8DtYO4f1iE7q91i40I0DktwOcyzSwWBADXAQBZg0aE7U8hJrQQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="text-align: center;">I saturated the area with the Marvel Mystery oil, worked it back and forth a few times, but it remains sticky. I used an emery board to soften the rough edges a little, but probably not enough to matter. </span></p><p><span style="text-align: center;">I also cleaned up the cylinder. As you can see in the photo, it has some pitting. I gave it a liberal dousing with Marvel Mystery Oil and then took an emery board down through each of the slots several times. Some of them seemed a little tight. </span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1d95pFt0EsKS5OfTwR9pjKuHdo2_WDjj9NPlwOu4X4L5knlsxgllFmTUqfKIR0spZB2RAP5PKZEcuWFziDXh9ad_Z_weBK7C5j7nB4V0keiMDDu8_HIQdKGopYRFX5_GrhArS3lcErSCMocLBPvqGq9qzKttANcn9jlGvJ6GkB0ogQEuVHMrYiuA7/s4080/IMG_20230407_134837361.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1d95pFt0EsKS5OfTwR9pjKuHdo2_WDjj9NPlwOu4X4L5knlsxgllFmTUqfKIR0spZB2RAP5PKZEcuWFziDXh9ad_Z_weBK7C5j7nB4V0keiMDDu8_HIQdKGopYRFX5_GrhArS3lcErSCMocLBPvqGq9qzKttANcn9jlGvJ6GkB0ogQEuVHMrYiuA7/s320/IMG_20230407_134837361.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="text-align: center;"> I put it all back together and tried knitting.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It does go forward now, but it needs to be encouraged. Bang, Bang, Bang. In fear of damaging needles before I confirm with Pat at Angora Valley that she has needles for this machine, I only put a few needles in. She's sending me a sample. Her web site says that one of the needles will fit a Franz and Pope, if the gauge is the same. I'm not sure how to measure gauge, but I sent her a photo of one of the needles with a ruler next to it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So I put these few needles in, added a yarn tension spring borrowed from a flatbed machine, grabbed a net produce bag from my kitchen counter, used the hammer inside the bag for weight, and tried knitting. As I said, bang, bang, bang. These parts are casts iron but that can't be good for them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So I disassembled everything again and am soaking the cyclinder shell in the Marvel Mystery Oil overnight. I can't tell if the stitcky latch is because of a lubrication problem, or if the latch is damaged.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">My plan is to put it back together after a really good long soak, then get my actual cast-on bonnet, a buckle and a weight from my other CSM, and see if it works any better. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42Mp9tk5TJt0odooUWlIvoePFBTEolmYRkmmKvgXc26EjKbGjA3GF5tzpJaM55rWPVm2Gb-7RDFbQjad2YJMAYBzpYKkAo0DNH-1cZj79CKO0Rx3Rj80DjVUGCyDbjd6MQzkXGXNz8Iyt9FVYyL8E5haHFgNELW7az8IQpxPsv1xRMTow02edVl6-/s4080/IMG_20230407_121312641.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-63627623102024248622023-04-07T17:51:00.003-07:002023-04-07T19:12:22.844-07:00Franz and Pope Restoration Part 1<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiotfJluXj7FNatQ-xcKOyHJlWQ95C254_a7aHSIBjTbI6WpmcBUkQau8fo2lKok_ICKPBYxtA-It7Eebh3MGhCiI-QScTr8UMu5x6e2gsVvf_eNDfxdiHPhdmJIMMdXiJHvLUtOclpHdKbIqOaefjLfP9QuDYEohqSPfJSYI6soRQzIE96X-yzfhQa/s609/Franz%20and%20Pope%20ad.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="609" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiotfJluXj7FNatQ-xcKOyHJlWQ95C254_a7aHSIBjTbI6WpmcBUkQau8fo2lKok_ICKPBYxtA-It7Eebh3MGhCiI-QScTr8UMu5x6e2gsVvf_eNDfxdiHPhdmJIMMdXiJHvLUtOclpHdKbIqOaefjLfP9QuDYEohqSPfJSYI6soRQzIE96X-yzfhQa/s320/Franz%20and%20Pope%20ad.PNG" width="320" /></a></div> I was very happy to find that one of the members of my fiberarts guild had a Franz and Pope Circular Sock Knitting Machine (CSM or CSKM) for sale. <p></p><p>I have been looking for one for several years. Franz was a jeweler, and Pope was a doctor. They were both named William. They lived in Crestline, Ohio, which is not far from here, just across the county line in Crawford County. Franz and Pope patented their sock machine in 1874. They manufactured the machines in Bucyrus, Ohio, the county seat, and later in Canada. The first chapter of Sandra Bonura's Book<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/34474545" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> A Light in the Queen's Garden</a> deals with the childhood of Pope's daughter, Ida and describes the CSM. I have been trying to find the patent documents for a while, and the only one that Google Patent Search shows me is a Canadian patent. I did, however find an advertising document on a link to Library of Congress, Harvard University and other libraries that I found on the US Office of Patents and Trademarks website. They have a new web-based patent search application named Patent Public Search tool.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjGO520J6xmd-T_sV4Cf4Nuvo2JEPkQcGAMum3OW7HUdEgJLXpnWweeSISKc_Fde1hv-a1tOBKiFFM1xOiJFwosdhZeDbOap21N6YPp2iJP_Peqm9BruoMjLHY1uVmaUX5RnSb3pHj1pQG6y2uKIsmX3lu04NGWc2S0r39Qqdr1j9eDTpvllA08FO/s699/Franz%20and%20Pope%20Threat.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="274" data-original-width="699" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjGO520J6xmd-T_sV4Cf4Nuvo2JEPkQcGAMum3OW7HUdEgJLXpnWweeSISKc_Fde1hv-a1tOBKiFFM1xOiJFwosdhZeDbOap21N6YPp2iJP_Peqm9BruoMjLHY1uVmaUX5RnSb3pHj1pQG6y2uKIsmX3lu04NGWc2S0r39Qqdr1j9eDTpvllA08FO/s320/Franz%20and%20Pope%20Threat.PNG" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The advertisement bulletin includes an illustration of the machine which matches the CSM my friend had. So I offered him a range appropriate for a vintage working sock machine with all the parts. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQETrL_J7nIJRnwePF5ByL5e3LHhxyiakyuSuFA1r1uIiXBscJkO8_jkNIQ5aZLNWn2lc5MCcCZPdAo1AessKK1ThhjluI42A7vQ1PfuJZuYvHyAOfKLRdh-oEdugH-n72rTkmuwzxST-YAW0mJaYnOyel3WmeF9AbmfAY3E0sYXJd4jxsPYPoJA-/s606/Franz%20and%20Pope.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="606" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQETrL_J7nIJRnwePF5ByL5e3LHhxyiakyuSuFA1r1uIiXBscJkO8_jkNIQ5aZLNWn2lc5MCcCZPdAo1AessKK1ThhjluI42A7vQ1PfuJZuYvHyAOfKLRdh-oEdugH-n72rTkmuwzxST-YAW0mJaYnOyel3WmeF9AbmfAY3E0sYXJd4jxsPYPoJA-/s320/Franz%20and%20Pope.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When I arrived to inspect it, I was disappointed that he did not have all the accessories. He told me it only cranked backwards. It was true, the way he had it set up, it only cranked backwards. I tried to show him how to raise the needles so it would crank forward. But, when I did that, the needles slid right back down. I couldn't immediately see how to remove the needles, because the retaining ring was made of steel, not a spring as in newer machines made in the 1920's or later. I wasn't able to make it crank forward. Because of that, and because I wasn't really sure if it was a Franz and Pope, having no raised or engraved lettering or rivets even for a metal plate, I withdrew my initial offer. But after </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><ul><li style="text-align: left;">a Facebook post from Pete Oswald saying that the needles would stay up with weight</li><li style="text-align: left;">downloading and reading the manual </li><li style="text-align: left;">finding the advertisement with the illustration above</li><li style="text-align: left;">thinking for a few days, </li></ul><br /><span style="text-align: left;">I called and made a final offer, which he accepted. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I picked it up yesterday. I couldn't wait to take it apart and see what was keeping it from cranking forward. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I took all the needles out and I am soaking them in Marvel Mystery Oil. I put one back in. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzPzOYM9knoFj6mLQrA9yrjm9plnidQYOHN6A1SgHznJEhhrUtWQaWx9LWZpnosEpdmqiHSoB17uoovJm-XgQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So, I started taking it apart. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuCxMr8jxqaiJfasQ95PBcmVyA43N-LvZfpvGLihlf2fyxs3sQJQeWnjnuSZpcp0_vjwEVcOB9j4JIWujs6Zox7wUZe_e2b9JVumE2BilIr0BfqJM5zIas3A31dsXKi5kMSU6rroQ7Hw2pyXreOtdDWCWo9WJUn05EU0_tirQJCoDJmhAU1SZi6bU5/s4080/IMG_20230407_104740459.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuCxMr8jxqaiJfasQ95PBcmVyA43N-LvZfpvGLihlf2fyxs3sQJQeWnjnuSZpcp0_vjwEVcOB9j4JIWujs6Zox7wUZe_e2b9JVumE2BilIr0BfqJM5zIas3A31dsXKi5kMSU6rroQ7Hw2pyXreOtdDWCWo9WJUn05EU0_tirQJCoDJmhAU1SZi6bU5/s320/IMG_20230407_104740459.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These two screws on the bottom seemed like an obvious place to start.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3RObbUn2peMJCBFI8RzP3nOlFdTUGvO_fD0B75EsokvHfhU18h057kT3TOSKR6vUyKSHlyqSBVly-gpPkF5W5TFqxSJBybp3Ic3qYtx99aT_cz_apXm7Zs-lO1NKlJi_qZl2j7OAZnZrBtfHyO7o0-1Z_LxtKawlBTeBt9LRNV9VNQ3Qjc5vjGY8e/s4080/IMG_20230407_123041374.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3RObbUn2peMJCBFI8RzP3nOlFdTUGvO_fD0B75EsokvHfhU18h057kT3TOSKR6vUyKSHlyqSBVly-gpPkF5W5TFqxSJBybp3Ic3qYtx99aT_cz_apXm7Zs-lO1NKlJi_qZl2j7OAZnZrBtfHyO7o0-1Z_LxtKawlBTeBt9LRNV9VNQ3Qjc5vjGY8e/s320/IMG_20230407_123041374.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And, I'm gonna have to take off the stitch size adjustment knob. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG5tbAZ_LfJku3pY5RDBiVbiwv7VNoIylSWoWd0W-LeN4rvK-EnoMGel3FaafGLfQDmxwNLDsNftyKzK6NVsXJIO77JeehUgQsMv2fnkrpgERgSW7k4wFldt6PhOm4o8oM6n5VE_keXG9ANqOLc46mIjp_v7A5tZ-gELaiVHf4__Qm2fQZVJyvuLOC/s4080/IMG_20230407_121922154.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG5tbAZ_LfJku3pY5RDBiVbiwv7VNoIylSWoWd0W-LeN4rvK-EnoMGel3FaafGLfQDmxwNLDsNftyKzK6NVsXJIO77JeehUgQsMv2fnkrpgERgSW7k4wFldt6PhOm4o8oM6n5VE_keXG9ANqOLc46mIjp_v7A5tZ-gELaiVHf4__Qm2fQZVJyvuLOC/s320/IMG_20230407_121922154.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I won't be able to remove the retaining ring for the cylinder unless I get the stitch size adjustment dial out of the way. Out come those two screws.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNfGlbimr7J8BUuEgEbpjbf4PMoGXzsFg-7VNPH_QOa8n-pBuzPE0cPR6N_G_jJaKIMlWxdHetjMkwzDc8YUolfZ0KtJZW1bm6aE9uVo2pACFjzwov-qhn35yLpIr26py-Sab0wB6lHCowLeTkOCcB_oY8Gn5njYDW9AdGtQRnFBAh8GoY7IeQ4YL/s4080/IMG_20230407_122210845_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNfGlbimr7J8BUuEgEbpjbf4PMoGXzsFg-7VNPH_QOa8n-pBuzPE0cPR6N_G_jJaKIMlWxdHetjMkwzDc8YUolfZ0KtJZW1bm6aE9uVo2pACFjzwov-qhn35yLpIr26py-Sab0wB6lHCowLeTkOCcB_oY8Gn5njYDW9AdGtQRnFBAh8GoY7IeQ4YL/s320/IMG_20230407_122210845_HDR.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigcs0inSmj-hcrsO2hXEbPKvU_Nyl4LJTSa8CNu_Vw5-_ctWBaYVq1XW-R_T62V6rQONUIT9YUw_ZzCH7RmNkfk-UO3u5o4KPm-tgS1I0ac0OMC7JwDRJzjIugNHyOjcU04RhuQkwhsTGyXMn9Svo7fVFQb70oTvPuJG54wqUJhVvFXIhqjGKsjAMy/s3264/IMG_20230407_121428496.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigcs0inSmj-hcrsO2hXEbPKvU_Nyl4LJTSa8CNu_Vw5-_ctWBaYVq1XW-R_T62V6rQONUIT9YUw_ZzCH7RmNkfk-UO3u5o4KPm-tgS1I0ac0OMC7JwDRJzjIugNHyOjcU04RhuQkwhsTGyXMn9Svo7fVFQb70oTvPuJG54wqUJhVvFXIhqjGKsjAMy/s320/IMG_20230407_121428496.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now I can remove this screw and the one on the opposite side, to remove the retaining ring. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Even after all the screws were removed, the cylinder was so tight I had to get out a hammer and give it a few light taps before it started moving. Once it started, it came out in a hurry.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzat8sciB5YSVuIkAAdEgF7cAQQ-BoGoravSUj2Fqyg1NIwya1w_NQD8nYArmeol9lebfaGtX8017jmg17-mA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The inside was not what I expected. The fixed cams are different from my Home Profit. If I had read the manual closer, I should have been forewarned. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7o4ikop9CEr_IrHs8dH5v8lr_MuCi7aU8-A112aAZ3gEFLPUWxcdN5mmObcFh1l24iUkapiO-lwYk5UIoQpALI1tCH1pFV_kcAcmYjoNZmzIYMEvX9Cprni9pS685vzmrd007jTso9NidSZcgQ1IyU7URlBGAlaHew--Vb9_gZKd_b6Fow4R_qUS/s1786/Franz_and_Pope_Page_4_2023-04-07_19-18-17.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1354" data-original-width="1786" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7o4ikop9CEr_IrHs8dH5v8lr_MuCi7aU8-A112aAZ3gEFLPUWxcdN5mmObcFh1l24iUkapiO-lwYk5UIoQpALI1tCH1pFV_kcAcmYjoNZmzIYMEvX9Cprni9pS685vzmrd007jTso9NidSZcgQ1IyU7URlBGAlaHew--Vb9_gZKd_b6Fow4R_qUS/w640-h486/Franz_and_Pope_Page_4_2023-04-07_19-18-17.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So, one of the cylinder latches seems a bit sticky (the one labelled C in the drawing, and the cam lugs D and E had some burrs and rough edges. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div></div>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-8534015768849956612023-03-31T19:06:00.002-07:002023-03-31T19:14:31.473-07:00Yarn Counts and Weights for machine knitters. The <a href="https://www.craftyarncouncil.com/standards/yarn-weight-system" target="_blank">Craft Yarn Council </a> (CYC) has done a fantastic job of standardizing yarn weights sold in the US into a simple, easy-to-understand numbering system. Most of the yarn currently sold in the US will refer to this numbering system on the label of the skeins. <div><br /></div><div>Handknitters have enthusiastically adopted this system. So now, when discussing yarn weights with those who have learned the numbers and how they relate to yarn dimensions, they frequently say things like "is it a 3?". This is a little disconcerting to older knitters like myself who grew up referring to yarn weights with terms like "fingering", "sport weight", "DK", or "worsted weight". </div><div><br /></div><div>From the chart on the CYC website, I have extracted the top two rows. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiauUUClj1Szuq_DN1Z0kHMwJNUCm_O8mjVCvcbOkO2N55znBJvs3EiKd23oTv8kDu7_70Hn-9Oqe6GsF3-9CiKFN84Qkkgxt5eZr8QXWZX1aNfkjf0l44gjvAzBqS9ggwyiFhfvtKiOAdzWpZFF_MjdkS5CaVbEmf38UhoMbFonFmztJEfNrNqASL/s1112/Craft%20Yarn%20Council%20Screenshot%202023-03-31%20204537.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="1112" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiauUUClj1Szuq_DN1Z0kHMwJNUCm_O8mjVCvcbOkO2N55znBJvs3EiKd23oTv8kDu7_70Hn-9Oqe6GsF3-9CiKFN84Qkkgxt5eZr8QXWZX1aNfkjf0l44gjvAzBqS9ggwyiFhfvtKiOAdzWpZFF_MjdkS5CaVbEmf38UhoMbFonFmztJEfNrNqASL/w640-h150/Craft%20Yarn%20Council%20Screenshot%202023-03-31%20204537.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div><div>But machine knitting yarns are sold on cones, and they are often referred to by a different set of numbers. Numbers like 2/24 or 8/30. This is even more confusing to new machine knitters. </div><div><br /></div><div>The best, simplest and most comprehensive reference I have found to explain these numbers is found on the website of a UK yarn company called <a href="https://airedaleyarns.co.uk/index.php/yarn-count-ply-tickets-guide" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Airedale Yarns</a>. There is an <a href="https://www2.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/books/wt_yarn.pdf" target="_blank">older reference</a> that was written in the 1920's, it is more comprehensive but also full of technical explanations, charts, tables and algebraic formulas, which makes for a heavy read. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Airedale web page explains that wool and acrylic yarns are usually sold using the Worsted Count system. The Worsted Count system is based on the number of 560yd (yard) units in a lb (pound) of yarn. So, the number 2/24 means that there are two ends (plies) of yarn, each of which was spun to the thickness required to get 24 x 560-yard from a pound of yarn. Note: it's pretty thin. Like a 0 in the US system. </div><div><br /></div><div>Cotton yarn is measured differently. The count is based on the number of 840yd (yard) units in a lb (pound) of yarn. The size is expressed differently, also. 20/3 cotton yarn means the yarn is spun to a thickness so that 20 units of 840 length from a pound. Then 3 ends, or plies, are spun together to make the 20/3 yarn. </div><div><br /></div><div>Notice that the relative position of the thickness of the yarn and the number of ends are flipped between the Worsted Count system and the Cotton Count system. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFtmw3ym2AG3LDL60YZGzVgFVKheekVFlJ0J_TypUedJYhU-t7Hr7riuED9PR8h_5NuQXDi-Z9mVxLDwHPaShRHsTcyjgfRxcwsnbUi6kFOzJprNuXE158mPk6o-I3gBflfHXU4GCPFAx2YDODfgRqMm0IOOGZSkPQlI51K12-AjM-eWCG1MwhZ-1/s568/hobbii%20Screenshot%202023-03-31%20210321.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="481" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFtmw3ym2AG3LDL60YZGzVgFVKheekVFlJ0J_TypUedJYhU-t7Hr7riuED9PR8h_5NuQXDi-Z9mVxLDwHPaShRHsTcyjgfRxcwsnbUi6kFOzJprNuXE158mPk6o-I3gBflfHXU4GCPFAx2YDODfgRqMm0IOOGZSkPQlI51K12-AjM-eWCG1MwhZ-1/s320/hobbii%20Screenshot%202023-03-31%20210321.png" width="271" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This screenshot from the Hobbii website shows that they give buyers both the cotton count and the Traditional name. The Craft Yarn Council would call an 8/4 cotton yarn a "1" size yarn. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Interestingly enough, both of the above counting systems are based on UK Imperial measurements. It shows the historical importance of the British Empire to the textile trade. <div><br /></div><div>The Airedale web site also gives as an example the New Metric count system. It is similar to the Worsted system, but instead of number of yards in a pound, it is measured based on meters in a kilogram. I have some cones of yarn in my stash that use this system. These cones are labeled with NM after the numbers. </div><div><br /></div><div>Just to make it even more confusing, many hand and machine knitting yarns that are sold in the UK are described as 3-ply, 4-ply, and so on. So if the pattern was published in the UK, it may call for 3-ply yarn. This does not necessarily mean 3 ends or strands of yarn are plied together, but instead is based on yarn weight that was traditionally spun in Scotland to a certain thickness. The Airedale Yarns site explains:</div><div><br /></div><div> "<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Hind, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">On Scottish Islands throughout the 17th and 18th centuries whole familes would knit sweaters, socks, accessories and stockings both to sell and use. It is believed that the first yarns to have a consistency of thickness that was measured and noted was from these islands. It was a yarn with 4 fine ends of wool twisted together and was the standard weight for knitting much of their knitwear. This thickness created a lightweight, flexible fabric that wasn't too heavy and was perfect for socks and executing complex designs such as Fairisle. This thickness is what is now known as 4ply, even though the knitters in Scotland probably wouldn't have called it that. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Hind, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></div><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Hind, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;">When two ends of this "4ply" yarn were twisted together they would have been used for thicker, warmer garments. Again the knitters might not have referred to this yarn as Double Knitting, but it is what we now call it. So 4ply was essentially the benchmark for knitting yarn thicknesses in the UK, double it up to create DK, double it up again to create Chunky, double it up again to create Super Chunky, and of course if you halve it you create 2ply. The very thinnest and very thickest of these terms are open to interpretation as not all 2plys and super chunky are quite the same as each other, but it's a guide."</p><div><br /><div>In the back of every issue of the magazine Machine Knitting Monthly, which is published in the UK, is a table under the heading "Industrial Counts" that converts the Worsted Count yarns into the ply system. </div><div><br /></div><div>Using this table as a reference, I have created my own table. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinOqMNGXjyPPEAzgP0_mz5u_mreUmA1Jg1qS0maHHXXFGkssSTMnYiGrBGoI1hiI8rV0oCr-p4T-oQBj_Lv1uLrnBXLlDXXk8PA9d_hlUoPcBYLXIM2fYRdg-Bp9o1H2bGPzz8pAftAGugvjTTvb16MQUfDOnVak5O7HtHQMo7tSlkgrqW6sWIXaUI/s670/Excel%20Screenshot%202023-03-31%20214222.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="233" data-original-width="670" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinOqMNGXjyPPEAzgP0_mz5u_mreUmA1Jg1qS0maHHXXFGkssSTMnYiGrBGoI1hiI8rV0oCr-p4T-oQBj_Lv1uLrnBXLlDXXk8PA9d_hlUoPcBYLXIM2fYRdg-Bp9o1H2bGPzz8pAftAGugvjTTvb16MQUfDOnVak5O7HtHQMo7tSlkgrqW6sWIXaUI/w640-h222/Excel%20Screenshot%202023-03-31%20214222.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>To make things even more complex, yarns with a lot of loft, like mohair, alpaca, angora, and some other synthetic yarns, have a "halo". The yarn appears to be much thinner than its Craft Yarn Council number would suggest, because when knitted loosely, the loftiness fills in space between the stitches. </div><div><br /></div><div>For an example, I have several cones of Forsell Naturell. It is a blend of wool and alpaca. Boldly on the label it proclaims "Knit as 3 ply", although the yarn appears to me to be a lace weight. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXGveNzYJHL8Dgxf3g9U-xr3E0TxtD63GwbNHgoP5m50NkpcdSkuXIozM3nuWNmm4a4jXSEMGXfaTKh6KoKfNzrhvWeKPZOfIAyiqXRxNRiQjI1RSPGpCdrDDKPPgTl8gYPnUybYljA4M7EGeYg4i6rRXVScbqTwSio7jdAJYDOHlundW9xJHrSNj/s425/Forsell%20Naturell%20Screenshot%202023-03-31%20215022.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="421" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXGveNzYJHL8Dgxf3g9U-xr3E0TxtD63GwbNHgoP5m50NkpcdSkuXIozM3nuWNmm4a4jXSEMGXfaTKh6KoKfNzrhvWeKPZOfIAyiqXRxNRiQjI1RSPGpCdrDDKPPgTl8gYPnUybYljA4M7EGeYg4i6rRXVScbqTwSio7jdAJYDOHlundW9xJHrSNj/s320/Forsell%20Naturell%20Screenshot%202023-03-31%20215022.png" width="317" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So, what yarn weights can be used on knitting machines? The Airedale yarns web site also includes a section to discuss this, along with weaving setts and WPI. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-top: 18px; text-align: start;">5.6 Gauge - Standard Gauge (4.5mm)</h3><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Hind, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: start;">Beginning with 1ply and a maximum of 4ply. You can use really fine yarns like 2/30’s for lace shawls and the like and for draping fabrics.</p><h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-top: 18px; text-align: start;">2.8 Gauge - Chunky (9mm)</h3><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Hind, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: start;">This gauge of machine can take Double Knitting and upwards. Aran or Chunky weight would be the maximum if you are knitting every needle, slightly thicker if you use every other needle. You can use really thick yarns to work knitweave as well which is where you knit with a thinner yarn and “weave” the thicker yarn through the knitted stitch.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Hind, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: start;"><br /></p></div><br /><div>My opinion is that the standard gauge machines are really pushing to use a DK weight yarn. You have to use the largest stitch sizes, like MT 9 or 10. You may want to do this to take advantage of having 200 needles on the bed, but you are giving up the ability to set the tension three or four tensions higher for binding off or other hand manipulations like crossing cables. The mid-gauge machines, like the LK-150 or the Brother KX-350, are better suited for handling DK and sport-weight yarns. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-12405236908165323432023-03-24T18:00:00.003-07:002023-03-24T18:14:44.516-07:00CSM Adventure<p> I have been looking for a Franz and Pope Circular Sock Knitting Machine for a while. My ancestors came to the German immigrant community near Crestline, Ohio, and Franz and Pope filed their patent from there. Eventually the Franz and Pope manufacturing was located in Bucyrus, Ohio, the county seat of Crawford County, and some of my ancestors also lived there. </p><p>I recently was informed that a member of my local fiber arts guild may have one of these for sale. </p><p>I drove to his home to see it. </p><p>I was a little disappointed. </p><p>I was expecting this:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf5GXR4s4A9j_NRubaI_slkFZ7lWUQHvsPDskU_GG1EVb0TXg3Gv3mvdtuepD4orVDoi1IKQcnYPZ7narZi9ODTGM38LUV2C5LgZP6d6ggqug4MhqpEHM_dvmrFCZbByhGxv_qOvdmwvAph5gqgVuVvoSujvw-6_BbjJhuz2DRu3vAZ2BFuE2QcUEA/s1653/Franz%20and%20Pope%20Screenshot%202023-03-24%20113224.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="1653" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf5GXR4s4A9j_NRubaI_slkFZ7lWUQHvsPDskU_GG1EVb0TXg3Gv3mvdtuepD4orVDoi1IKQcnYPZ7narZi9ODTGM38LUV2C5LgZP6d6ggqug4MhqpEHM_dvmrFCZbByhGxv_qOvdmwvAph5gqgVuVvoSujvw-6_BbjJhuz2DRu3vAZ2BFuE2QcUEA/w476-h243/Franz%20and%20Pope%20Screenshot%202023-03-24%20113224.png" width="476" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>instead, what was on offer was less than this. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg70urqPmmPNpphbhywuhNcr-N7Ta3xo9Kx00U-NhM09eDBfkstN-DzqRdkRHFZ1svzwFSI_mFs5YA4c59V_Pfwpa5nF944z-_NzsD1ablvYhTUO9SOelQ3lL7JJ9Pdjx7PLEA_ir-Jh-9FOmfv82rATsB6ct6qVwtM9KNzUFs9tver6573nS6UCsYE/s1476/ebay%20Screenshot%20franz%20and%20pope2023-03-24%20124903.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="1476" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg70urqPmmPNpphbhywuhNcr-N7Ta3xo9Kx00U-NhM09eDBfkstN-DzqRdkRHFZ1svzwFSI_mFs5YA4c59V_Pfwpa5nF944z-_NzsD1ablvYhTUO9SOelQ3lL7JJ9Pdjx7PLEA_ir-Jh-9FOmfv82rATsB6ct6qVwtM9KNzUFs9tver6573nS6UCsYE/s320/ebay%20Screenshot%20franz%20and%20pope2023-03-24%20124903.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p>I backed out of my original offer, and I am feeling awful. The seller is a former member of my fiber arts guild. </p><p><br /></p><p>I am completely captivated by the possibility of possessing a piece of history, but on the other hand, the machine on offer does not have any identifying marks and does not show that it was manufactured in the city of my ancestors. </p><p>I am torn. Should I contact him again and ask for a lower price than my original offer? </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-20047760834767747762023-03-10T11:54:00.002-08:002023-03-10T11:54:49.384-08:00AI and me<p> I decided to try out this new Chat GPT service everyone is talking about. Here's what it wrote for me, when I asked it to write a blog post. (Photos areine, from our last crank-in in Marion Ohio) </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZ5IdjTdk8PPAmOunRXrcYdW6r0Umrb6TE8SBOaLcYEdu2lZBCFGcvOPoiOG4HDBNs8FTQHESBr3oHGkP_ZmyejftFYAP5wZzfYzT_x0BhzT3egITJeho2WH-gHPDw9-oqpdFmnULvGVpoG924wPAqm6mqj5YbsruCHIuhWOX-Gz0K56YhSomDLJD/s2304/IMG_20230305_134621316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="1296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZ5IdjTdk8PPAmOunRXrcYdW6r0Umrb6TE8SBOaLcYEdu2lZBCFGcvOPoiOG4HDBNs8FTQHESBr3oHGkP_ZmyejftFYAP5wZzfYzT_x0BhzT3egITJeho2WH-gHPDw9-oqpdFmnULvGVpoG924wPAqm6mqj5YbsruCHIuhWOX-Gz0K56YhSomDLJD/s320/IMG_20230305_134621316.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Machine Knitting on Antique Circular Sock Machines: A Beginner's Guide</p><p><br /></p><p>If you're a knitter, you're probably familiar with hand knitting. But have you ever tried machine knitting? Machine knitting allows you to create intricate patterns and designs with ease, and antique circular sock machines can make this even more enjoyable.</p><p><br /></p><p>Antique circular sock machines, also known as CS machines, were first introduced in the late 19th century. They were originally used to create socks for soldiers during World War I and II, and then became popular among families and individuals who wanted to create their own socks and stockings. Today, many knitters still use antique circular sock machines to create socks, hats, scarves, and other items.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you're interested in machine knitting on an antique circular sock machine, here's a beginner's guide to get you started.</p><p><br /></p><p>Choosing the Right Machine</p><p>There are many different models of antique circular sock machines available, each with its own features and quirks. Some popular models include the Legare 400, the Auto Knitter, and the Gearhart. Before purchasing a machine, do your research to find the model that best suits your needs and budget.</p><p><br /></p><p>Setting Up the Machine</p><p>Once you have your machine, it's time to set it up. This involves assembling the machine, threading the yarn through the machine, and adjusting the tension. It's important to follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully to ensure that the machine is set up correctly.</p><p><br /></p><p>Casting On</p><p>To start knitting, you'll need to cast on stitches. This involves setting up the first row of stitches on the machine. There are several different methods for casting on, but the most common is the e-wrap cast on. This involves wrapping the yarn around the needles in a specific way to create the first row of stitches.</p><p><br /></p><p>Knitting</p><p>Once you've cast on your stitches, it's time to start knitting. This involves turning the crank on the machine to move the needles and create each row of stitches. As you knit, the machine will automatically create intricate patterns and designs, depending on the settings you've chosen.</p><p><br /></p><p>Finishing</p><p>Once you've finished knitting your item, you'll need to remove it from the machine and finish it off. This involves closing up any holes or gaps in the stitches, weaving in any loose ends, and blocking the item to ensure that it retains its shape.</p><p><br /></p><p>Machine knitting on an antique circular sock machine can be a fun and rewarding hobby. With a little bit of practice and patience, you can create beautiful, intricate designs with ease. So why not give it a try and see where your creativity takes you?</p><p>ChatGPT Feb 13 Version.</p><p><br /></p><p>It's pretty simplistic, but it does cover the topic!</p><p><br /></p>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3811253524293847098.post-79764824042629494312022-08-26T13:48:00.001-07:002022-08-26T13:48:14.019-07:00Michigan Fiber Festival<p> The Michigan GEARS (Gorgeous, Easy, Amazingly Rapid Socks) group, of which I am a member, demonstrated circular sock knitting machines at the Michigan Fiber Festival in Allegan last weekend. </p><p>We had fun, met up with old friends and made some new ones. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkPjExTxBZDy-uTQndp5WkFBVO5P2uI6CZTOfkHxfp_KMixOC6tQUPJKFhwjdMIkZKFsqFAt6UOO0Cc7yO11p0NEDdozVYkakFvCvMQ4K3Ive0zrbFeUM3Ro2cVXW4nAffh3BnBLIAMy_7w4PRnYGiQs92J-RTh6wCkEWzm5GlhGh2pmHMrZp4RZfC/s705/240173469_10220152686074422_3556708891709750749_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="526" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkPjExTxBZDy-uTQndp5WkFBVO5P2uI6CZTOfkHxfp_KMixOC6tQUPJKFhwjdMIkZKFsqFAt6UOO0Cc7yO11p0NEDdozVYkakFvCvMQ4K3Ive0zrbFeUM3Ro2cVXW4nAffh3BnBLIAMy_7w4PRnYGiQs92J-RTh6wCkEWzm5GlhGh2pmHMrZp4RZfC/s320/240173469_10220152686074422_3556708891709750749_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>I am currently in process of organizing a workshop on CSM's in Marion, Ohio because someone came by and saw our group. Class size will be limited, but I will post info when arrangements are completed. <p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Brightmeadowfarmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10159674153281927729noreply@blogger.com0