Comments on: Small Mysteries

By: Judy Casserberg

Judy Casserberg — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:39:50 +0000

The hook thing was to pull elastic through casings on skirts etc. The metal cones are for utting rags through while braiding rugs.

By: Lunamoth

Lunamoth — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 12:34:19 +0000

Thank you for sharing the story about your mother, car34. In the age of 99 cent throw-aways, it’s always good to be reminded that there is another way of living….

By: car34

car34 — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:05:14 +0000

Hello. I agree with all the explanations for the tools but I just wanted to share that my mother worked in a knitting mill during World WarII and they made nylon hose for ladies. The long latch hook was what she used for repairing the hose before they were dyed. Hers were about 4 inches long with the handle and she used an empty shot glass to stretch the hose over to zip them up.This is when ladies hose became very short in supply. they were made in silk and then nylon when the silk was used for the war effort. She would repair my sisters’ hose and they got to wear them a lot longer than most.

By: Lunamoth

Lunamoth — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:45:32 +0000

Thanks for the info, DJ. And as for never getting old, well, you should have mentioned that a few years ago! LOL

By: DJ

DJ — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:25:52 +0000

Seed stitcher, that’s what the double
eyed thing is called by machine knitters.
Ah, never get old, the mind is a terrible
thing to lose. LOL
DJ

By: DJ

DJ — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:23:54 +0000

The double eye thingy is also used as
a transfer tool on knitting machines, sorry
my little pea brain can’t think of the name
of it right now, but I have them with my
knitting machines. They are indeed also
used on serged fabric to run the ends in.
I would agree that the little wooden thingy is likely a darning egg of sorts. I love darning eggs, I have no idea why, I just do and pick them up at yard sales and antique shops. The long bodkin/tube
turner can also be used to pull elastic
thru narrow casings.
It was fun seeing your new treasures.
DJ

By: Barb in Irving

Barb in Irving — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:09:40 +0000

I got a link for your ‘Comfy Old Socks’ pattern from one of my groups and I always read the blogs when someone sends a link. Just couldn’t sleep either until I figured that one out…lol. Barb

By: Lunamoth

Lunamoth — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:56:44 +0000

Barb in Irving answered my query about these items on the Sock Knitter’s list at Yahoo (a little odd, since I asked the question on the Traditional Knitting list — gotta love the mysterious ways of the internet). Anyway, I do believe she has the answer to the two-eyed needle mystery: it’s a double-eyed needle used in serging, for inserting chain ends under serged stitches (maybe when finishing a seam?).

I’ll be able to sleep nights again, now. Thanks, Barb!

By: Lunamoth

Lunamoth — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:15:35 +0000

Late-breaking update: the two-eyed thingie is perhaps a very short netting needle, although it seems that netting needles may have slits rather than closed eyes — a similar-looking item, though.

By: Lunamoth

Lunamoth — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:05:35 +0000

Thanks to you both for your answers! My email to a mailing list got some replies, too, and it seems that the long latchet hook is indeed for fishing cords or elastics through fabric casings or turning the casing itself, the cone things are for making edging tape or braided rug strips, and the darning egg is in fact, a darning egg. Jury’s definitely still out on the two-eyed thing, though.

Janet, I got quite a few knitting needles, but nothing dramatically interesting. Some well-used US 13 wooden straights, a few plastic straights in various sizes, and some (Inox, maybe?) dpns in sock-sizes. A few metal straights that seem to be in old British sizes. One thing I learned from this lady’s stash of needles is to not use rubber bands to hold needles together — the rubber deteriorates and besides not working any more, also leaves a sticky, staining mess on the needles.