Our Knitting and Crocheting kits are the most thoroughly researched available. Each kit comes complete with all the supplies you will need to complete the garment contained in the kit, with the exception of the needles. All the patterns have dated source material, so that you can be sure of their authenticity. Our Yarns and Supplies  are 100% natural fiber of a type used during the mid 19th-century. The newest page features our free sock pattern (with optional yarn kit)  for the Flag Socks seen on the Antiques Roadshow.

As I have found in many mid 19th-century needlework instructions, there are assumptions that the woman following the pattern has certain period knitting skills. A good example of this is that they rarely mention the size of the needle. When they do they use a different scale to number the needles than we do today. Frequently you will see instructions that say “finish in the usual manner”.  To add to the complication the names of yarn they used (and were so common then) have fallen out of usage. Combine this with the fact that the terms used to describe knitting “tasks” are different from the terms we are accustomed to in modern knitting instructions (i.e., seam means to purl). Oh, did I forget to mention typographical errors? In my interpretation I have tried to make the instructions easier to follow for modern knitters.

For those of you who like documentation, I have included in these kits information that matches the period of each kit. Each kit includes such things as copy of the original illustration and instructions, CDVs and period photos of folks wearing what appears to be a similar items, and a photograph of my version all completed. On my Research pages you will find such things as Period Yarn Descriptions from Godey's Ladies Book and Magazine, 1857 that are available online for you to read. I have also included mid 19th-century source material which are dated from 1840-1865 for needlework instructions These include both Knitting and Crocheting

Vegetable dyed yarn's by Terre Lawson. These yarns are featured exclusively in the new Confederate Sock Kit taken from a pattern printed in the Macon Daily Telegraph and Confederate and the Ladies Scarf Kit. 

Photo  credit to Mrs. David Morgan, member of the Winston Free-State. The site pictured is Historic Maghee Farm located in Kushla, Alabama. Note that a portion of the proceeds from this dye run will be donated to the site

If you have any more that you would like to share I would be delighted to see it. If you let me post it on my web site I will give you credit for the submission. My email address is stokes_w@msn.com

Warmest Regards, 

Robin Stokes 

This web site is maintained by Robin Stokes, and was last updated 04/21/2009 . All text and images are copyright 2008 by Robin Stokes, who is solely responsible for the content and reserves all rights.