The knitting patterns selected for the project and sent to volunteer knitters were originally chosen according to distinctive words used in the name of the pattern. In most cases, these words alluded to motifs used in the design. It was hoped that the choice of pattern would reflect the description of the motif and help us to identify the motifs in garments.
Take a look at two of the selected motifs and see how they were interpreted and executed by the knitters.
Harlequin
Styles 0153 and 493B
The sample collection shows two ways in which the Harlequin motif was used. In a jacket the knitted motif appears vertically, while the waistcoat uses the motif horizontally. When the samples were received, we initially thought that the smooth knit side was the front. However, this proved incorrect, and the purl side was intended to be the front. Some of the knitters preferred the knit side while other preferred the quirky use of the purl side. The distinctiveness of the Harlequin motif makes it easy to identify. Margaret Klein used the Harlequin motif in multiple designs, which you can read more about in the report project.
Windows
Styles 398 and 978
Large Windows (Style 398) and Small Windows (Style 978) were chosen so they could be compared to see if they were variations on the same motif. However, the knitted samples revealed that they were different. Large Windows (Style 398) has an obvious squared grid motif, while the grid for Small Windows (Style 978) is more subtle and rectangular. Although both knitting patterns are called Windows, there is, in fact, no obvious relationship between the two.
