Put a bonnet on that baby

Episode 2 of "Return to Cranford" airs tonight. No need for me to run to the TV, I've gotten used to watching online.

That is Imelda Staunton in the front there as Miss Octavia Pole. She may just be my favorite. Always in a hurry and always with an important bit of news to impart. Love her!

Wonder what all the excitement is about this time?

Could it be she's heard that I finished the old-fashioned baby bonnet?

Finished the knitting at least. I still need to find some nice ribbon to attach as ties. (and those Cranford women know a thing or two about ribbon.)

The pattern is from "Knitting in the Amanas" by Susan Strawn Bailey from the Sep/Oct 1997 "Piecework" magazine (out of print).
Fortunately, this wonderfully written and fun-to-knit pattern is once again available in Interweave's special issue "Knitting Traditions 2010" (along with 42 other patterns).

It is an adaptation of an early 1900s bonnet from the Amana Heritage Society in Amana, Iowa and you can read more about the religious community that settled in Amana at the link above .

As soon as I started knitting this, I knew I wanted to try it again, only knitting the leaf motif all the way around and letting the star become the bottom of what would become a reticule. I'd just need to do an eyelet round near the top for the drawstring and line it.

Sometimes I get in as much of a hurry as Miss Pole!

I rushed to my LNS for some pearl cotton and set to work. As soon as I finished the star bottom, I realized I had not nearly enough thread and it was coming out larger than I wanted.



"Behold the work of the old - Let your heritage be not lost. But bequeath it as a memory, Treasure & blessing. - Gather the lost & the hidden & preserve it for thy children."
Christian Metz, 1846 leader of the Community of True Inspiration