It's even hitting the knit blogs--an unusually non-political place.

[knitter4democracy]

Check out Annie Modesitt's blog--she so rocks!

http://www.modeknit.com/blog/

It gets interesting in the comment section.

Boy, when it starts to get knitters talking politics, that means something's going to change--often has throughout American history. When knitters get this openly political and active, change happens.

I've got hope!!!

[Canuckistanian]

1. I've heard about this

Trolls are targeting the knitting forums. Something rather... patriarchal, don't you think?

[knitter4democracy]

4. It is odd.

Of course, not all knitters are men, but the vast majority is female in this country.

We've had a couple of flame-ups at Knitty.com's message boards, but that's usually because I say something stupid or try to explain myself, just digging myself deeper, and then anger one of the mods, who's extremely RW. I mean, super-RW. Anyway . . . no trolls there--just the regulars for the most part.

[Canuckistanian]

11. That's not what I meant

I was trying to imply that these trolls were somehow giving a gentle "reminder" to the women who knit....

And I know that men knit, too.

[knitter4democracy]

19. My bad. I'm a bit foggy tonight, apparently.

Wow. People are actually saying crap like that on knitblogs? Other than needing to get slapped up side the head, they need to get a life.

Personally, I've always like the Stitchin' Sedition group in Oregon. *sigh* I wish I could start a local chapter or something.

http://www.wisforwomen.com (quite a list they have there)

[Canuckistanian]

24. *sigh* Yes, lives are needed.

One of the casualties of life in America these days is that everything is politicized, even things that are totally unrelated to politics.

[i miss america]

2. Wow, now there's an encouraging sign!

[XOKCowboy]

3. Very appropriate actually

Not to sound sexist but aren't the knitters on the blogs predominately female? What will happen to women in Iraq if the Shia theocracy becomes law should be a concern to all people, especially women.

[knitter4democracy]

9. Yes, it should.

Our Iraqi sisters had it pretty good before, compared to other women in the region. They were allowed to go to college for free, become doctors, work, vote, and get paid equally. Now that's being taken away from them, a la the Handmaid's Tale. *shiver* We could be next.

[w8liftinglady]

5. lol..my mom told me it was on her bead blog,too

[knitter4democracy]

13. Now, when beaders take notice, watch out!

;)

Actually, I've found beaders to be really interesting, active, and motivated women. Of course, I don't hang out in bead shops or anything, but I know a few--very cool people.

[Raksha]

21. I'm a knitter AND a beader AND a political junkie...

...actually, I've done just about every kind of needlecraft at some time or another. I didn't realize there was any connection with politics, though. Maybe there is--maybe it all goes along with being one more aging-hippie weirdo!

[knitter4democracy]

28. Have you read that knitting history book?

I think it's out of print, but it's called _No Idle Hands: The Social History of American Knitting_ and is by Anne Macdonald. There's some very interesting stuff in that book--best history I've read yet.

Hmmm . . . needlecrafter . . . yup, that's definitely political. :D

[NYC]

6. Remember the knitter

in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.

[knitter4democracy]

7. I've always tried to figure out her pattern.

It would've had to have been something quick and easy, like morse code rather than actual letters. It also would have to be in code, as only her husband could read it. I've wondered if it was two rows long or only one--much more than that, and it would've taken too long to knit all the names in, even if she were a fast knitter.

Yeah, I'm a bit obsessed with my craft . . . *blush*

[NYC]

16. If you ever figure it out, send me a PM.

In South America, centuries ago, there were people who recorded history in knots in strings, or so I thought. Here is what I could find:

http://www.ee.ryerson.ca:8080/~elf/abacus/inca-khipu.html

The only possible Incan example of encoding and recording information could have been cryptic knotted strings known as khipu.

The knots are unlike anything sailors or Eagle Scouts tie. In the conventional view of scholars, most khipu (or quipu, in the Hispanic spelling) were arranged as knotted strings hanging from horizontal cords in such a way as to represent numbers for bookkeeping and census purposes. The khipu were presumably textile abacuses, hardly written documents.

But a more searching analysis of some 450 of the 600 surviving khipu has called into question this interpretation. Although they were probably mainly accounting tools, a growing number of researchers now think that some khipu were non-numerical and may have been an early form of writing.

There are pictures at the link.

[knitter4democracy]

18. Yes, I've read of that.

There definitely is some message in them somehow. Humans have had string far longer than paper, so it makes sense someone would use it to communicate more than just symbols.

[Raksha]

23. Yeah, Mme. DeFarge. It was probably just a simple knit-purl pattern.

That would have been the quickest and easiest. Could have been done with yarn-overs too.

[knitter4democracy]

29. That's what I was thinking.

From the descriptions, the piece sounds like afghan size or so (waved as a flag at one point), so a one row of pattern and one row purling back to give space for the next name would work.

With so many letters to do, she'd have to use many pattern stitches like slipped sts, twisted sts, all the increases and decreases, and maybe even cables. Either that, or it was more like morse code with dots and dashes.

[newscott]

8. Yes, madame LaFarge was my first thought when I read

the initial post.

[NYC]

12. DaFarge.

Not LaFarge. I'm telling you this because I once met a man named LaFarge. I, of course, said "like the tricoteuse in the Charles Dickens book?"

He made it very clear to me that she was DaFarge.

:hi:

[knitter4democracy]

14. Why? ;)

He made it sound like she was bad or something. :evilgrin:

[NYC]

17. He didn't think she was bad.

I think he was just tired of everyone thinking he had the same name as the Dickens character.

[knitter4democracy]

20. Yeah, I guess I would, too.

*giggle* It is funny, though. I'm sure he doesn't think so anymore . . .

[MassLiberal]

25. I believe it's Defarge

Sorry, I'm a reader and a knitter (and an editor, doggonit!), so she gets my attention!

:)

[NYC]

26. How do we verify?

You say DeFarge, and I say DaFarge. I don't have the book.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=dafarge&btnG=Google+Search

The DaFarge Google page.

It's DeFarge with an E.

The Reader's Encyclopedia.

DeFarge, Mme. ...harsh, remorseless woman and a revolutionary fanatic...

[Mnemosyne]

10. This is so encouraging knitters!

Hope all is well in your world! As well as possible with */co at the helm.
Thanks for the news, it's great!
V:hi: :kick:

[dweller]

15. well, we many need a new flag ... n/t

(do you guys ever sharpen those needles?)

:scared:
dp

[knitter4democracy]

27. Nope. It ruins the tips.

:)

There's always talk about why they don't allow knitting needles on airplanes or in some courts because they could be weapons, and we all usually agree that we wouldn't use our needles that way. They're too expensive to waste and too important for the project we're working on. ;)

Now, there is talk that the yarn could be used in a pinch. Much of the time, we can get more.

[BrotherBuzz]

22. Has anyone ever mentioned that neocon PNAC'er Richard Purl?

;)

[knitter4democracy]

30. Not yet.

:silly: