HNW - knitting needles

[Carolyn Kayta Barrows]

><<  Three needles to hold the work and a fourth to work with is American
>and English
>(maybe some other places also). Four needles to hold the work and a fifth
>to work with is either German or European.>>
>
>Not necessarily. I've seen evidence that in 18 - 19 c United States and
>England, five needles were  used. Today needle sets in the US have four
>needles, and five in Europe, but that's part of standardization, which is
>20c.

Historical European pictures usually show a square of needles holding the
work, whether or not they show a 5th needle.  Historical English pictures
usually show a triangle of needles holding the work, whether or not they
show a 4th needle.  BTW, none of the pictures to which I refer are 20th
century.  Standardization is certainly a 20th century trend, but it hadn't
happened when these pictures were done.


Kayta
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