Knit a Pineapple Purse
The Pineapple Purse:
This Pineapple shaped reticule resides in the Kyoto Museum's 1800-1810 collection. In describing this bag, the museum comments,
This small bag (called "reticule" at that time) was elaborately and three-dimensionally knitted into the shape of a pineapple. Motifs of pineapples and other exotic articles associated with the tropics became popular because of the influence of Napoleon Bonaparte's wife Joséphine, the then fashion leader, who was from the Island of Martinique.
It is absolutely charming and amazingly, the instructions for a similar looking reticule appeared in The Lady's Assistant for Executing Useful and Fancy Designs in Knitting Netting, and Crochet Work by Mrs. Jane Gaugain in 1841. Those instructions have been reproduced below, though recently, a new, updated pattern for this purse has been created from the original pattern. The updated pattern and photos of the completed project can be found here: http://www.gancedo.eu/content/pine-apple-bag
KNIT A PINEAPPLE PURSE: This pinapple purse is knit to imitate the natural colour of the fruit as much as possible, still keeping the bag as bright in hues as consistency will permit. The top part is worked in four shades of green, of seven rows each, commencing with lightest, and working in succession to dark. This represents the leaves. The centre, or fruit part, is worked in shades of yellow, down to a rich brown, four in number, beginning with the lightest, and working 36 rounds of each; again with green finish as described in the working receipt.
The cast-on row looks handsome with a row of gilt beads; also on the centre stitch of each knob of fruit part there should be a bead, but it may be omitted if not wished. The green part for leaves is worked on right side, and is the right or outside part; the centre part of bag is like the wrong side of knitting, as well as the green part, at bottom. When the bag is finished, it is drawn at the termination of the top leaves; the bottom is finished with a bunch of green satin ribbon, rounded at the points like leaves.Working Receipt.
Cast on with light-green common-sized purse twist on No. 19 wires, 96 on first wire, 96 on second wire, and 128 on third wire; work a plain round after the cast-on round. 1st Round, P6, 0, P, 0, P6, A; repeat all round. 2nd Round, *P6, 0, P, O, P6, A; repeat all round. Repeat as second round 5 more rounds.2nd Shade of Green.
8th Round, repeat as second round 7 more rounds.
* Observe you have here seven plain stitches before you make an open stitch, the first of which has nothing to do with the six plain, merely work it off before the six, as it is one of those three you knit into one, and will be required to finish the A on the last wire j the beginning and ending of every wire during the working of green will be the same as this.
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DrunkDIY: Regency reticules Part 1 – Drunk Austen
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