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Nora Howley

@norahowley.bsky.social
402 followers 136 following 354 posts

Knitter, 🧶 teacher, researcher, questioner Independent researcher looking at the migration of Shetland wool and knitting to the US. Website www.knittingtales.com

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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
A #knitting 🧵🧶The hand-knitting world is full of names that many of us know. But there are also people who change the industry and go unrecognized. One of those people was Ron Schweitzer who died on 9/7/26. 1/6
A hand knit in five shades of undyed Shetland wool
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Going out on a limb to say that a 1x1 corrugated ribbing is one of my favorite looks. And a royal pain to #knit 🧶
A great and black knit cuff on a wooden table.
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Still life: #knitting with coffee and puffin bag. 🧶
A right green knit sock in progress. It is on a table with coffee and a project bag with puffins
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Shetland sheep come in many colors from Shetland White to Shetland Black. (drk brown) This shows two skeins of wool, dyed with the same dye formula. The higher one is dyed on to J&S color 2007 Sholmit and the darker is on to J&S 2009 Yuglet. These are the natural colors of #Shetland sheep. 🧶
Four skeins of wool. From left to right, Shomit (brown), green dyed onto Sholmit, green dyed onto Yuglet, and Yuglet, dark grey
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
A #knittinghistory or #fashionhistory question. Can anyone tell me when Shetland yoked sweaters like the one in the picture were first exported to the US. I am assuming it is late 1940s into the 1950s (based on when hand-knitting patterns appear), but would welcome any information. #knitting 🧶
A green wool sweater with a stranded yoke on a dressmakers form.
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
A #knittinghistory 🧶(a🧵) Starting in the 1950s college women are an important part of the images of commercial knitting patterns in US. Not surprisingly, most are white. But in 1969's "Sweater Bazaar", Columbia Minerva integrated the campus. The yellow is "Vassar" and the red is "Georgetown" 1/3
Two young women wearing knit vests. One vest is yellow and one is red. Both have white blouses and the Black woman appears to be carrying something.
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Rebecca M-O @reduplicater.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
The remainder of this thread will be political pieces. First, general 2026 politics, not specifically about Minnesota. I've tried to provide context in the alt text, but I happily accept corrections and additional information. I can't add them to the alt text but they can be part of the thread.
Untitled? by Ann Steeves?
On a background of light and yellow rays emanating from the center are the words "NO AI WAS USED in the making of this seed art".

The seed list and part of the nametag are hidden behind another piece of crop art.
Probably titled something, by something Zindren
The piece has a green split-pea background with a sign made of light-colored millet and  brown quinoa (I think).  The sign says "A Superior National Forest begins with Climate Action."

The artist label is partially covered by the piece so the creator's first name is not shown, and the seed list is very blurry, so there are words that are probably a title that are illegible in the photo.  It does seem to say "Sign of the Times" among the other words.  Apologies to the creator for my poor photograph.Untitled? by Katherine Erickson
The words "Welcome to the UNITED STATES of PRIVATE EQUITY" make up the lower part of this piece.  Above them, on the left is an American flag where the stars have been replaced by dollar signs.  In the middle is a bird - a vulture?  And on the right is a document styled after the constitution but the only legible words are "We the 1%".

Most of the seedlist is hidden behind another piece.Untitled? by Jennifer OBrien
The background is the words NO KINGS repeated in medium blue painted millet against dark blue painted poppyseed.  A crossed-out crown, symbol of the "No Kings" rallies of 2025-2026, is made of corn meal, corn grits, and red lentils.  Underneath the crown are the words "NO KINGS" in corn grits, with a yellow picket sign saying "THE MIDTERMS ARE COMING" in the lower right corner.
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Eileen Clancy 🧿 @clancyny.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
She Popularized Economics. Then She Was Erased From History. Why? By Jeanna Smialek Maria Edgeworth sneaked economic theory into her best-selling novels. Two centuries later, a new book finally gives her the credit she deserves.
nytimes.com
“The Invisible Hand of Maria Edgeworth”: An Economist, Erased (Gift Article)
Maria Edgeworth sneaked economic theory into her best-selling novels. Two centuries later, a new book finally gives her the credit she deserves.
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
#FashionHistory Can anyone help me date (approx) these two young women? The picture was taken in either Hamburg (more likely) or Berlin. Thank you in advance.
A photograph (date unknown of two white (German) women who are middle or upper class. One looks very serious and one has a small smile. Best guess is late 1800s.
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
#knittinghistory question for @lynncabrams.bsky.social or another member of the Fleece to Fashion project, or anyone else. I am writing on Shetland sweaters in the US mid-20th century. Any ideas on which mill was/is making "Shaggy Dog" label sweaters for JPress? Thanks in advance. 🧶#knitting
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Some baby socks for a mom/family whose life has been upended by ICE. Pattern from the extremely talented @kateatherley.bsky.social and wool from Ripples Craft.
A pair of bright blue socks for a baby
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Christina Proenza-Coles @proenzacoles.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
James Forten heard the 1st public reading of the Declaration of Independence in 1776; he participated in the American Revolution & fought for its ideals long after the war. A skilled entrepreneur & ardent abolitionist, his wife & daughters founded the 1st interracial antislavery society for women.
Watercolor portrait of James Forten in profile wearing coat & tie painted around 1818. Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
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London Review of Books @lrb.co.uk · 04/07/2026
‘The uprising on 10 August 1680 was one of the most successful acts of Indigenous resistance against colonialism and is sometimes called the first American revolution.’ @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social on America before 1776, published online early from our next issue: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
lrb.co.uk
Rebecca Solnit · Before 1776
In 1848, the US seized the northern half of Mexico, from California to New Mexico, and imposed American law and the...
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
And Ohio Knitting Mills translated it into a ready to wear piece that retailed for less than $30. A hand knitting version is in Stephen Tatar’s 2010 book. 🧶
A photo of a photo of a dress model   Sleeveless white dress with blocks of red and navy striped.
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Must read if you think you know southern history.
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Michael Lobel @mlobelart.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
Jacob Lawrence, "Champions," 1953 umma.umich.edu/objects/cham...
Stylized painting of a basketball team, its players all Black, with several championship trophies
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
🧶🧵🪡
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Spent a couple of hours today at my local farmers market with other knitters and taught two people to knit. Sent them home with wool and needles to help them keep going. 🧶 build community.
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
🧶
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
Okay #knitters This is a must read. Very accessible writing style. 🧶
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
Highlight of 1976 Smithsonian Folklife Festival as a high school student was seeing Utah Phillips
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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 06/05/2026
Stitches in time: the artist chronicling the DRC’s blood-soaked history in embroidery
theguardian.com
Stitches in time: the artist chronicling the DRC’s blood-soaked history in embroidery
Using handmade needles and thread, Lucie Kamusekera has recorded the decades of conflict she has lived through in the Congo
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RGS-IBG Higher Ed @rgs-ibghe.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Do you use a screen reader? The RGS journals are introducing alt text for all article figures, and we want to hear from you. What best practices would you like to see, and what are the most common mistakes you notice in your academic reading? Comment below or get in touch at journals@rgs.org.
Computer monitor displaying the words 'ALT TEXT' in bold black font on a white screen against a purple gradient background.
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 05/04/2026
I know there is a lot of awfulness, .but I can still giggle when Powerpoint autogenerates alt-text and reads a #knitting chart as a QR code. This is why we check our alt-text. 🧶
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 03/04/2026
When the Wall Street Journal discovers #knitting and a bit of fandom. #sweaterknitting 🧶 www.wsj.com/arts-culture...
wsj.com
The Year’s First Blockbuster Movie Also Spawned a Hit Sweater
The snag is: You have to knit the fox-emblazoned cardigan Ryan Gosling wears in “Project Hail Mary” yourself.
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
650 people on all 4 corners of one suburban intersection in Wheaton, MD #NoKings
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King Algamemnon @adamrothman.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
Here's a news clip about it. youtu.be/a81l1CwBwiI?...
youtu.be
National Park Service removes historic films about mill workers
YouTube video by NBC10 Boston
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Montgomery County Jewish Collective @mcjewishcollective.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Our Advocacy and Partnerships Co-Chair @joannasilver73.bsky.social spoke with @therealnews.com about Break the Bonds legislation in the Maryland General Assembly ⬇️
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Jenny with a Green Ribbon Around Her Neck @readingtheend.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
quick reminder that NT's production of The Importance of Being Earnest, starring human ray of sunshine Ncuti Gatwa, will be streaming FOR FREE on YouTube this weekend www.radiotimes.com/movies/ncuti...
radiotimes.com
Ncuti Gatwa's acclaimed theatre run of beloved classic play is set to stream for free
Alongside Gatwa, the play stars Sharon D Clarke, Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́, Eliza Scanlen and Hugh Skinner.
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Emily Wood @ebwood.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
Check it out: museums.fivecolleges.edu
gazettenet.com
Groundbreaking collaboration: New Five College museums website unlocks access to more than 100,000 objects online - Daily Hampshire Gazette
NORTHAMPTON — More than 100,000 objects in the shared collections of the five college campus art museums in Northampton, Amherst and South Hadley, and at Historic Deerfield, are accessible to the publ...
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
‘Our blood, our sweat, our tears’: how textile artist Tabitha Arnold weaves the US labor movement
The Tennessee socialist and labor organizer creates art that reflects and inspires organizers and workers
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Emily Higgs Kopin (spooky) @ehkopin.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
I have GREAT news: digitalpreservation-blog.lib.cam.ac.uk/knitting-thr...
digitalpreservation-blog.lib.cam.ac.uk
Knitting Through Digital Decay: A Collection of Digital Preservation Jumpers No One Asked For (But…
I’ve been truly overwhelmed by the interest in my Digital Preservation knitting patterns — thank you to everyone who has reached out…
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
Having a clear out and found this 1951 gem. Three crafts in one 🧶 #knitting #crochet #hairpinlace #knittinghistory
A cover of a pattern magazine. Two white women in lacy shawls. Cover reads, “Stoles and Shawls: Hairpin Lace, Knitted, Crochet”
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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 21/02/2026
We cannot believe a damn word from DHS. They tried to HIDE their killing of another American citizen. The victim's family & the American people deserve immediate accountability in this case & for all of DHS's lawless killings. Kristi Noem needs be fired or impeached, NOW.
nytimes.com
A Fatal ICE Shooting Occurred in Texas Months Before Renee Good’s Killing
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Melissa Nadia Viviana 🐸 @resistrebelrevolt.net · 17/02/2026
😲 This is THE most amazing thing I've seen this year. (And that's saying something!) A ResistDance retelling of ICE murdering Renee Good & Alex Pretti enacted through dance‼️😭 Performed by First Amendment Troop in DC. 🤍
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Feathered Stone @stonefeathers.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
He may have had flaws, but I thank him for teaching me that I am somebody youtu.be/zuZV7ES4VE8?...
youtu.be
Jesse Jackson 'I Am Somebody' on Sesame Street
YouTube video by Headline USA
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
This 1950s Mary Maxim his/hers can be knit in either 100%wool or 100% Orlon. I am fascinated with these yarn company patterns from the period when they were making the transition from wool to synthetics. They still make the acrylic yarn this calls for. #knitting #knittinghistory 🧶
A brochure with a picture of a young, white woman and man in matching white cable sweaters. Both also have dark turtle necks under the sweater. Hers is a V-neck pullover and his is a V-neck cardigan Dated 1950s. The writing reads. "Mary Maxim, No 6-A, Irish Twist Pattern, 100% Pure Wool or 100% Orlon"
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
The creative reuse sales section of my local craft shop @merrypindc.bsky.social turned up two sets of these Neko curved double pointed needles. Wondering if anyone who is #knitter has tried them? #knitting 🧶
A plastic package with three curved double pointed knitting needles. The company name is Neko. The package reads (in German) "New Strickspiel Loop/Mützen bit 3 Nadeln"
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Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell @hottycouture.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
pieceworkmagazine.com/george-washi...
pieceworkmagazine.com
The Scientist Who Crocheted: George Washington Carver’s Unexpected Legacy
Discover George Washington Carver’s quiet lifelong passion for crochet and fancywork and download free crochet patterns for his swatches.
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Can anyone at the @washingtonpost.com explain why this story from November 2025 is on the front page of what’s left of the Metro section? www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
washingtonpost.com
Theft of $24,000 wine bottle spurs high-speed chase through Va. countryside
A couple talked their way into the Virginia wine cellar, where the woman reportedly distracted their guide while the man slipped bottles into his overcoat.
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
The insanity of @washingtonpost.com layoffs is that I can’t even cancel my subscription online. I grew up either this paper and in most of my life have relied on a local newspaper. But there’s nothing left.
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Julia Laite @julialaite.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
I don't really care much about the Olympics, but Haiti's uniforms take winterwear to epic new levels of awesomeness. The only hand-painted uniforms in the games, for a nation (to quote designer Stella Jean) 'that refuses to disappear.
hand painted uniforms, green leaves, red horse, a puffy skirt, gorgeous green head wrap. My god they are beautiful.
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
This whole thread
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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 03/02/2026
I commend County Executive Ball & local leaders in Howard Co for working to block ICE's attempt to set up another detention facility in Maryland. We saw the inhumanity of ICE's operation in Baltimore & Marylanders have made clear: we do not want these facilities in our state.
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 01/02/2026
@montgomerycountymd.bsky.social can we get the intersection of Colesville and Georgia in #DTSS cleared, our neighbours who use wheelchairs can’t navigate it.
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Jewish Currents @jewishcurrents.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
"In the streets, in the schools, in the Signal threads, in all our places of healing and justice, we are as locusts." A dvar Torah from occupied Minneapolis by Joey Glick:
jewishcurrents.org
Swarm Like Locusts
A dvar Torah from occupied Minneapolis
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Jamie Gangel @jamiegangel.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Breaking - GOP candidate for Gov of Minnesota drops out. Says he cant support federal “retribution” against Minnesotans… @startribune.com www.startribune.com/chris-madel-...
startribune.com
Chris Madel ends GOP bid for governor, says he can’t support federal ‘retribution’ against Minnesota
His exit comes as some other Republicans have started to distance themselves from the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the state.
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
In today's "coping in the archives", this is 1 of 3 pages in the Sunlight Book of Yarn (1913-1915) of different types of #knitting needles and #crochet hooks and sizes. With little information in patterns about yarns, needle size may be a clue to the yarn properties. #knitinghistory 🧶
A page from the Sunlight Book of Yarns showing knitting needles and crochet hooks in bone and wood and their sizes. Bone needle and hook numbers get larger as the width gets larger. Wood is the opposite.
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Nora Howley @norahowley.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
Deep in an 19th century yarn company knitting book, and the level of detail in the illustrations is amazing. Book is The Butterick Art of Knitting (1892) #oldbooks #knitting #knittinghistory 🧶
A page from "The Art of Knitting" with text and illustrations showing hands holding knitting needles and yarn and illustrations showing how a stitch looks when worked.
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Heidi Li Feldman @heidilifeldman.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 18/01/2026
Archaeologists: D.C. Capitol May Have Once Been Used For Legislating Has The Mystery Of Why This Structure Was Built Finally Been Unraveled? theonion.com/archaeologists-d-c-cap…
theonion.com
Archaeologists: D.C. Capitol May Have Once Been Used For Legislating
WASHINGTON—Calling the discovery the “clearest proof yet” of how the U.S. government was originally designed to function, archaeologists published new evidence Thursday that suggests the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., may have once been used for legislating. In their academic paper, the researchers wrote that the sprawling, 540-room marble complex contained conclusive proof that a […] The post Archaeologists: D.C. Capitol May Have Once Been Used For Legislating appeared first on The Onion.
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