More Stamps with a Knitting theme .. and Turkish sock samples!

I found some more stamps featuring knitting from Sweden, issued in 2011,. and also Latvia from 2003.  The Latvian stamp shows traditional Mittens with intricate patterns, and reminds me of yet another knitting project from a few years ago, when I came across a pattern book for Turkish woollen socks! Patterns are complex and often resemble those of oriental woven rugs. The colours and patterns often represent the
regional designs and aren't limited to those found in rugs with occasional splashes of colour. It would be nice to see these Turkish designs featured on stamps ..

Turquoise is often included in children's socks as it is felt to provide protection.  Many children wear turquoise beads pinned to their clothing or braided into their hair. Some patterns have names such as "Charms against the evid eye" therefore making it natural to knit them in turquoise. This pattern is called, "Well Buckets".
 

Turkish girls leaned to knit at an early age and these intricately patterned socks were often given as gifts. An engaged girl would make special socks as presents for her future husband, in-laws and wedding attendants. She would wear differently coloured socks on each day of the wedding celebrations.  This pattern is called, "Young Man's Moustache". 

Stamp shows traditional mittens. 

Stamps from Sweden issued in 2011 show knitted garments on a background of knitting patterns.

I must get knitting again ..

The first programme in the Fabric of Britain series (BBC4 8.00 Sunday evenings for 3 weeks) featured Knitting's Golden Age and  I suspect will further help the revival in interest in the craft. Having knitted complicated Fair Isle  and Aran jumpers for my family over the years, but not so much recently, it reminded me that I still have half a pair of Fair Isle mittens to complete!  And also, as this is a blog which I try to link to stamps as often as I can, I've included a photo showing said mittens, together with the Holiday Knits stamps issued by the USA Post Office in 2007.  Christmas jumpers have always been popular and these  41cent stamps feature four Christmas themes often popular on hand knitted jumpers traditionally given as presents in the Christmas season.
I'm not familiar with any other knitting themed stamps, but will be doing my usual research into the matter, although I should really be getting on with my knitting ...

Fallingwater, Mill Run by Frank Lloyd Wright - a real Grand Design!

This is what I love about stamps! I'm always discovering interesting and inspiring stories through designs on stamps and today I've come across  Frank Lloyd Wright (1869-1959), on a stamp issued in the USA in 1966. He is said to be America's greatest architect, and one of his most impressive and beautiful buildings, Fallingwater, Mill Run, Pennsylvania built in 1936 is also featured on this 1982 stamp (below), designed by Walter DuBois Richards as part of a series of stamps featuring masterpieces of American architecture. The house which was commissioned by the Kauffman family. Of course, you can tour the house if you happen to be in Pennsylvania, but if not,   the website is well worth visiting:  www.fallingwater.org    You can see wonderful pictures of the house and surroundings and hear the story of its owners and how it was designed and built.
 I wonder if Kevin McCloud has been there?

Fallingwater Mill Run PA designed by Frank Lloyd Wright  20c USA stamp

Pocahontas on US Stamp

My heart skipped a beat when I found that amongst my Dad's old stamp collection is the 1907 5c stamp depicting the Native American Princess Pocahontas, issued to commemmorate the 300th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, Virginia by British settlers.

 This stamp, but in "outstanding condition", was recently sold at auction for $9,500 (approximately £6,100). As always in these things, condition is all and my inherited stamp is in used condition, with a fairly heavy postmark, so probably not worth a great deal.  However, it prompted me to find out more about Pocahontas, who was a young girl - her age is said to have been anywhere between 11 and 16 according to different accounts, at the time of the arrival of the British ship carrying colonists to Jamestown in 1607 on the ship,  captained by John Smith.
Pocahontas was the daughter of the Indian chief Powhatan of the Powhatan tribe. The Indians were hostile to the British party and the chief threatened to kill John Smith, but his daughter Pocahontas rushed to his aid begging her father not to kill him and  shielding the Englishman, thus saving his life. There were attempts made to make peace between the Indians and the settlers.  Pocahontas fell in love with one of the Englishmen , John Rolfe, and they were given permission to marry in 1614. This was said to be the first "mixed race" marriage in the USA.
They returned to England and settled in Gravesend, Kent and had a child. Pocahontas, who took the name of Rebecca Rolfe,  died there and was buried in St George's churchyard.The church was destroyed in a fire, so it is not known exactly where here remains lie but there is a statue to Pocahontas  nearby.

Pretty in Pink - Pink Stamps make up a pretty stamp collage quilt design

Traditional patchwork quilt patterns incorporate all sorts of pretty cotton fabrics. My facebook page recently flagged up a post from the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky (www.quiltmuseum.org) with a beautiful historic 9-patch quilt - very simple in shades of pink but from the civil war period and so wonderfully conserved. Coincidentally I've been working on another simple square design using stamps which are either pink or feature pretty pink designs to make up my stamp collage, "Pretty in Pink".
I recently worried that I had upset stamp collectors who may feel that I should not be using stamps as they could be more useful to collectors, which is  possibly true of course. However, all of these stamps are readily available on the many internet auction sites, through stamp dealers and to swap with other stamp collectors.

Postage stamps used in the collage

In the case of the USA 1938 Presidential Series  I have used quite a few of  the 2c carmine pink stamps featuring John Adams 2nd  President 1797-1801, and the 9c lighter pink featuring William Henry Harrison 9th  President - 1841-1841. My fears were certainly allayed on discovering the vast number of these stamps  printed and the sheer numbers I have myself did give me a clue!
 I found that  1,692,201,400 of the 9c stamp were issued and for the 2c stamp which had several issues throughout 1938 and 1939, a total of   29 BILLION - not million, but billion, were issued! I feel no guilt! I still have many left and would be happy to swap if you're missing one from your collection!
The other stamps I've used are more recent issues : a 1st class Greetings/Flower design from 1998 (GB), and the 33c Pink Rose issued 1999/2000 as well as a few of the  33c USA Valentine Heart stamps, as well as the 2c Pink featuring Thomas Jefferson (3rd President 1801-1809) from the Liberty Issue of 1954-68.

Detail from Stamp Collage patchwork quilt design 

Windmills of my mind ... stamps make up a patchwork quilt collage

Patchwork quilts made with stamps are my latest interest and I came across the windmill motif and five stamps issued in 1980 by the USA at the same time, so have combined them in my latest design. The miniature pale yellow 15c stamps feature beautiful engravings of historic windmills from different states. The Cape Cod windmill in Eastham Massachusetts of 1793, the Robertson Windmill in Williamsburg,Virginia 1820, the Dutch mill on the Fabyan Park Forest Reserve,Illinois 1860, the replica of the old windmill in Portsmouth,Rhode Island 1790 and  the South Western Windmill in Texas 1890. I've used the iconic Statue of Liberty 3c purple of 1954 as a contrasting colour, with the 1982 20c Love stamp as a border to the main design.