Twilight Talks & Presentations Series: Knit As To Turn Water

Knit As To Turn Water: The History of New England's Maritime Knitting.

It followed the fish the flight paths of immigrants the sea-lanes of war: the knitted clothing of New England reflects maritime cultures the world over. Rich with origin mythology and salty with sailors’ yarns garments like nippers half-handers and the infamous fisherman’s sweater each hold a romantic yet real place in our coastal history. Explore knitting a WWI submariner’s outfit with the Navy League! Imagine learning to knit with a pair of whalebone needles you carved yourself! Join Rebecca Bayreuther
Donohue historian & knitter for an ode to wool and marvel once again at how the sea connects us all. A PowerPoint chronology comes to life with examples of breed-specific yarns and recreated garments.

Rebecca Bayreuther Donohue of Niantic has knit historical garments in between setting sails aboard New Bedford whalers splitting codfish aboard Grand Banks fishing schooners and lounging on O’Day Mariners. After more than 20 years at a major Connecticut maritime museum she co-founded the Dirty Blue Shirts living history collective whose participatory programs encompass everything from historic fashion & foodways to maritime culture & shipboard skills. Rebecca’s personal interest in historical
hand-knitting stems from always being cold no matter what century she’s interpreting. With all the plastic in today’s oceans she thinks it’s time to revisit wool as the preeminent fiber of sustainability
versatility and global community.