A few weeks ago, I found a knitting book dated from 1846. The 180-year-old book is called
My Knitting Book by Miss Lambert (first series)
, and contains 80 patterns for a range of accessories, stitch patterns and quilts. As a lover of old knitting patterns, I quickly decided to try making some of the things in this book. This pattern, the Cephaline or Sontag, was the first one that I attempted. Confusingly, a sontag is a historical garment, but it's a shawl or wrap that gained popularity in the 1860s. The bonnet that I made bears the same name, but I believe this predates the wrap by about 20 years. This pattern sits right underneath
An Opera Cap, and uses the same border, making it possible that this was an elegant evening wear. As mentioned in
The Art of Dressing Well (1870), "if a bonnet is worn, it must be of the lightest, airiest fabric and construction". Alas, I am no historian, so please do correct me if I am wrong.
So, how did the knititng go? Here are my notes about making the Cephaline / Sontag.
