Tools of the Trade (3) - posted by Eleanor

This is Esther, our blanket stitch machine. She is a very old lady and can be a little grumpy at times, but she is a real work horse. Most of our blanket stitching is done by Janet at the mill on a similar machine, but we sometimes stitch samples here in the studio.

The mechanism is wonderful. It is basically a chain stitch, with a hook that draws the yarn across as you stitch - a very elegant piece of engineering.

Although the mechanism is old, Esther does have a brand new motor - you can see the belt drive here, along with our orange scissors which are the very best ones for snipping any loose ends.