The Regency is a period known for its
lavish and elegant lifestyle. Yet this was an extreme that only the wealthiest
class would have lived. An advantage to this lifestyle was the ability to go to
the store and buy everything premade. The question then rises as to what the
middle and lower classes would have done? The simplest answer being that they
would have made things by themselves for themselves. These people were the ones
that were manufacturing the goods for the upper classes to purchase and
therefore they had the know how to do it quickly and well.
In Laura’s day going out and buying all your
clothing wasn’t an option for the average North American family. Taking into
consideration that she would have had to clothe five children during wartime,
meaning there would have been a delay in goods coming from both Europe and the
States, it is probable that she would have had to have made goods to supplement
the families wardrobe. With this in mind the conclusion that Laura Secord would
have made things by hand seams like a safe assumption. At the very least she
would have had someone in her life to do it for her.
Most everyone during the Regency would have
knitted during this period whether they were man woman or child. Women knitted
because it could be done in between all their other household duties. Men
knitted when they were in an industry that necessitated a lot of down time like
shepherding. In 1820 a family of knitters could earn upwards of 12-20 pounds a
year to supplement their income.[i] This meant more disposable income to
spend on things like groceries and raw materials to make goods. It was done
with such frequency that spinning wheels and knitting needles were broken in by
their owners and soon adopted their groves.[ii]
The tools would have been very personal to their owner and would have been made
out of steel or fashioned out of wood.[iii]
While stockings were
most certainly on the list of Regency Knitted goods, I love to ponder as to
what other items would have been created. The problem being that once something
had served its purpose it often got taken apart to be reused and therefore,
very little survives to us today in it’s original form. There are a few
reticules (regency purses) and shawls to pull ideas from, after that it is all
up to interpretation. Luckily, however, I am not alone in my musings! Recently
a Regency knitting pattern magazine has been released with patterns for socks,
mittens, shawls, and capes.
As
always I find it ironic that what was once a pastime for the lower to middle
classes as a means of frugality has become a sought after art that one pays
dearly for. While there is no longer a necessity to add to our wardrobes with
knitted goods our yearning still needs to be satisfied. At the homestead we
satisfy this calling by making goods for donation. Currently we are working on
some toys for donation this Christmas. 
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