A Knitting (knit. knitted) Poem?

Yesterday, I finally had the excuse to share the opening line of a particularly favourite poem of mine. The occasion arose during an online discussion about whether to use the word knit or knitted. The conversation meandered for a couple of hours with some people using knit, others using knitted and others again using both depending on the context. One of the general assumptions though, was that knitted was more of a UK based phrase and knit more of a US one - The first more traditional, the second more modern. Interestingly, as the discussion drew to a close and many of us, including myself, coming to the conclusion that this assumption was reasonably probable, I remembered this poem. Written by one of my knitting heroines, Flora Klickmann, and published in England in 1915. Flora was the Editor of Girls Own Annuals and the author of over 40 books about knitting, crochet, sewing, etiquette, gardening and more. This is the poem:

The End of the Coat

I knit my doll a walking Coat

All fluffy white and red,

I laid it out, for her to wear,

Upon her little bed.

But when I went to get her dressed

To pay Aunt Maude a Visit,

The Coat was nowhere to be seen;

And though I asked, “Where is it?”

My dolly stared in great surprise,

Then fell down flat, and shut her eyes!

I hunted high, I hunted low,

While Mother said, “Now hurry,

Or we shall miss the train!”

I got in such a flurry.

But not a vestige could I see

of fluffy white and red.

At last I had to dress her in

Her old blue serge instead!

And all the while, our Nanny Goat

Was gaily eating up the Coat!

Flora Klickmann, The Little Girl's Knitting & Crochet Book, (Pub: 1915)

I'll share about and from Flora very soon. 

But, for now,

Susan xx