The reticule is a private refuge for small items a lady would rather keep to herself. A bit more personal than a purse, a reticule evolved as a "public" pocket. In earlier periods, pockets were separate pieces worn beneath a garment, accessed by slits in the skirt and transferrable between outfits. With the slender silhouettes of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the pocket traveled to the wrist, and a new accessory, the reticule, was born. A chance for a woman to demonstrate her needleworking skills, reticules were often embroidered, trimmed with ribbon, crocheted or knitted. One of the more well-known styles is the pineapple reticule, a triumph of beading and knit shaping. See the January/February 2012 issue of PieceWork magazine for more information about pineapple bags.Finished Size: 18" circumference and 14" length. Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Sock (100% superwash Merino; 395 yd [361 m]/115 g) (A) oak, (B) winter wheat, (C) isadora, (D) well water, 1 skein each. Yarn Weight: #2 - Fine Needles: Sides. Size 3 (3.25 mm) 16" circular (cir) and double-pointed (dpn); Bottom. Size 4 (3.5 mm): 16" cir. Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.Notions: Marker (m); waste yarn for Provisional CO; 4 safety pins. Gauge: 3 rectangles = 4½" wide (measures diagonally across rectangles from point to point); 5 bands = 4" long (measures from top point to lowest point). Originally Published: Jane Austen Knits Summer 2012
