Did you know...

[msfledermaus]

That knitting in japan was predominately taken up by samurai?
You heard me.

Samurai knitters.

I'm not making this up. (For a change.) I was online checking out the history of knitting because I kept wondering, "Who the hell came UP with this stuff, hah?"
Most of the links thought it started in the Middle East and possibly Egypt.
But when it moved to Japan, brought by possibly the Portuguese trading vessels, eventually the best knitters in the empire were the Samurai...who made tabi socks, belts, scabbards, ropes, and...underwear.

I'll have to put the link up later; I'm running kind of late this morning.
But if you type "History of Knitting" in a search engine, you can find the info there too.

Heh, Samurai knitting circles....*grins hugely*

Comments

[elysiangirl.livejournal.com]

if only john belushi had known this...

Re:

[msfledermaus.livejournal.com]

*Cracks up*

Oh. My. god...How funny would THAT have been?

Re:

[elysiangirl.livejournal.com]

that's what i'm saying!

Re:

[msfledermaus.livejournal.com]

I so agree...whoa, that would have been the BEST!

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[elysiangirl.livejournal.com]

you can just see him knitting when someone comes in to complain or something. hahahahah!

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[msfledermaus.livejournal.com]

I bet he'd have the sharpest needles in town:)

[greyyguy.livejournal.com]

Actually I've read a little bit on the history of Samurai and they were not all mainly swordsmen. And even those that were, were still expected to be self-suficient, and maintain some ability in the arts such as poetry or drawing or music.

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[msfledermaus.livejournal.com]

I've always thought that was a good idea, having well-rounded warriors. *nods*

I bet they kicked some serious knitting ass, too.
That's just so cool...and they were doing something that was fairly rare at the time, so their craft was highly valued.

[banana.livejournal.com]

So the seven Samurai not only had to save the villagers from bandits, but knit them some warm undies too? 8~)

Re:

[msfledermaus.livejournal.com]

Apparetly so....

*Pictures Samurai knitting by the fire, complaining about ungrateful villiagers and trying out a new lace pattern for slips*

I bet they were deadly with those needles. And probably had knit-offs with those pesky ninjas down the road.