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Mason-Dixon Knitting Changes Name

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Mason-Dixon Knitting started in 2003 as a blog written by two online knitting friends — Ann Shayne in Tennessee and Kay Gardiner in New York — who had never met in real life. Together they published two books and have since turned the website into a space for daily knitting content and a storefront where they sell their own field guides to knitting as well as yarn and other goodies.

But the name of the site is problematic because of the racist history of the Mason-Dixon line as the dividing line between slave states and those where slavery was prohibited.

Dana Williams-Johnson, a regular contributor to the site, wrote that the name “always felt like a punch to the gut” when it would come up in web searches. “Eventually, I stopped looking at the name and focused on what their site was doing and I found that I had a place there. Just like with my site, I found a place where I hoped I could be seen.”

She said that she “can’t just get back to knitting” amid the protests and mistreatment of Black people in the news.

Lately, with everything going on in the news, I’ve been thinking, as much as people love my photos and tell me just how cute my husband is, if you saw him walking in Central Park wearing one of his hand knit sweaters and he asked you to put your dog on a leash—would you threaten to call the police on him and tell him he’s threatening you when he’s not? Like what happened to Christian Cooper. If you saw him going for a run in your neighborhood, would he get gunned down like Ahmaud Arbery? For as much love and support I get online about my knitting, if I was murdered in my own home while I slept like Breonna Taylor, would you demand justice for me? Or would you just keep knitting?

Ann and Kay responded by changing the name of their website to Modern Daily Knitting. In an Instagram post announcing the change, they said “We are deeply sorry for the pain we caused by having a name that did not communicate a warm welcome to all knitters, including Black knitters and knitters of color. We apologize for taking so long to realize that our name could not and should not stand.”

They noted that changes are being made across platforms and printed materials to complete the change.

I post this as news, not to get into a political debate and whether the change was necessary, and I hope any comments on this post will reflect that as well.

Comments

  3. The gals at MDK just now figured out that there might be a problem with their name? How amazingly stupid of them.

  4. I am so delighted with the name change! For many years I stayed away from your book and sight because of the name. Then I got entranced by the blog. So I say YIPEEEEE! Change is good.

  8. This change is long overdue: the name WAS alarming and stupid. Who ever thought it was cute or clever???.

  9. I applaud your name change and your reasoning. I have and will continue perusing your site, with a lighter heart.

  10. Thank you for being so open with your decision, and it makes me feel so much better about it too… Happy knitting and honouring us with your decision

  12. The name always made me cringe, and I was surprised that two women who seemed so intelligent didn’t realize that it was offensive, not just to Black people, but other people who don’t appreciate the legacy of the old South.

    I liked their projects, but could never let myself follow them or buy any of their projects.

    This is the ignorance and contempt that Black people feel from whites, which we be so oblivious to. But this was glaring and obvious. I’m glad they changed the name, but damn it took a very long time.

Have you read?

Vintage Men’s Fatigue Cap Knitting Pattern – A Clever Beanie And Cowl In One

his vintage men’s fatigue cap knitting pattern is a clever tube-style design that can be worn as a classic beanie, watch cap, or snug neck cowl. A practical cold-weather knit with timeless military-inspired style.

There is something wonderfully no-nonsense about vintage men’s knitting patterns, isn’t there? No fussy extras, no over-complicated shaping, just practical pieces designed to be warm, useful, and worn to bits.

This Vintage Men’s Fatigue Cap Knitting Pattern is exactly that sort of project. It comes from the Jaeger Hand-Knit Series No. 44 and has that classic heritage look that still feels surprisingly modern today. The original pattern describes the finished piece as a knitted tube that can be worn as a cap, scarf, or used in other ways, which makes it a lovely little example of vintage practicality at its best.

The finished piece measures approximately 36 inches long and 8 inches wide, making it long enough to fold and style as a traditional fatigue cap or pull down around the neck as a snug cowl. If you have ever wished a beanie could double as a neck warmer on a bitter day, this is exactly the sort of clever old-fashioned design that makes you wonder why we stopped making things this way.

The construction is beautifully simple. The pattern is worked in stocking stitch using double-pointed needles, then finished into a tube. The original materials call for Jaeger “Super-Spun” fingering 3-ply yarn and No. 10 Jaeger double-pointed needles, so modern knitters will want to check gauge carefully if substituting yarn. A good fingering-weight wool or wool-blend would be ideal here, especially if you want that close-fitting, warm-but-not-bulky finish.

What I love most about this pattern is how wearable it is. Styled in navy, charcoal, olive, khaki, or grey, it has a very modern menswear feel. It would suit someone who likes classic winter accessories, military-inspired knitwear, heritage style, or just practical handmade pieces that actually get used. You could make it for a husband, dad, grandad, brother, son, or honestly anyone who appreciates a warm hat that does more than one job.

The PDF includes the cleaned-up knitting instructions along with the original vintage scan for reference. The listing images include modern digital mockups to show how the finished cap may look when knitted and styled, but this is a digital knitting pattern only, not a finished item.

This is not a complicated knit, but because it uses double-pointed needles and vintage-style instructions, I would suggest it for confident beginners or knitters who already have a little experience working in the round. If you are new to vintage patterns, this is a nice gentle one to try because the shaping is minimal and the finished result is genuinely useful.

If you are shopping for supplies, look for a smooth fingering-weight wool that will show off the simple stocking stitch neatly. Mary Maxim, Amazon, and other yarn suppliers usually have good options for fine wool and wool-blend yarns, and a set of double-pointed needles is one of those handy tools you will use again and again once you have them in your knitting bag.

This would make a brilliant handmade winter gift, especially for someone who is hard to make for. Men’s knitting patterns can sometimes feel a little thin on the ground, but this one hits that sweet spot between practical, classic, and just a little bit different.

You can find the Vintage Men’s Fatigue Cap Knitting Pattern PDF in the CraftGossip Etsy store.