It’s not hard to spot–the hands facing each other, close above the lap, each holding a needle. Maybe her attention is on the project; or maybe she doesn’t need to look. Sitting, standing, walking; old and young; there’s a whole lot of knitting going on across the Commons. (For a larger collection, check out the Knitting Across the Commons gallery.)

“Elderly woman, knitting”–clearly a formal portrait, but she’s not about to put down her knitting for the occasion.

George Eastman House

“Mrs. Lewis, Y Borth at 84 Years Old”–notice that, in the time the shutter took to open and close, Mrs. Lewis was completely still except for her hands.

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru / The National Library of Wales

“Herring girls, Scarborough, Yorkshire”–no idle hands for these herring girls, c1910; knitting is a time-honored way to make use of wait time.

National Maritime Museum

“Breien in lagere school in woonwagenkamp”–two girls learning to knit in wartime Holland, 1941; commenters point out that the girls are knitting “English Style,” not “Continental Style”.

Nationaal Archief

“Girls Knitting, 1918″–long before Barbies or Wiis, knitting served the purpose of a social activity for little friends, on a summer day in Ohio.

UA Archives/Upper Arlington History

From a gallery by Spellbound Blog (jkramersmyth) in celebration of yesterday’s summer solstice …

Young boy fishing with his dog: Palm Beach County, Florida

State Library and Archives Florida

Three Generations of Oldlands Have Ranched on Piceance Creek. in the Summer They Move 15 Miles South to Their Cow Camp, and Their Cattle Graze on Higher Lands Owned by the Bureau of Land Management and Private Oil Companies Haying Crew at Work, 07/1973

U.S. National Archives

Atlantic City Beach

George Eastman House

Enjoy the rest of the Spirit of Summer gallery here!

Library of Congress: [Macaroni seller, Naples, Italy]	~Fussel~
THEN	NOW

(Thanks, zyrcster!)

Cornell University Library posted today in the Flickr Commons group Then and Now topic, letting us know that

One of our librarians has done an amazing set of “Rephotography” with the images in our A.D. White Architectural Photos collection.

And it is indeed! Enjoy this set from unionpearl.

Margaret Wise Brown was born 100 years ago this month (23 May 1910). A tribute, using images from the Flickr Commons.

In the great green room …

Smithsonian Institution

… there was a telephone …

Genevieve Clark (Lib. of Congress)

… and a red balloon …

L. Stevens (Lib. of Congress)

… and a picture of a cow …

Pauline (DC Public Library)

… jumping over the moon …

Margaret Ballardini & Fred Watson (State Lib. of NSW)

Are you already saying what comes next? See the full Gallery on Flickr!

Hands are, uh, handy subjects–everyone has some nearby, right? And they’re an interesting shape. Some photographs of the hand at work, at play, under study and under a rodent, from the Flickr Commons. (Or come visit the gallery “Hands across the Commons” for fourteen handfuls of the same.)

Olifantsspitsmuis in Artis. Oppasser houdt muisje op de hand (a.k.a., an elephant shrew)

Nationaal Archief

Library Appeal 1973

. LSE Library

Women Bowling

George Eastman House

Moses Williams playing the diddley bow: Waverly, Florida

State Library and Archives of Florida

Untitled (from the 2006 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Native Basketry program)

Smithsonian Institution

As found by Pixel Wrangler:

DC Public Library	dbking
THEN	NOW

The NHA’s has been a quiet presence in the Commons, but its photographs of Nantucket’s sites and people are still being found by the people closest to them, and we celebrate those today:

“This is my relative. She also went by the name of Flossie. She was Chappaquiddick Wampanoag …” –wealthywamp

Almira West Williams

“This is my husband’s Grandmother … She passed away when my husband was young …” –sewcrazzed

Arline Wilma Preston

“I lived in the apartment just upstairs… just above where she is pointing …” –nippyfish

Mitchell’s Book Corner

“My brother and I worked behind the soda counter for many summers …” –natkg

Congdon’s Pharmacy, c. 1910s

Happy anniversary, Nantucket! And if you, reading this, or yours are from Nantucket or passed through, take a moment to find your history in the Commons!

1890s: Library of Congress	2010: shammael
THEN	NOW

Find many more in the Flickr Commons group Then & Now topic for the Library of Congress’s new views-of-Ireland photochrom upload – and watch the Flickr blog for more! In Ireland today and feel like going out to shoot your own, like shammael did? We’d love to see them!