A Russian shawl kitting. American dvd

I did a review of a warm shawl description once in an american magazine here 
 It looks like when things end up in the video it is more interesting.
I did watch dvd by Galina Khmeleva about what she presents as Orenburg lace shawl knitting technique.
It was nice to see Olga Fedorova gossamers in background once again, it was very nice to see the close ups of Olga's lace while the presenter was talking about stitch definition and when I got past English language mistakes and heavy accent it did become a bit better for me to listen to it.
It's a good idea to make a DVD about once personal knitting method. It's not necessary that that method supposed to have name Orenburg gossamer method on it. The presenter references Olga Fedorova as her teacher and the fact that her presentation is by the Olga's teachings. These particular statements, very heavy aran yarn and thick knitting needles did pick my interest.
So, let's take a closer look at what Olga did and what other lace makers do and if there is that short row turning corners anywhere in Olga's book or on her shawls, or on any Orenburg museum catalog shawls for example.
In my own work and in my own rather humble by Orenburg museum measure (not more then 1\3 when it comes to items count) collection I did not see anything like what Galina shows - short rows. There is no extra tooth at the corner.

It turn out Olga Fedorova did not teach that kind of a thing as short rows at school of arts according to her successor. Her book teaches it differently. It's how her students I personally know knit - no short rows, no extra teeth. Olga has passed, her book is printed, her students knit as many other women in Orenburg region, and that region is not very far from civilization as that dvd presenter states in the very beginning of the part 1. Not too far to not have internet and such.
Let's take a look. here is the short rows and extra teeth at the bottom.

and the dvd teaches to do same complicated short row thing at the top.

what's interesting is that her other samples and all the shawl she bought in Orenburg region she has in the background do not have short rows and extra teeth either. Here is a sampler that has no short rows.

 and in fact it can not...

that bit of lace under double diagonals prevents that. and indeed that would be quite common for this lace for the complex teeth. Orenburg lace is a folk art form, they do not have a habit to develop multiple tricks and features to handle this and that. It if's teeth it's one method, no matter how complex they are. Think about it as about technology, well tested  one.

Let's take a look at Olga's book how is it done there. Here is my copy.

please take a look at the picture that show general template for a gossamer and please pay attention how the teeth are positioned. this way is in her charts as well

Now let's go to the pages with the sample shawl

Please take a look at the picture. it's 4x4 teeth square. there is no extra 5-th and 6-th tooth at the bottom, neither at the top. no short rows were there. what was there? Same thing as on many many shawls from that region and same thing that is on my own shawls. Knit that last tooth to the narrowest point of it and pick up the bottom and flat side of the ribbon stitches, knit to left tooth, turn work around, knit back to the end of the row. Done. That's it. And it works and worked for many many shawls with simple and complex teeth. It does not work on aran yarns. Because no one makes gossamers from aran yarns to begin with. This is what in Olga's book and on the gray shawl (one would recognize very particular wide border on the gray shawl and very particular 5-circle pattern from Fedorova house hold, it's her sister's own shawl. My mother owns it now, and I take care of it.)
The book pages: teeth ribbon start

bottom teeth turning

the page and the next ones

even if one can not read Russian the pictures tell the story. there is simply no extra 2 teeth in them.

Neither there is any additional teeth ad the top.

Gray shawl.

Fedorova signature pattern close up

it's corners counter clockwise 1,2,3,4 from bottom left, right, top right, left

Here is another shawl that has traveled many exhibitions around the world . all 4 it's corners

Where are short rows and extra teeth on these? they do not exist. the corners are turned at their narrowest points. Here is mine, I do not have short rows either.

no short rows, take a look how is it blocked

there is a video as well to prove there is no short rows on this one and it has wide complex teeth and as you can see it's not broken or deformed etc, no described in dvd potential 'corner disaster'.

In this particular dvd the corners of the shawl are simply turned at a widest point. In Orenburg lace the teeth are turned at the narrow point.
Why one would invent something like that or present it as a common regional technique? There is a small statement in the dvd that suggests that the idea was rejected by the knitting professional community in the region. I suspect it's because simple teeth could be turned that way, not complex ones so, the lace would be shifted by short rows plus and minus stitches and create not desirable holes and pull the yo where they not supposed to be going. Only a tooth that has solid garter triangle and enough of it (4 stitches garter area to be exact) can survive short rows method without making undesirable holes in the lace.

Nothing wrong with describing a personal method in a DVD. Nothing wrong with teaching something on heavy yarns. If one really feels strongly that's how they want to teach more power to them. It's not necessary that this kind of educational material should have Orenburg lace making label on it. It's is quite... innovative... to try to stick gossamer pattern on aran yarn ... by Orenburg measure. Orenburg lace knitting students or children or adults are not taught on yarns heavier than iris cotton yarn, think your average crochet 20/2 yarn basically. It's quite a lot thinner than aran. Why would one teach like that I can not quite understand. We have digital cameras these days, they have no issues with resolution to handle fine yarns and show that clearly. It's being that way for over 10 years in professional film makers world.
I do not teach personally on heavy yarns what applies to gossamer yarns.
Orenburg knitters do not knit by looking at it, they do not struggle with contrast yarn-needles selection. They watch tv and knit at the same time, well that folk have seeing on news several times. When they see that a pro knits and reads at the same time some observers do freak out so, kind of 'blow ones mind effect' is happening. It's not really much different then when folk eat their breakfast and read a morning news paper. humans multitask quite well. Orenbureg lace knitting for a pro is more tactile than visual. That's why they learn on particular yarns. They train hands. Aran would feel different, a lot different.

Regarding the needles. I'm not sure why one would suggest to make gossamer lace on us size 0-3 needles. Orenburg lace warm shawls are made on 1.75-2 mm needles or finer 1.5 mm ; 2 mm is US size 0. Gossamers are done on 1.5 mm and finer. beaded shawl of 1000 stitches and up - 1 mm needles, 1.25 top.
I did make a gossamer item on 2 mm needles. It does come out with less fine gauge than I personally like, and I put it when I want over simplified almost rustic-military feel to it, it's an exception for me more than a rule. gossamer average needles are 1.5mm. Why? Because that's how Russian dpn's come. they are 1.5mm. That simple.

So where are these short rows in Olga's work.
Does anyone have a shawl that belongs to her hand that has extra teeth on it?.. Anyone?
Are these as difficult to locate as Galina's own shawl made by her from fiber to hand spun yarn to finished object? Items made from commercial yarn and simple lace patterns - I've seeing plenty. Expert level hand spun shawls - that I never came across, neither came across someone who have seeing one of them. Meaning not the shawls she bough in Russia and shows in her classes or videos. Ones that she made herself.
I keep reading from Interveawe and affiliated sources that she is an expert in this lace. They have published plenty nice looking marketing articles. Lot's of promotional effort.
Orenburg lace makers measure that simple - show your shawl. Done.
Did anyone see her shawl? Something above common pattern from Orenburg or Saractash bazar (her 3 pattern book), something above writing up another pro lace maker shawl (Eastern star pattern description).
Orenburg pro's usually do not count simple scarves, the train children like that.
Did anyone see her shawl or has a picture? I'd love to see one of those.