Puncetto Italian/English Glossary
Posted by Avital Pinnick on March 22, 2011
I’m still working on a review of the basic Puncetto Valsesiano book and hope to finish it soon. In the meantime, I’ve compiled a list of words from both books. I hope that it may save you some time thumbing through dictionaries. (If you notice any errors, please let me know! Thanks.)
| Italian | English |
| agganciarsi | connect |
| aggiungo | add |
| ago | needle |
| alzarsi con … | build up (sides of motif) |
| andata | “going” (working left to right) |
| anello | ring |
| angolo | angle, corner |
| asoline | slots |
| autin | Not an Italian word. Describes square worked diagonally, like a diamond |
| base | base |
| buco | open (square) |
| cambio | exchanging (threads, adding a new thread) |
| chiusura | close |
| cimosa | edge |
| colonnina | column |
| consigliano | recommended |
| destra | right |
| doppiare | doubling (thread) |
| eseguire | do, make |
| fare | do, make |
| filo | thread |
| foglioline | leaves |
| gamba | leg (e.g., spoke of a scallop edge or part of spider) |
| girandole | pinwheel motif |
| giro | round (when working a circular piece like a doily) |
| grande | large |
| inferiore | lower |
| inizia | begins |
| insieme | together |
| larghezza | width |
| lasciare | leave |
| laterale | side |
| lavorano | work |
| lunga | long |
| lunghezza | length |
| medio | medium |
| mezzogiro | “half-turn.” Interrupting a horizontal row to work backwards, then forwards. Analogous to short rows in knitting/ |
| motivo | design, pattern |
| nodo | knot |
| ogni | each |
| particolare | detail |
| passaggio | step, stage |
| piccolo | small |
| pieno | solid (square) |
| pippiolino | picot |
| puntine | triangular points, often used to decorate edges of handkerchiefs or tablecloths |
| punto | stitch |
| ragno | spider (motif) |
| ragna superbia | Literally “proud” spider. Complex spider with double or triple “legs” |
| ragnetto | spider |
| ricordarsi | remember |
| riga | row |
| ritorno | “returning” (working right to left) |
| rosetta | little rose (4 rectangular blocks arranged in a circle) |
| rotondo | round |
| salta | skip (a knot) |
| schema | diagram, pattern, layout |
| senza | without |
| sinistra | left |
| spiegazione | explanation |
| stella | Literally “star.” Refers to basic Puncetto squares |
| stelle miste | mixed stars (squares) |
| stessa | same |
| stoffa | fabric |
| striscia | band, strip |
| terminare | end, finish (vb) |
| tessitura | weaving, webbing |
| testa di morto | Death’s Head (X in a space), now often called Cat’s Paw, because it sounds nicer. |
| tutte | all |
| uguali | equal |
| ventaglietto | little fans |
| verso destra | to the right |
| verso sinistra | to the left |
| vuoto | empty (square) |
This and That 
Book Review: A Scuola di Puncetto Valsesiano « This and That said
[…] These diagrams are comprehensible without knowing Italian (I’m currently working on a short glossary to translate terms found in this book, which may make some things easier). Each small red square […]
Nicoletta said
grazie! from italy I love this work, thank’s
Alessandra said
Hallo,
here’s some hints for the glossary:
particolare -> detail
puntine -> a specific kind of pattern, mainly a triangle, usually used to finish handerchiefs or table mats
ragno (not ragna)
testa di morto death’s head (X in a space) –> lately, it is common to refer to this pattern as “cat’s paw” (people didn’t use the pattern because it was not nice to name it 🙂 )
Avital Pinnick said
Thanks so much! That’s interesting that the “death’s head” was re-named. I’m not surprised.