A few ramblings about knitting, mainly vintage stuff and other bits and bobs

Sunday 28 September 2014

Wonderful Things

A few days ago I was looking through some of my vintage knitting books (I have a few) and a slim packet slipped out from between the dust jacket and the book. I've had the book for well over 10 years and have never seen them so it was a bit of a surprise. A wonderful surprise as they were a small collection of hand written knitting patterns. They are in different hands, at least  three but since hand writing used to be far more formalised and strictly taught it's difficult to know for certain.

I started to look through them: Soldiers Mittens, Lemon Pattern, Gimlet Pattern, Stockings Eric aged 5, Easter Chick, and others. There was even a sample of wool pinned to Balaclava Helmet with flaps. It made me smile that this little relict from a previous knitter had found a new home. I think they may have been copied from different sources but I can't tell for sure.

Some of the instructions are basic, but this is common among vintage patterns, none give a tension, a few don't even give a needle size or wool weight but I have decided that I am going to make them up and re-write the patterns to see if anyone recognises the patterns.

There are 12 complete patterns and 3 which are no more than a schematic, so they might take a bit more work, so this is going to be a year long project with one a month so keep coming back and see how I'm getting on.




Saturday 20 September 2014

Sunny Saturday Free Pattern


This is just what every woman should want for winter - her own pixie hat.

This great pattern is from the early 1930s and originally made from angora. You could try alpaca or even one of those bonkers fun yarns for a modern twist or stick to the beautiful yarn that is angora.

I know that some people have a bit of  problem with angora since there are some issues, in some places, with production standards but there are so many beautiful angora yarns out there from artisan suppliers who have the highest standards of animal welfare so is you get the chance have a fondle of this fibre.

This is so quick to make up as it's basically a rectangle with a neck band but it's such a fun hat that you could production line them and one for every person you know

Click below for the pattern and have all the fun making the classic Pixie Hat

Sunday 31 August 2014

Will it never end?

Of course it will. But only when I have run out of yarn.

This week has been a busy week at work (not the nice side of work which is my patterns and archaeology but the dull office side I have to do to pay bills) so haven't really done that much in term of adding things to the shop: but there are lots of lovelies being sorted and scanned and ready to go in soon. I've also decided to get rid of most of my vintage sewing patterns so they will be making an appearance too.

Knitting wise I still seem entrenched gleefully in vintage. I have finished the back for my Making Meshy cardigan and have nearly finished one of the sides. I was going to knit them both at the same time but forgot (c'est le vie). At first I was a bit worried that I was going to run out of wool but it's loose and meshy and the pattern carries a small amount a long way so looks like I'll be fine.
 It does look a bit short but it is very stretchy and hopefully I can block another few inches into it.

The Sheffield group on Ravelry are having a K/CAL for September: kind of part of a year long set of projects where you have to (if you can) knit from stash attained before December 31st 2013. Our theme for September is Winter Warmers so I have decided to go with another vintage pattern but in a decidedly un-vintage colour.

This is the cuff of  glovey gauntlet type of thing: part of a beautiful Fair Isle Skating Outfit but for the moment I'm just concentrating on the gloves. I might do the hat if I have enough time but you know what it's like - there is never enough time to knit vintage without coming across another amazing pattern.


Friday 22 August 2014

Friday Freebie - Lady's Jumper Cardigan

 Hurrah it's Friday and to get everyone in the mood for the weekend I have this wonderful free pattern for you.

It's a classic of 1950s design: all tight waist and unusual stitches and what's more it's in double knit (or light worsted) on big needles so shouldn't take long to knock out. It has 2 sizes: 33" to 35" and 35" to 37" bust but with the stitch I think that it might even fit someone a bit larger without any modification.

I've already added it to Ravelry so you can start immediately. 

Click on the link below to get the pattern
Lee Target 1235 - Lady's Jumper Cardigan

Monday 18 August 2014

Make Do and Mend Vintage Sock Pattern - Bestway 741


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Q0io2OAfSJvAvFkd8Ad2Kl9n3k24fs6q/view?usp=sharing
I was sorting through yet more patterns and came across this great pattern on how to re-foot socks. I'm not sure how old it is: the style looks like its from the late 1930s. We’re probably most used to the idea of Make Do and Mend from WWII and this pattern perfectly sums up that spirit. The technique can be used for any hand knit sock so now you don’t have the throw away those socks that have gone too far to darn.

Just clink on the image and get the pattern for yourself and see for yourself just how easy it is to repair a sock with manky toes or heels. 

There’s also a pattern for a complete pair of men’s socks (which let’s face it, anyone can wear) on the back. And a handy photo tutorial to help you along the way.

I've made the socks and they are great, although I did half the amount of leg ribbing as I only had 100g of wool but they fit brilliantly.

Thursday 16 January 2014

Sirdar 1085 - Lady's Fitted Jacket


Wonderful double cable cardigan in a 34" bust. This is a great style and could easily be added to another cardigan if you needed to up-size the pattern
 
Date: early 1940s
 
Measurements: bust 34"; length 21"; sleeve seam 17.5"
 
Materials: 3-ply or light fingering; 2.75mm US 2, 3mm US 2.5 and 3.75mm US 5 needles; cable needle; 7 buttons
Original used 9 ozs Sirdar Majestic Wool 3-ply or Sirdar Kasha Wool 3-ply
 
Tension: 7.5 stitches to 1 inch using 3.75mm US 5

Friday 10 January 2014

Bestway B2559 - Feather Stitch Twin Set and Scarf

 

I love this twin set and that it can be just a single colour or you can add some stripes to mix it up a bit. I also love that there is a matching scarf

Date: estimated early 1950s

Measurements
Jumper - bust 34 to 36"; length from shoulder 18.5”; sleeve seam 6.5"
Cardigan - bust 34 to 36"; length from shoulder 19.75”; sleeve seam 18.5"
Scarf - 10" by 38"

Materials: 4-ply or fingering; 3.75mm US 5 and 2.75mm US 2 needles for the twin set; 4.5mm US 7 needles for the scarf; 5 buttons for the cardigan and 6 press studs for the jumper
Original used for the striped set 5ozs of natural and 1 oz each of green, blue, yellow and rose (approximately 2 ozs natural and 0.5 oz of each contrast for the jumper and 3 ozs with 0.5 oz of contrast for the cardigan or 8 ozs of plain for the set
Scarf uses 1 oz of main and 0.25oz of 3 contrast colours or 2 ozs if working it plain

Tension: Over the pattern 7.5 stitches and 8 rows to 1 inch after pressing

5 pages

Thursday 9 January 2014

Bestway 852 - Lovely Fair Isle Jumper


 Bestway 852 - Lovely Fair Isle Jumper

This is such an elegant jumper. I love the gently puffed sleeves and the lattice pattern really lifts it.

Date: estimated Early 1940s

Measurements: bust 34" to 36"; length from shoulder 19.5”; sleeve seam 3.75"

Materials: 3-ply or light fingering; 3.75mm US 5 and 2.75mm US 2 needles;
Original used 5 ozs Sirdar Super Shetland Wool in main colour and 2 ozs in red

Tension: 8 stitches and 9 rows to 1 inch using 3.75mm US 5 needles over stocking stitch (after pressing)

Wednesday 8 January 2014

Time to start


I have this astonishing collection of knitting patterns that show that we can be glamorous and stylish and fabulous and unique.

I started collecting them when I wasn't knitting and thought how cool they were but now I realise they tell another story too, not just of the fashion of the ages but the social history too. They tell of technological developments in textiles and knitting wool. They tell of the way that we have become larger in the past 70 years. They tell of how and what a woman was expected to be but also how we consider that today. They show that some things truly never go out of fashion.

It is an amazing collection but I am a bad curator. I just let it sit unexplored in boxes occasionally I'll dip into them and have a look through but the actual amount of knitting that I have done with them is practically zero.

Because of this I have decided that opening an Etsy shop would be a great way to share them among other collectors and knitting aficionados.


This is my first box (there’s over 250 patterns there) either Patons or Bestway and under my bed is another 7 boxes of similar size and boxes of 1950s and 1960s Pins and Needles magazines, and a couple of decades of Stitchcrafts from the 1940s to the late 1960s. So it’s a work in progress and it might take me some time to get through them all.