Free Pattern Friday - 1930s Garter Stitch Jacket

How wonderfully chic is this gorgeous jacket? I love it as it subverts the idea that older clothing was knit in a standard way. The body is worked from side to side, decreasing slight under the arms then increasing for the back so it sits right. Once you've done that you pick up the stitches along the top of the body for the yoke. Finally you knit the arms and just sew everything together. The pattern suggests patch pockets of garter stitch but placed across the body to make them stand out. 

It's a lovely early 1930s example of knitted perfection (there are a lot I know). As knit, it's for a 36" bust - using 4-ply on 3.25mm US 5 needles, but I think that increasing the weight of the yarn and the needle size might bring it up to a couple of inches. To be frank, the pattern is that simple that it would only take a little bit of maths to make it larger using 4-ply. 

If you'd like a copy, click on the link below and knit your own 

Garter Stitch Jacket

Free Pattern Friday - A Child's Sun Suit and Cardigan Bestway 1525

Look at this little cutie, isn't she gorgeous? And the kid isn't bad either.

I like how this is such a summer image with the sun-suit and the parasol but the designer also knew about the British summer so included a cardigan.

Not sure how such a baggy suit would keep shape when paddling. Surely this would be on the ground by the end of play but these were very popular so there are loads of designs out there. My dad tells of my gran trying to get a 3 year old me into one she had made. Every time she tied me into it, I stripped it off  - he thinks it went on for about an hour. In the end my gran relented and let me run naked across the beach 'cause it was the early 70s and kids did that then.

Anyway if you have a toddler that you think would love this click on the link below to download the pattern
Sun Suit and Cardigan

Free Pattern Friday - A 1930s Crochet Gnome Cap

I love this sweet crochet cap. I realise that it's meant to be chic and smart but I kind of like the idea that it's a dragon or dinosaur cap. I might make one up to see how it look. Reading through the pattern, I think it needs an aran weight - the original says 3-ply held double but there is no indication of the hook size so you might have to play around until you get the right hand.

Click below to download the pattern and please post here if you do make it up as I think that it's great fun

Crochet Cap

Free Pattern Friday - A 1930s Bathing Dress

Knit yourself a fabulous bathing dress and be part of the 'Bright Young Things' set. Throughout the late 1920s and early 30s magazines showed the glamorous side of life and fashion changes from the 1920s meant that women were not restricted with their clothing as previously. This meant that legs were seen for the first time and not just in the privacy of your home, you could go out to the lido or beach and strut your stuff for the world to see. 

Suddenly there was the need for a garment that covered the important bits but gave you the freedom to play. This dress is in 2 parts: the long-line vest with a pair of knitted panties underneath, but there are also instructions on how to join them if you wanted a bit more security or to stop you from losing your kecks when swimming. 

You have to wonder how practical a woolen swimming costume would be but they were incredibly popular so women must have been willing to put up the any slips that happened. I also like that women of every size took the opportunity to embrace the fashion. From this photo, I think that the women were actually swimming and their hair is under wraps and they obviously gave no figs about what others thought.

So if you give no figs either, or just want to revel in the glamour of the 1930s then have a go at the pattern - just click on the link below

Bathing Dress