Bestway 1161 - Fair Isle Beret and Bag

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This is an amazing hat and bag set with a great Fair Isle pattern. The entire pattern is written so no charts to follow but the instructions are clear
Date: early 1940s

• Measurements: Beret - 11 inches in diameter, Bag - 8 inches in diameter
• Materials: 3-ply or light fingering in 3 colours; 3.75mm US 5, 3mm US 2.5 and 2.25mm US 1 needles
• Original used 2 oz of grey, 1 oz in blue, and 0.5 oz of white of Emu Unshrinkable 3-ply Botany Wool
• Tension: 17.5 stitches to 2 inches and 8 rows to 1 inch measured over the pattern

Arderns 4626 - Knitted Blouse with Scallop Lace

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This is such a pretty blouse and would be perfect for keeping cool in the summer 

Date: estimated early 1950s 

• Measurements: Bust 34" 86cm; length 19" 48cm 
• Materials: 3-ply or light fingering; 2.75mm US 2, 2.5mm US 1, and 2mm US 0 needles and 4 buttons Originals used 7 balls of No. 10 Ardern's Crochet Cotton 
• Tension: about 8 stitches to 1 inch possible using 2.75mm US 2 needles

5 Pages

Bairnswear 30 - Underwear Sets

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These are 4 beautiful designs for underwear sets: vest and panties from the early 1930s.

Each one is made for a different size but these are relatively simple garments to up size by adding a pattern repeat or taking the larger or smaller size and working to that stitch count would work out too (probably)

Date: early to mid 1930s

• Measurements and Materials: from left to right in the pictures 
• Exquisite (on the front) - bust 36"; hips 39" - Bairnswear Layette Vest Wool 2-ply 5ozs for vest, 6 ozs for panties; 3.75mm US 5 and 2.25mm US 2 needles, ribbon for straps and elastic for panties
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• Orchid - bust 32"; hips 35" - Bairnswear Baby Wool 2-ply 4ozs for vest 4ozs for panties; 3.75mm US 5 and 2.25mm US 2 needles, ribbon for straps and elastic for panties
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• Eve - bust 38"; hips 41" - Bairnswear Baby Wool 2-ply 5ozs for vest 5ozs for panties; 3.75mm US 5 and 2.25mm US 2 needles, ribbon for straps and elastic for panties
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• Elegance - bust 30"; hips 33" - Bairnswear Layette Vest Wool 2-ply 4ozs in blue and 1oz in pink for vest, 5 ozs of blue and 1 oz in pink for panties; 3.75mm US 5 and 2.25mm US 2 needles, ribbon for straps and elastic for panties

Orchid - 32" bust

Eve - 38" bust

Elegance - 30" bust

Patons 55 - Lady's Cable Coat

 

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This fabulous cable and twist design is perfect for this lovely cardigan or coat.

Date: late 1940s to early 1950s

Measurements - bust 34-36"; length from shoulder 22"; sleeve seam 18"

Materials - double knit or light worsted; 4.5mm US 7 and 3.75mm US 5 needles; 15 buttons; cable needle

Original used 17 ozs of Patons Moorland Double Knitting or 18 ozs Patons Bulldog Double Knitting

Tension - 5.25 stitches and 7 rows to 1 inch using 4.5mm US 7 over stocking stitch

Marriner's 20 - Lady's Jumper with Long or Short Sleeves

 

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This classic mid 40s sweater has lovely puffed sleeves and a great stripe pattern. The original blue and white could easily be switched out for any colour choice of your own.

Date: mid to late 1940s

Measurements - bust 34-35"; length from shoulder 18.5"; sleeve seam 6.5 or 18.5"

Materials - 3-ply or light fingering; 3.25mm US 3 (with points at both ends) and 2.75mm US 2 needles; 6 buttons

Original used 4 ozs Marriner's 3-ply Heritage Shrinkless Knitting Wool in Pompadour Blue (short sleeves, and 5 ozs for long sleeves, 1oz or 2 ozs in Royal Blue, and 1 oz in white

Tension 7.5 stitches and 9.5 rows it 1 inch using 3.25mm US 3 needles over stocking stitch

5 Pages

Ladyship 3048 - Lady's Twin Set

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This is a great twin set. Not only is it in a good modern size, it is also a simple to follow pattern. The cardigan has a great all over diamond texture and the short sleeved jumper is plain but with a band running up each side of the front.

Date: mid to late 1940s

Jumper
Measurements: bust 35.5 and 37.5"; length 19.5 and 20.5"; sleeve seam 5 and 5.5""
Materials: 4-ply or fingering; 3.25mm US 3 and 2.25mm US 1 needles for 35.5" bust; 3.75mm US 5 and 2.25mm US 1 for 37.5" bust; Stitch holder and 6 buttons
Original used 5.5 or 6 ozs Baldwin & Walker's Ladyship 3-ply Fairlady
Tension: 8 stitches and 10 rows to 1 inch with 3.25mm US 3 over stocking stitch, or 7.5 stitches and 9.5 rows to 1 inch using 3.75mm US 5 over stocking stitch

Cardigan
Measurements: bust 36 and 38"; length 20 and 21"; sleeve seam 16.5 and 17"
Materials: 4-ply or fingering; 3.25mm US 3 and 2.25mm US 1 needles for 35.5" bust; 3.75mm US 5 and 2.25mm US 1 for 37.5" bust; Stitch holder and 6 buttons
Original used 7.75 or 8 ozs Baldwin & Walker's Ladyship 3-ply Fairlady
Tension: 1 pattern (16 stitches) to 1.75" using 3.25mm US 3 or 1 pattern to 1 inch using 3.75mm US 5

9 Pages

Jaeger 573 - Lacy Afternoon Blouse

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This great mid 1930s patterns used odd sized needles to produce an openwork or drawn thread look. It works up quickly and looks fabulous. I mean, just look at the points to that collar

Date: mid 1930s

Measurements: bust 32 to 34"; length 18"; sleeve seam 5"

Materials: 3-ply or light fingering; 3.25mm US 3, 7.5mm US 11, and 5mm US 8 needles

Original used 3 ozs Jaeger Feather Fleck

Tension: 7 stitches and 8 rows to 2 inches (possibly over pattern)

5 Pages

Hema 523 - Lady's Cardigan Jumper

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This short sleeved cardigan is a really attention getter. The trellis pattern adds visual interest without being too tricky.

Date: early 1940s

Measurements: bust 34 to 36"; length 19.5"; sleeve seam 7"

Materials: 3-ply or light fingering; 4mm US 3 and 3mm US 2 needles; 6 buttons
Original used 7 ozs Hema 3-ply Super Merino Wool or 7 ozs Dainty Wool

Tension: no tension given

Golden Eagle 976 - Lady's Twin Set

 Golden Eagle 976 - Lady's Twin Set

Another fabulous twin set. The cardigan has a simple wheatear lace on the fronts with plain sleeves and back. This pattern is then matched on the yoke of the short sleeved jumper

Date: late 1940s

Measurements: 33 to 36" bust; Cardigan 20.5" and Jumper 19.5" length; sleeve seam 6" for Jumper, 18.5 for Cardigan

Materials: 3-ply or light fingering; 3.25mm US 3 and 2.75mm US 2 needles; 11 small buttons
Original used 13 ozs Polyknit 3-ply or Lomond Fingering 2-ply (3-ply thickness)

Tension 7 stitches and 10 row to 1 inch using 3.25mm US 3 needles over stocking stitch

5 Pages

Free Pattern - Dunbar & Nairn 2 - Smocked Twin Set with Gloves and Turban

 

Dunbar & Nairn 2 - Smocked Twin Set with Gloves and Turban

This is the only pattern I have ever seen from Dunbar and Nairn. As far as I can see they were wool exporters based in Glasgow and were active in the decade from the late 1930s. There is a reference to them producing children's patterns too but I can't find any more information.

This pattern came to me in quite a bad way and it suffered water damage (possibly early in it's life). The pages had stuck together but someone in the past separated them and where the type was illegible, wrote the instructions. I added some of the words that were missing but please use caution when making the set and if you become stuck, please get in touch and I can go back to the original.

Jumper - bust 34"; length 18.5"; sleeve seam 5.5"

Materials: 3-ply or fingering; 3.25mm US 3 and 2.75mm US 2 needles; skeins of embroidery cotton

Original used 6 ozs D&N Super-Fingering 3-ply

Cardigan

Bust 34"; length 21"; sleeve seam 18.5"

Materials: 4-ply or fingering; 3.75mm US 5 and 2.75mm US 2 needles; 7 buttons and 1 skein of embroidery cotton

Original used 12 ozs D&N Super-Fingering 4-ply

Gloves

2 oz D&N Super-Fingering 4-ply and 2.75mm US 2 needles

Turban

3 ozs D&N Super-Fingering 4-ply and 3.25mm US 3 needles

Tension for 3.75mm US 5 needles and 4-ply yarn 6.5 stitches to 1 inch over stocking stitch

For 3.25mm US 3 needles and 3-ply yarn 7.5 stitches to 1 inch over stocking stitch