While waiting for a set of bamboo dpns for Betty Jean's sleeves, I was itching to start knitting something new. I dug out this copy of Stitchcraft from January 1946, which is always lurking in my mind's eye, waiting to jump the queue!
This is my favourite volume from my modest stash of vintage knitting magazines.
It is just a small booklet, but there are at least three items I want to knit from it, possibly four, and I also love the glimpses into history provided by the adverts and other craft projects.
For example, here is a teapot stand, made out of a tile and two wooden cotton reels: "The original tile came from a bombed house in London."Oh! Um... err...really? My heart lurched when I read that!
Did people ever really take that sort of source information in their stride? Even just after the war?
Back to the knitting, and I am particularly attracted to two fitted cardigans. They are both knitted in the same yarn, but on different sized needles, yet have the same gauge. I assume the different stitch patterns change the tension.
The instructions only come in one size, which is to fit a 34 inch bust, which should be OK for me, but I wondered how knitters of the time coped with this - did most women have the skills to alter garments to fit?
Or were all knitters the same size?!
My plan is to knit one of these in black "Crow" Alba Yarn and the other in deep blueberry "Moody Blue", also Alba Yarn. I think I will use black for the lacey pattern, and blue for the rib and arrow-head, as the lighter colour will show off the stitch pattern better.
Of course... I had no sooner decided what I wanted to do, than my dpns arrived! Typical! But it was good thinking time.
8 comments:
Ugh typical! I ordered a knitting book to be here in time for Friday afternoon so I can have an afternoon off from revision after two out of three exams. However, I didn't take into account dispatch time so it actually won't get here till Tuesday! Ugh! I'll finish off my floral crescent skirt instead on my afternoon off :)
Ashley x
Love the look of that Stitchcraft! I'm going to have to see if I can get hold of some copies, any I've seen on blogs look like a mine of interesting bits and pieces. I particularly like that short sleeve cardi.
Those are fab patterns - I can see you in both those jumpers. Do you think you could do your hair like the woman on the cover, please?
Children played on bomb sights and the author Cynthia Harnett, writing in the late 1940s advises delving about on the bomb sites in the City of London as it was possible to see uncovered Medieval remains under the modern rubble. This advice was given in a children's book! So I think attitudes were just a bit different? And materials very scarce.
Hope the knitting goes well, I love old knitting books too.
Oooooh ... both are gorgeous!
I'm with Christine, that little cardigan would look fab on you and I'm sure you could carry the hair-do too.
Now I'm sure finding similar style vintage patterns is what I need to get me on a knitting odyssey. Those styles are fabulous. Can't wait to see them evolve ....
Wow, those are gorgeous cardigans!
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