Wednesday Wips

The vintage socks are coming along very nicely despite me ripping the whole sock back after realising that I wouldn’t have enough wool to finish.

Boy, did they have long socks in the past. In the original it was 70 rows of 1×1 ribbing and then 100 rows of 2×1 rid before getting to the heel so nearly 14″ of leg but I only have 100g of the Regia so have halved both and have a leg length of just over 7″. I’ve also changed the heel from a stocking stitch flap to carrying on the ribbing down the flap and then changing to stocking stitch at the turn. I’m now half way along the foot and and running out of wool but you know what it’s like: you think you don’t have enough but get there with inches to spare. Or it’s going to run out and I’ll have to finish the toe in another colour.

The 1930s jumper has been languishing for a few weeks but I finished one of the sleeves this morning so only have the other one and the lapels to make up and then the knitting is done. I’m getting really excited about finishing this and maybe wearing it but I have an irrational fear that when I wash it, it will shrink. I’ve pinned it to my mannequin and think that it works although I have spotted a couple of catches in the moss stitch which I hope will get fudged over in the blocking.

I have a few others scattered about the house but these and the bonkers Egyptian sweater are the ones I’m going to concentrate on until they are done.

And they will get done!

 

Want to Get a Head, Get a Turban

You know when you have those idle moments, you should be doing something entirely different but your mind won’t or doesn’t want to settle on that so it gads off pulling your interest with it? I had one of those a few days ago.

I was happily working on my lovely yellow 1930s jumper (only a sleeve to go) and I felt compelled to look in my pattern box. Just to fondle some old paper and drool over amazing knits from the past. I came across one of them and just looked. Then I wandered over to the bin bag of bits and pulled out a some blue, sauntered over to the needles and had a rummage. Then it was back to the sofa where I sat and cast on.

What had attracted my attention? A pattern for a turban. Now I remember my nan wearing turbans in the 1970s. Hideous nylon things, maybe with flowers but here was a lovely woollen one from the far more chic 1940s and I have never made one. 4 hours later I had something that cold be worn but only just. It’s a bit of a percher so might make it slightly deeper if I do it again but one turban from a remnant of wool.

This is made from less than 100 grams of aran weight on 4.5mm needles and works well (the original was 3-ply doubled). The crown is knit separately with the band being sewn on afterwards and the ends are padded to give it some ooomp. If you want to make your own just click on the pattern image above and you too can make your own.

 

 

 

Vintage knits in the shop

Lots of lovely downloads in the shop this past week. Some are re-listings and some are brand new.

There were plenty ofjumpers ranging from the petite like this amazing bobble and cable twin set in a 30″ to 32″ bust to this fabulous 1950s evening jumper with beaded edgings in sizes 32″ to 40″ bust.

 

 

 

There was also these beautiful airy wraps, or bed jackets and a fun halter neck swimsuit

 

 

 

 

 

 Best of all though, I my opinion, is this stunning lace and striped jumper with a circular yoke. The size is a 36″ bust and I am itching to make one up. It would never fit me but a thing of beauty . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make Do and Mend Vintage Sock Pattern

I’ve been a bit lax this past month keeping my Etsy shop up-to-date. I got offered some work that took all of my time but now I have a few moments to start again.

I was sorting and came across this great patterns on how to re-foot socks. We’re probably most used to the idea of Make Do and Mend from WW2 and this pattern perfectly sums up that spirit. The technique can be used for any handknit sock so now you don’t have the throw away those socks that have gone too far  to darn.

To celebrate me getting back on rack with the shop I’ve decided to offer this pattern as a free download so 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

 

 

1930s Daffodil Jumper

I’m up to the armholes for the back. The lace makes this seem huge but now I’m on to the moss stitch yoke, I’m hoping that it starts to firm up slightly. Might have made a slight mistake by going up a needle size but we shall see.

If you’re curious, this is the pattern

The Lucky Seam

I bought this striped dress on the bay of Es. It was described as vintage 50s Original MADMEN (even though Mad Men is set in the 60s). I usual shy away from buying vintage on ebay, purely because people tend to use the word vintage in a rather haphazard way and tend to go on what they think vintage should look like and not whether it actually is. I bought this because I liked it and if it was 1950s then it was a bonus.

It arrived promptly and I opened the package with a sense of anticipation. It was wrapped in tissue paper and I opened it and was pleasantly surprised. It is vintage and would say that late 1950s or maybe early 60. It’s home made but by a good seamstress. The buttons are just for show, there’s a line of metal press studs to keep the dress closed and there’s a ribbon that is stabilising the hem.

And then I tried it on. It fits along as I don’t need to sit down or breath. And one sleeve was mysteriously narrower than the other. On peeling the dress off I noticed that someone had sewn the seam of the arm closer.

Hmmmmmmmmm. Then I noticed that all down one side was an extra seam of about three quarters of an inch. Yup, all the way from the sleeve cuff to the hem of the dress.

My finger tip is on the ‘new’ seam’ and my thumb is on the original. I had found the couple of inches that I needed to be able to wear the dress without having to unpick and re-sew. An hour with a stitch ripper and I now have a dress that’s fabulous and one that I know I can always take in when I lose weight. Bizarrely the other side was only sewn to just above the waist so I wonder if this was meant to be a permanent fix.

The dress has now been washed and I’ll press it properly, then sew the hem and sleeve cuff where the alteration had been and then it’ll be ready to wear.

Sorting the shop

but still knitting and doing things.

I now have my Etsy shop Pretty Old Patterns up and running and have lovely vintage patterns for everyone: it’s mainly ladies-wear but there’s a healthy selection of children and babies too as well as a few jumper for men. There are instant pdf downloads for the patterns from the 1930s, 40s and early 50s that cost £1.50 each so you can have a fabulous splurge of 6 patterns for under a tenner and gat a whole new wardrobe into the bargain.

One of my favourites that I’ve listed is this beauty which comes up to a 40″ bust and is that classic 1930s style

I have plans to make this in bright yellow 4-ply for the spring – will keep you updated.

In need of a quickie

I work in a office that sits above an enormous cellar. During the winter the cold air sinks into it and cannot escape so I spend most of the winter wishing I had insulated fingers but thus far it hasn’t happened. Last week it was so cold I took a pair of cheap gloves and cut the tips of the fingers off so I could still type, but it didn’t quite work out so I looked at my 12 in 2014 list and saw the answer to my problem. Fingerless mitts. They can keep my hands warm whilst still allowing me to type.

The wool was sent to me in July as part of a Christmas in July swap and is Woolbearers Delaware Valley Ringspun which is a little harsh for me to have used for a scarf or hat but is ideal for mitts. I wanted a pattern that showed off the short colour changes without getting bogged down in pooling  and I think this suits it perfectly.

The pattern is Quick Waves – Schnelle Welle by von Hinterm Stein and it available as a Ravelry download. It’s a great quick project and has no sewing up. The sides are joined by an ingeniously designed attached a-cord which was a bit tricky at first but then everything just clicks and it’s obvious how you are meant to do it.

These now live on the radiator that is behind my chair and I slip them on when I arrive and put them back on the heater when I leave. Hopefully I shall now have more comfortable hands.

I’ve not disappeared

I just been busy.

I finally opened my vintage knitting pattern shop on esty – Pretty Old Patterns. It’s been a long journey, partly due to my total laziness and faffing about trying to choose the correct platform. I thought at first that I would build the site myself but just got bogged down. Then I got one of those site builders but just got confused. Etsy provides a nice clean interface that people are comfortable using so Etsy it is.

At the moment I’ve only got a few things in it but I’m trying to list 10 things every few days so the stock will grow over the next few weeks and months. The patterns I’m concentrating on are 1940s and 1950s but I have a good variety of early 1960s too so they’ll go on. The newer ones will probably be sold off on ebay in blocks of 10 or 20.

This is the first box that I am working my way through. These are all Patons and Bestway patterns of the smaller size. There’s over 200 here so it’s going to take me a while to get through the other 8 boxes. If you would like to be kept updated on new things in the shop, please go to etsy and click follow (or use my facebook page), ((or even twitter))

Snaking into the New Year

This is the first of my 12 in 2014 knitting challenge. It’s just a simple pair of socks but I love the wavy ripples running down the side of the leg and foot and the anatomical toes as well. I may well make all my socks now with this style of toe (well the ones that you can tell left from right).

I’ve had the wool for ages, since about 2009 so it really needed to be used. It’s Per Tryving pt2 from Norway and is slightly rough pure wool. It softened slightly when washed but I have to remember to wash this by hand because I imagine it would felt beautifully. Might have to make up a small swatch and chuck it in the washer just to see.

The pattern is Kalajoki which available as a free download through Ravelry and it’s very easy to follow. The designer, Tiina Seppälä has used the twists of the river Kalajoki as her inspiration and I love the way the twisted stitches pop out once the sock is on your foot.