Retro Knit Friday!

This booklet does not have a date on it, but I'd have to say that it is from the early to mid sixties with no sign of mod fashions at all. Almost all of these sweaters are knit at worsted weight or sport weight, the day of the fine gauge having waned. The cover sweaters are classic in style with high crew necklines.



Though the cardigan body of this sweater is nice, the neckline has one of the silliest looking collar treatments I have ever seen on a serious sweater. The ends of the collar ties are just too narrow.




These sweaters are classic early sixties collegiate-type sweaters knit with a sport weight yarn at about 6 sts/inch.













Here are two placket-front sweaters done in sport weight.
The white sweater has a ribbed collar and placket and an attractive cable pattern. The sleeves look like 3/4 sleeves, but since the pattern says to knit 17 inches to start of sleeve cap, I would say that the model just pushed them up. The blue sweater has a wide collar on a V neckline and true 3/4 sleeves.

I think these sweaters were also offered in kit form, since I sort of remember seeing them in an ad in an old magazine. I like the green cardigan with its skirt out of dyed-to-match wool fabric. Some companies at that time offered yardage for sale that matched the yarns. In the early sixties, the straight skirt was very popular. I only wore one once in junior high, and forgot the skirt was so restrictive, but I remembered rapidly when I tried to kick something and ended up throwing myself to the ground.
These evening sweaters are fun, especially the off-the-shoulder model. Fashion blinds you to realities only apparent in hindsight, especially regarding hairdos. The bouffant with the little flip on the off-the-shoulder girl is just funny. I remember the girls ratting (back combing) their hair then smoothing out the top, and the urban legends of the time about girls who found spiders living in their seldom-combed-out hair haystacks.

Here is the progress I have made on the sherbet socks. They should be done in a day or two.

Last night, M and I went to a class at the local yarn shop, Fash-ion Knit, given by Joan McGowan-Michael. I thought the class was very worthwhile. She covered measuring yourself, and fitting knits, and discussed short rows as a help in fitting garments. I enjoyed the class very much, and M got her new book autographed.