Retro Knit Friday!

This Bucilla pamphlet (Vol. 160) is from 1958. All the fashions use "Glace, the new high fashion yarn of Ban-Lon and Estron" on fine needles. The black V-neck blouse shown here is knit at 7 1/2 sts/inch on Size 3 needles. The sleeves are knit with the body, and the neckline is trimmed with velvet ribbon. The beading at the neckline for the ribbon is crocheted after the rest of the sweater is completed.


This is a lovely 3/4-length sleeve cardigan with an interesting, modern-looking pattern stitch. It, and all the other sweaters shown here, was knitted at the same gauge as the previous sweater.

Actually a very nice retro outfit with dress and cardigan, except that the designer got a little too enthusiastic with the flower trim on the dress. It looks like giant spiders are climbing over her shoulders, or even more cheerful, a serial killer has grabbed her from behind. Take the flowers, which are knitted separately, off the shoulders and leave only one at the waist, and presto, a lovely outfit.

I like the idea of evening knits. You can look very nice and still be comfortable. The knitted portion of this dress is a fitted, low-necked, 3/4-length sleeve pullover attached to a contrasting slim skirt. The yoke detail is crocheted last.

The next dress is a basic wiggle dress made sporty with stripes and button trim. The large vest effectively tones down the alluring nature of the dress, turning it into a grandma dress. Maybe the idea is to go to work looking businesslike, then to take off the vest for a hot date.

Here is a collared shirtdress with a rib variation on collar and skirt. The short sleeves have garter trim, as does the front placket.

It is going to be another hot day, though maybe a few degrees cooler than yesterday. Lucky for me, my order for DVD's has arrived at the library so I will be down there shortly to pick it up. I can spend today knitting and watching English mystery shows.

Shopping In Sin City

Here's the view out of our hotel room on the 17th floor looking out over Flamingo Road. It is 109 degrees out there, which is why I have come back to the hotel after shopping in the relatively cool morning. I hunted up yarn shops in both Vegas and Reno, my favorites being Wooly Wonders in Vegas and Jimmy Beans in Reno.

Take a look at this very old hot pad, made, I think, by my husband's grandmother way back in the day. I always wondered how she made it, and while in Vegas, I found an old instruction book on making these. I will have to keep my eye open for the original Speed-O-Weave frame in antique shops, because it looks like a fun thing to try. You hook together the metal strips of the frame, then wrap thread around the pegs of the frame, then sew the threads to produce the pattern. There are instructions for all kinds of mats and cloths. Grandma G's cloth is very very old and has been washed a million times, but still looks pretty good.








Here is some of the sock yarn I got for M. She wanted to try the Maizy, made from corn fiber, after seeing it online. The others are, of course, Lorna's Laces. There was more yarn than this, including Lorna's in the Flames colorway, but she has already taken some of it home with her.

I found this Nashua Handknits booklet at Wooly Wonders, which, by the way, is nearby the old location of Freed's Bakery. Of course, when I drove by Freed's looking for the yarn shop, I had to stop in and buy a slice of strawberry whipped cream cake and devour it in the car. Anyway, this booklet is 'Holiday', and both girls like this sweater. I have never crocheted a sweater before (that wasn't for a fashion doll, that is) but I am going to give this one a try. Maybe I will try drafting the bodice portion for the knitting machine, then crocheting the bottom part of the sleeves and body.

I am still working on the grey sweater, so I should go put in a few token rows of ribbing.

Back In Town

Well, we were gone all last week to Las Vegas. The spouse had a conference to attend there, and I was just along for the ride (and the shopping). While he immersed himself in the excitement of taxes, I drove all over town looking for yarn shops, antique shops, and thrift shops. I found some nice knitting pamphlets and some great sock yarn which I will show later this week. The spouse only gambled once, and won big, $1.15 big win on the nickel slot machine. I never gamble because I am not lucky in gambling. After the conference was over, we drove to Reno for a few days, then home over the Sierras.

In closing, I have to say that the merchant mall at a conference for tax folk, in contrast to, say, the market at Stitches, is the most horrendously, hideously boring merchant mall in all the world.

Retro Knit Saturday!

This is one of my favorite booklets. I found it first in a little, cluttered antique shop in Benicia. The back cover had had a coupon cut out of it, and several pages were damaged by cutting. But still, I loved it because it reminded me of my mother. I always wished that I could have a better copy of it. Then, one day in Modesto on one of our jaunts to the great used-book store there, a pristine copy of this booklet appeared right on the shelf. And this store usually does not have any knitting pamphlets!

The cover shows simple fine gauge cardigans teamed up with plaid skirts. I never ever knew a mother and daughter who had matching outfits in real life, but it looks cute in a photo. All the sweaters in this booklet from the early fifties are fine gauge and fit rather close to the body. The sleeves are narrower than we are used to today.

The cardigan on the left has a design panel on each side of the front band and the perky fifties silk scarf around the neck. The design with the lower V neckline is called a TV sweater in some booklets.

This is the picture that looks like my mother. Something about the way she is standing and the sweater she is wearing. My father got my mother two cashmere sweaters that I can remember. The first one was a coral color and she wore it for years. We liked to run our fingers over the arms of it when we were little kids, it was so soft. Years later she received one that was an attractive light mustardy yellow to replace the worn out coral one. I have that one in the sewing room, though it belongs to my sister now. She wants me to mend some moth holes in it but my eyes aren't up to the challenge on the fine fine gauge.

Very cute bolero pattern for mom and child with high neckline and 3/4 sleeves.

More standard cardigans and a dressy one with pearl trimming on the collar and cuffs.

Still hot here in the sunshine state. M is coming over tonight and we are going to roast hot dogs and eat golden pineapple. If I had any get-up-and-go I would make some potato salad, but instead I will just fry up some cottage potatoes . Lazy day.

New Project/Old Project

Grey sweater is not going along too swiftly, but at least I am working on it now and then. I think the hangup is that I don't have bright big pins to pin in the sleeves so they have to be tacked with yarn. This triggers my procrastination problem. So after I write this, I will get myself over to Joann's and buy some big-headed pins. After that, I will try to finish off the neckband today.


I started a new pair of socks using the Tofutsies yarn. I expected it to be more harsh than it is, it is really soft and nice to work with. It contains wool, cotton, soy, and chitin. I am not sure what color this is, since my yarn band doesn't have the color number on it, but it is very pretty. The yarn is on the thin side, so I am using size 1 needles and 72 stitches. I usually use size 2 and 64 sts or size 3 and 60 sts.
















I spent part of the weekend helping M clean out her room and organize it. She is staying over at my Dad's house while she saves up enough money to get an apartment and pays off college debts. During the big cleanup, lots of things turned up in the clutter, including the much-admired pair of socks from Audrey, the journal lady. I once sent her some Japanese knitting magazines, and she sent the socks as a thank you. It was this pair of excellent socks that got us started making socks. We examined them thoroughly when we got them in the mail, and we were inspired to knit more socks on our own. We are now dozens of pairs down the sock road, so thank you, Audrey.

Retro Knit Friday!

Finished the Trekking 133 socks today. I was rushing to get them done by Saturday, and I made it with time to spare. I think the stripes matched up pretty well except for the toe of one sock, which is cleverly hidden in the photo.


These retro designs are from the 1950 Beehive booklet that we showed last Friday. The red suit shown on the back cover is called 'Evening in Manhattan' and is knit of fingering yarn at 8 1/2 sts/inch. It is double breasted with lapels and the stitch pattern is stockinette stitch with the stitches twisted on every knit row.


'Derby Day' is a classic shirtwaist dress trimmed with stripes at the hem, with a detachable striped cape. It is knit of Catriona Crepe at 9 1/2 sts/inch.




The popular boxy coat of the fifties, this time double breasted with deeply-cuffed sleeves. It looks like a navy pea coat, and is knitted at 6 1/2 sts/inch with two strands of sock and sweater yarn.



'Evening at Home' is a very pretty demure blouse with knitted-in tucked trim and intarsia patterns on the bodice front. The full sleeves are very feminine and attractive.


Not so demure is this evening blouse. It has 3/4 sleeves and collar and cuffs trimmed with silver and pearls. The trim is crocheted of metallic thread and sewn on after the sweater is constructed then trimmed with pearls.

You can't get much more fifties than this blouse. It looks like something June Allyson would wear. It is knit of Baby Wool at 8 1/2 sts/inch on Size 1 needles.



I have two sweaters waiting to be assembled, so I think I will go watch TV and pick one to work on.

Progress

Finished knitting the grey sweater parts over the weekend. Today will start the assembly, but first I have to pick out a book-on-tape to listen to while I work.

I also finished the first Trekking 133 sock and started right in on the second one. I am going to see A this weekend so will be trying to finish up the pair of socks so I can take them to her. We'll see.

Retro Knit Friday!

The front of the grey pullover has been knitted and seamed. I have the back half done on the machine now and plan to finish the back and maybe one sleeve today. The Trekking sock is coming along, though there has been some ripping. I just did not like the way the garter rib felt on the inside. The ridges were much more noticeable than reverse stockinette or regular ribbing so I ripped it back and started anew. I am really liking this colorway.


Here is my design sketch of how the pullover will eventually look.




Today's booklet is from 1950. Most of the fashions shown are knit in Beehive Scotch Fingering Yarn , Catriona Crepe, or Sock and Sweater yarn. The cover boxy jacket is knit at 9 sts/inch on Size 3 needles. The yarn color is white and tartan, which I believe is a variegated yarn because the the brown squares show flecks of color. Really nice dressmakerly details and a crisp tailored look.

Aside from the silly hat that makes her look like a bat, this ensemble is very elegant. Note the matching pumps, belt, and gloves, not to mention the mink stole. The booklet calls this a "two-piece dress for a crisp day." It is knit of fingering yarn in a flecked color at 8 sts/ inch.




A lovely "two-piece ensemble for day time." The striped jacket is knit at 8 sts/inch in white and two shades of green, and the skirt is slim. Her hat exactly matches her purse and gloves.

Ok, seriously now, doesn't this model make you think of a vampire movie? You expect her to grin and show her fangs. A very nice classic blouse with knitted in tucks and bound neck edge, knitted at 9 1/2 sts/inch on size 2 needles of Catriona Crepe.

Here is that interesting combination of grey and yellow that we have seen in other fifties garments. She is wearing mixed accessories with brown shoes, grey hat and belt, and cream-colored gloves. Knitting the pattern across the attached kimono sleeves creates a nice diagonal line at the sleeve seams.

This whole booklet is just full of handsome designs. I hope to show more of them next week, but right now I am headed back to the knitting machine.