Retro Knit Friday!

This week we are heading back to 1947 and the era of linebacker shoulders. This Columbia Style book sold for 35 cents back then, and this volume contains stylish suits and dresses. The cover outfit is a one-piece dress with a jacket knit at 8 sts/inch. The jacket has a peplum and reveres, and a slit in the back. The dress has a plain skirt and patterned bodice that coordinates with the jacket. The color of the jacket is called 'appleberry'. I had seen this color name before but somehow I assumed that it was an apple green instead of this lovely rosey pink.


'First Nighter' is a Grecian-look tunic and skirt worn with a tubular-knitted belt that is trimmed with gold tassels. The tunic and long skirt (knit at 7 sts/inch) are trimmed with gold tinsel thread with stripes on the tunic and a Greek key design on the skirt. Notice that she is not wearing a necklace since that would compete for attention with those lacy golden mitts!

This simple sweater top is dressed up for evening by using lots of metallic buttons and gold or silver tinsel thread for the light-colored stripes. It is knit of fingering weight yarn at 6 sts/inch. The pattern only contains the top pattern, and the skirt looks like it is made of velvet.

This dress is just hilarious the way the model is wearing it . It is designed by Audrea of Hollywood who we have run across in other vintage knitting books, but oh, those shoulders!! Aside from the fact that the model looks like she has been cleared for takeoff, the dress itself is really attractive and could be worn today (without the shoulder pads). It is knit with size 3 needles at 7 sts/inch. The instructions say that the dress is white with flowers knit in Clover Mauve, Cherry Brandy, California Burgundy, and Ferrara Green. I love old-timey color names.

This outfit has three pieces, a bolero jacket with wide reveres and buttoned cuffs, a blouse with dot pattern, and a slim skirt. It is knit on size 2 needles at 8 sts/inch.

This is the only sporty outfit in the whole booklet. The picture shows the classic 1940's college girl in a Scandinavian sweater and grey flannel slacks. Knit at 7 sts/inch, the sweater is closer fitting. The pattern has a chart with the sweater drafted out on it showing the pattern for the body and sleeves so that the horizontal pattern elements can be matched up when the sleeve is sewn in.

Today I made up a big batch of hummos for low-cholesterol lunches. Actually, I did not plan to make such a big batch, but got distracted and added too much salt the first time, so had to triple the recipe to tone it down. I love hummos on a whole grain tortilla with tomatoes and pepper slices, or avocado. I had a checkup this morning and lo, my weight was down 15 lbs on the doctor's scales which are notoriously famous for weighing more than they should. After that, I heard that one of the best used bookstores in the area is closing after today, so I just had to go down there and get in on the closing sale. I found some sewing books and a few cookbooks, but there were not many knitting books.