Retro Knit Friday!!

M called me a while ago from the local Beverly's to tell me that the new Lion brand sock yarn is in stock there. Apparently it is wool and nylon and about $10/skein, said skein being big enough for a pair of socks. That seems pretty reasonable, and she said the colors are good too. This annoys me because I was just down to the Beverly's buying some sewing notions and forgot to look at the yarn (well, I glanced into the yarn isle to see if there were any sale signs, then moved on).

Our retro knits are still from the year 1939. The first outfit is a jacket with a fitted pullover. The jacket is worked in a pattern but I can't really tell from the picture what kind of pattern it is except that it has vertical rows. The jacket is trimmed in very wide grosgrain ribbon. It is knit of 'Spanish Knitting Worsted" at 8 sts/inch on Size 1 Steel Needles.


The description for the cardigan says, "This cardigan is exclusive on account of its ribbon lacing, snug waistline, accessory neckline and slenderizing ribbing". It is also trimmed in grosgrain ribbon and has decorative buttons. It is knit of Germantown yarn at 6 sts/inch on Size 4 needles.


The dress is knit of 'Heather Flake' yarn at 8 sts/inch on Size 2 needles. It is a one-piece dress with interestingly shaped pattern pieces. The front bodice is knit separately from the yoke with V-shaped front, then the two are seamed together, and two pockets are formed at the top of the front bodice (you can see a hanky peeking out of one of the pockets). There are instructions to knit the 8 belt tabs which are then sewn on.

This kind of sweater with the pattern creating spaces for embroidery crops up from time to time in vintage knitting books. It is sometimes called a 'Tyrolean' sweater so maybe they had sweaters like this in Tyrol (which is in Austria, I think). Here it is called 'Germantown Jacket'. It is knit of a knitting worsted weight yarn at 6 sts/inch on Size 4 needles.

A classic fitted slipover with ribbing on the midriff and stripes on the yoke. The sleeves are shaped at the top with darts sewn in during assembly. The sweater is knit at 8 sts/inch.

Another cardigan with the standard late 30's/early 40's silhouette, this time in ribbing with cable trim at the lower bodice and on the sleeves. The instructions say that when setting in the sleeves, to ease the fullness at the top. These sleeves don't look eased; they obviously have big tucks or pleats at the top. The sweater is knit at 10 sts/inch on Size 1 & 2 needles.

The poor apple green cardigan is still in pieces, waiting for me to feel like putting it together. Right now I am sewing some Mexican Peasant blouses for the daughter, so it will just have to wait for awhile.