Retro Knit Friday!

I found this booklet, undated but probably from the early sixties, in a sale bin at a yarn shop in Los Gatos. The whole booklet contains instructions for sweaters using the yarn, Firenze, which the description states is 'a colorfully flecked and textured yarn imported from Italy'. All of the sweaters have a gauge of 3 to 3 1/2 stitches per inch depending on the pattern stitch.

The cover shows a V-neck jacket trimmed with leather buttons and leather trim on the collar that matches the belt. The belt is threaded through slits in the side seams so that the back hangs free. No clue on how to sew leather to a knit, the instructions just say to face the lapels with leather. The pullover on the right has a deep opening in the front which is filled in by a separate dickey.

The raglan-sleeved pullover is trimmed with a large cable on the front and down each sleeve. These sweaters would have been a very quick knit at such a large gauge.

This pullover is of simple design except for the stange 'plastic leather' trim on the neckline and false pockets.

Some of these sweaters combine the Firenze yarn with knitting worsted, as in this pullover. The worsted yarn is knit in a texture pattern that involves knitting a stitch in the row below. These bulkly pullovers were usually worn with stirrup pants or straight skirts.

The instructions for these pullovers are very confusing because the sweaters have 'inserts' that can be knit in the heavier yarn or worsted. They don't show the back, so there is no clue as to how it looks, but I think the sweaters are all one piece with a faux vest.

Not much knitting done this week since I was trying to crochet a white filet crochet trim for some curtains for the girls' room or for an apron. I am working on the second sleeve of the FLS still and ignoring the Monkey socks.