Mitford Sweater Girls

I think these ladies from a 1935 Monarch knitting magazine look remarkably like the Mitford Sisters. Well, four of them. Sir John Betjeman and I love them for their sins....even the 3rd model's hat.

Centenial Crafting for Canada Day

This Canada Day marked the 100th birthday of the Canadian Navy. Here in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that's a pretty big deal. Our celebrations were made downright electric by the attendance of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and His Highness the Duke of Edinburgh at the International Fleet Review in Halifax Harbour.
For reasons perhaps known to locals, I have much much more to report on the Queen's visit. For now, please enjoy some Navy inspired vintage knitting and crochet.





Here is an insert from a Canadian wartime craft magazine (cover title missing) with patterns approved by the Canadian Red Cross and the IODE for service knitting.
Does anyone know what 'wheeling' (a yarn type), mentioned in the article below might be? The article gives gauges for wartime knitting yarns and lists what type of service garment each yarn is best for.

Animal Crackers

My favorite is the Tortoise and Hare sweater. I like the idea of a story played out on a sweater, like the BayeuxTapestry. Makes my lingering desire to knit the story of Fleetwood Mac in the style of Egyptian Hieroglyphics a little less crazy.

Wip Smart #2

Some projects on the go...

Welcome, Summer.

-McCalls 1972-1975

More Vintage Lingerie Patterns to Delight and Confound.

My First Sweater

Well, jacket.

Since blogging about granny squares and this, my first wearable garment worked from a pattern, I had been searching my closet for my G2 Jacket. The disaster that befell my closet in '06 has been improved upon since this post, but the hanging rod is still bust and it is a scary place to visit. I installed 2 bookshelves along one wall and have been making due with two standing hanging racks, but these are jimmy rigged and can't take much weight. I need to go to CanTire or something and invest in a closet system but it's all quite daunting. Any advice?
I made this out of acrylic-Bernat Super Saver, I think. I remember that I couldn't find a blue that matched the original well enough for my unforgiving teenaged eye for detail, so I used left over yarn from one of Granny's afghans (making it period accurate, no less)
I think this jacket is worth remaking in Cascade 220, but really, I can't imagine finishing it. I can't quite believe that I ever did, let alone at 17.
I was alone, on the edge of it (Seventeen), and apparently crocheting my heart out. It must of drowned me!

Funny Lux Ad

-Ad from Lux's 'Patriotic' Knitting Pattern Book 1939

Wip Smart

Some projects on the go...

Wool Gathering Series #3

-Stitchcraft Magazine, circa 1936
Click to Enlarge.