Twilleys 530 - Charming Lacy Blouse

 Twilleys 530 - Charming Lacy Blouse

 

This is a lovely summer blouse made from cotton. The all over lace pattern and cap sleeves makes it perfect for those hot days

Date: Early 1950s

Measurements: to fit a 34 to 36" bust

Materials: 3-ply or light fingering; 3mm US 2.5, 2.75mm US 2, 2.25mm US 1, and 2mm US 0 needles; 9 buttons
Original used 8 ozs of Lyscordet Soft Knitting Cotton

Tension: 8 stitches to 1 inch

Bestway 1460 - Bolero in Feather Pattern

Bestway 1460 - Knitted Bolero in Feather Pattern

This sweet, short sleeved bolero has an all over pattern and curved fronts

Date: estimated mid 1940s

Measurements: Bust 34; length 14"; sleeve seam 5"

Materials: 4 ply or fingering yarn; 3.75mm US 5 and 2.75mm US 2 needles
Originals used 6 ozs Emu Unshrinkable 3-ply Botany

1930s Belted Cardigan

 

Belted Cardigan

This is a great late 1930s cardigan in a good modern size. The short cardigan has wrap over sides and it held in place with a belted tie.

This pattern does not have any tension or gauge advice

Date: late 1930s

Measurements: bust 36 to 37"; length 18"; sleeve seam 17"

Materials: aran or worsted and 3-ply or light fingering; 4.5mm US 7 and 3.75mm US 5 needles
Original used 7 ozs of tweed effect wool and a little 3-ply wool in a colour to match

Stitchcraft February 1933 - The Chic of Check

 

Stitchcraft February 1933 - The Chic of Check

This is wonderful - that deep ribbing around the waist and cuffs and the check just sets it all off

Measurements: Bust 34"; Length 18"; sleeve seam 18"

Materials: 4-ply or fingering; 3mm US 2.5 and 3.25mm US 3 needles; 7 buttons
Original used 6 ozs brown and 4 ozs natural Patons Super Scotch Fingering 4-ply

Tension: 8 stitches to 1 inch using 3.25mm needles

Language Note
This pattern had a word commonly used to describe dark brown for much of the 20th century: the N-word. I have edited it from the pattern and substituted with the word ‘dark’. The original pattern was a product of its time, and although the word is not being used in a racially hateful way, it allowed prejudices to continue. By editing the word I hope that I am not suggesting that these prejudices never existed, merely that they are not acceptable today (nor were they in the past).

Free Pattern - Munrospun 6751 Twin Set

 Munrospun 675 - Twin Set

 

To download the pattern, click on either the link above or the picture

 

The twin set is a classic for a reason - they look so good together

This beauty is from the late 1940s or even early 1950s. It has a short sleeve jumper and the option to choose either a round or V neck

 

Measurements

Jumper - bust 34"; length 20"; sleeve seam 5.5"

Cardigan - bust 34"; length 21"; sleeve seam 18"

 For a 36" bust use 1 size larger needles 3.25mm US 3 and 2.75mm US 2

 

Materials: 3-ply or light fingering; 3mm US 2.5 and 2.25mm US 1 needles; 11 buttons and 3 snap fasteners

Original used 11 ozs Munrospun Fairytex Wool - 6 ozs for the cardigan and 5 ozs for the jersey

Tension: 9 stitches to 1 inch using 3mm US 3 needles over stocking stitch

 

Free Pattern - Bestway 1873 - Bonnet and Mitts with Fair Isle Bands

 

Bestway 1873 - Bonnet and Mitts with Fair Isle Bands

A sweet bonnet and mitten set for a young girl (6 to 8 years) with Fair Isle bands

Date: early 1940s

Measurements: 

Mittens - length 7.5"

Bonnet - round face 15"

Materials: 3-ply or light fingering; 2.75mm needles US 2, 2.75mm crochet hook
Original used Patons Beehive Fingering 3-ply - 2 ozs in Stone, and small quantities of dark brown, cyclamen pink, blue and yellow

Tension: 9 stitches to 1 inch using 2.75mm US 2 needles
5 Pages

Just click on the picture for a copy of the pattern

 

 

Friday Free Pattern - Jumper for Parties

 

This elegant jumper with plain body and lace puff sleeves comes from Stitchcraft in April-May 1944.

Date: 1944

Measurements: 32 to 34" bust; length 19"; sleeve seam 4.5"

Materials: 3-ply or light fingering; 3.25mm US 3 and 33mm US 2.5 needles; 3 press studs
Original used 4 ozs of Patons Beehive Fingering 3-ply

Tension: 8 stitches to 1 inch using 3.25mm US 3 needles

4 Pages

Just click on the pattern picture for a copy of the pattern

Free Pattern - Bow Jumper from Dorette 3

 

Dorette Designs were published for a few years between 1946 and 1949 and prided themselves on their fashionable designs and high production values

This elegant jumper has a sweet bow at the neck with a great all over texture pattern

Date: 1947

Measurements: 36" bust; length 19"; sleeve seam 19"
For 38" bust use 4mm US 6 and work at a tension of 6 stitches and 8 rows to 1 inch

Materials: 3-ply or light fingering; 3.75mm US 5 and 2.75mm US 2 needles; 3 press studs
Original used 10 ozs of Listers 3-ply Lavenda

Tension: 13 stitches and 17 rows to 2 inches using 3.75mm US 5 needles

4 Pages

Just click on the pattern picture for a copy of the pattern

Free Friday - My Weekly 1913 - Roses, Roses All The Way

 

Roses, Roses All the Way

Not sure that these are quite roses but these pretty flowers make for a sweet short sleeved jumper or sweater for spring and summer

The pattern is in one size but working it on larger needles should give you an extra couple of inches.

Measurement: bust 34" 86cm; length 19" 48cm; sleeve seam 7.5" 19cm

Materials: 4ply or fingering wool; 3.25mm US 3 and 2.25mm US 1 needles; 5 small buttons

Original used 6 ozs white, 1 oz rose, at least 8 yards green and 1 yard black Sirdar Crepe Wool 

No tension is given

Click on the link above to access the pattern

 

 

 

Oof! - it's been a while

 Okay, this feels a little strange.

The past few years have been strange and unsettling and have involved massive life changes and I sort of got lost at sea. Well not sea as such, I was in the world but not part of it (or so it felt like). But the spring has woken me slightly so I am going to try and come back to the things I love and try to heal myself little by little.

A quick recap since 2020. Obviously there was the pandemic from March but then in June My Lovely Man (MLM) had a serious stroke. He survived but spent 3 months in ICU (when I couldn't visit at all) then another 7 months on a ward in hospital while they taught him to speak and eat again, then 6 months in rehab. After his 6 months stint in rehab (where they were useless), he is now in a residential care home where we are trying to get him walking and engaging in life again.

I've had job ups and downs and now am focussing on getting my knitting patterns into the world again as well as a few other fun things like selling MLM's artwork at comic cons and other events. I also bought an older knitting machine with the idea to produce vintage style knitwear but so far it is still languishing under the bed where I put it 18 months ago. 

I can't promise to list something new every day on Etsy but I will try for a few things a week. I'm also going to update listings and add centimetres in the measurements, make sure that the language used is appropriate (see my last post for the reason why). I have created a new logo and want to update all of my old copies to match my new ones. 

So I have plans and I hope that I can keep up the momentum