Show us your vintage knitting and crochet!

[Babydoll]

Miss_Becky, crocheting is easier than you think it is! My Grannie taught me how over 25 years ago (similar age to when you learned), and it stuck with me. The thing that I found the most frustrating to master in the beginning was gauge. You need to have steady tension for your gauge to be uniform and your pattern to look as it should. Practice this as well, and it will eliminate a lot of frustration and re-working on your part.

If you learn the basic stitches (single, double, triple crochet), then you can do just about any pattern because the rest of the stitches are variations of basic stitches. Also make yourself familiar with crochet vocabulary as it will make pattern reading easier. A pretty good website for crochet terms is: http://cache.lionbrand.com/cgi-bin/faq-search.cgi?store=/stores/eyarn&dictionaryOfAbbreviations=1

As for reading patterns, it just takes practice. And the good thing about crocheting is if it doesn't turn out, you can rip it out and try again!

My recommendation would be to start out with a basic grannie square. Here's a good video that explains what the basic stitches are as it walks you through how to make a grannie square: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBZNWeVmAa0

Good luck, and go for it!

 

[Miss_Becky]

AWWW, Thanks Babydoll!

Those links are really helpful, I will most definatly be using those websites often. Thanks for the well wishes, your post made me feel better about learning to crochet.....and less intimidated by those patterns !

 

[Hestia]

I have a few vintage crochet patterns, one of which is throwing me off with the yarn that is suggested. It calls for Dawn Worsted Floss. I've searched the internet for Worsted Floss and nothing. The only thing that I can figure is that it is a fingering yarn? Does anyone else have any vintage patterns that call for this and if so what do you use as an alternative?

Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thank You.

Cassylynn

I think you're right about it being fingering weight. I have this pattern, which also calls for that yarn, and the gauge is 7st/in on #3 needles (probably old needle sizes). So anything with a ballband gauge of around 7st/in on 3mm needles (modern US size 2) should be close. Baby Ull is a wool yarn I like a lot in that gauge range.

 

[cassylynn]

I think you're right about it being fingering weight. I have this pattern, which also calls for that yarn, and the gauge is 7st/in on #3 needles (probably old needle sizes). So anything with a ballband gauge of around 7st/in on 3mm needles (modern US size 2) should be close. Baby Ull is a wool yarn I like a lot in that gauge range.

Thank you so much for your help! I'll see what I can find....

 

[VintageLove]

These are just darling, swingkitten! I may have to try my hand at this pattern... I finished a snood that I crocheted without a pattern about two weeks ago, and though it came out okay, the knit was far too tight; I find I can be a little too adventurous at times, haha.

 

[Tourbillion]

Wow! When did you start knitting - thats really impressive!

My mom taught me how to knit this last Thanksgiving while she was staying at my house, a bit more than 3 months ago. I did a garter stitch scarf as my first project.

I am not ready for advanced stuff yet, no lace, cables, intarsia etc, but a bit of ribbing is fairly easy.

I would like to do a simple tam to go with the sweater. I just need to find an easy enough 30's looking pattern.

 

[Miss Sis]

There are some simple ribbed 30s patterns available, some as repros.

If you can knit and purl you can make most of the patterns out there but it's wise to take a little time to get used to knitting before heading into the lacy stitches.

 

[Lady Day]

Hi ladies. I Was wondering if you could help me out.

I picked up this Brother knitting machine at the thrift store yesterday for next to nothing. The manager said it came from an estate of a seamstress, and looks like all the parts are there (sans the manual which I have some online leads on). Im curious about it as I have NEVER knitted before, and Ive skimmed blogs online but they offer reviews more so than tutorials.

Has anyone ever used one of these puppies? This one dates from around the early 70s, and accessories are apparently 'hard' to find. Pishaw I say!

Thanks,
LD

 

[Inky]

I forgot to post this here (cross-posted to the snood thread)

I have been busy with my crochet hook and whipped this up over the last few weeks while getting over a miserable cold and some other issues:

based loosely on this pattern with a few minor modifications. Made from three small balls of Knit-Cro-Sheen Metallic crochet thread in Ecru/Pearl.

http://www.annalaia.com/crochetwomen/1943BeadedSnood.html

 

[Smuterella]

My mom taught me how to knit this last Thanksgiving while she was staying at my house, a bit more than 3 months ago. I did a garter stitch scarf as my first project.

I am not ready for advanced stuff yet, no lace, cables, intarsia etc, but a bit of ribbing is fairly easy.

I would like to do a simple tam to go with the sweater. I just need to find an easy enough 30's looking pattern.

OK. wow! So there is hope for me yet then, I started yesterday - a picture of my rather amusing test piece is on the "show us what you made" thread - though noone else seems to find it as funny as me. lol

 

[Ms Sew-n-Sew]

Hello Ladies

I was just wondering if any of you have attempted this pattern? I got it free from Yesterknits and am about half way through (I hope they don't mind me posting an image of it). I just adore the sullen expression on the model's face!

Larger view here:

 

[Amie]

Fancy tobacco bag, but I really hate the flimsy drawstring.

1910s bag, I think it's a Corticelli pattern.

Filet finger purse.

 

[Ccc]

Crocheted First Hat

It's a cloche (at least the pattern says that) with a brim and simple ruffling with the same yarn, a lovely Cape Cod blue.

I'll attach a photo tomorrow, but wanted to let everyone know that it really wasn't that difficult. I've been practicing making dishcloths and couple of afghan blankets.

Now, I really would like to learn how to crochet a sweater and socks as fine as knitted ones.

More later!

Ccc

 

[CherryRed]

I made this recently.

 

[Gingerella72]

Wow, just got done reading through this whole thread and am motivated to continue learning to knit. I started teaching myself last October (thank you, YouTube!) and have learned the very basics, knit, purl, cast on, and bind off.

I've done the obligatory beginner's scarf and "dishcloth" (although who would actually wash dishes with knitted acrylic yarn is beyond me), and had some moderate success with a placemat pattern, but have yet to learn anything more complicated like knitting in the round for socks, hats, mittens, etc. I'm quite intimidated by circular and double pointed needles, but I'm sure it would become as old hat as doing a regular knit stitch if I could just get off my petunia and learn it!

I don't know anyone who knits so this has been a 100% solo venture for me, and as such, I fear I've acquired some bad habits without anyone to correct me. I hold my needles in a death grip and after a short while my hands start cramping up, and I'm not entirely sure I'm even holding them correctly in the first place, heh. I definitely need to check out the tutorial videos on that knittinghelp.com site that's been posted.

Anyway, enough rambling.....just wanted to say that I've been super-motivated by you lovely gals to not give up and keep plugging away! Maybe I'll even finish the Minnesota Vikings scarf for my husband by the time its football season....

 

[deadpandiva]

I made this recently.

I saw this on Face book. I am a sucker for a corde purse and this is just amazing.

 

[Kitty_Sheridan]

Can you still buy the yarn for making Corde bags? I have so many vintage crochet bag and hat patterns and whilst I can't knit for toffee I can crochet.

If you're left handed like me I can reccomend the lady on you tube who films her hands from her POV and it makes learning so easy!

 

[Amie]

I made this recently.

That's really beautiful. I recently made the clutch version of that bag, but it doesn't look as good because I used regular acrylic yarn.

May I ask what type of thread you used for your bag?

 

[melanie]

Wow, you are all super talented! I love everything.

I crochet mainly, here are a few things I have done...

(i crocheted the shelf edging for the above photo)

I am in the process of crocheting a beret following a pattern from 1936.

 

[kamikat]

This may be a shot in the dark, but I'm willing to try it. Has anyone tried adding vintage style elements to a modern pattern? I recently got a copy of More Big Girl Knits, which has a customizable basic pullover pattern. Since the vintage patterns I have don't come in larger sizes (the 30's book only comes in 34in bust) how difficult would it be to add things like sleeve shapes, collars from the vintage patterns to the custom pattern?