Show us your vintage knitting and crochet!

[St. Louis]

Beautiful. Such nice work! I read your blog entry & see that you actually hand-painted the buttons to go with the suit. Impressive.

 

[crazydaisy]

Thanks St. Louis - not really that impressive though, just a bit fiddly

 

[crazydaisy]

A silk knit:

 

[Wire9Vintage]

CrazyDaisy, that is one gorgeous sweater! Wow!

 

[Alice Blue]

Stunning, and you wear it beautifully! I love the blog post and the information about the pattern as well!

PS - I like the sleeve length in your version better.

 

[St. Louis]

Yes, that interpretation is spot on. I would never have known that it wasn't knitted directly from a pattern!

I have a question for the knitters here: I'm looking for a mid-1930s to early-1940s cardigan pattern. I know there are a ton of them out there (I have quite a few) but I want to knit something that won't kill me with boredom. I.e., not a straight stockinette cardi, but maybe something with a bit of a pattern or some colorwork. Any suggestions?

 

[Alice Blue]

I have a question for the knitters here: I'm looking for a mid-1930s to early-1940s cardigan pattern. I know there are a ton of them out there (I have quite a few) but I want to knit something that won't kill me with boredom. I.e., not a straight stockinette cardi, but maybe something with a bit of a pattern or some colorwork. Any suggestions?

As you say, there are any number of cardigan patterns out there. The Vintage Knitting Lady has categories, so you can see four pages of Fair Isle in one place here: http://www.thevintageknittinglady.co.uk/ladiesfairisle.html. Her site has lots of other patterns, with lots of textural interest. It's a good place to look at lots of things quickly.

I would rather work from an adapted multi-size pattern myself, so I'm hoping to make one of Susan Crawford's patterns. She has a few Fair Isle things, and lots of textured patterns. If you're up for some lace work, her "Kasha" cardigan is stunning: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/kasha .

 

[crazydaisy]

My latest blog entry is all about the ups and downs of having a cape knitted.

 

[crazydaisy]

And a self indulgent 20's style cardigan and hat combo.

 

[Antje]

My latest blog entry is all about the ups and downs of having a cape knitted.

Oh my, so pretty, but what a handfull of work

 

[crazydaisy]

Thanks you Antje - still needs even more work!

A more recent project that only got its first outing a couple of weeks ago; knitted in vintage Motoravia 4 ply wool this ensemble combines early to mid 30's elements and comes with a fun hat (more pictures on my blog)

 

[crazydaisy]

Tunic and hat combo:

 

[wahine]

Crazydaisy, you've done such a wonderful job on both of those outfits. I especially like the on in the second photo. I admire you for finishing such big projects! A pair of socks is about the biggest thing I can finish

 

[sheeplady]

Ladies- I have a question about the sizing of crochet patterns. I have a 1942 crochet book which has some infant patterns I would like to make. However, they have three sizes: infant, infant size 2, and infant size 3.

The babies in the "infant" sized patterns (the only ones with pictures) appear to be about 6 months or so. (Although in one picture the baby is standing hanging onto something. I don't think babies do that until at least 8-9 months, so who knows.) So I would guess infant size is 0-6 months. Do you think infant size 2 is 6-12 months, and infant size 3 is 12-18 months? That would seem to make sense since children become toddlers at 18 months.

Any ideas?

I could always just whip something up and find out, but I'm wondering if anyone has made anything infant sized.

 

[Babydoll]

Does it have a gauge, such as x number of stitches is y number of inches? You could take that and multiply it by how many stitches are in the final row of the pattern to figure out circumference of the hat. It will also depend on the size of the hook, yarn, and your tension. Your logic seems sound to me, but I've not worked with many vintage baby hat patterns to know that sizing scale. (Baby hats are my specialty, and what I sell the most of.)

 

[sheeplady]

Does it have a gauge, such as x number of stitches is y number of inches? You could take that and multiply it by how many stitches are in the final row of the pattern to figure out circumference of the hat. It will also depend on the size of the hook, yarn, and your tension. Your logic seems sound to me, but I've not worked with many vintage baby hat patterns to know that sizing scale. (Baby hats are my specialty, and what I sell the most of.)

Unfortunately there is no gauge on the baby patterns... can you believe that? There is gauge *and* sizing on the adult patterns (bust, waist, hips) but the infant patterns are anyone's guess.

Maybe I'll just whip up a size 3 and then see what size that comes out.

 

[Babydoll]

How old is the child the hat will be for? What size of clothing is the child wearing? That's how I estimate size for hat is clothing size. My daughter is almost 3 1/2 now, but she's still on the small side, so she can wear hats that she's had since she was 2. I think your idea of doing a size 3 sounds fine.

My favorite hook to work with for doing hats is a J. It allows for a bit of give in the yarn so the hat will stretch to accommodate the child's head.

 

[sheeplady]

How old is the child the hat will be for? What size of clothing is the child wearing? That's how I estimate size for hat is clothing size. My daughter is almost 3 1/2 now, but she's still on the small side, so she can wear hats that she's had since she was 2. I think your idea of doing a size 3 sounds fine.

My favorite hook to work with for doing hats is a J. It allows for a bit of give in the yarn so the hat will stretch to accommodate the child's head.

I'd like to make something in the 12 month size. There is a nice sweater that is in sizes 2 and 3, and there's a bonnet that I'd like to make that is un-sized (it's on the baby who looks about 9 months). It's nice to know the size J hook is a good bet. I crochet a bit loose, so that would make the bonnet bigger, which would be good.

Right now my daughter is 4 months. She's kinda long (75th percentile) and skinny (50th percentile), but she's got a big head (92nd percentile). I don't actually have much to compare her to so that's why I'm using the pediatrician's measurements (she's my first child and I have no clue about average infant sizing). She's slowed down *a lot* in growth since she was born- she was born in the 98th percentiles for weight, height, and head size and was out of her 0-3 month clothes at 6 weeks. So I would assume that she'd be tall but skinny given her trajectory. With a big head.

 

[Babydoll]

How big was she when she was born? My Lily was a peanut at 6 lbs 12 oz, and 19". She's now 31 lbs, and 37.5 inches. She's always been in the 10th percentile, so very much on the small side, but growing perfectly for her genetics according to her pediatrician. Newborn growth is amazing. From what I remember of Lily at that age, your daughter is right on track for a bit of a slow down from the initial growth spurt... right on time for her to start teething, rolling over, and discovering the world around her.

The lovely thing about trying sizing is that if it doesn't work out, you can frog it and repurpose the yarn into something else or make the hat bigger/smaller.. I'm doing that right now by frogging a few old projects that didn't work out. Rebuilding my stash of preemie and micro-preemie hats for donating to the NICU at the hospital where Lily was born. She had to be in the NICU for a bit, so I like taking hats over there for other parents that are going through what I went thru (and more).

 

[Babydoll]

I make Lily a hat each fall, and we take her to a local pumpkin farm for photos. Here are the hats (and her) for the first three years:

8 months old

autumnal colors with a super frilled flower

20 months old

dusty rose crazy stitch hat (pin was my Grandma's)

32 months (she had two hats this year)

auburgine cables crocheted hat

sparkly red swirl hat