Drop by and see what I'm working on at the moment!
Crikey it’s opening night down at the old Skiff Vintage Knitting Club … the martinis are flowing, the piano player’s in full flow and your investigative reporter (that’s me) is grabbing the moment and chatting to any happy souls who happen to pass through and spend a few moments reclining on the red velvet chaise. I’m fascinated by what drives other vintage knitters on, and I’ll be inviting inspirational ladies (and gents) to join me in Skiff’s exclusive basement club … the company’s scintillating, the answers are fascinating and every Q&A will tell a personal story, not just about vintage knitting, but what makes knitters tick in general.
First to join me is the lovely (and prolific) Susan Crawford, knitwear designer, lecturer, co-author of ‘A Stitch in Time, Vintage Knitting and Crochet Patterns 1921-1949′ and the editor of Knit On The Net … did I mention she was prolific? Step inside and help yourself to some canapés …
Lee Target's 1960s Knitted Hats
Autumn has very definitely arrived, blustering and swearing, and winter is slouching round the corner having a crafty cig, so I’ve got some rather lovely winter patterns lined up for my long dark nights trying to keep out of their way. As well as a pair of 1940s fair isle mittens (more of which later), I’ve got my eye on some fantastic hats, including a knitted Patons ‘Svengali’ trilby.
Knitting hats and mittens is a great way of breaking up the larger, more complex and intricate pieces and I feel like I can return to a particular jumper I’m working on at the moment (14 rows to the inch, ouch) with renewed vigour. Okay there’s an element of truth in that last statement but really I’m fooling no-one - I’m procrastinating again. Problem is if I see a cute pattern I can’t resist I have to get going on it right away so, with one mitten down and one to go, I’m eyeing up wool for hats.
I really love the cheeky Lee Target pattern pictured above, such a great slice of late ’50s/early ’60s imagery. So if you need a new titfer and a bit of a knitting diversion while you stay out of Winter’s way, check out Skiff’s vintage hat patterns - anyone who manages to re-create the scene of the Lee Target one, please send pictures and you’ll get a free pattern!
My Knit a Poppy Effort (any likeness between me and the model purely coincidental)
It’s not too late to show your respect in knitted form for those who fell in the great wars (and continue to fall in more recent wars). This wonderful poppy brooch pattern costs £2 to download from Knit On The Net, all proceeds go to the Poppy Appeal (the pattern is only available until midnight on 12th November 2009 so not long to go now).
I think it’s a rather apt way to express your remembrance, particularly appropriate as the ‘Make Do & Mend’ ethos from the WWII era is so relevant and popular today (fortunately for us for different reasons). Knit on the Net have raised over £500 so far - help them push it up to £1000.
P.S. 2 days on and the total is up to £1980 - keep going!
er ... Joyce Meader?
The excellent ‘I Knit London’ are holding a weekender from 11th - 12th September with scheduled events including workshops, classes and presentations.
I spotted a couple of workshops to lure the vintage knitter: the first one features Susan Crawford (knitwear designer, knitting teacher and lecturer in fashion and textiles). Susan is co-author (and publisher) of the newly republished A Stitch in Time, apparently her presentation on Vintage Knitwear is not to be missed! You can catch Susan on Friday 11th September between 4pm - 6pm.
The second one is held by Joyce Meader, an historical hand-knitting expert. She has a wide and extensive collection of commercially printed patterns from the 1840s to the present day which are used to hand knit items for museums, re-enactors and for private commissions. Joyce will be hosting a free presentation and discussion of Knitted Comforts for Your Soldiers from Crimea to Today and showing some of her vast collection on Saturday 12th September between 12pm - 2pm.
You can find more information on these events at the I Knit London website.
it holds wool too!
A frantic late-night, last-minute bidding frenzy saw the the latest addition to my ‘wish-it-was-the-40s’ vintage knitting fest arriving on my doormat yesterday. It’s pink, it’s bakelite, it goes rather nicely with my vintage Lee Target Campanula wool.
I love it in a way that’s bordering on pointlessness (apart from the fact that it has a purpose and is actually extremely practical). The bottom screws off to put the wool in, and there’s a handy needle gauge incorporated. I’m thinking of petitioning Patons to re-make them in a range of colours, but then plastic just wouldn’t cut it in the way that bakelite does. Feels so solid and smooth and satisfying.
They were manufactured between 1930-1960, although I’m not geek enough to know if there are any ways of checking the dates through any design quirks (anyone out there got any more details?). They come in green, red, orange, cream and blue too … I feel a senseless collection coming on.
Watch out for that right hook
I know it’s a bit old hat to laugh patronisingly at kitsch and quirky images from yesteryear … but check out this kitsch and quirky vintage knitting pattern I just came across (laughs patronisingly).
Looks like a lot of thought went into setting up this mis en scene, so I’m trying to get imagine the storyboard meeting: man comes home from work, he’s been slogging at a dull 9-5 he hates. The boss hates him, the feeling’s mutual, he feels impotent and frustrated … but he’s got dreams, he’ll fight his way out of this somehow. He opens the door and finds a bunch of women in his living room - they are (from l to r) his sister-in-law, his sister and his wife. This irritates him even more - he’s out earning a dollar while they sit at home chatting and knitting. But wait, what’s this? Darn them all, they’re wearing HIS SWEATERS!
He threatens them with a right hook - they laugh coquettishly, they’ve seen it all before, he’ll never carry out his threat. But maybe he will this time, maybe this is just enough to push him over the edge …
Well, whatever the outcome, I figure the formidable lady on the far left would give as good as she gets so he’d better watch out.
![Sirdar \](http://www.skiffvintageknittingpatterns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/thumbnails/thumb-363.jpg "Sirdar \")
![Easily Made \](http://www.skiffvintageknittingpatterns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/thumbnails/thumb-362.jpg "Easily Made \")
![Emu \](http://www.skiffvintageknittingpatterns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/thumbnails/thumb-361.jpg "Emu \")
![Greenock \](http://www.skiffvintageknittingpatterns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/thumbnails/thumb-360.jpg "Greenock \")