Ladies Three-Quarter Sleeve Cardigan - The Beginning

The yarn has been calling to me for a year and a half. I finally had to start the project.

I inherited a stash of almost vintage yarn from a friend of my mom’s. There are plenty of yarns in the stash that were really nice and colors and weights that I want to make things (sweaters, hats, vests) with. There were a couple of yarns in the stash that I didn’t particularly like, but for some reason couldn’t get rid of them. Something about them made me want to hang on to them and use them together in a project. It’s the weirdest thing. 

I don’t really like the color of one of the yarns in this new project, but I liked it with the second color of yarn. I’m not sure they even go well when put together. But there you go, I couldn’t get rid of the yarn, so I had to come up with something that would use both yarns in a single project. 

Bernat Berella & Unger Utopia yarns.

I was clicking through our patterns one morning and came across this pattern, the 1950s Three Quarter Sleeve Cardigan Sweater - Knit pattern. The pattern called for mohair yarn, but I don’t enjoy working with mohair yarn…it’s almost impossible to rip out stitches when I mess up stitches.

1950s Three Quarter Sleeve Cardigan Sweater - Knit pattern PDF 0858

I started with a swatch to test the pattern. I hadn’t done a slip stitch pattern before and I couldn’t figure out how the stitches were going to work together to create the design. It turns out the pattern rows are easily memorized and even easier to knit.

Test swatch, using scrap yarn.

The yarns were perfect for the jacket. It’s pretty neat looking in-person. Using the darker yarn as the secondary color means that the color pops look more like shadows - they are subtle.

I have 4 skeins of the lighter/main color and 3 skeins of the darker/contrast color. I searched online and could not find any yardage information for the Bear Brand Curlicue or the Fleisher’s Curlette yarns. That isn’t too surprising. Back in the olden days, yardage wasn’t generally included on the label. The original yarns were worsted weight. Here's a link to theVintage Yarn Wikia page for info on yarn information we've run across over the years.

The pattern calls for 11 ounces of the main color and 6 ounces of the contrast color.  I have 14.10 ounces of the light and 10.5ounces of the dark yarns.  Here’s hoping I have enough to make the sweater.

Slip stitch pattern.

The project details:

• Yarn 1: Unger Utopia, Color: 171, 100% Courtelle Acrylic, 240 yards/skein.
• Yarn 2: Color: Bernat Berella, Color: 8815/Antq Rose, 100% Acrylic, 200+ yards/skein.
• Needles: 8 US. Chaiogoo Stainless Steel.
• Gauge: 5 sts = 1 inch (per the pattern).

I should have pics of the started project shortly. Fall baseball has started and we have some Saturday games where I will have to be knitting to calm my nerves.

Happy Knitting!

 

1940s Jiffy Raglan Sleeve Sweater - A Quick and Easy Knit

I thought I had posted pics of the 1940s Jiffy Raglan Sleeve Sweater Button Front (knit) a while back, but that was not the case. So, without further ado, are pics of the sweater.

We posted this pattern quite a while ago, and I had always been intrigued by the "Jiffy" part of the title. It turns out that this really was a quick knit. I know I have mentioned that I may be the world's slowest knitter. I am always hopeful that my knitting speed will increase, but it has not yet happened, so I was amazed at how fast I was able to knit this sweater.

I used some "vintage" Lion Brand Wool Ease that I had purchased years and years ago to make my husband a sweater vest. The yarn is a navy/light blue twist - an acrylic and wool blend.

The vest didn't happen because he thought I was a little nuts to be making him a sweater vest. So, the yarn sat in my stash, maturing like a fine wine, waiting for the perfect project to come along.

It can be difficult to find vintage patterns that use worsted weight yarn. That's why I like this pattern. Large yarn, easy directions.

The pic on the left is a close-up of the lacy, yarn-over stitch used for the majority of the sweater. 

I found the use of stitch markers invaluable when it came to working the yoke. The raglan increases were easier to see when I used the markers. The button band was crocheted on, and so much easier than I expected. 

In vintage terms this is a 16-18 sized pattern. I currently wear a medium or large in sweaters. That would put this sweater more in the 12-14 size range, depending on how aggressively you block the sweater.

Happy knitting!

My hat is jinxed

Have you ever felt that a project, no matter how great you think it will turn out, is jinxed? My rolled brim cloche is one of those projects. I know I made one in the past year, but after cleaning my sewing and knitting spaces (really cleaning not just a pretend cleaning), I could not find it. So I started another one out of the taupe yarn leftover from the first cloche. But in a massive lapse in judgment I left it sitting out one night and the cats got to it and pretty much destroyed it. The indoor cats almost became outdoor cats the morning I discovered that they had thrown a shredding party with my hat.

So, I started on hat number 3. Number 3. New yarn, new needles, new project bag to store it in. Hat #3 took a little longer than the other ones. I think the pattern may have worn me down a little. But I finally prevailed over the hat, the yarn, and the cats. I haven't had much luck taking a picture of myself wearing it, and my sons definitely will not wear it for a picture. So for the time being, we are offering a picture of the finished hat sitting on my ironing board. 

Taaa-daaaa!

 

Along the way, I took some photos of the hat. The hat starts off knit back and forth, then it is seamed before the "brim" portion is knit in the round.

The back seam being stitched together.

Front view after the back seam had been stitched.

Top view of the unfinished hat.

So, the lesson learned on this project. Always put things away when you are done working or playing with them. Geez, that sounds an awful lot like what I tell the boys 30 times a day.

The Shrug is Finished!

When I started the shrug from the Modern Twin Set I immediately saw the shrug as something that would be perfect for my mother-in-law. She likes shrugs and boleros, and the green would be perfect for her coloring.

The pattern calls for gimp to be crocheted along the edges of the shrug. I didn't have gimp, and I didn't have easy access to a ball or skein of it, either. I ended up buying Vanna's Choice Glamour yarn and using that in place of the gimp. It's a nice sparkly, light-weight yarn (#2/sport/fine/baby weight). The color is "Platinum," a bright grey yarn with silver sparkle woven through it. It looks so pretty with the sheen of the cotton yarn.

Because it is a rib knit, I didn't block the finished garment. That's a great thing! No muss, no fuss when it comes to finishing the shrug. Blocking might have killed the elasticity of the ribbing.

This was the first garment I've ever seamed. I had managed to make hats, scarves and cowls that don't need to be seamed. I did everything in the round. I was a bit apprehensive about the seaming, but purlebee.com had a super tutorial on how to do the Mattress Stitch. It wasn't nearly as scary as I had imagined.

The 2x2 rib is amazingly stretchy. The shrug fits my mother-in-law and my 11 year old niece. While it looks slightly large on my niece, it still looks nice.

Here's what...

While I normally hate cotton yarn, I would definitely use the Vendome Raps 100% cotton yarn again if I can find it. It is soft and silky and has such a pretty sheen to it. I may just start scouring the internet for it. 

I really like the pattern, as well. In fact, I would like to make it again.  As a 2x2 rib, it is is mindless knit: making it easy to find mistakes, and even easier to fix them. This pattern seems like it would be really easy to enlarge.

The pattern for the Modern Twin Set can be found in our Etsy store.

Happy knitting!

The Bonham Fascinator

We have a completed project to show off. . . the Bonham Fascinator from the 1940s Fascinators Mantilla Head Coverings Scarf - 4 Knit and Crochet patterns.

This is a knit lace project. When Alison sent me the pattern, I immediately fell in love with it and had to make it.  I saw the black sparkly yarn and knew immediately that I was going to use it for the fascinator. I wasn't really thinking about how well the yarn would photograph. Turns out, black is really difficult to take a great picture of. That's why we have included a picture of the lace made in a dusty rose yarn.

Finished size: 55 x 22 inches (not including fringe).
I made slightly smaller than pattern called for.

Materials used:Vanna's Glamour Yarn
     - Yarn weight: Category 2 - Fine
     - Content: 96% polyester, 4% metallic
Circular knitting needles, size 10 1/2

The bobble sample:

Sample was knit with two different needle sizes. 

The top section was knit on size 8 needles. The lace is tighter and the bobbles are smaller. 

The bottom section was knit on size 10 1/2 needles. The bobbles are bigger and the lace is more open. The sample was not blocked.

Close-up of the bobbles.

 Blocking the fascinator:

On the blocking mats. It is neat to see the yarn relax and the lace pattern come to life.

I steam blocked the poly/metallic yarn. I started by inserting the blocking wires into the edges of the fascinator. Once I had the blocking wires placed how I wanted them, I pinned the wires to the mat (pins went in front of the wires to keep them from moving back and forth on the mat). Once everything was pinned down, I covered the edging with towels to keep them from flattening out with the steam. I made an edging sample to see if I liked the blocked or unblocked look. The blocked edging looked flat and lifeless to me.

Steam blocking the fascinator.
The iron does not touch the yarn. It is held above the yarn.

I held the iron several inches above the fascinator for several seconds and steamed it like crazy. This was the second time I had steam blocked a synthetic fiber, and I really like this method. It makes the shawl lay flat, and really makes the lace pattern open up. All in a relatively quick manner. I don't really have the space to wet block items, and even if I did our cats would have a heyday picking at the project.

Once I finished steaming the fascinator, I let it lay on the mat until it was completely dry. 

I purchased anti-fatigue mats from a tool company for blocking my projects. I join them together to make a blocking area that fits my project.

The pattern can be found in our Etsy store.

Free Monthly Pattern Download for May

We are back and we have a new pattern to share. . . .

Spring has sprung and summer is just around the corner. Channel the 1940s in this one-of-a-kind ribbed bandeaux summer top/bathing suit top. This knit pattern will draw all eyes to you.

Click on the pattern link or check out the "Free Monthly Pattern Downloads" page to be taken to the free pattern compliments of eStitched.

 

Pattern Info:

3-ply Fingering yarn:

*  4 balls of color A for one ribbed bandeau

*  4 balls of color B for other ribbed bandeau or

*  2 balls of colors A and C for the striped bandeau

 1 pair 14-inch No. 2 Straight Knitting Needles

Steel Crochet Hook No. 2

1 yard Round Milliners' Elastic for each bandeau

Gauge: 

Ribbing -- 10 rows make 1 inch; 

Stripes -- 8 sts make 1 inch.

Bag Socks (Knit Project)

From the Footlets Shoe Socks and Carry and Fold Socks or Slippers - Knit pattern:
Carry a pair in your purse to change with your snow boots or wear for bed socks or traveling slippers. This useful accessory takes only 1 (2 oz) skein of Canadiana, the Shrink Resistant and Mothproofed pure wool, two No. 8 Beehive Knitting Needles, and 1-No.G Plastic Crochet Hook (American Gauge).

These Bag Socks were a quick and easy project. The yarn is worsted weight, and the needles are big. Each sock took about 45 minutes to knit - and I'm not a super fast knitter. The crocheted edging works up quick as well.

The pattern calls for the sock and edging to be knit from the same yarn. I wanted the edging to show up on the sock so I used a contrasting color.

I used an acrylic yarn, because I have a lot of it. These little guys would be great to throw in your bag when visiting others. Quite a few people we know have a "shoes off at the door" policy. I always have cold feet, so these little bag slipper socks would provide a bit of warmth. The slippers would be nice in bed to keep feet toasty warm. But made in wool, they would be fantastic - so warm and cozy. If they were made from superwash wool, they could be thrown in the washer and dryer for easy cleaning without the worry of felting or shrinking.

We have been really busy with sports and school and I haven't had time to corral my son to have him take pics. So, I had to take these pics myself.  I have to say, the little guy is so much better at taking these shots than I am.

Free Monthly Pattern Download for February

This month's free pattern is a halter top. Start one now to have it completed in time for summer wearing. Click on the pattern link or check out the "Free Monthly Pattern Downloads" page to be taken to the free pattern compliments of eStitched.

Fascinated

We have just posted some new patterns at our Etsy store store. We have added a group of four fascinators from the 1940's that are knit or crocheted. When Alison showed me the patterns, I almost fell over with excitement - and an intense desire to make them. I thought they were headscarves, but the pattern calls them fascinators.

Bonham Fascinator