I’m not sure why I waited so long (oh yes, I kept forgetting!) but I finally pre-ordered A Stitch in Time, Volume 2. I am so excited for this book!
Susan Crawford (who blogs at Just Call Me Ruby) and Jane Crawford also put out A Stitch in Time, Volume 1, which includes dozens of vintage knitting patterns, re-worked slightly for different sizes (since we know most vintage knitting patterns only come in one size) and minor tweaks, but staying true to the original patterns. And Susan also wrote Vintage Gifts to Knit, a book of her own vintage-inspired knitting patterns. That’s the book my Perfect Christmas Jumper came from.
I sometimes feel like the crafty blogosphere is chock full of sewists who are enthusiastic about vintage sewing, but those interested in vintage knitting are a little fewer and further between. That’s one of the reasons I started the Briar Rose Vintage Knit-along, and I’ll probably continue with other vintage knit-alongs in the future. And that’s also one of the reasons why I love Susan’s books, because not only do they appeal to us vintage-obsessed knitters in the crowd, but as I’ve seen, they’ve appealed to knitters who typically look to more modern styles as their influence, too.
Here’s a few preview photos that they’ve published from the book. This pattern is called the Jan Sweater (Ravelry pattern page) and was originally published in 1938. Look at the chevroning on the front and the back!
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| © Arbour House Publishing |
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| © Arbour House Publishing |
This is knit in fingering weight, and I’m loving it in light yellow just as shown (though I’m lacking the enviable platinum hair of the model, lol). I’m thinking a cotton blend for summer, like KnitPicks Comfy in Semolina, or Brown Sheep Cotton Fine in Sunflower Gold or Buttercream. I have narrow shoulders so I imagine if I knit this, I would alter the boatneck slightly.
There’s also Gathered Neckline With Bow (Ravelry pattern page). Isn’t it gorgeous? (As an aside, I discovered through Ravelry sometime ago that this model is a knitter!)
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| © Arbour House Publishing |
I love that the bow is a wearably small size, and like the little picot detail on the sleeves, bow and neckband. This one is actually knit in laceweight, and would be beautiful with a subtly variegated hand-dyed yarn. (It’s funny that I wrote this, because I thought of that and only then went to see what yarn was used. Turns out it’s from British indie dyer, Posh Yarns.) This could layer nicely under a cardigan, don’t you think? I think both of these patterns would be suitable for beginning sweater knitters, too!
Here’s the cool thing I discovered when I pre-ordered the book: you get a copy of the Jan Sweater as a .pdf!
Anyway, I can’t wait for this Volume 2 to be released. I’ve thumbed through Volume 1 so many times I can’t even count. It’s a fantastic resource with a wealth of information and tips inside, and I think it’s wonderful that they included the original vintage patterns alongside their revisions of them. Due to my own distractions I have yet to complete anything from the book, however, though I might have cast on a little something Thursday evening before I’d quite completed Briar Rose…
The pattern is It Cannot Fail to Please (Ravelry pattern page). Don’t you just love the names of some vintage patterns (well, the ones that aren’t like “No. 45 with Long Sleeves”)? I really wanted to use this yarn from my stash, Cascade Ultra Pima, a DK weight cotton, but I also really wanted to knit this pattern, which called for fingering weight. I swatched, did some math, and I’m off and sailing with my modified gauge. I’ll talk about that more the further I get into the project, but if you’d like, you can follow along on my Ravelry project page.
Any other vintage knits on your needles, or that you’re planning? Do share!