Woolcraft: 1940 and 1960

While in England, Guy's grandmother gave me two very old knitting books that she had tucked away in a craft drawer. One was a 1940 Patons & Baldwins' Woolcraft that belonged to her mother, and the other was the updated 1960 version, which belong to her. As she can't knit anymore, she thought she would pass them along.

They are amazing. Mostly they have patterns for baby things, lots of soakers and such, and they also have mens and women's patterns. Here are some of the highlights from the 1940s issue:


There ware several page devoted to techniques in each booklet, and 'brushing' is referred to quite a bit in the 1940s one:

 Isn't that neat? I've never seen that before. And it's not that angora yarns weren't readily available back then. Check out this ad on the back:

  I love it. Angora for preserving warmth and 'health'! I think they must have brushed their angora knits for extra fuzziness.

Here are some highlights from the 1960 issue:

I especially love some of the baby knits in this one, and there is a ladies 'vest' and 'spencer' that seems like a very cute sleep set. I'm defnitieyl going to try my hand at some of these patterns in the future, but I also find them really inspiring- it's interesting to see how the cut of clothing and evolved over the decades.

Rose Armwarmers- My Obsession

I was perusing the new Rowan (issue 48) on their website, and came across these lovely things ( I apologize for the slightly blurry screen capture):

I love the idea of these: the elaborate, old-fashioned roses knit into a lovely, simple arm warmer. I'm obsessed with making these for fall! But- I do not want to buy an issue of Rowan (which is mucho expensive here in Canada) for only one pattern. Which leads me to wonder why Rowan doesn't sell their patterns individually & online like so many other magazines, but whatever. Lamenting various realities will not get me closer to these mitts.  I'm thinking of searching out a lovely intarsia/fair isle rose pattern from something else, and incorporating them into the mitts. Sounds deliciously simple, right?

So I've been hunting through Ravelry patterns, looking for some lovely fair isle roses- but I feel like most of what I find is only 2 colour versions- the rose on a different colour background. I really like the many shades of pinks and reds in these roses, and the way it adds to that old-fashioned look. Any thoughts? Ideas? Have you seen anything like this in your travels through patterns? Any help would be welcome!

Thanks. You Guys are Awesome.

First off: You are all so awesome. I really loved reading your comments about the things you are doing, suggestions for helping me get out of my little funk, and commiserating about how you feel the same. It's really comforting to hear that a) I'm not the only one who feels a little out of sorts lately, and b) some of you are doing really awesome things, c) some excellent suggestions on busting out of the rut (Eliza, I'm seriously considering coming to visit, and I want in on your book club!) such as making new friends (Erica we're on for January!), volunteering, trying new things, taking classes, exercising, etc. I recommend you read some the comments, I re-read them all the time.

I think I'm going to take a few different classes in the new year. And some friends and I are getting together tonight to do a Christmas hamper for a family in need.G and I are planning a couple winter getaways to the cottage in the new year, and I think I really want to try dogsledding when we are there. As for travel outside of gigantic Canada, I can either go without my husband (always an option), or wait until he too can travel. We'll see.

I'm not sure how many people know this, but G is British, and since we got married in March, we've been going through the delightful immigration/visa process. We're really happy, but the process is a financial strain, and G can't travel out of Canada until the paperwork is finished. I suspect something about the perpetual holding pattern as well as the inability to travel has made me feel a little lackluster. It's funny how the second you can't do something (i.e., have a spontaneous weekend away to Vegas) that is what you most desperately crave.

Complete Subject Change: Have you seen this dress?

It looks like the collar part is detachable. According to Butcher Couture, It was made for a Breast Cancer awareness fundraiser. It's made entirely of organic merino. I bet it weighs 300 pounds. All I can say is- WOW. 


If you ever need a laugh, I really recommend you read the comments from the FOs of Cats Love Sweaters, a cat sweater pattern on Ravelry. Why was I looking at cat sweaters, you ask? I'm thinking of knitting on for little Yarn, since she often looks chilly. But I'm not too interested in knitting something that she won't wear, so I decided to go the Ravelry pages to see what others said about their cat's reactions. Oh. My. God. The Hilarity!!

I'm not knitting that much this past week, the social calendar is crammed with holiday gatherings and I'm helping a friend knit a gift for his significant other, which takes up the knitting time I do have left over! But I am working on a little original project, and have recently started this cardigan. I'm counting on the upcoming holidays to give me the time I need to finish a couple of projects!

Eye Candy

Have you seen the latest issue of Knitscene? I'm in love with it, there are so many great projects. Particularly high on my hit list are these two numbers:

And then I love these(minus the stripes):

I'm also really intrigued by this: I'm never quite sure what I think of ribbon yarn- it seems to knit up in a bulky, vaguely unflattering way, but maybe this knit will break the ribbon yarn curse. Hmm. Longer sleeves, of course. Also, in my daily tour de blogs, I somehow came across this great knitwear designer. I love her ethereal knits- all that big gauge but fine yarn airiness. Just lovely.

Talk About Knitting on the Town....

You all really need to go and look at this incredible article from The Daily Mail- it features a group of ladies from Mersham, Kent who have spent years knitting the entire village! The pictures of the knitted buildings are compared against their real life counterparts, and the details are incredible. Go look!

A Chanel Masterpiece: Train De Nuit

Audrey Tautou is breathtaking as the new face of Chanel. In the ad, she travels on the famed Orient Express to Istanbul. Jean-Pierre Jeunet directed the latest in the line of legendary advertising commercials. Audrey's love interest is smoking hot too, +5 . The full video was released today on the Chanel website. CHANELN5.COM You must watch it! Look at that cinematography. Song: Billie Holiday - “I’m A Fool To Want You”

This morning, on one of the many design blogs I like to cruise daily, I saw this and was completely stunned:
That is yarn made from recycled newspapers, people! It is the brainchild of Dutch designer Greetje van Tiem. Apparently she can make twenty yards of yarn from one deconstructed page. Check out this ottoman she knitted with it:

And around the homefront,I recently got this awesome double mug and cookie plate set from Dolamakes on Etsy: Llamas!! In love!!!
I think they look like alpacas, but I'm not going to argue with the artist. I love it SO much!!! Be sure to check out her wares, she does handpainted designs on recycled dishes.

I love Toronto

On any given night there's an absolute plethora of art events happening! Kevin and I saw three completely different gallery showings- two by accident. The first was a composite of 5 varying themes brought to life with graphite and paper. If I could sum up the artists work in one word- it would be fluidity. The artist captured the movements of fabric and body whether they were jumping or underwater it's not clear- but the fine use of chiaroscuro was. After we realized this wasn't the show we had gone to see we set out again, not realizing that first stop was only a preamble to the nights festivities! We happened by the next stop on pure luck- the designers were outside having a smoke and beckoned us in. I imagine we were looking like stylish people who could afford thousand dollar dresses-(dream #87 come true!) Soo, we lifted our chins a notch and waltzed in. Ever notice how much more confident you feel with loud clicking heels? I do. And immediately the first thing I see is this: This night's picking up! It was paired with an atached nude tank and a green pencil skirt. It stuck me as a modernized version of an ensemble for 'Eve'. Can you see it too? It's so simple- yet elegant. When you break it down it's just roving thats been twisted at intervals looped round, embellished with pearls and fabric stocking gloves covering wooden balls. I'd love to wear it, but I fear I'd come out looking like Simba. We scooped up some truffles, blackberries and blueberries and made our awkward-not-buying-anything-but-eating-their-food exit. We finally get to the intended gallery showing and it's much more scenester. I'd give it a 7 out of 10, -1 point for no fiber content, -1 for redcap beer, -1 for the lady who kept farting beside me. The artwork itself was all mixed mediums- video, painting, fashion design, photography and poetry. How I wish I had $350 to spend on art. I met a painter- Beth (Adam Parishil's new roommate), wholooks like Lindsay Lohan but 10x better and her boyfriend looks like Colin Farrell. But I digress.... Last year I knit Kevin quite possibly my finest beanie to date but the top knot had come undone from too much wear. Last night I presented him with the refurbished beanie. Made from 100% baby alpaca it's divinity comes from the blending of form and function. It's a simple cable rib pattern that anyone can dream up, but one that is timeless and chosen again and again for a reason. It just looks great! I wanted this knit to be very fine quality so I chose a needle (2mm) small enough that the stitch definition would pop. I made this so it would sit on inline with his eyebrow freckle. (hello! neurotic much?) Turns out Kev prefers to wear his hats off the forehead. (Note to self, note to Jules) I also did a different closure than normal, instead of stringing the remaining 8-10 stitches together, I decreased to 6sts remaining and cast off using the 1 over method and then knotted the stitch a few times. This baby's not coming undone again. "emo time"

The grass is greener...

Ofcourse, since I'm locked into a project there are about a hundred other things that I want to knit. Hell, I almost picked up my discarded tuscany shawl! (*gasps from the peanut gallery*) I've scoured library books and found my next project. It's a gorgeous slouchy hobo from KnitKnit: Profiles + Projects from Knitting's New Wave I believe. I was looking at so many books that I'm not 100% sure anymore.(Edit: It is the KnitKnit book. I just bought it!) Either way the book is great! Each designer not only has a cool project, but they go in depth about the knitter rather than a small blurb. I found it a great insight to how or rather why people design what they do. Some of the projects are off the wall, but it was some nice insight. I also loved these projects from various books for inspiration Knitted Nails! Embellished Pillowcases Seed stitch kimono wrap *sigh* Almost done the montegos, Had I known it would be such a commitment when I agreed to them.... Oh well. I feel good churning each one out. Hopefully tonight I'll finish the last one and fringe it tomorrow. How did you guys like fringe on the Origin Montego? Should I add more strands to make it more substantial?

Because We All Love a Good Preview

The Interweave Knits Winter 2007 preview is up!! And get this- there are new models.

I did some skulking on the Ravelry discussion board on this issue, and it seems that a lot of people felt that the new models were a bit too 'supermodel'. Personally, I love the fact that they are different models, but some felt that they were a bit on the thin side. Some felt that the poses and the general feel of the magazine were a bit too high fashion. But then Eunny Jang, IK editor, weighed in, and said that they were trying some new things with the photography and models. I'm interested to see the continued evolution of IK.

Gotta love Ravelry, where even the editor of the knit magazine contributes to the conversation. I think IK just went up about another 100 point in my esteem, just because that kind of approachable behaviour. Yay, Eunny!

Here's a quick roundup of my faves from this issue: This is definitely going in my queue, although I'm very interested to see what others do with it- if it's not spot on, is that bust area completely unforgiving? I love the acres of stockinette- I love knitting stockinette, I find it very Zen (and very good for zoning out on the subway). And how about making this a bit longer, so I don't need the sequined Studio 54 tank underneath? Yeah. Longer.
I love this henley, but I'm not sure what I think about that collar. I love that lace detail, and despite my love of stockinette, I think it would look better if the lace pattern went all the way down. Hmmmmm.
Love this fair isle vest! Although I have a weird coloured collection of buttoned shirts, I would want to work all their colours in, so I could wear it with all of them.
This is brillant. No more removing of mittens to fumble in my purse for my subway pass in the winter! Although I like my mittens slightly less pointy, so I would round that part out a bit more.
I love this Celtic Tote, but I also love the brown leather jacket and the orange cap. I want this whole outfit, really. I'm interested to see other people's colour choices for this one, which is sure to be popular.

Stay tuned- A Gallery Jacket update will be up before the end of the week!

Designer Knits- they are asking for it....

I, like many who have gone before me, have fallen in love with a stupidly expensive sweater:
This is a $650 (US) Burberry sweater. That's right, they are charging $650 for garter stitch. But as you know, being a knitter means you've been behind the curtain at Oz, you know how the whole thing works. So I did what any sane knitter would do- I took that obscenely expensive sweater into the change room,whipped out my measuring tape, and made a lot of notes, very quickly:
The xs size stats are as follows:
- Length: 18.5", Bust: 31", Sleeve: 12", Waist: 29"
- Gauge: 6sts/inch (body), 7sts/inch (mandarin collar)
- Belt is a 1"-wide tube of stockinette, pressed flat. belt loops are also stockinette, sewn on.
- 2" high mandarin collar
- Edges of front panels have slipped stitch edges
- Hem has some sort of tublar cast on
- Buttons are 3" apart
- Raglan sleeves

It gets it's cuddly softness from being a squishy 70% alpaca/30% silk blend. What do you guys think? Did I miss anything in my stats gathering?