Tuesday 6 January 2015

Knitted With Love - 1930's Jumper

Another woolly post today!  Not a garment that I've completed this year, I'm not that speedy, but one I managed to squeeze in just before Christmas.

The jumper in question is the one I knitted for my mum.  In 2013, as well as giving shop bought gifts, I made my family and close friends a handmade Christmas present.  Some edible, some felty things, others woolly.

I hadn't really planned anything similar for 2014, we'd had such a busy run up to the festive season that making gifts for family hadn't even crossed my mind.  However, come mind November, I realised I'd be disappointed in myself if I didn't make something for my much loved parents (why do we put such pressure on ourselves??) so I sorted out the patterns and wool and cracked on!

My mum's pattern was an easy choice, it was one she'd long admired, a stylish long sleeved jumper from a pattern originally printed in "My Home" in May 1936.  


The pattern was found in "The 30s Family Knitting Book", edited by Jane Waller, and printed in 1981; proves that loving vintage isn't a "new" thing! 

I think the male model has a look of Dracula about him!
opted for Adriafil Azzurra in Azio Blue as she, unlike me, loves the pretty colour.  



I did struggle a bit with my tension on the sleeves.  They are worked from the top down, and the heavy size 8's with such few stitches on we're hard to handle, so I switched so short double ended needles, and that helped a bit.  I use metal needles, but am going to try some bamboo needles to see if they are easier to handle.

I'm really pleased with how the jumper turned out, and more importantly, so was Mum!  It's not my best work, I can see a couple of wrong stitches, but as I put on the gift tag, every stitch was done with love, and that counts for a lot in my book.

No chance to show you a picture of her wearing it yet, so you'll have to make so with some shots of it on the dummy :)  Please excuse the rubbish shots, they were taken on my phone one evening, and the light was appalling.







I'm currently working in a bolero in a scrumptious shade of mustard, and will soon be picking up the needles on my next commission piece xx

14 comments:

  1. What a lovely work! That collar is yummy!

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  2. That jumper is absolutely beautiful.
    Have you ever tried Bamboo knitting needles? I have been using them for about five years now, I had to use metal ones the other day, quickly gave up and sent for a pair of Bamboo ones
    Julie xxxxxxxx

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  3. That is lovely and you're so right about every stitch being made with love. I have a few of Jane Waller's books and they're a really great resource. Looking forwards to seeing the mustard coloured bolero and which pattern you knitted it from.

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  4. That's really lovely. I bet your mum looks fantastic in it.

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  5. I have a Vogue book from the 80s which is full of some reproductions of their favourite patterns throughout the twentieth century. Vintage is definitely not new! Ironically...

    That jumper is just amazing - what an incredible present to receive. Isn't a fantastic feeling to be working on something you know will be loved by its recipient? It makes all the hours of time spent on it worthwhile.

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  6. This is gorgeous, I wish I could knit! Lucky Mum

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  7. I haven't seen that book before, looks interesting. It is a lovely jumper, your mum must have been very pleased.

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  8. Lovely Lucy, I bet it looks a treat on your mum :) xx

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  9. That jumper is so very beautiful, it is so graceful.
    You are so talented, I really look forward to seeing what you knit.
    Fondly Michelle

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  10. That's a really pretty design, and I love the colour :)

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  11. I love the jumper and the colour. I'm sure your mum will love it.

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  12. Beautiful jumper, as always from you. I'm pleased you said there are a couple of duff stitches in it. Personally I think the imperfections add to the charm of hand knitting - you know that no one will ever have a jumper like that again no matter how many times the pattern is knitted. Looking forward to seeing the bolero. xx

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  13. I just found this same pattern in a Swedish magazine. There is the same photo, too. The magazine was published in 1936.

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  14. Very beautiful knit work, love all the details! I am happy I found your blog and how nice to share some vintage patterns with us. I appreciate this very much!

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