HOME                  SHOP                  ABOUT                  PORTFOLIO

Friday, April 2, 2010

Adventures in Knitting-Pattern-Land

patterns16

I want to use knitwear in my collection as it's a winter collection and knitting was BIG in the sixties. The only problem is that I know nothing about knitting, unless you want me to knit you a plain scarf that is wider at one end and has the occasional hole in it. So I asked my auntie for some sixties knitting and crochet patterns, not to knit myself of course (I think my knitting skills would have caused me to be socially outcast in the 'old days') but just to get some ideas for the collection. Going through old knitting patterns is always a guaranteed laugh, so I thought I'd share some of the funniest ones I found. Remember, Knitting-Pattern-Land is a very different place, where all families and couples wear matching outfits and the idea of knitting your own pants seems perfectly sensible. Come with me on a journey...

mitts

patterns21

patterns8
^Note the creases knitted into the little boy's shorts! My cousins are lucky I can't knit or they'd have this suit in every colour...

patterns2

patterns19
Is anyone else completely distracted by her fuzzy chest?

patterns3

patterns28

patterns1
I'd actually really like this one in a different colourway...

patterns11
The caption for this one says 'No man minds a woman wearing the pants when they look like this!' Ho ho ho! Ladies, you CAN be assertive, as long as you're wearing a revealing home-made jumpsuit.

patterns9

patterns24

Fast forward a couple of decades to 1987, and we discover that knits have gotten worse. Much, much worse.

patterns12

purple
You'll be pleased to note that anyone of 'average' skill can make this jumper for the low low price of $265!

patterns14
The girl on the left is Dannii Minogue, making an appearance in a celebrity knitting book. Yes.

Most of these patterns have been sitting in my 90-year-old auntie's cupboard for the last forty years so going through them left me itchy, sneezing and smelling like an old lady. Let's hope it was worth it.

Finally, if anyone is good at knitting and would like to help out with my collection and make a little bit of money, please contact me!

4 comments:

Martin-Oliver said...

Awesome this post! A couple of weeks I rented a book from the sixties. Love to see those things.

Avalonne Hall said...

Thanks for checking out my blog. I love the sixties. Awww the mod era is amazing. Love the silhouettes, the colors, the culture :)

brooke said...

haha "I'm wearing orange and purple, ace!" - hilarious! the 80's should never have happened - but every time i say that, my mum reminds me my parents were married in the 80s... xx

What Would a Nerd Wear said...

oh my gosh, those photos are amazing.
p.s. i totally need that purple fantasy sweater...