A Draft from the Past - Toddler's Romper and Bonnet

This size 2 years, McCall's romper is made in one piece and has a matching sun bonnet.  It also has a matching doll and doll outfit.  Be still my desiccating ovaries!

McCalls 2322, vintage pattern for toddler's romper, bonnet and matching stuffed doll

In these days of sun awareness, the bonnet is perhaps ironic in contrast to the bare legs, arms and back of the romper. 

It is an impractical garment on so many levels.  Ties in the front because you totally trust a toddler with a self tie in front - yeah, right.  Solution - knot the buggery ties so hard that you lose all traction on that toilet training when the "Mummy, I need to gooooooo!" moment comes, as it so inevitably does.  That tie would definitely have to be extended to wrap around to the back.

The pattern instructions suggest lining the romper but state that it is optional.  It therefore gives no  instructions for how to go about lining the garment which is quite at odds with the over-engineering of the doll pattern.

Transfer for decorative stitching on doll

The doll pattern comes complete with original transfer to mark the decorative stitching.

This pattern is completely intact down to the transfer paper. It was never made by the original owner.

I am tempted to make this in a bright gingham or sweet Liberty print just because I can and not because it would be useful to anyone.

A Draft from the Past - half circle skirt

Madame Weigel does it again. 

This pattern is for a half circle (in one piece) skirt with faced waistband. 

It adorable but not even the slimmest of my adult friends, has a 24 inch waist.

The instructions and pieces are intact and I doubt the pattern has been used.

It would look so cute in a print with a crisp shirt and cardie or matching bolero.

As much as I love it, this one will be going on eBay - or speak up in the comments and we can do a deal if you'd like it.  That might keep me in pattern money for a little while.

A Draft from the Past - Overall or Sunsuit

I suspect that most of the patterns I bought in the bargain bundle were from the same family.  If I could put them in date order, I might be able to work out how many children and of which gender.  There's a lot of supposition in that sentence.

The second pattern I opened was another Madame Weigel's pattern.  This one for a child's overall or sunsuit (for Boy or Girl), 1 year.

Madame Weigel's pattern for child's overall or sun suit, age 1 year

There was no instruction sheet or illustrated list of pattern pieces for this one, but the instructions are on the back of the envelope and the pieces listed.  The only bit missing is the trouser patch pocket.

The pattern advises creating a waistband facing but provides no instruction.  A lot more assumed knowledge than on modern patterns.

My mother made us similar overalls as children, usually cut down from men's suits or corduroy trousers bought at op shops (yes, this apple didn't fall far from that tree).  She would have sewn down the straps to the back of the garment so there weren't buttons sticking into baby's back.  She would also have added length to the straps and sewn three or four button holes along the strap to allow for growth.

The bonus in this pattern is a redraft of the shoulder strap, or it could be a for a different garment.  The original shoulder strap is only an inch wide.  The sewer redrafted the piece on newsprint at half the length and double the width or the original.  I tend to agree with her - a useful strap for kids is quite wide.

Madame Weigel's pattern for child's overall or sun suit, age 1 year with hand-drafted pattern piece

The sewer used a pencil to write her cutting instructions:

FRONT STRAP FOUR OF THESE

Pencilled instructions on hand-drafted and altered pattern piece

The newspaper used is The Herald Sun, dated 1950.  That's as close as I can get and there are tantalising bits of advertisements on the paper.  On the side with the annotation is an advertisement for Ovaltine and on the reverse, part of a shop ad for New Look styled winter coats.

I wonder if the sewer attempted her own New Look coat?

A draft from the past - Carrying Coat

We were at a charity sale on the weekend (I know, how unusual!) where I found a small pile of vintage sewing patterns.

a selection of vintage sewing patterns from the bargain bundle

The price was low for the bundle, so they all came home with me.

I adore vintage textiles and their patterns, and thought I might have a go at sewing some of the children's patterns.

Vintage garments often have such beautiful details which I would love to be better at. Practicing on child sized garments seams a good way of acquiring skills while not investing in a large-woman sized garment's worth of fabric and time.

These old ones are single-sized, so it doesn't matter too much if they are cut.  With more modern multi-sized patterns, I'm less likely to buy cut patterns unless they are cut to the largest size.

The  first task when dealing with vintage or other second hand sewing patterns is to check that all the pieces are there.  This can be challenging as very old patterns do not have the pieces marked, you have to check them against the instruction sheet, if there is an instruction sheet.

This first one, an infant's carrying coat, is incomplete.  It is missing the sleeve which I may or may not choose to attempt to draft.

The pattern illustration gives two suggestions for construction - a smocked front and back below the bodice or a simple gather.  There is no for smocking design provided.  The instruction sheet says "Smock or shirr as desired".  Madame Weigel assumes a lot of skill.  The instructions for the hemming are "Turn hem on collar ... and spoke-stitch, - or it may be a faggoted band of rouleau."

Madame Weigel's pattern for and infant's carrying coat

The illustration also suggests either a peter pan collar or a pointed one, but there is only one pattern piece provided, the peter pan.

Now these patterns are delightful remnants of the past in themselves, but sometimes there are added joys.

There was, though, an added bonus - a pattern piece drafted on brown paper with hand notation.

Madame Weigel's pattern for and infant's carrying coat with hand drafted pattern piece

The piece does not belong to this pattern.  I could tell that by it's size, and by the shape of the piece which did not match the schema on the instruction sheet.  I could also tell by reading the notation:

Handwritten instructions on hand-drafted pattern piece

Bodice for pleated shirt

for Melva 4 years opening down back

1" 2" pleats face right to left

stitch down back of pleat

I get a thrill when I find these whispers from past sewers.  Was it Melva's mother who drafted this piece and wrote these instructions in fountain pen?  The paper from which the piece is cut has been crumpled ironed flat before drafting.  What did the paper wrap before it became Melva's bodice pattern?  There are only a few pinholes in the paper.  Was Melva growing so fast she only had one or two blouses from this pattern? Was the new baby so demanding Mum didn't have as much time to sew?

Yes, I can let my imagination get away with me at times.

But when, alas! he multiplies himself

It has come to this, a vintage knitting pattern destash.

Check out my flickr set for what's available. Vintage pattern books are$4, $2 or $1 each plus postage. There are also 3 issues of Spin-Off which are $5 each.

All patterns sold as is. These are vintage patterns. There are signs of use. Some have been hole punched.

If you see something you want, please email me with the name of the image, eg. Patons 123, and your address so I can check what postage will be. Generally, a single pattern within Australia will be $1.10 but if you want more than one pattern, that will change.

Direct credit into my nominated bank account only.

peggysmum AT yahoo DOT co DOT uk

YO! Diagonal garter stitch scarf recipe

RECIPE:
Using 50gm of 8-10ply thick and thin yarn and a 6.5mm needle, cast on 1 stitch.
Knit front, back and front into this stitch (3 stitches)
Next Row: Slip 1 purlwise, k across the row
Next Row: Slip 1 purlwise, k front and back in the remaining two stitches (5 stitches)
Increase Pattern:
Row 1: Slip 1 purlwise, k across the row
Row 2: Slip 1 purwise, k front and back of the next stitch, k to second last stitch, k front and back, k1. [I used a safety pin to mark this side of the fabric so I could keep track of my bias knit row - this made it a REALLY mindless knit]
Repeat rows 1 and 2 until you have 21 stitches on your needle, ending with a Row 1.
Main Pattern:
Row 1: Slip 1 purlwise, k front and back of the next stitch, k to last three stitches, k2yog, k1.
Row 2: Slip 1 purlwise, *yo, k2 tog, repeat from * to last
Row 3: Slip 1 purwise, k front and back of the next stitch, k to last three stitches, k2tog, k1.
Row 4: Slip 1 purlwise, k across the row
Repeat rows 3 and 4, 7 more times to complete pattern repeat.
Complete rows 1-7, 9 more times (10 pattern repeats), then rows 1 -4, once.
Decrease Pattern:
Row 1: Slip 1 purlwise, k2tog, k to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1
Row 2: Slip 1 purlwise, k across the row
Repeat rows 1 and 2 until 3 stitches remain.
K3tog, break of yarn, draw tail through stitch and darn in ends.
If necessary, lightly steam press under a cloth to block.
Finished dimensions of my scarf in this yarn were 9cm wide and 115cm long.
Fabulous quick knit (less than 4 hours) - great for handspun.

Pattern-Spotting

The realisation that I have become a sad little pattern-spotter has caused very little worry; which is a worry in itself.

Apologies that the Google doc is not available for viewing. If you would like to see it I am happy to email you a copy of the spreadsheet.

So here we have the pattern-spotter's guide to vintage Australian Patons pattern leaflets.


Leaflets of the late 1930s-1940s were black and white and looked a lot like this. Dimensions approx. 19cm x 24.5cm









In the 1950s and 60s, we got colour covers. Dimensons approx. 18cm x 23.5 cm










By the late 1960s and into the early 1970s when this first series of patterns numbered up to 1000 finished, they had color covers and measured 18 cm x 28 cm









The reprint series seem always to have had coloured covers, but not full colour. Someone who know about printing will probably tell me what process this was. They are identified by the "R" prefixing the number, and by their size. These are tidges at 13.5 cm x 21cm.








The craft series, identified by the "C" prefixing the pattern number are also small, initially. 13.5 cm x 21cm at first, they change dimension at the same time as the main pattern run does. So in the late 60s that are 18cm x 23.5 cm.

I have not included the Classics series. They begin in the late 1960s and are still published. Most of the more recent ones are reprints of earlier publications. The numbering and the patterns remain the same but the photography and leaflet size change.


The pattern-spotter's natural habitat is the op-shop and garage sale. She can be identified by the hand-knitted cardie, sensible shoes and woolly hat. She has been known to snoop in the craft cupboards of elderly relatives, capacious knitting bag gaping open at her side. She carries a notebook containing details of her pattern sightings and seeks out others of her kind. They congregate in coffee shops and bars where they share stories of their adventures and knit together. The more technologically advanced of them create blogs and websites to document their obsession collection.

They are mostly harmless and to be deeply pitied.

Patons Pattern Hunt

Over the years I've adopted different storage systems and classification arrangements of knitting pattern leaflets.

Storage systems used include

• hole punching and binders (I was 8, give me a break!),
• plastic sleeves and binders
• pamphlet boxes
• box files
• the "Lying Around on Any Available Flat Surface" method for which I have a patent pending.

Apart from hole punching they all have qualities to recommend them. My preference is for box files.

Classification schema have included

• Subject (babies, children, women, men, accessories, homewares, toys, dogs),
• Chronological (order in which they are received, usually in conjunction with the "Lying Around on Any Available Flat Surface" storage method)
• Favourites (often subdivided by subject) and
• Provenance (separate collections based on author or publisher with appropriate sub-divisions depending on the creator - usually chronological by publication date).

Because I am an archivist Provenance is my preferred method of arrangement but what I'd really like is to catalogue and index them all so I have a database searchable by designer, publisher, yarn, ply, size and pattern type. Because I am also a masochist, I've made a start.

Just before I went away for all those weeks, I sat down one evening and put the main run of the Patons patterns into numerical order. When I got back I spent another day or so trawling the various pattern storage devices for other patterns. I found many duplicates, most of which were offered around SnB members.


Patons produced a number of separate series of pattern leaflets in Australia. There are at least two single number series.

• Series 1 is numbered 1-1000 and runs from the 1930s to the early 1970s.
• Series 2 begins in the 1970s and seems still to be going.
• the craft series (number prefixed with the letter C),
• the reprint series (number prefixed with the letter R)
• the classics series.

I've collected the vintage (Series 1) Patons patterns off and on for years and was given a goodly number by Mum and Nanna. Now I want to complete the set if possible. It could be worse, I could collect vintage cars - I once created a catalogue for a collection of vintage cars and associated documentation and memorabilia for a friend's husband, I know what I'm talking about.

A spreadsheet was used to create a list of pattern numbers and colour coded to indicate which pattern numbers I have and in what condition. Grey indicates a pattern in good order and orange shows one that should be replaced if the opportunity arose and the price was right. Green means I'm on a promise for that one.


If you'd like to see the list, it's up on Google Documents.

A printout sits in my wallet with the needle gauge I habitually carry - what, don't you? I can check it whenever I come across a bundle of patterns for sale. Since compiling the list a fortnight ago it's been in constant use. Here's The Shopping Sherpa learning the system at the Salvos Tuggeranong. Why yes, that is a large basket of yarn in front of me - how odd. Please note this was before Seven Things Spring.

Time Thief Watch Cap Jr.

The arrival, imminent and actual, of the children and grandchildren of friends and colleagues has prompted several requests for a baby version of the Time Thief Watch Cap in the popular slip stitch pattern.

Yarn: 8 ply (dk) yarn. You'll need about 40g of the main colour (mc) and about 20g of the contrast colour (cc).

Needles: 1 x 40cm 3.75mm circular needle; 1 set 3.75mm dpns. The whole hat can be knitted on dpns if you prefer.

Notions: 1 darning needle for the endy bits, 1 stitch marker of choice.

Tension: 22.5 stitches and 30 rows over stocking stitch (or thereabouts)

Time investment: About 3 hours.

Sizing: To fit 0-3 mos (3-6 mos, 6-12 mos)

PATTERN

Band:
Using mc, cast on 72 (80, 88) stitches.
Place marker and join in the round.
K2, p2 rib for 10 rounds.
Knit 1 round (for turn up ridge)
K2, p2 for 3 rounds

Body:
Knit 9 rounds

Colour work pattern:
Round 1: Using cc, k1, slip 1
Round 2: Using cc, knit
Round 3: as row 2
Round 4: Using mc, slip 1, knit 1
Repeat rows 2-4, 4 (5, 6) times
Next round: Using mc, slip 1, knit 1
Continue in mc only, knit 2 rounds

Decreases: (change to dpns when necessary)
Round 1: *K6, k2 tog, repeat from *
Round 2 and every even round: knit
Round 3: *K5, k2 tog, repeat from *
Round 5: *K4, k2 tog repeat from *
Round 7: *K3, k2 tog, repeat from *
Round 9: *k2, k2 tog, repeat from *
Round 11: *k1, k2 tog, repeat from *
Round 13: k2 tog across round

Finishing:
Cut yarn leaving a tail of about 10cm (4"). Thread tail onto darning needle and run through all remaining stitches. Remove dpns and draw tail tightly. Pass the threaded needle through the cat's bum at the top and weave in. Weave in all ends. Turn up the brim at the turning ridge and bung on nearest baby's noggin.

Things you might like to know about how I knit this pattern.

• It's called the Time Thief Watch Cap because, quite literally, I knit it in stolen time - walking to work, standing in queues, during staff meetings, at red traffic lights (shhh) etc... It takes about 30 mins for the cast on and final decreases time, the rest is bonus knitting time.
• The fabric is meant to be reasonably tight to increase the moisture repelling properties and warmth of the hat.
• I used a cable cast on, you can use whatever method you prefer.
• I hate joining in the round so I knit the first round as a row and join at the beginning of the second round. The small gap is sewn together at the end with the tail from the cast on.
• When slip stitching, some people slip purlwise and then knit as normal in the next round. I slip knitwise and in the next round knit the slipped stitch through the back of the loop. This stops the stitch twisting.

Bulky Rib Beanies

Stash contains a large quantity of bulky wool purchased at an op-shop last year. The time has come to make inroads into it. It is Chinook "carded pure virgin Australian hand knitting wool" created here in Australia by Hycraft Spinners in Sydney and distrubed for Craftsmen Distributers Inc of Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.

It comes in 8oz (227g) balls that look quite like woolly cow pats. The wool is six thin singles wound into the ball. They are not plied in any sense.

Originally it was going to be felted projects, but I'm not happy with the results of any of the 9 test squares I did, so plain old knitting it is.

As I develop patterns for this yarn, I will post them here. The patterns are for my own reference, but if you have a bulky yarn that knits to a guage of about 9 stitches to 10cm on 10mm needles you are welcome to use them.

DOUBLE RIB BEANIE
Yarn: 90g, Chinook

Needles: 10mm (15 US, 000 Imperial)

Notions: darning needle for the sewing up

Tension: 9st to 10cm (4") over stocking stitch

To fit: adult

Pattern:

Using 10mm needles, loosely cast on 44 stitches.

Work double rib (k2, p2) for 20 rows.

Next row: k2 tog, p2 tog across work
Next row: p2 together across work
Next row: k2 together across work

Run yarn through remaining stitches and draw up.

Fold right sides together. Using matress stitch, sew seam.

Time Investment: About 1.5 hours

Clupea

Yarn: 100g of 14 ply (chunky, bulky, )

Needles: 6.5mm needles (Imperial 3, US 10.5)

Notions: darning needle for the endy bits, button (optional)

Tension: 14st to 10cm (4") over pattern

Finished Dimensions: 87 cm x 13cm (34" x 5")

Abbreviations:
k = knit
p = purl
sl = slip stitch with yarn in front of needle
yfrn = yarn forward round the needle

Pattern (Herringbone Lace Rib):
Cast on 22 stitches
Row 1 (right side): sl1, *p1, k1, yfrn, p2tog, k1, p1, k1; rep from * to end.
Row 2: sl1, *k2, yfrn, p2tog, k2, p1; rep from * to end.

Repeat these two rows until you're almost out of yarn, cast off.
Darn in ends.

Because this is a very short scarf, more of a necklet really, I sewed a button as a closure. The lacy pattern provides a button hole. It does up on my breast bone and the top of the scarf rolls a little to form a small shawl collar. I also chose to show off the reverse side of the pattern becuse you get to see the beautiful colours of the yarn better.


Right side of the pattern in a plain yarn.


Reverse side of the pattern in a plain yarn.


I bought this wool at the Wool Room Country Store in Young. It is 109g hand dyed and spun Corriedale.

After the endless black cotton of the Mary Ann wrap (nore on this at a later date), which followed the endless white cotton of the 39 wash cloths (almost half of which were in basic white), I was absolutely desperate for colour and woolly colour at that. This is gorgeous and springy and not blocked because I want that dense springiness to remain.

Many false starts and rechecking of the stitch dictionaries occurred and the first metre or so of the yarn was starting to show definite signs of fatigue before I settled on the Herringbone Lace Rib. I was really looking for a double sided pattern, but after the first few repeats of this pattern I fell in love. The back and front of this pattern are different, but they are equally lovely.