Knitting Nostalgia: Knitwear 1920-1950

by Jill Jago, Jacque Evans, Jill Furmanovsky (Photographer)

Book by Jago, Jill, Evans, Jacque

Genres: Knitting

104 pages, Hardcover

First published March 7, 1986

Reviews

[Ligaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really lovely patterns from the 1920s-50s that have been reworked in modern yarns, and despite this being published in 1985, they still work today. From what I can tell, and what the authors say, the silhouettes have been tweaked slightly. Many pieces call for a maddeningly fine gauge yarn. The Bunch of Grapes twin set pattern is COVERED with bobbles, so much that you'll lose your mind bobbling! The men's patterns are mostly vests and not nearly as successful as the woman's. If you love vintage knits, this one is for you.

[Tonileg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knitting nostalgia: Knitwear 1920 - 1950, Today's styles from yesterday's designs.
That has got to be the longest title of a book that I have ever bought for 2.50 British pounds at a little used bookstore in Warwick, England. Patterns fitted to inches and centimeters with a small, medium and large = 34inch bust, 36inch and 38 inch bust = size 4, 6 and 8 American or 8, 10, 12 UK or 38, 40, 42 Franch system. Sometimes there is also a 40inch bust pattern added.

Alma - Woman's sweater, G= 28sts and 36 rows for 10cm2 on 3.25mm needles (9,9,10 balls of 50g)
Linda - Woman's sweater G= 22sts and 29 rows for 10cm2 on 4mm (7,7,8balls for 50g)
Scarves
Ina - Woman's sweater G= 28sts and 36 rows for 10cm2 on 3.25mm needles
Betty - - Woman's sweater G= 22sts and 30 rows for 10cm2 on 4mm needles
Gauntlet gloves
cottage tea cosy
Sam - - Man's sweater G=22sts and 30 rows on 10cm2 on 4mm (12,13,14balls for sleeves or 9,10,10balls for sleeveless version of 50g)
Cicely - Woman's sweater G= 24sts and 56 rows for 10cm2 on 3.25mm needles
Rosina - Woman's sweater G= 22sts and 30 rows for 10cm2 on 4mm needles (8,9,9,10 balls of 50g)
Leonard - Man's sweater G= 15sts and 20 rows for 10cm2 on 6mm needles (8,9,10 balls of 50g)
Sheila - Woman's sweater G= 24sts and 48 rows for 10cm2 on 3.25mm needles (4,5 + contrast 1,1 + second contrast color 1,1 balls of 50g)
Lilian - Woman's sweater G= 28sts and 36 rows for 10cm2 on 3.25mm needles
Faith - Woman's hat with seam detail
Freda - Woman's sweater G= 24sts and 56 rows for 10cm2 on 3.25mm needles (Main color 6,6,7,7 + contrast color 6,6,7,7 balls of 50g)
Ronald and Rona - His and hers cardigan
Herbert - Man's sweater G= 22sts and 40 rows for 10cm2 on 4mm needles (Main color 4,4,4,5 + contrast color 2,2,2,2 balls of 50g)
Bunch of grapes - Woman's jumper G= 28sts and 36 rows for 10cm2 on 3.25mm needles (shortsleeve pullover 8,8,9,9 or for cardigan 10,11,11,12 balls of 50g)
Barbara - Woman's sweater G= 28sts and 36 rows for 10cm2 on 3.25mm needles
Two turbans
Beryl - Woman's sweater G= 19sts and 25 rows for 10cm2 on 5mm needles (5,6,6,7 balls of 40g)
Summertime - woman's patterned top G= 22sts and 29 rows for 10cm2 on 4mm needles
Lilli - woman's cowl-neck top G= 15 sts and 30 rows for 10cm2 on 6mm needles (Main 5,6,6,6 + contrast color 4,4,5,5 balls of 50g)

104 pages and delicious vintage sweater patterns with really 80's style photos added which just makes me laugh with pleasure.
4 stars

[Abbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bottom line: Lovely retro designs updated with modern color palettes (and some regrettably odd fuzzy yarns, alas). A good book for intermediate-to-experienced knitters, with decent instructions, but sizing is very small - largest size used is 38"; photos good.

This pattern book is photographed very well, and shows not only a current-day interpretation of each style but also its original article/advertisement; this format is very interesting. The sweaters are presented well and the patterns seem clearly written. Many of the sweaters look very nice - indeed, I'd love to try making them, but the sizing is no-where near what I'd need. The very largest size they offer patterns in is 38, and it's considered to be "large", and sometimes even "extra-large"! (small=32,M34,L36"). Of no use to this plus-sized knitter, and likely very many other potential, rather smaller-sized, readers as well. An experienced knitter can extrapolate a size or two up in scale without much trouble, but I'm not enthralled enough with any of the patterns to attempt to rewrite the patterns far, far up to my size 2x. The large book is nice to look at, but would have benefited greatly by being spiral-bound as would all knitting books, in my opinion. Decent book, but far too narrow in scope.