Collecting Vintage Knitting Patterns...

...is a fine thing, some so elegant and others so "what were they thinking!!!" but since my favourite period of history is late 40's, 50's and early 60's, most of the time it's elegance that wins the day.

Mind you, I've never really had the courage to tackle a garment from my many hoarded pattern books.

Oh sure, I knit some baby singlets for my neice from one of the family booklets, but I heavily modified that because I refused to knit two tiny fronts and backs of said singlet when I could streamline the whole thing by knitting it in the round!

Which I did!

 And I also had a go at an adult garment which I did follow to the letter of the pattern but since it was largely a huge plain knit that folded up to be a lovely cape over the shoulders it was more the post-knitting construction that I found very challenging (first I had to figure out from what direction the folding was supposed to start!).

As you can see (and even if you can't I can!) the colour changes just slightly after the first three folds. This is because I didn't realize that the pattern would eat up 1 100g ball and when I went to buy another there were no more to be had in that particular dye lot. Of course. 

In fact, if I were ever to knit this again (God Forbid!!) I would use smaller needles with the same ply (5 ply) or the same needles I used and a heavier ply, probably 8ply. I had to tinker with the closure because it was so big it kept falling off my shoulders and the fronts gaped forward in an unbecoming way. But it has turned out really nicely despite all it had going against it.

So taking this all into account I was a little nervous taking on a proper garment, you know, the sort that's supposed to fit MY arms and MY body, here in the 21st century without the phenominal undergarments that kept everyone looking so neat and poised (if slightly breathless) in the pretty pictures. So I thought I would choose from the early 60's patterns rather than set myself up for disappointment first off by tackling something from the form fitting and slightly smaller bosom that I might possess era of the late 40's and 50's.

This being my aim it was easy to choose a pattern because I'd loved the appearance and the neckline of this one particular pattern from the day I first saw it. It doesn't even have a cool name! It's just Jumper 751.

Isn't it sweet?

But it presents its own challenges. As you may have noticed from previous jumpers, I love seamless construction! You do all that work and at the end there is practically no seaming to do and no sleeves to try and smoothly attach to the body of the jumper without it getting bulky. Alas, that is exactly the construction of this 60's jumper. A front, a back and two sleeves. Oh, and a collar. 

All of which have to be seamed together before I can see whether I have succeeded in making a jumper that I can wear or have wasted time and effort to produced something that will haunt me for all time!!

But despite initial terror and disquiet I have soldiered on. I have about 12 balls of this Baby Bella stuff I bought from Spotlight, 100% wool which will do pretty well despite the fact that it's a very uninspiring cream colour. I've upped the needle sizes since the largest size is for a 36 inch bust while mines about 40 (if I hold the tape a bit tight). So hopefully the slightly heavier gauge of the wool and the larger needles will cover any differences in the size of the finished garment so it actually fits me!

I cast on....

Not bad. The greatest difficulty I came across was when dividing for the neck edge and the fact that the finished sides right at the very top seem slightly different lengths. Not much but enough for me to notice. But I've steam ironed the finished front and I'll wait and see how everything turned out and decide then if it's worth while unravelling about 4 rows of each and then knit them back up the same size. 

So, so far, so good. Now I've just cast on for the back, done the ribbed hem and started the plain knitting until I get to 15 inches long. Wish me luck!

Happy knitting :)