Into the 1900s!

According to the (super nerdy, but oh-so-satisfying) Excel spreadsheet database of my vintage pattern collection, I have just about 260 individual titles, ranging from single patterns to pamphlets to full magazine issues. Unfortunately, this includes only one publication from the first decade of the 20th century: the October, 1905 edition of The Delineator magazine.

My copy is missing its cover, which I'm sure was fabulous.

It's a fascinating read, with articles covering everything from autumn millinery and new styles in mourning attire to modern house building and techniques in housewifery (including how to make Hallowe'en party centerpieces and new recipes for celery novelties). The ads, too, are richly evocative of the fashions and household concerns of the day (and, really, aren't too different from those of today): the best-fitting underwear, the most reliable watches, the healthiest baby food, the purest soap, and the most fashionable shoes.

From The Delineator, October 1905

Tucked in amongst the wide-ranging articles and ads are a couple of knitwear patterns: one for a young girl's Norfolk jacket and another for a dog's sweater. Both are delightful, classic designs that would absolutely work for today's young girls and small dogs, but are not especially suited to me (or my dog).

Dog sweater from The Delineator, October 1905

Young girl's Norfolk Jacket from The Delineator, October 1905

And so I turned to the array of 1900s patterns available online. Many are in the public domain now and easily accessible. I browsed the selection on archive.org and on the Antique Pattern Library and settled on the 1907 edition of The Columbia Book of Yarns by Anna Schumacker. This volume offers clearly illustrated descriptions of the various needles, hooks, and techniques of both knitting and crocheting and also provides readers with photos of new stitch patterns as well as many of the finished garments. I especially love the inspirational sayings at the bottom of each page: "Knitting is one of the most soothing occupations a woman can indulge in" and "Inferior yarns are dull and lifeless. Columbia Yarns are brilliant." The introduction, too, remains so timely and topical:

Knitting was once every woman's duty. Now it is her pleasure, her relaxation, her nerve-soothing occupation for leisure moments in a busy life. With the growth of the various arts and crafts movements, knitting, like all handwork, has taken on a new dignity; and the increasing use of fine yarns gives it new possibilities of beauty.

A flip through a few pages takes you to the women's patterns, with their nipped-in waists, high necks, and puffed sleeves. I admire the Ladies' Outing Coat on page 126 and the Ladies' Outing Jacket on page 132 and I think both would be quite wearable today. Let me dive into the patterns and see how they come together.