Name, Please!

I've made a good start on my "Name, Please." The deep moss-stitch welt, which looks so good in the pictures, is kind of a pain to knit in fingering weight yarn. It's incredibly time consuming. But, I've moved past that section now and am a few inches above the armhole decreases. A few more inches to go and I'll have finished the back. It's not very picturesque yet, as you can see.

The pattern is written for a vintage size 16 (34" bust), but offers options for size 12, 14, 18, and 20, which is an unusually wide range for a vintage pattern. My gauge with the Jagger Spun sock yarn and size 2 needles was just a touch chunkier than recommended in the pattern, so I got out pencil and paper and did a little math. It looks like my gauge combined with the original size 16 stitch numbers will produce a garment that should fit me. Normally, I'd knit a size 18 for a 36" bust.

Speaking of math, there are some oddities in this particular pattern. The numbers given almost seem more like estimates rather than exact figures, so I've had to be careful and have worked to chart out my course more specifically to make sure I'm working to the right measurements. There's also a vagueness to some of the instructions. For example, the pattern says to increase one stitch at each side every inch until you reach the desired length. This might have been problematic since I've opted to add a few more inches to the body of the sweater. If I had kept increasing as instructed, I would have ended up with too many stitches at the bust. So, I'm going cautiously and will plan to block the back and measure in detail before I tackle the front. That way, I can attempt to correct any sizing issues before the pieces are finished.

Meanwhile, I've been interviewed and my sweaters photographed for an upcoming issue of Maine Women Magazine!

1940s Preview

Welcome to the 1940s! Sweaters and knitting get a little more political during this decade as patterns emerge for conserving scarce supplies of yarn, making do with odds and ends, creating useful items for soldiers (the same homefront trend appeared during WWI and the Civil War), and wearing visible signs of victory. The 1940s is also the first decade that is very well represented in my pattern collection. I have quite a few booklets from which to work and have already knit two 1940s patterns: one for my husband that I love and one for myself that was a little less successful. A couple years ago, I made this Victory Vest for Sam:

It's a 1942 design with a pattern of tiny slip-stitch Vs all over the fronts, not to mention some pretty irresistible knitterly details like the three built-in pockets, the polished look of the button band, and the shaping on the lower ends of each front. I thoroughly enjoyed making this vest (and will admit to some relief that it didn't call for sleeves). The shaping and slip-stitch colorwork were fun and the fiddly finishing was time consuming, but so very satisfying. And Sam wears it all the time.

The 1942 pattern booklet for the "Victory Vest." Keep an eye on that cigarette, folks. It'll be an essential accessory for male knitwear models for decades!

And here's my other foray into 1940s knitwear:

This is "Versatile" from the 1946 Columbia Style Book, vol. 108 (pictured below). I like to imagine that the model in the photo on the right is dreaming about what it might be like to wear this sweater against a background of a grill, a yard-waste bucket, and a dog. Answer: it's pretty sweet. I'm fairly mixed in my opinion of the finished project. I like the shaping and style of the sweater, but it's just a little too big on me for complete satisfaction. It's tough to see in the photo, but it's a little baggy along the side seams and so doesn't quite have the same sleek glamour as the original photo, though I have successfully worn it a few times.

So, it's time for my official 1940s project for this current challenge. We're now solidly into the realm of fine gauge, fingering weight sweaters. I skirted the issue for a little while in my earlier decade sweaters. When no gauge is provided and you have to reverse calculate a stitches-per-inch figure using the original stitch numbers in the pattern and your own body measurements, you can get away with using a heavier yarn that the pattern writers probably intended. But, once we hit the 1930s and '40s and yarn companies started adding in those helpful details (like gauge and needle size and modifications for different finished garment sizes, etc), it's harder to avoid those skinny yarns. Don't get me wrong: I absolutely love the look and feel of a lightweight sweater knit on size 2 needles, but they do tend to take a little longer to make.

I took a leisurely browse through my 1940s booklets and identified a few potential projects.

Name, Please! Can you say "bombshell" with that partial zipper and deep V-neck? The embroidered initials seem so much a hallmark of the era, too.

A Little Something on the Side. I adore the off-center buttons and almost military styling of this otherwise simple cardigan.

Lumberjacket. So practical for work or housework. The tiny buttoned pocket and collar are great features, too.

Block Cable Cardigan. There's something about those interrupted block cables that looks so vintage and cool to me. And I really like the zipper and peplum.

Remember my personal goals for this project from a couple posts ago? When I said that I wanted something made of a natural fiber, ideally without buttons and miles of crochet finishing? Ha! It's true that all of these can easily be made with wool and there is not much, if any, crochet edging in them, but look at all those buttons! And the ones without buttons have zippers!! Well...two out of three ain't bad.

I love that all four options have crisp lines and a fitted structure. I also like the menswear inspired details, like the collars, the buttoned pocket, and the off-center buttons. All look very '40s. I polled my friends and early results showed a clear preference for "Name, Please," although "A Little Something on the Side" had a great late boost and probably would have won if I hadn't already decided to go with "Name, Please," which was published in Sweatertime: Around the Clock by the Oregon Worsted Company in 1942. My copy of this booklet was given to me by a friend who found it in a stack of other patterns out with the recycling.

I've chosen a gorgeous Maine yarn for my "Name, Please;" it's JaggerSpun sock yarn in raw umber (I absolutely love it). I toured their Springvale mill recently and thoroughly enjoyed learning about the spinning process. The staff was so very kind and informative. I highly recommend a visit if you can get there. If not, grab some yarn when you see it around. I think you'll really like it. This is entirely my own honest opinion. I haven't been paid in either yarn or money to say such things.

And so, I'm off! My size 2 needles are clicking away.