If I had the time....

Ok, here is the lovely crazy (and in some cases, crazy lovlieness) that was inside those knitting books and leaflets. Though really, this is only a small portion of the retro goodness; I just don't have the time to scan them all! I'll start with the oldest one, this is the inside front cover of the Lux knitting book from the 1940's. 
Love, Love, LOVE those illustrations. And there are patterns to match every single one of them! Someday I'm actually going to get around to knitting something from one of these books. I literally have hundreds of old knitting leaflets and patterns, but I have yet to knit an actual garment from them. Accessories yes (hats, gloves, the occasional ascot) but never a proper sweater. I'm usually scared off by the crazy small gauge, and the correspondingly huge number of stitches to cast on. Also, fit differers quite a bit from then to now, or so I'm told. There was much less 'ease' in garments from the '40's so you have to get your measurements bang on, or else your finished sweater will be strangling you and biting into your armpits. Not a huge fan of that. But I'll tell you what I am a fan of...

...somewhat surly looking curly-headed little boys! How awesome is this? Really, the resemblance between this reluctant knitwear model, and my own Little Dude is hilarious. But pattern wise, I'm also down with this. Really, I have no problem with little kids in head to toe knitted snow gear. For all of L.D.'s first winter in Montreal, he proudly wore an adorable knitted carriage suit (pants with feet, sweater-coat, hat and matching mitts that I had thrifted from the local Salvation Army store) every time we went out. Now granted, we were not exactly rolling him around in the snow, more like just walking across the street to the car, but still, it was a surprisingly cozy and functional outfit. Again, if I had more time on my hands.....

And speaking of children's wear, take a gander at this little number from a 1980's booklet: 
 Every single other item in this book was either boring or ugly, but I had to pick it up for this sweater. The shape and colour were not really much to get excited about, but Holy Crap! Check out the embellishment/focal point: 
 DUDE! Is that a three dimensional appliqued HAMBURGER? Yes, yes it is. Complete with crocheted lettuce and tomato hanging out the sides. Be still my  beating heart. I may someday have to make one of these for the Little Dude. Or maybe it will just be a decorative pillow. I don't want to express my ironic sense of humour/love of crocheted trompe l'oeil at my son's expense. I have a heart people. 

Ok, moving on to what I think of as the main event. The '60's and '70's. For those were the decades that brought us what I think of as the golden age of crocheted absurdity. Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you......
...the knitted bikini. Or in this case, I believe that monokini might be the more technically correct term, as the two disparate pieces are joined into one insane whole. 

Ah yes, a clothing item as impractical as it is adorable. Really have you ever used a knitted dishcloth? Gotten it wet and then hung it up to dry? Great scrubbing power, but very little elasticity or resilience. Now, imagine using the same technique to make a bathing suit. Very, very impractical. Unless you plan to never get it wet. In which case, why are you at the beach? 

Oh. Ok, so you are not going to get it wet. Its just a SUNBATHING suit. Fair enough. And I suppose this one is not so bad.

I guess, this one is ok too. Alright, just don't go in that water, promise? I'm just sayin' that is going to take forevah to dry. By the way, one thing I also really like about crocheted bikini patterns from the 60's and 70's is the total lack of plastic surgery on the models. Sure these ladies are slim and mostly still conform to today's beauty standards, but hey, there is not an implant in sight, and I find that refreshing. They look like human beings instead of LA clone bots, which I think is nice. 

 I've accumulated quite a solid little collection of vintage bikini patterns, but I'm always looking for more, so if you find some, point me in the right direction, (or buy them for me and I will totally pay you back). Someday I'm going to scan them all and make a nice little photo album on flickr, so that they will be out there for the whole world to appreciate, instead of just here in my filing cabinet, making me happy. But for now this is all I've got. Enjoy!   

Comments

[Leni]

O.K., I come from the age of woollen snowsuits---not knitted, I'll grant you, but woollen---and no!! You do not want to send the Little Dude out in that!! Scratchy, itchy, rash between the legs where the wool rubbed!!! I can still feel it! And the snow clung to the fabric, making it wet as it melted, and needing HOURS to dry out behind the cookstove! For a baby in a stroller---O.K.; for a child running through the snow---not so!! What a blessing the new materials for snowsuits are!! Nostalgia plays a large part in what we think was neat from those bygone days!! But in reality , things were not always that great. (And yes, that little modeldoes bear such a resemblance to L.D.)

[finger thumb]

I certainly get your point, but the wool that is sold in knitting stores now is not that scratchy, itchy, chafing horror that it once was. The ringspun merino stuff is soft and gorgeous. But I'm aware that it is not exactly waterproof. So don't worry, he has a snowsuit for being outside in the actual snow. But wouldn't that outfit be adorable in cashmere.....?

[steph]

I love these vintage posts of yours. The pictures are awesome, as are your comments. Just yesterday I was listening to a 1937 cassette recording of the dramatization of Hitchcock's film The 39 Steps. It's a Radio Movie Classic recording, produced for the Lux Radio Theatre, and sponsored by Lux Toilet Soap, so there were radio commercials for Lux soap and stockings and so on. Fabulous. Whereas you love the clothes, I adore the recordings, especially the ones I grew up with, but also ones from the 30s and 40s...

I have been asking for a record player for ages. I hope I get one soon...

[steph]

PS. I love those models' healthy bodies.