Today’s featured pattern is a clever way to upcycle a sleeveless a-line dress into a vintage look stunner by adding flutter sleeves and a free hanging side drapery with appliqué.
How to Sew – Graceful Lines from the Brisbane Courier, January 29th 1931
I’m off to find the other article in the series, see you all tomorrow!
Today’s free knitting pattern was an accidental find and a totally cute one at that!
Teddy Bear Knitting Chart c1930’s
To get the full size chart with colour key, click the link above my image, then click the thumbnail. You can then print or download the knitting chart.
Today’s featured knitting pattern is a pretty check stitch pattern from The Queensland Times, August 3rd 1936
I’m going to post today’s free pattern here because I’ve added a picture and updated it with a cast on count and by adding some stitches at the end so you’re not working a slip stitch on the edge. Click the link above to see the original pattern (no picture).
Here is a pretty check pattern in knitting for use on children’s clothes or a jumper for an adult. It can easily be adapted to any pattern it is desired to work. The six rows of the actual check pattern, arranged here for grey wool with a red check, are as follows-
Cast on any number of stitches that can be evenly divided by four, plus three extra
Row 1: Using red wool, knit plain to end of row.
Row 2: Purl to end of row.
Row 3: In grey wool, knit three, slip one, repeat to the last three stitches, knit three.
Row 4: Purl three, slip one (same stitch as was slipped in previous row), purl three, repeat to end of row.
Repeat rows 3 and 4 once. These six rows make the check pattern and are repeated as often as required. Finish having just worked row 2.
Many years ago I went on a retreat for yarn shop owners and was very surprised to learn that most knitters, and crocheters I assume, can’t wrap their brain around using any yarn other than the one used in the original pattern. Not even changing the colour.
Which brings me to today’s free pattern.
Yes, it’s from the 1970’s but if you look past the fuzzy yarn and the giant flower on the shoulder it’s a pretty cute top.
Updating this pattern is incredibly simple. Just use a smooth yarn, forget the flower and work a two or three row stripe across the yoke. Done 🙂
This pattern is from the Australian Women’s Weekly, so it uses UK crochet hook sizes and terms. If you’re not familiar with them, here’s a conversion chart for hook sizes, and a conversion chart for crochet stitches.
Picture
Pattern page 1
Pattern page 2
PS: I’ve never been a yarn shop owner, I was writing an article for the very early incarnation of Australia’s Creative Knitting Magazine. If you ever find it, please ignore my name on the article. It was edited to sound as if it was written by a twelve year old with a bad case of the giggles…
Today’s featured free knitting pattern is one of my favourites.
A Knitted Work Bag from the Brisbane Courier, November 29th 1928
This bag is made from a large knitted rectangle, gathered at the top to fit the handles. Simply knit a rectangle, line one side with fabric and attach to whatever style handles you like.
I knit mine with worsted weight wool but you can easily knit one with fingering weight yarn and use smaller handles for a dainty hand bag.
I hope you’re enjoying my showcase of vintage and free patterns so far. If you have any requests please let me know in the comments!
