Blog Tour: Vintage Baby Knits, by Kristen Rengren

A few weeks ago, I reviewed the lovely book, Vintage Baby Knits: More Than 40 Heirloom Patterns from the 1920s to the 1950s, by Kristen Rengren, brought to you by the creative geniuses at Stewart Tabori & Chang. If you missed the book review, you can find it here). Today I'm pleased to be a stop on the Vintage Baby Knits blog tour. Kristen Rengren -- fresh off her gropefest interview with Dolores at The Panopticon, stops by to talk about yarn.



Welcome to Go Knit In Your Hat, Kristen! Let's get right down to the yarn talk, okay? First question: How did you decide what yarns to use? Were you trying to replicate the yarns the patterns were originally knit in?

Thanks, Carol! I didn’t take a total purist stance on yarns, but I did want to preserve as much of the original look of the patterns, so that played an element in yarn choices. There were a few decisions along those lines that turned out to be important:

Knitters did have a few choices in terms of material, but for the most part, they chose wool. Starting in the 1920s, cotton fell out of fashion for garments and was really only used to knit household items like slippers or doilies. During the late 1940s and 50s, some nylon and some early forms of acrylic started to appear, and in the late 50s cotton started to make a comeback for baby garments. Patterns were also occasionally published featuring silk and angora, despite the fact that these fibers were very expensive for the average knitter. But most knitters depended on the dizzying array of wool yarns on the market – hence the decision to make most of the projects in the book out of wool as well. (I did make a few exceptions – for instance the Jasper Diamond Hoodie is knitted out of a bamboo blend – but my logic was that if our predecessors could have gotten their mitts on something as lovely as bamboo, they surely would have.)

One of the most important factors was choosing yarns that could achieve the fine gauge that so many vintage patterns depended upon. Before the 1960s, most knitters were accustomed to knitting whole garments with sock yarn and size 2 or 3 needles, for babies and adults alike. Most yarns were manufactured in fingering or sport weight. While there were many projects out there that called for DK-weight yarn (which used to, confusingly, be called Knitting Worsted), they tended to be reserved for either outdoor sportswear or for beginner projects where the knitter’s attention span was assumed to be low. Anything using a size 5 or larger needle was usually called a Jiffy Knit or a Quick Knit project. While I was writing the book, I didn’t want to have a book of projects knit exclusively in fingering weight, so I tried to find patterns with which a diverse range of yarns could be used. But most of the projects did end up being made from fingering and sport weight yarns. I tell people that knitting a baby sweater is like knitting a pair and a half to two pairs of socks - relatively painless once you get over any fear of small needles.




What about color choices?

Handpainted yarn as we know it basically didn’t exist yet. Machine-dyed variegated yarns were out there, but they were rarely used in comparison to solid color, tweed, or heathered wool. Where patterns were published for machine-dyed or “space dyed” yarns, they tended to be extremely simple garments in stockinette stitch in order to show off the novelty of the yarn, which is why none of them made it into this book – such patterns just wouldn’t have held the interest of the modern knitter.

I get asked a lot of questions about the palette I used. Most of the projects, of course, were photographed in black and white in the original pattern books, and very little information was given about color choices in the patterns. I did do some research into the colors that might have been popular for babies in that era – but while there was some information available on color trends in women’s fashion, I found precious little data on the subject of baby clothes. And in some cases (such as the trend of pink for boys and blue for girls in the first part of the century) tastes had changed enough so that I didn’t think I could get away with some of the color choices originally chosen by the designer. So I based my color choices in part on that research , but mostly picked colors that pleased me and that went together reasonably well.

One thing that a lot of people don’t realize is that in the first half of the 20^th century, there were tremendous advances in the dyes that were available, and color palettes were far less limited than we might think. Another interesting note about color has to do with wartime knitting. During World War II, when yarn was rationed and chemical plants that made dyes were retooled to make munitions instead, knitters found themselves unable to get the dazzling array of colors that they had become accustomed to in the 1920s and 1930s. Knitters had to make do with brightly colored scraps of leftover yarn and even old yarn from unpicked old sweaters, combined with the more drab military colors typically available with ration cards. Turning necessity into opportunity, resourceful knitters embraced stripes, fair isle, and other colorwork. Unexpected color combinations became a bold fashion statement, and their popularity lasted right up through the end of wool rationing.

What else was different about yarns used in the originals vs. today’s yarns?

I’ve gotten to look at a lot of vintage yarn, and a few vintage projects – and while some of the yarns used from the 1920s to the 1950s were comparatively soft, knitters in the 1920s – 1950s just didn’t have the kind of soft, short-stapled fibers to which we have become so accustomed. While 19-micron-count merino is commonplace today, it would have been an inexplicable wonder to yesterday’s knitter. Also, I still can’t figure out how, but yarn seems to have been lighter. The average baby sweater pattern from, say, the 1940s called for half as much vintage wool as it generally took for me to knit the same pattern using modern wool. Given that most yarn is spun using the same antiquated milling equipment that was used in the 1930s and 40s, I am not really sure what the difference is. Actually if your readers have any speculation on this, I’d love to hear it.

What were your favorite yarns you knit with?

There isn’t really a yarn in the book that I didn’t enjoy working with. If you look through the book, you’ll see that many of the designs are knit with sock yarn. It’s soft, it’s springy, and it tends to have a smooth surface and a tight twist that was similar to that of many vintage yarns. And it has the advantage of being very hard-wearing. That said, some of the loftier, softer yarns were especially pleasurable to knit with. The tiny flecks of color and the beautiful muted palette are just perfect for vintage knits. Pear Tree Merino is one of my favorites. The Jackie Cabled Set and the Louise cardigan are made out of Pear Tree. I also really enjoyed working with Sheep Shop Sheep Three. While it wasn’t a traditional choice – it’s a silk/wool blend, and a sport/DK weight at that – it was really lovely to work with, and the finished Bunny Blanket has such a nice hand. I’m sure I’ll be doing projects in both those yarns again.




Okay, normally, this is the place where I'd abuse you for not using any Black Bunny Fibers yarns in your lovely book, but since you are such a sweetheart, I will skip over that part, as long as you promise to use some in your next book.

It's a deal.

Here's fun news: if you go here, you can enter a drawing to win a free copy of the book, courtesy of the lovely folks at Stewart Tabori & Chang. For a list of the upcoming blog tour stops, go here. (Wednesday's stop is Sheep in the City.) Last, but not least, you can visit Kristen at her blog here. Thanks, Kristen!

No-Bull Book Review: Vintage Baby Knits, by Kristen Rengren

Okay, let me get this out of my system first:

KITTEH!!!



BUNNEH!!!



DUCKEH!!!


BEBEHS!

Okay, now I can get to work. Today's No-Bull Book Review features lots of babies clad in beautiful, vintage-inspired knitwear -- some even featuring kitties, duckies and bunnies. Yes, today GKIYH takes a look at Vintage Baby Knits: More Than 40 Heirloom Patterns from the 1920s to the 1950s, by Kristen Rengren.

Last year at TNNA, I was fortunate enough to run into Kristen and to see some of the garments that were going to be in the book. I was knocked out by how beautiful they are -- a stuffed elephant, blankets, cardigans, pullovers -- and have been eagerly anticipating this book ever since.

The wait is over. Stewart Tabori & Chang just published Vintage Baby Knits (MSRP $27.50, available for $18.15 by following the above link) and it's every bit as wonderful as I'd expected it to be.


Kristen had been knitting for ten years when she first became fascinated by vintage patterns. Working for a vintage clothing dealer, part of her work day already consisted of haunting estate sales and poring through Ebay listings to find old and retro garments. She began a personal collection of vintage knitting patterns. As she tells in her introduction:

The baby pattern booklets -- loaded with black-and-white photos of babies in handknits, as well as lively illustrations of frolicking tots, friendly zoo animals, and smiling storks -- always intrigued me the most. The projects were classic and simple in style, yet detailed enough to hold even a highly distractable knitter's interest, and I could easily imagine modern babies wearing them.

Upon closer examination, Kristen found that it wasn't as easy as knitting up the patterns. They often called for long-gone brands of yarn (Lady Betty? Germantown Zephyr?), didn't include schematics or charts, and often didn't even include yardage or gauge notations. There were safety concerns (e.g., ill-placed buttons or ties) and issues of convenience (like making sure items were practical, and easy to get off and on modern-sized babies). Some patterns had to be rewritten entirely, while others just didn't make the cut. But when Kristen's hard work was done, she'd pulled together a collection of over forty patterns (yes, forty -- and don't worry, designers, I've already told Kristen to quit being such an overachiever or she'll make the rest of us look bad with only 20 or 25 patterns in our books!).



The book has a very straightforward structure. After a brief introduction, Chapter 1 (called "Getting Ready to Knit") contains tips about issues like sizing; which fiber and type of yarn to use; tools; and the all-important swatching. The section is short and sweet, as is Chapter 3 ("Resources"), which contains details on the yarns used in the samples, hints for choosing and using vintage patterns on your own, and a few techniques (like cabled cast-on, short rows, and fringe). But the heart of the book is Chapter 2, the pattern section: 136 pages full of sweaters, blankets, hats and footgear, among others.


Here's a rough list of what you'll find in Chapter 2 (I may have missed a pair of booties here or a cap there, since did I mention there's SO MANY patterns?):

• 2 shrugs
• 3 types of headgear (including a bonnet, beret and cap)
• 5 pullover sweaters (some short-sleeved, some long, one also doubles as a vest)
• 11 cardigans
• 2 soakers (won't someone please think up a less disgusting name for these? can we all agree on "diaper covers" instead?)
• 3 stuffed animals
• 3 blankets
• 2 pair of pants
• 1 cape with hood
• 1 pr mittens
• 2 or 3 pr of socks
• 1 nursing shawl that also can be used as a blanket
• 1 christening gown that is also shown as a dress

That's a hell of a lot for one book. If you're concerned about gender-specificity, fear not. I'd say only about half a dozen of these patterns are not unisex. (The shrugs, the dress -- although christening gowns are gender-neutral, the cape, possible the kitty sweaters and one or two of the lacier cardigans, depending on age of the baby and gender-role paranoia of the parents).

Sizing is about as you'd expect. There are a few size-doesn't-matter patterns, like the blankets and toys. The remainder are sized for babies from 0 to 24 months, with chest sizes ranging from 18 to 25 inches. Most patterns come with 3 sizes, a few have only 2 and some have 4.



With regard to yarn choice, skinny yarn fans will jump for joy: approximately half of the forty-odd patterns are written for fingering weight (samples are shown in some of your favorite sock yarns, too, like Socks That Rock, although, alas, nothing (sniffle) in Black Bunny Fibers). The christening dress is knit in Jaggerspun Zephyr, a gorgeous wool-silk laceweight; about 5 patterns call for sportweight yarn; about 3 call for DK weight and 3 for worsted; and about half a dozen for aran-weight yarn. Vintage knitters knew what they were doing when they stuck with fine-gauge yarns; a lighterweight garment, even if knit in wool, helps keep a baby cozy whether it's an autumn breeze or a summer air conditioner that's blowing, and the natural fibers let the garments breathe in the stain-topia that is baby's world.

When it comes to style, well, these are baby patterns and they are vintage-inspired, which should tell you quite a bit. I love the traditional, yet contemporary feel of the patterns as Kristen has reworked them. You'll find a mix of knitting techniques and difficulties, including garter stitch, stockinette, lacy stitches, cabling, and colorwork. As always, your personal taste is everything, but these patterns start out with a leg up, since they've already stood the test of time. I find it hard to imagine any one of them not eliciting major oohs and aahs at a baby shower. I also like the specific yarns chosen for the garments (except the prominent omission of BBF yarn, ahem) -- these are gorgeous yarns like Hand Jive, O-Wool, STR, Rowan 4-ply Soft, Sheep Shop and more. The yarns shown tend to be natural fibers, with complex colors, and it's fun to see baby patterns in colors like brown and cherry red and sunflower gold and olive, as well as the more traditional pastels.



As usual,STC has produced a high-quality book: hardcover, beautiful color photos with adorable, moppet-models, multiple shots of each garment (some worn, some flat), schematics, charts where appropriate. I like the historical text inserts (e.g. "Knitting in the 1920s") that give context to the patterns. Special props to Thayer Allison Gowdy for the spectacular photographs.

If you were looking for snark to send you off on your Memorial Day weekend, sorry; we're fresh out today (but I'm sure we'll be getting a restock next week). Nothing here but praise for this beautiful book, overflowing with elegant, charming patterns. I hope that Kristen will soon turn her needles to patterns for older kids, or even -- dare I suggest it? -- us adults.

No-Bull Book Review: Knitting Fashions of 1940s

Knitting Fashions of the 1940s: Styles, Patterns and History by Jane Waller (Crowood Press Ltd. 2006) contains exactly what it says it does: updated patterns that were originally published in the 1940s, along with historical background and information about the styles and knitting culture of the time period. I discovered this book just by browsing on-line for new releases on a large internet bookseller's website. (The copyright page states that it was first published in 2006 in Britain but apparently it was only recently released in the U.S.) It's a delightful book -- and I'm surprised that with growing interest in vintage patterns (think Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks: New Twists on Classic Patterns, or Victorian Lace Today, for example) it hasn't gotten more press.

First the statistics: The book is hardcover and contains 160 pages, loaded with photographs, many of them reproduced from wartime knitting magazines and pattern leaflets, some in color and some black-and-white. In addition, there are reproductions of some magazine illustrations and a cartoon or two to give additional atmosphere. In addition, you'll find over fifty patterns updated for today's knitters to try. Of those fifty patterns (excellent value for a knitting book), my rough count shows they break down into approximately 40-plus women's garments (mainly sweaters, including cardigans, pullovers and twinsets), four men's designs (three vests and a sweater), three unisex designs (depending on taste, you may find a few more), six children's designs (not counting the toys), nine accessories, and three toy patterns. The list price is a steep $39.99 but you can find it for less if you comparison shop, and given the amount of information and patterns, I can't quibble over the list price.

Now let's take a look at content. The book begins with a brief "Knitting Notes" section, which charmed me with its prefatory quote:

the true joy of knitting is only obtained when it becomes a creative craft. The decrees of fashion demand much more than mere utility, so that the knitting art, practised in this way, becomes not merely a pleasing and useful relaxation, but also a genuine means of self-expression.

[quoting Marjorie Tillitson, Knitting Book (1945)]. Waller warns her contemporary audience that knitting fashions of this time were knit using finer-gauge yarns and thinner needles, and although these garments took a little longer to make, they were tailored, featured beautiful stitchwork and other detailing, and remained favorites that were worn over and over again, recompensing the knitter for the extra investment of time. Wise words, Jane Waller.

One of the most valuable features of this book is the historical context it provides. At the very beginning of the book, and before each chapter, Waller reminds us of the social constraints under which 1940s knitters were operating. Women were thinner because there were food shortages and rationing. Women had to make themselves garments because English textile production was focused on providing war supplies and materiel for the men at the front, and because most women had very little money to spend on new fashions or other "extras." Rationing fuel meant cooler temperatures at home, so that warm garments made of sturdy, long-lasting wool were not a luxury. Women of this era tended to know how to knit and sew, and thus could adapt their skills to producing garments for themselves and for the troops. In today's knitting world, full of so many knitters born in the 1970s, 1980s (gasp) or later -- and I ain't hatin, just statin' -- Waller's reminder of what it was like in wartime England gives these patterns extra meaning and resonance.

The remainder of the book is cleverly divided into 7 sections, by subject matter. The first section is "For the Troops," and discusses ways in which knitters provided warm items -- hats, sweaters, gloves, socks -- for the men who were fighting. Look at this charming photograph of a "Shetland lass" teaching a "Tommy" how to knit:



Patterns in this section include a Submarine Jersey, a cabled turtleneck, a cap helmet and a hot water bottle cover. One feature that appears consistently throughout the book is a side-by-side comparison of the original vintage pattern photograph, with the updated item, like this "Women's Service Woollie" (although notwithstanding the name, unless my eyes are misleading me, the contemporary version is shown on a guy):



The next section is devoted to "The Home Front," and features mainly garments for women, including cardigans, twinsets, pullovers and gloves, along with two whimsical toys. Look at the lovely ribbing on this sweater:



How about these hilarious dolls commemorating the service of the Wrens and other women's service units?



Section 3 is "Glamour," and features more festive creations; Section 4 is "Intricate Stitches," showcasing designs with complex patterning like cables and bobbles. Section 5 is entirely devoted to "Fair Isles," although purists will note that this section really is talking about stranded knitting generally as many of the patterns do not use traditional Island motifs. Section 6 is "The Children" and the last section looks forward "Towards the Fifties."

The sizing is very variable in the patterns. Some give only one size ("38-40 inches," for example), while others are sized for a range (e.g., from 38 to 46 inches by increments of two inches). The yarns used are of finer gauges, DK and sport and fingering weight, even a laceweight lingerie set. The styling is very retro and vintage, and if you aren't crazy about this sensibility, well, look before you leap into this purchase. There are no schematics. I haven't knit anything from the book, but a quick browse suggests that these patterns are written in a more concise style than some of their American counterparts. Just an observation -- not a value judgment.

The skill levels for these garments vary, but I would say they tend to the more experienced knitter. While there are some very basic garments, like the Submarine Jersey, without lots of patterning or shaping, many of the garments feature stitch patterns or colorwork, and tailored fit, so if you're looking for mindless TV knitting, not all of these will suit. One charming detail is that each photograph of a current-day design features the name of the individual knitter or knitters who test-knit it. (And any of you out there who've test-knit for a designer will appreciate this individualized bit of recognition, too!)

If some of the garments don't translate as successfully as others:



if some of the models and styling leave a bit to be desired, or



if I may not actually knit every garment in this book (not being a snood kind of gal), well, I'm willing to forgive all that. This is a thorough book, filled with detail and knowledge, chock-full of interesting and complex patterns, packed with color photos and vintage reproductions, featuring garments knit in small gauges (imagine coordinating the knitting of fifty or more garments simultaneously, all knit at finer gauges!). Kudos to Jane Waller. And if you, too, are sick of chunky, funky, boxy, shapeless, knit-'em-in-a-weekend patterns, or if like me, you are fascinated with vintage patterns, you'll want to get yourself a copy of this excellent book.