This week I’ve been working on a commission to make this 1940’s striped cardi, I love a spot of vintage knitting, and it makes a nice change to work with fine yarn and no 9 needles (US 5), when you’re used to handling needles the size of a broomstick.
My friend has chosen some fabulous colours, and a superfine angora yarn.
The pattern is from Subversive Femme, a fab website full of vintage inspiration.
Vintage patterns are interesting. Only one size is given, so if that’s not your size, you have to work out how to amend it yourself. On top of that, this pattern instructs you to knit almost twice the number of stripes you can see in the picture. The shaping is accurate, which is a relief for such a fitted design. But the given length is way off!
The only way to make sure I’m getting a good fit, is to do a fitting with my friend, in person. We are now permitted to meet in a garden, if we keep 2m apart. So I will have to pass her the Left Front, and the pins, and ask her to fit it herself. Or ask her partner to pin the piece accurately on her. This could be quite a challenge for a burly tree surgeon, especially when the sides of the piece curl in! We certainly live in interesting times.
I have some lovely vintage buttons for this cardi, looking forward to getting this far!
Knitting Revolution 