Snapshot - 1935

I was so excited yesterday when a package of vintage knitting books I had ordered from the US arrived in the mail. They were all wonderful and I will share them with you soon. But there was one book that for me just stood out from the rest.

Design by Elsa Schiaparelli

This book was published in 1935. And yes, that is a design by Elsa Schiaparelli on the front. It uses simple stitches, just plain knitting and purl, to make the textured stripes. It's the way the separate panels and pieces are put together that make it striking. And the contrast collar and belt. If you look really closely you may just be able to make out a pair of dress clips at the corners of the neckline,

On page 3 is a design by Chanel, a two piece dress with a blouse featuring her signature stripes, Note the gauntlet gloves.

Design by Chanel - Paris

Schiaparelli and Chanel, fierce rivals who couldn't stand each other, were at the height of their careers in 1935, How wonderful that women could buy a book including their patterns and as the title says "Picture Yourself" in these handknits. Chanel had pioneered the concept of knitwear as a fashion garment back in the post war period. Until then knitwear had been mostly used for practical items such as  underwear, hosiery and baby garments. Chanel's fashion philosophy emancipated woman from the hated corset and freed her for more active pursuits. Chanel was a keen sportswoman and she often wore more comfortable and practical men's clothes. She was the first designer to use stretch knits such as jersey in her designs.

One of the most fabulous things about this book is the Lily Dache hats which feature in all of the photographs. These women just look so willowy and elegant. Like the famous bias cut dresses of the '30s, these knitted dresses didn't hide any sins. I suppose a girdle helped control stray minor bulges.

And speaking of the bias cut dress, on Page 4 is this design by Vionnet, famous for the gloriously figure hugging bias cut dress in the '30s.

Design by Vionnet - Paris

The lapels and collar on this dress are amazing, with the contrast bow illusion underpinning the neck, And I love the button detail on the front and on the sleeves. But most of all, I love the Lily Dache hat!

On page 7 we have the Agnes Drecoll dress with the contrast scarf neckline. The BELT! and the BUTTON! Once again, a fabulous hat and gauntlet gloves.

Design by Agnes Drecoll - Paris

Page 8 features the first of two designs by Edward Molyneux. The highlight of this dress is the crocheted buttons, in main and contrast colours. This dress is a chunkier style of knit.

Design by Molyneux - Paris

Molyneux has a second design;

Design by Molyneux - Paris

A checked skirt suit with a blouse. Note the fluted lampshade behind. Here is the blouse:

Design by Molyneux - Paris

How gorgeous is that? Love the lace up neckline.

Design by Maggy Rouf - Paris

Maggy Rouf is a designer I've heard of but know little about.  Here is her contribution, a chunky two piece in ribbing. At first glance the top appears to be a jacket, but this is an illusion. It's a jumper with a long band stitched on the front to make it look like an elegant jacket. So much of '30s designs seems to be about illusion. The HAT! and the BAG!

The last designer to feature is Dilkusha, of whom I have never heard. I didn't feel so bad about that when a quick Google search brought up no hits at all. I assume she's a woman as the name has a feminine ending. Anyway, she contributed this rather sweet number:

Design by Dilkusha - Paris

The collar extends into a ruffle along the front band.

There are quite a few other designs where the designer does not rate a mention, but they're great, so I'll share them with you.

Note the knitted gloves and the cigarette.

Gorgeous, love the neck drapey bit.

I love this "Two-piece vestee suit", once again an example of 1930s illusion. The vest is a false one, the pieces are sewn onto the jacket front as an extension. No getting hot and taking your jacket off in this outfit.

Tweed coat. Note the carved bakelite buttons. HAT!!

 Jiffy knit dress: Did I say HAT!?

Lacy Dress: Note the pocket book, or pochette. (Shhh...HAT!)

Look at the darling scallop shell pockets, the front band extension that buttons and the tie neck.

Nothing to say, except HAT!

Charming and unusual dress with dolman sleeves and twisted belt. (Not saying the H word, but not because I don't want to).

Swagger coat. Separate optional scarf and fabulous buttons.

Crocheted striped dress with interesting neckline and amazing back:

And lastly, because I can't leave anyone out:

The raglan twin set, with twins. Note the props, because this is what you would wear on the golf course. This time the H word is HAIR.

I really don't mind that the cover is loose and in two pieces, and also a tad crumpled. Because I can make any of these designs if I want to. I'm not really likely to want to, but I love knowing that I could.

Thank Heaven for Hoarders

 My Etsy Shop: Louisa Amelia Jane

I couldn't resist this week when I saw an ad on the internet for a garage sale. The sale was headed "Granny Hoarder Gives it Up". Even better, the description promised  that after more than 70 years of hoarding, the seller had loads of bags of wool and old patterns, linen , and retro clothing. Although it was an almost 2 hour drive for me to get there, I had to go.

It was a tumble down old house  - messy, cluttered and dirty. The lady's grand-daughter was running the sale as the old lady was going into care. The driveway was lined with piles of old kitchen ware, the garage was full of tools (and tool collectors!) and when I asked the price for a box of mildly interesting patterns, the lady told me that there was a filing cabinet full of patterns inside if I wanted to come in and go through them, and kindly supplied me with a box. Did I ever!


A Patons book of plus size patterns from the 40s

This is the more glamorous model - The others
 are older "matrons".

 

In a ramshackle old hallway, I spent a freezing 45 minutes going through eight drawers of clutter - mostly old knitting and crochet patterns. There were quite a lot of patterns from the 40s, 50s and 60s, and I sorted out a pile of nearly 100 of the oldest ones.



I was thrilled to find these two old books from the 40s by Eve Lyn,  really Evelyn Bellamy, who published knitting books from her homes in Brighton and Elwood during the 40s. In my entire collection of more than 2000 knitting and crochet books, I only had 3 Eve Lyn books. Now I have 5, plus a duplicate of one to sell!

Her patterns are lovely and I would like to know more about her.

 

The lady had quite a few fabulous crochet books. My favourites are these glorious Villawool patterns from the 60s.

Surely the 60s was the most wonderful era for crochet (and hairpieces!).

And could the woman in the gorgeous white jumper on the right be Victoria Beckham's mother?









 To this stash of knitting and crochet books I added about 20 old sewing patterns, including some very old ones from the 40s and 50s. Some of these were in plain envelopes addressed to the lady. She had sent into the Sun News Pictorial, as it was in those days, for the advertised patterns.

 The silverfish had had a feast of the packets, and these had clearly been stored in the garage. Some looked like they had been dropped on the ground and trodden on (in muddy boots). But the patterns are wonderful - baby wear, doll's clothes and small girls' clothes. I have discovered that apparently tissue paper is not tasty to silverfish, so the patterns within the tatty packets are undamaged (though a few are squashed).

These dolls on the left are very stylish in their vintage 50s wardrobe.

And how adorable are these toddlers' sun bonnets?

 I have never heard of Pauline's patterns. There were two copies of this one. I am glad to read that she was reliable.

Madame Weigel's patterns were very popular in the 40s, but my mother tells me that when she worked in the haberdashery section of a Melbourne department store in the 50s, Weigel patterns were on the way out. Madame Weigel also published knitting patterns, famous for her tea cosies, and the charming "Madame Weigel's Journal of Fashion" throughout the 40s, operating out of a premises in Lennox St, Richmond.

Paragon knitting books are famous, but I did not know they also produced sewing patterns, such as for this delightful frock.

I asked about linen, and was directed to a large bag on the floor of the laundry. Sadly, most of this was dirty and   stained beyond redemption, but I did sort out a small pile I was hopeful of reviving. The lady said there was more linen  and more patterns somewhere, but she had no idea where, but I could leave my phone number for when she found them. I didn't dare to ask about the clothes, I'm way too timid and embarrassed when it comes to invading the homes of complete strangers.  I was happy with my haul, and I think we were both happy with the price.

Most of the linen has come up nicely in the Napi-san, though if anybody knows how to remove those dark rust coloured marks I'd love to hear from them.

The grand-daughter shook her head and tut-tutted to me, saying of her grandmother "She was SUCH a hoarder." I'm so glad she was. De-cluttering is fine to an extent, but re-using and recycling implies a certain amount of storing things in case they might come in handy. And a love of all things vintage relies on and loves hoarders.