Saturday, February 9, 2013

Vintage Hooking Rediscoveries

I was doing some post-Nemo (big-ass blizzard, for those in a cave) poking around my studio and happened upon a stash of vintage goodness I'd not seen in a while. One was this treasure, "Fourteen Filet Crochet Sweaters" by Emma Farnes. Based on the clothing worn by the models and by the nouveau-style font used on the cover, I would have guessed these were from around 1915-1918. But if the newspaper clipping from "American Farmer" inserted long ago is a clue, it seems to be from around 1921. Oh well, my bad.

But I thought all one of you might enjoy seeing some of these beauties and the scanty instructions that accompany them.






 Besides the Filet discovery, I also came across these gems.  One thing I absolutely love about vintage pattern books are the marks left by their former owners. (Actually, that's one of the things I love about used cookbooks, too). Take Collingbourne's, for example.  Apparently, someone didn't care so much for the artistic crochet contained within these pages, as she (I presume) glued other patterns straight over them!  Virtually every page has been rethought with an "improved" pattern glued over the inferior one.






 Another favorite, and among the books that compelled this hooker to bloody learn to knit,  are these copies of Leach's.  Take a look.  Do I really have to explain?  I mean, that cape is faaaaaaabulous!