Spot the difference

Look beyond the shape, colour and styling

Actually, it's a trick question. Barring one difference in construction technique, and one change which may have been a typo, they are exactly the same pattern.

I came across 1284 in a charity shop, and bought it as a perfect example of a fitted 1950s cardigan (according to Ravelry, it was published in January 1952). A while later I spotted 1415 online, and bought it as a perfect example of a looser, more boxy, 1960s cardigan (again, thanks to Ravelry for the publication date of May 1960). It was only when the latter arrived that I realised that they used the same slipped stitch pattern.

The first clue

The fact that both patterns could be knitted in the same wool should have been a bit of a hint, but when I looked at the measurements and wool requirements, I realised that they were exactly the same.

Different layout, but the same details

Intrigued, I then compared the pattern instructions line by line. They are identical for the back, fronts, and front bands. Only the sleeves differ. 1415 is knitted in the way I'm familiar with - the cuff ribbing is cast on and knitted on the smaller needles, then larger needles are used to knit the sleeve. (The number of stitches is also reduced at the end of the ribbing.)

Sleeve instructions for 1415

For 1284, the body of the sleeve is knitted on the larger needles first. Then the smaller needles are used to pick up and knit stitches at the bottom of the sleeve (knitting into some twice to create the extra stitches) and the ribbing is knitted.

Sleeve and cuff instructions for 1284

The eagle-eyed may have noticed one other difference. On 1415, the sleeve width is increased from 29 to 45 stitches by adding two stitches on every sixth row, for all three sizes. But on 1284 the increase is on every sixth row for the 34" bust version, but every fourth row for the two larger sizes.

The only real difference between the patterns

By my calculations, this means that whereas the 34" version of 1284 would reach 45 stitches wide on row 47, the 36" and 38" versions would get there after 33 rows, and therefore the sleeves would be a fair bit shorter! My guess is that this was a typo in the original, which was corrected in the new version.

I already knew that dress pattern companies reissued patterns if a style came back into fashion, but I wasn't aware that the same happenend with knitting patterns - albeit restyled to give a more contemporary look. However, none of this explains how the same cardigan looks such a different shape in the two illustrations. I wonder if there was some sort of peg or clip on the back of the brown version, pulling it into the desired fitted line? Photoshop, 1950s-style perhaps!

Second time lucky, again

Following on from my success with Style 2703, I have another winning pattern remake to report, but this time it's knitting.

My first Close To You shawl wasn't exactly a failure. It's a great pattern, it was just that the colours of the yarn I used weren't really 'me' once it was knitted up. But this yarn from Ewe & Ply in Shrewsbury looked a much better match.

Corrie-Mo in shade Sea Shanty

There isn't really a lot to add to what I said in my previous post about this project. But here is a better photo of beaded section, post-blocking.

The beads just add a little extra

And speaking of blocking.

Utilising all available sunlight

I love the way the colours of this yarn work with the pattern. There are a couple of pools of gold, but mostly it appears in streaks, giving an almost watercolour effect.

Ripples of gold across the green

Unfortunately, I haven't had time this week to take proper photos of the shawl being worn, so here’s a quick phone snap instead.

It's beautifully soft

This doesn't really do justice to the finished article, so I will try to take something better soon.

Ste Anne, again

Only a very short post this week, as I've been busy with family commitments. Yesterday was Saint Anne's Day, the patron saint of seamstresses, and I managed to find time to make good on my previous threat to recreate this postcard.

Vive Ste Anne - version one

Even if I had had more time, it seemed silly to make a new dress just for this. So instead, I wore the version of Style 1571 which I made from vintage fabric. From my attempts to date the print, it seemed around the right era for the image. There was no way I could recreate the hair, so I stuck with one of the styles on the pattern envelope. Also, none of my sewing machines are as 'modern' as the one on the postcard (my money is on it being a Singer 319 - yes, I am that nerdy!), but I did at least use my mum's 1950s Singer 99 rather than my much earlier treadle. Finally, I managed to find some flowers which went with the yellow and pink in the dress, and even the pincushion matched the colour scheme!

Vive Ste Anne - version two!

All in all, it was a lot of fun to do, and a welcome diversion in what have been a stressful couple of weeks.

Recreating Vintage 1940s Knitwear

When I came to write this post I was amazed to find that I have only been knitting since February 2023 - less than 30 months. I still regard myself as a beginner in many ways, but it just feels like something I 'do' now. In that time I've acquired a small, but growing, library of knitting books, and the latest addition is Recreating Vintage 1940s Knitwear by Linda Ivell.

My newest acqusition

The book contains 17 original 1940s patterns, all of which were designed to use small amounts of wool in different colours at a time when yarn was not only rationed, but in short supply. But there is so much more to it than just the patterns.

Patterns to cope with wool shortages

The introduction provides lots of background on knitting in the war years. I've heard about this time from my parents, who lived through it, but there was much in here that I didn't know.

From the introduction

I found the section on stitches fascinating; the many different approaches that designers came up with using multiple colours in ways that were not just stripes.

So many variations

Most 1940s knitting patterns are printed in black and white - even before the restrictions of wartime, colour printing wasn't widespread. Colour information is often provided in the pattern, but the shade names may not mean much to readers now. This book provides lots of information on period-appropriate colours.

Colour suggestions

There are instructions on how to make shoulder pads in different shapes for that authentic 1940s silhouette.

Showing the effect of the shoulder pad

There's also plenty of advice on yarns of the period and how to source suitable modern substitutes. And there's a whole chapter on how to resize vintage patterns, which were almost always for a 34" (86cm) bust only. All of the patterns in the book were resized to either 34-36" or 40-42" using this method, so it has been well-tested.

The patterns are split into three categories; open stitches and lace, slip stitch, and colour work. All have been adapted to knit in 4ply or DK, and are rated in terms of difficulty.

The pale blue ties the different colours together

Feather and fan was a popular design

Colour work

There are also lots of 'how-to' photographs and handy tips throughout, making this a real handbook for vintage knitting. My 94-year-old mum greatly enjoyed looking through the book, and said that it brought back lots of memories of knitting in her teens, which I thought was a great endorsement.

Recreating Vintage 1940s Knitwear is published by Crowood Press, and available from booksellers. This is not an affiliated post - I bought my own copy, and these are just my thoughts on a lovely and useful book.

(first?) Serpentine hat

It's been extremely hot and sunny here in the UK recently, which has finally given me the impetus to make a project which has been on my list for a while, the Serpentine hat by Elbe Textiles.

I already have several straw sunhats, which I wear regularly, but I wanted something which I could just fold up and put in my bag. Unfortunately, I have a strong aversion to bucket hats (one of my many clothing prejudices, but that's another story!), so my options were rather limited. But then I spotted Susan Young wearing what looked like the Perfect Hat on Instagram, which turned out to be the Serpentine.

All of Elbe Textiles' patterns are PDFs, which are not my favourite thing, but fortunately a hat doesn't run to many sheets of A4. The hat is fully lined, so it's possible to use two different fabrics and make it reversible. Susan had advised me that because of the large brim, stiff or firmly interfaced fabric is key, so I used plain canvas in blue and beige.

The two fabrics in the brim

It's a great pattern. There are only three pieces, they fit together perfectly, and the instructions are clear without being long-winded. The only change I made was that rather than sew the band pieces together and then sew around the upper edge as guide for fitting the top, I stay-stitched the pieces before sewing them together. I did the same for the brim pieces, too. But really that was just because that’s how I'm used to constructing garments.

Stay stitching the band

One thing I would say is to closely follow the advice about notching seams. There are a lot of curved pieces in this pattern, and taking the time to snip them properly will really help everything to fit together properly and keep the edges smooth.

The brim seam notched and pressed open

The clever construction means that the whole thing is machine sewn; there is no hand finishing required. Because I was using such different coloured fabrics there was a lot of changing spools and bobbins, but it was worth it. There were times when there were several layers of fabric to sew through, but my treadle machine coped effortlessly.

And here is the finished hat (or two). Excellent fit, good wide brim, and easy to make. It really is the Perfect Hat.

Beige hat with blue lining

And vice versa

In fact, it will probably be one of several perfect hats. I have plenty of canvas left over, so I'm thinking of making a couple more with patterned linings/under brims. So hopefully the leftovers on the stashometer will eventually vanish.

0.6m left over, but ideally not for long

Pineapple completed

Having, finally, decided on a design for my pineapple dress I went to cut it out - and made a discovery about the fabric.

It naturally curled when folded over

The selvedge was very tightly woven, to the extent that it actually puckered. Fortunately, just snipping the selvedge at fairly close intervals fixed the problem and caused it to lay flat.

I wanted to match the pattern on the skirt centre back seam, as I felt that such a bold design would look terrible if it didn't align. I cut one piece, and traced round various fruits and flowers in the seam allowance.

The tracing is just visible here

Then I flipped the pattern over, and used these tracings to place it correctly on the fabric for the other piece. I'm pretty pleased with the way it worked out.

Good match!

The bodice back slopes down the centre seam, so pattern matching isn't possible. Instead, I cut the pieces out so that pattern flows across it. Similarly I made sure that obvious elements such as the pineapples and oranges are at the same height round the skirt. I took particular care placing the bodice front pattern piece - I didn't want a pair of pineapples in 'interesting' positions!

It dawned on me that in all the examples I had seen, the contrast element of the bodice has a top edge which is pretty much straight across, whereas mine curves up at the outer edges. I experimented with a mock-up, and decided that I preferred my version. Such are the advantages of making your own clothes! I completely forgot to take any progress shots, but it was built up on an interfaced inner layer. The two pieces for the outer layer were sewn in place along the top edge, then the excess fabric was pleated and stitched down. Finally the inner and outer layers were overlocked together along the lower outside edge. The insert is just hand sewn in place, and I am considering making at least one more in a different fabric.

The completed bodice

The skirt is quite full, and there's a lot to hem. Fortunately I remembered that on a day trip to a meeting in London last autumn I had found time to pop into MacCulloch and Wallis (because of course I did!) and bought, among other things, these.

I had wanted these for ages

The bottom item is a kakehari or 'third hand'. The clamp is screwed onto something solid, such as a table, the kakehari is attached to this, and then it holds the fabric in place so you can tension it with one hand and sew with the other.

In action, albeit the wrong way round for most people

Because I am left-handed, I sewed with my left hand and held the fabric taut with my right. It made the job much easier, and quicker.

And here is the finished dress, complete with matching belt.

The 'fruits' of my labour (sorry not sorry)

#sewnshownseated

Naturally, a dress with large pineapples on it need to be accessorised with a pair of pineapple earrings! These are from a shop called Digger, in Edinburgh. It first opened when I used to live up there, forty-plus years ago, and I always pop in when I'm back. I was delighted to spot the earrings on one trip, as I knew that they would be perfect with this dress - if I ever made it!

Digger has always looked like this

The stashometer meanwhile remains in the red, but slightly less than before.

Better, but still not good

I need to get sewing with some of those fabrics on the left column if I'm going to get anywhere close to stash-neutral.

Pierre Balmain

My desire to take my time and create a well-made garment which will last is clearly greater than my desire to participate in a sewing challenge! The pineapple dress is coming on nicely, but definitely won't be finished for tomorrow's deadline for SewFruity2025. And I'm fine with that. It does, however, leave me in need of a blog post subject. So as this project is the second time that I've taken inspiration from a Pierre Balmain dress, I thought I'd explore some more of his designs.

Balmain to the rescue for bodice ideas

Unusually for the founder of a couture house, the only publication solely about him seems to be his autobiography. Nor could I find any references to exhibitions of his work. In fact, it turned out that viewings at Kerry Taylor Auctions were probably where I had seen his pieces most often.

This circa 1947-48 black wool crepe day/dinner dress was my favourite item in the very first viewing that I went to, back in December 2014.

I still love this

Then of course, a year later I saw the Holly Dress.

The inspiration for my most ambitious project ever

Other pieces I have seen at Kerry Taylor, in date order, are these.

Beaded dress, 1954

Medallions dress, 1955

Tricolour dress, 1955

Wrapped silk dress, 1957

Tricolour dress, late 1950s

I would love to have a go at making most of these. In fact, I have kept all the close-up images of the medallions dress - just in case! However, if I do want a Balmain dress then an easier way of doing it would almost certainly be via one of the Vogue Paris Original patterns which I own.

Vogue Paris Original 2654, 1971

Vogue Paris Original 1857, 1987

Not that I'm short of other projects to do, but that's never stopped me!

Pineapple progress

64 months is nowhere close to the longest time that a dress length has sat in my stash (that dubious honour goes to the anemone dress), but this project has frequently felt like The Dress That Didn’t Want To Be Made. My first plan for this fabric never felt quite right. Then I found some plain cotton which was perfect for adding some kind of contrast section, but I got distracted by another project and it was sidelined again. Not even the fact that I already had a zip of the exact length and colour required - a dressmaking miracle - could coax me into action.

Lack of materials was not the problem

But then @blossomsandwich announced that she is running her SewFruity challenge again this year, and this prompted me to finally get on with things.

The challenge

Since I last abandoned this project in 2023, I had found this image online, and decided that I wanted to make something similar, with the plain fabric on the bust.

Inspiration 2.0

However, it was impossible to find any suitable patterns. There are a few modern and repro designs for shelf dresses, but none of them have sleeves. I have Simplicity 1155 (now out of print), but not only is it sleeveless, to me it seems greatly changed from the original design. To add insult to injury, Laura Mae of Lilacs & Lace had tracked down the original pattern, and discovered that it did have a short-sleeved option!

So many questions

The whole thing was in danger of being shelved (pun intended) yet again, when I found this image.

Pierre Balmain, 1955

Here the shaped, plain, section is far more part of the overall dress shape than on the shelf dresses. It is also something which could be achieved from my original plan of using a bodice made from my Butterick 5748/Simplicity 3662 mash-up. I made a toile from some of the leftovers from my 2020 scrubs making (I've still got lots left!), without the neckline shaping on the bodice front, and set to work.

The shoulders needed flattening a little.

With the original neckline marked in yellow

Once I was happy with the fit, I put it on, and drew on the neckline I wanted. Unfortunately, black pen lines on blue fabric didn't show up well enough to trace them onto the tissue pieces. So I machine sewed over the lines with white thread. This provided a better contrast, and also a slight ridge which was easy to follow when tracing.

The new neckline

The pattern piece for the contrast section is a striking shape.

From Balmain to Batman?

I now have all my pattern pieces drawn and have started cutting out a dress. I don’t know whether I'll get it completed in time to submit it for the challenge on 30 June but at least it's, finally, on the way to being made.