Keep it under your hat

Illustrations by the author. Nice work, Dora

A short and sweet post after a long absence! Facebook friends will know the saga of this book, spotted in the window of a Cats in Crisis charity shop in my local high street. But whenever I went past, no matter what time of day, it was closed – yet the window display had often been rearranged.

Well so desperate was I to get my hot little hands on this book that I made two trips into town today specially, determined. The first I was greeting by the customary Sorry, we're CLOSED sign, but the second time – bingo. £4 and it was mine.

They weren't always cheesy romance y'know

Love the fact it's published by pedlars of cheesy romance Mills & Boon. Also like the sound of Dora Shackell's other publications:

If you see any of these, let me know

This tiny book has only 30 pages, including stockists and an intro, so the projects are thin on the ground but include Make a Sailor Hat, Make a Breton Hat and this one:

Charming huh. And if you want to find out how, just click here and here for your free instructions.

Knit-a-rama

Published by Collins/Conde Nast (1972)

Two new (read: 30-year-old) craft books recently came into my possession, both on the subject of knitting - must be something in the air (er, that would be the snow, sleet and rain).

The first – the Vogue Guide to Knitting, I picked up in Oxfam in Tooting (a nice area of south London I venture to rarely and which makes me think of Citizen Smith and 'Power to the people'. I was in that neck of the woods getting some advice at the amazing Wimbledon Sewing Machine Centre, which, incidently, is attached to one of my favourite museums, the weird and very wonderful London Sewing Machine Museum).

I clocked the 'Tiny bikinis' referred to on the cover, and then the 'Exciting designs' – for example a terrific smock (with rolled-up jeans, thick socks and sandals), and a fair isle sweater and matching beret worn by a rather stern child:

I also just love the floral/stripey pullover on the cover (not to mention the girl's hairdo). Here she is again, looking as if she's holding an iPod in some bizarre knitting-meets-time-travel experiment.

The shape of things to come

Click here for a (as always free) PDF of the pattern for her lovely floral pullover.

Published by Marshall Cavendish (1982)

The second book, Aran and Fair Isle Knitting, I received as a gift from someone who knows me only too well. 'Tis a technicolour treasure trove of Scottish knitwear, such as this lovely jumper:

Getting it in the neck

and I also just really like the colours in the stitch samples and the diagrams:

Add caption

I'm spoilt for things to share with you from this book so I'm plumping for the adorable pompom mittens shown on the cover. You will need three balls of Aran wool and these instructions.

Stay cosy!

Cosy crochet beret

In the hat department of Liberty the other lunchtime, I tried on a very nice pompommed beret affair with a price tag of nigh-on £100. It brought to mind this crocheted beauty from my Hats of the Week series back in February:

Tres chic

I thought why not revisit this splendid hat pattern (hattern?) in this freezing cold weather…

I found it in the 1969 book Fashion Crochet by Caroline Horne:

An ex-Hornsey Library book, I seem to remember

 ...published by Mills & Boon – which evidently, before it became chief purveyor of cheesey romance, used to publish craft books and have this lovely logo:

If you're on the lookout for new headwear, you can find another of my favourite patterns from the same series here.

And if you want to tackle the jaunty beret above – here are the materials you'll need, the instructions and a few more instructions. Ooh la la

Golden Hands fashion drawings

Whenever I'm flicking through my Golden Hands books and partworks magazines which, let's face it, is quite often, drawings by one particular illustrator always catch my eye.

Design in dressmaking: pockets (part 3, 1972)

Her name is Anna Kostal and she's credited in issues of the publication dated 1972-1973, but that is all I can find out about her.

Design in dressmaking: pockets 2 (part 3, 1972)

As well as loving – almost without exception – all the clothes, accessories and hairdos she chose to illustrate, I also adore the style of the drawings, the movement and interaction between the figures – but mainly the attention to detail.

Knitting design: darts and shaping (part 81/vol 6, 1973)

I know that when you're illustrating stitching techniques for craft books and such like, it's essential to emphasise the details – but this lady has really gone to town. For instance, can you spot the heart-arrow brooch in the 'collars' picture below? Nice!

Design in dressmaking: more about collars (part 81/vol6, 1973)

I also really like her use of (lovely sludgy) colour for the main article of clothing and black and white for all the rest.

Reversible fabrics (Golden Hands Encyclopedia of Dressmaking, 1973)

I mean, checked shirts, tweedy skirts, capes, chunky tights with sandals, sailor collars, clogs... what on earth is not to like?!

Reversible fabrics (Golden Hands Encyclopedia of Dressmaking, 1973)

I also think the way she draws hair is just out of this world...

Tailoring (part 7, 1972)

I'd love to know what happened to this brilliant artist after the Golden Hands 1972-1973 heyday, whether she carried on drawing and where she is now. Anna Kostal, if you are out there, I hope you are still doing what you do best!

Knitting design: darts and shaping (part 81/vol 6, 1973)

Highland fling

Last week, I was indulging in my favourite holiday pastime of trawling local charity shops, when Patricia Roberts Knitting Patterns book (1977) caught my eye. Because I was on a chilly island in the north of Scotland, this woolly cape looked like exactly what I wanted to be wearing, despite it being the middle of July:

Poor-quality image but you get the picture

Not just a knitted green cape (or perhaps more of a cloak) but a balaclava hat and floral maxi skirt, pulled together with a Scottie dog brooch. Now this was an outfit I could work with.

The junk-lovers' paradise I'd found myself in was the Blue Door in Kirkwall, Orkney, which changes hands every few months to allow different charities to raise cash.

I don't think it's meant to be rude

As promised on the cover, there really is a design for all the family, including a Fair Isle cardie with teapot motifs for the chain-smokin' man in your life:

You light up my life

And I love these gardeners in neckerchiefs and tricoleur bobbly jumpers posing with their tools:

Hoe, hoe, hoe

The book's back cover has a little picture of each pattern, mainly alternative views to the ones used inside. I particularly like Hodge, middle row left, and Walking the Dog just above it:

Published by Book Club Associates, 1977

These days, Patricia Roberts has a posh shop in London's Belgravia selling lovely ladies' and kids' knits – and DIY kits.

If you're heading for cold climes, don't get caught without a cosy cape. Click here for your free knitting pattern.

(All designs © Patricia Roberts, 1977)

Looking for Annie Hall

Source: The Book of Creative Crafts, Edited by Elsie Burch Donald (Book Club Associates, 1978)

Hats of the week (part 4)

There's a distinct whiff of spring in the air, so for my last
hats post, I've cast warmth aside in favour of this daft lot:



I like the swimming hat-style Crusader helmet so much I'm considering making myself one AND actually wearing it. But WFT is going on with Cleopatra in the middle? No wonder she can't keep a straight face, she's wearing a knitting blue bob. And has Mantilla just washed her hair?

Anyway, towel, wig or swimming cap – the choice is yours. Click here, here and here for how to knit your own, er let's say distinctive, headgear.

While we're at it, if you like the synchronised swimmer look, and let's face it who doesn't, you'll love this chunky version, modelled by a very fetching young lady:



Dontcha just love her toothy smile? I'm also diggin her
friend's eye make-up:



So, if you want to knock up your very own 1960s chapeau, clickety, clickety click to find out how (there's always next winter). PS: the white one is crocheted.

Hat of the week (part 3)

This yellow mohair and gold lurex scarf-hood number is not strictly a hat I know, but doesn't she look lovely? If you ditched the glittery bits in favour of a nice chunky wool, you could have the cosiest winter ever.

The uninspiring-looking 1976 book it came from is much more colourful and altogether 70s inside than the rather drab cover suggests:

You can tell author Pam Dawson's got a few tricks up her sleeve:

Sadly she's keeping the pattern for her lovely landscape cardi to herself, but if you fancy knitting the evening hood, you'll find simple instructions by clicking here. Keep toasty!

Hat of the week

Brrrr – don't know about where you are, but here in London it's absolutely brass monkeys, so to get through this chilly spell I'm going to post some fine hats – with instructions on how to knit, sew or crochet them – one a week til it warms up out there.
First up, this beautiful knitted deerstalker number (the matching jacket will have to wait for another time!)



I love the painting in the background, not to mention the dog and the knitted knickerbockers. The pattern is taken from this 1973 tome I've had for years, which is published by Octopus, printed in Czechoslovakia and filled with all manner of other delights, some of which I'll be sharing with you.



So, what are you waiting for? Click here for the knitting instructions and here for part 2.