Knitted baby gown...free pattern

Continuing the theme of heirloom knitting, here is a lovely baby gown. It would make a great christening gown.

I like the scalloped hem from the lace design.

Enjoy, Debby

Craftsy Summer Supplies Sale from 7/26-7/28

Heirloom knitting...3 piece set to go with shawl

Here is a pattern for a bonnet, booties and gown that will go with the heirloom shawl. 

From Australian Women's Weekly. What a beautiful pattern!

Enjoy, Debby

Knitting pattern for a lace heirloom shawl

Want to knit an heirloom shawl for a new baby in your family? Here is a beautiful pattern from Women's Weekly.

Better get started now! This one will take a while...

Enjoy, Debby

NZ gift for new Prince and singlet pattern

It is always good news when a family has a new baby but this one will be a king! So what do you give a baby Prince? An heirloom shawl! Here are some links to articles about the shawl designed by Margaret Stove and spun and knit by Cynthia Read!
Article one, article two, article three.

As mentioned in the third article, here is a pattern for a singlet from Plunket.org. They can be knit and donated for other families with a new baby.

Enjoy, Debby

Heirloom knitting resource....free patterns

Check out these fabulous patterns for round knitted doilies. These can be used to make more than doilies...how about a lacy washcloth or even a round shawl with some alteration. I love this style of doily since it is knit on two needles then grafted at the end to the first row.

There is more to see at this site which is a resource for Judith McLeod-Odel's book, Heirloom Knits. 

There is a notice that Judith has passed away but the site will remain for an undisclosed period of time. Check it out now and save the information that you want before it is shut down.

Happy Knitting, Debby

Very unusual knitted doily...have you seen this pattern?

I found this lovely doily on EBAY.

I have never seen this pattern. I wish I could afford to purchase this piece.

Has anyone ever seen this pattern or know what it is called?

Just lovely....

Sale on EBAY-Vintage booklets for sale

I am having a big sale on EBAY. We are clearing out all our duplicate booklets so come and have a look! 

Today I posted about 40 vintage issues of Workbasket with dates ranging from 1946 to 1952. Check it out here!

Happy Friday and Have a great weekend!

New ways to feature doilies

I love all doilies. They are little gems of needlework art. ...but you can only use so many doilies in your house. I have them on armrests, head rests, under candles...just about everywhere. 

Here are some new ideas to feature doilies:

1. As earrings! Free crochet pattern at Red Heart

2. As a fancy, gift washcloth! Free knitting pattern at Red Heart

3. As art work displayed on a canvas. Free crochet pattern at Red Heart

4. Starched and hung in a window. Free crochet pattern at Red Heart

5. As a table place mat. Free crochet pattern at FreePattern.com

Share your creative ways to use doilies with all of us!

Wedding Shawl

I just finished a lovely project that I call the Wedding Shawl. I wanted to make something that wasn't too hard to knit but still had some flavor of a Shetland shawl. So this shawl is made up as simple half round design in repeating rows of eyelet then at the bottom a border of Old Shale. Do you like it? 

I pulled the points of the Old Shale pattern when I blocked it to make the curve look more dramatic.
...need to write it up the pattern this week. 

There is one for sale on ETSY. I will be knitting a few more for the wedding and prom season.

Free vintage crochet pattern

Back in the days when milk was stored in a real jug and not a plastic container in the frig, creative house keepers found a way to keep the flies out of the milk jug....a Milk Jug Cover or Doily. I have many of these lovely little pieces of needlework history from my grandmother. They are pretty, round crocheted "doilies" with beads or buttons attached around the edges. The beads or buttons gave weight to the doily so it didn't fall or blow off the top of the jug. 

Here is a crochet pattern I found in an Australian newspaper from 1937. Now you can make your own milk jug doily.


Enjoy!

New Knitting Traditions mag

A new edition of Knitting Traditions will soon be available- Spring 2012

Some articles that look interesting are:

• A 17th Century undershirt
• My Swiss flea market counterpane
• Three paneled bead knitted bags of 19th C New England
• and lots more

You can preorder on Interweave's site.

Happy Knitting

Cable Road Lace Baby Bonnet Free French Images

Here is my latest bonnet pattern. It is based on an Edwardian edging that I found.

It is available at ETSY and you can use this coupon for 10% off: ILUVBUYER10

...and if you don't already follow the Graphics Fairy blog, check out today's post. There are some great 18th c French lady images.

Happy Friday!

Patterns on Knitty.com

Have you checked out Knitty.com yet? 

There are always great patterns and ideas here. I love this shawl with the vintage lace edging. 

Oceanspray shawl

Here are some goodies from past issues that I have enjoyed:


Victorian Baby Doll Ensemble Part I and Part II

 

Let me know what you think. 

Jane Austen Knits

Sorry I haven't posted in a while...been ill with bronchitis. Here is something I am looking forward to getting...

Jane Austen Knits is a special issue from the editors of Spin-Off magazine, it explores the Regency era through patterns inspired by one of the greatest writers to come out of this time—Jane Austen. 

Looks like a very interesting issue! You can find out more HERE.

New on ETSY-Crochet and Hairpin lace shawl 1902

New on ETSY

Beautiful crochet and hairpin lace shawl pattern from 1902

Wheels are lengths of hairpin lace joined together then worked into the crochet work.

Historic Knitting Resource-Kniting History site Free patterns

Check out this great site for more free history knitting patterns.

Historic Knitting Resource-Free patterns from Victoria and Albert Museum

In a previous post, I showed some links to vintage patterns at the V&A museum in London, England. Today I have three dolly patterns from 'The Little Girl's knitting and Crochet Book', 1915.edited by Flora Klickmann.


1. A Baby Doll's Coat and Bonnet Click on image for web page.

CLICK HERE for the PDF pattern

2. Dolly at the Seaside a pattern for a doll's jersey. Click on image for web page.

CLICK HERE for the PDF pattern

3. Dolly's Bedspread  Click on image for web page.

CLICK HERE for the PDF pattern

Hope you are staying cool and safe this summer.

Happy Knitting,

Debby

Heirloom Stitching threads-Sources

I was reading an article in an 1994 copy of McCall's Needlework titled Heirloom Stitching Threads. Seems there is a never ending search for materials that can be used in heirloom needlework projects. Here are some of the companies that were mentioned that are still in business and are on the Internet.

Kreinik Manufacturing. Silk and metallic thread

YLI Lovely quality threads and ribbons in cotton and silk

• Interesting looking shoelace yarn
• Gimpe for making tassels and embroidery
• PDF of all their products
  

The Caron Collection The CARON Collection's threads range from exquisite hand-dyed variegated threads in cotton, silk and wool-silk to exotic metallics and shimmering nylon. With a palette of colors that rival nature in depth and subtlety and a dazzling range of texture, the CARON Collection's threads have become a favorite of designers everywhere.

• Thread Equivalents Table The CARON Collections's threads can be used in all kinds of needlework and craft projects. Use the table below as a guide for substituting them for comparable traditional threads. Chart provides equivalents to No. 3, 5 and 8 pearl cotton.
• Free ONLINE Classes
• Free Patterns
• Free Kids Projects to get kids interested in crafts and stitching
  

Ginnie Thompson Flower Thread

• 20 count cream Irish Linen also offered
  

DMC

• Crochet Cottons
• Includes tatting cottons, Pearl cotton, Cordonnet sizes 10 thru 100, Cebelia Crochet cotton as well as others
• Pearl Cotton balls
• Free patterns

Anchor- now sold under Coats and Clark

• You can search the site by thread size.
• Here is Size 10 as an example of what is available
  

I am still looking for linen crochet threads. There was a product from Anchor called Artiste that was 100% linen but I only see it available in the UK. Please leave a comment if you have seen it available in other countries.