Show us your vintage knitting and crochet!

[Babydoll]

I recently entered one of my doilies in our State Fair competition.

And I found out last night that I won a blue ribbon! And I also received a Special Award, which I think might be Best of Class. I'll find out when I visit the Fair tomorrow and can see the display. I'm so excited!!!!!

 

[St. Louis]

Congratulations, Babydoll! A well-deserved prize. This is such beautiful, neat work. The blocking is exquisite. How large is that doily in real life?

 

[Babydoll]

Thank you. It is about 8 1/2" diameter. The pattern was relatively easy with several repeated motifs. It worked up quickly - completed in 2 1/2 days. I didn't starch it, just lightly ironed it, and while the threads were warm I manipulated the forms to be symmetrical. I tacked it to foamcore (2 layers of poster board with foam sandwiched between) with cotton thread and a needle.

Now that I know the judges like my work, I have plans to do more next year.

 

[Babydoll]

I found out that the "special award" is given at the judge's discretion, and is awarded for "unusual excellence". Super cool!

 

[AmateisGal]

I found out that the "special award" is given at the judge's discretion, and is awarded for "unusual excellence". Super cool!

That is awesome, Babydoll! Exquisite work. Wish I could do that. I've never tried knitting or crocheting and I'm afraid my hands wouldn't allow it now (I have rheumatoid arthritis).

 

[Babydoll]

Thank you. My Gran had arthritis, so she had to stop about 15 years before she passed. I have one pressure spot on my hand that hurts when I am in my busiest season (September to Easter, basically). Icing & nsaids help.

 

[Wire9Vintage]

Lovely work, Babydoll! I wish I could do work like that!

 

[swanson_eyes]

I can't knit. My hands don't work that way. But I'll gladly use the double-ended needles as hair pins! (Bend them into u-shapes.)

I can crochet but rarely get around to it.

 

[Alice Blue]

This thread seems as good a place as any to pass on a link to The Vintage Shetland Project, which is a group of patterns from the 1920s to the 1950s from the collection of the Shetland Museum. Author Susan Crawford has added multiple sizes when reproducing these patterns. Most of them are for women, although there is a sweater for the gents and a couple of unisex items. Two photos are shown below. You can see the rest at https://susancrawfordvintage.com/products/the-vintage-shetland-project

 

[Alice Blue]

Oh, I've just realized that the "Ralph" men's sweater in the collection above is that sweater ... by which I mean the well-known "prisoner of war jumper." It was worn by Shetlander Ralph Paterson, who was a POW in Hong Kong during WW2. The sweater had been knit for Paterson by his wife, and he repaired it with whatever came to hand during that time.

The reproduction, freshly knit up, looks like this: