30s style for 3ply Bouclet

Now the parrot jumper saga is over I am onto another colour knit, from a 40s pattern I  have not seen anywhere else (charity shops are great sometimes). I am quite excited, but I will wait to post when it's done.

Many knitters like to work on several projects at the same time so they don't get bored, sadly I am not so productive, but in a bid to become more efficient I am lining up the next project already!

I have just found some lovely original 3ply, much called for in 30s and 40s patterns, which has inspired me to look at older patterns than normal. I have 6oz of Patons Beehive Bouclet in a dark teal, and 5 oz Patons Beehive Fingering in a mid blue. Together there will be enough for a project. Finding patterns to go with second hand yarn, even fancy stuff, is not that hard now days. There is Ravelry, vintage yarn wiki sites, etsy sellers, and vintage knitting groups on Facebook. The latest FB offering is the Vintage Knitting Pattern Library for sharing pre-50s patterns.

If my experience so far is anything to go by the only point to worry about is yardage. Old patterns seem to understate the required yardage quite a lot, for the parrot jumper I ended up using almost double the amount of the main colour than stated - 12oz rather than 7.

Anyway, this is my selection so far, all 1930s cowl or v-necks. This first one is so simple and it needs the least yarn. The 30s look is often a long waistband and very blouse-like body, but this one is a bit different. Out of all the designs this is the most suited to by body shape.

This is a lovely design, and again works well for two colours, but I don't know if my yarn is going to work for crochet.

This lovely number would be top choice but I would need a bit more yarn, or to change the design. It is classically 30s, with that big waistband and quite straight body section. I love the deep V neck and those sleeve chevrons.

I can handle a round neck if there are chevrons, cavalier or not. If anyone ever sees some 3ply in this colour please tell me I will pay you big (ish) bucks for it.

All these patterns (expect the cardigan I think) are from one booklet, available separately or as a book from 'e-stitcher' on Etsy. Something tells me I am going to be buying the whole bouclet! (ha ha) x.

The Norwegian Blue jumper

I have finally finished the 1940s Bestway Lovebirds jumper I wrote about in my last post. 

I am quite delighted with it. I love these wild colour contrasts. The original design is for a green jumper with some birds in red, red being the colour of a Lovebird. Mine are in blue as that is what my stash dictated (I wasn't going to go and buy new yarn just incase it all went wrong) so this is now the Norwegian Blue jumper (as in the Dead Parrot sketch). 

Electric blue is definitely one of my fave colours. I have a faux-vintage swing coat in this colour which has been my everyday winter coat for the past year or two. I won't be run over in this colour combination that's for sure. The orange also goes with my vintage earrings and bangles.

I can say completing this has been a bit of a miracle, depending as it did on leaping in and learning how to do colour work from scratch. Halfway through the birds I had to unpick about 10 rows, luckily by that point I had got used working with multiple colours and it didn't take long to redo it. All the birds have their own colour strands, which means by the end there are hundreds of ends, which didn't get too tangled thankfully. I think if I do it again I will tie off some of the ends as I go. Other than shortening the waistband a bit, and also taking 4 rows from the length I didn't change anything. 

If anyone wants to try this I would say go for it. It's not that hard if you are used to intarsia and if you are not then it's a very good way to learn. More details on my Ravelry if you want them.