Tue 28 Mar 2006

I’m feeling generous so here is the pattern for this to-die-for 1950’s shrug. It is next on my to do list in a vivacious lipstick red. Go truely retro with some capri’s and summer halter underneath. If anyone starts on this, let me know. I can’t wait to see this made!

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March 29th, 2006 at 8:14 am
It’s fabulous and will be uber-fabulous in red, but those k1p1 edgings on 0s are mighty discouraging. Also, I don’t have her tiny waist. Or the gloves.
But it sure is glamorous.
How is the husband sweater coming along?
March 29th, 2006 at 8:20 am
I’m not so skilled yet as to translating this pattern into different sizes. Maybe someone here can help us out!? I know size is so limiting for these vintage patterns! I hate to leave anyone out! Maybe hat, sock, scarf patterns will be more versitile in the future for free patterns.
I took a two day break on my husbands sweater. I finished the ribbing on the blue diamond sweater from MONTHS ago. I’ll post more about it shortly after I get some photographs.
Husbands sweater is going slooooooooooooow though. I’m knitting away though cause I dont really have yarn yet for this shrug. I’m on the hunt.
March 30th, 2006 at 7:10 am
Bless your heart! I’m very excited. This will be my first vintage project (though I may not get around to it for quite some time!)
March 30th, 2006 at 1:52 pm
Thanks for sharing such a lovely pattern. I love vintage patterns.
April 2nd, 2006 at 11:57 am
Love,love,love it! I’m downloading it asap and prowling the stash. Will post pix of FO(as IF) whenever it’s done. thanks!
April 12th, 2006 at 7:30 pm
Just wondering what the equivalent ply would be in todays wool?
April 13th, 2006 at 5:36 am
Jenny, I think you need a 3 ply yarn. If I were to go to colormartUK I’d definately go with 3ply. I did my baby cardigan in 3 ply with size 2 needles and it was 8 sts per inch. They say “sports yarn” but some sports yarns these days seem a little on the thick side. Just make sure to swatch and you’ll be ok!
April 30th, 2006 at 8:42 pm
Thanks for the lovely pattern. I have started it in a periwinkle, 8 ply cotton. I am using 3mm needles. It may take me a while as I find every US pattern I have jused has ended up a little on the large size. I am a size 2-4 and it seems a lot of vintage patterns start at 12 (or 36 inch bust).
May 3rd, 2006 at 5:11 pm
Hit a flaw in my plan already. I never do a tension square and I have learnt from vintage knitting that you really should. My work was turning out too large so found some 3 or 4 ply cotton in my hoarding and having knitted a tension square this time, I am trying it on 2 and a quarter mm needles. Second time lucky?
May 21st, 2006 at 2:40 pm
Hello,
I have just finished the back and it is going well. I am using a beautiful rose colored silky tweed.
I have had to be careful with the knit behind because I dropped stitches without noticing. But I am ready to start the sleeves. The pattern is hard for me to concive how it is going to all piece together so it is an interesting construction.
Can’t wait for it to be done. Will wear it as a shrug for my wedding dress in August.
Will post picture when I am done.
Michelle
May 24th, 2006 at 9:12 pm
I can’t wait to see!
May 26th, 2006 at 6:59 pm
I love this shrug. Has anybody successfully adapted it for worsted weight yarn and larger needles?
It’s a task I might tackle. Any suggestions for web pages or books that might have information on reworking vintage patterns keeping true to their original style and fit?
Thanks!
May 26th, 2006 at 7:03 pm
I haven’t adapted but my guess is doing something like testing worsted out and seeing how many stitches you have per inch that you like. If you get 5 per inch, do 5 and just adjust all stitch counts. I think the hard task would be increasing. You’d need to increase less I’d say?! Hmmm.
June 25th, 2006 at 5:47 am
Can’t wait to start this. Think daughter will look great in it. She’s 22 and still shops in the kids department. If the model is a 12 or larger I’d be shocked unless sizes have changed since then.
Trish
June 25th, 2006 at 3:45 pm
Trish,
I do think sizes have changed. I’m not sure what their sizes refer to back then. I’m sure this little size 4 model isn’t a modern day 12! I’ll have to research size charts some time and post them!
June 26th, 2006 at 3:50 pm
I love this pattern. I am new to knitting sweaters and these small needles are a bit intimidating…I think I could be up for the challenge but I too am a size 2-4. I don’t know if I’m to the point of being able to alter sizes yet. Anyone have any tips?
September 5th, 2006 at 9:47 pm
I am still going on mine. Being a size 2-4 myself, I think I am going to get a fit similar to the picture by using 2 1/4 mm needles. I wouldn’t try it in worsted. I had enough trouble trying to find yarn fine enough and then had to test with different sized needles until I got the tension near enough. My hint: if working in cotton or synthetic, ensure your cast ons and increases (sleeves in particular) are losse rather than tight or the sleeve looks terrible.
September 9th, 2006 at 7:46 am
i have some vintage patterns my aunt gave me from the 40 and fiftys the sizes have changed a 12 is a 32 bust 14 is 34 bust 16 is a 36 bust hope is will help some victoria reeves
September 9th, 2006 at 11:45 am
I definately think sizes have changed, though I don’t have a chart explaining this. Perhaps I will try to hunt one down later today to post!
October 22nd, 2006 at 9:12 am
Can someone tell me why I cannot print this pattern out past page two??
Nor, of course, can I copy and paste it to make it a tad easier to accomplish.
Is this a normal thing around here??
Or is may printer just way smarter than me.
Obviously, not a huge achievement, there.
thanx.
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:59 pm
I would try chopping the image up in a few pieces and print each indivually. I’m not sure what your printer is up to so thats my best help! Sorry!!
December 4th, 2006 at 10:32 am
I just found your website and fell in love with “Vintage” - I would love to copy your free pattern, the 1952 Bow Tie Shrug, but I only seem to be able to print the px and one page of the pattern which ends at the back of left sleeve: 8th row: Repeat 4th row. What am I doing wrong?
December 4th, 2006 at 10:41 am
Ellen,
You might wish to try to save the image to your computer. Crop the images into two (or more) seperate pieces for printing. I think some people have managed to print but have to shrink the whole image to one page making the text to small, then tried what I suggested above. I didn’t format it for printing. Let me know if that works for you.
Enjoy!
December 8th, 2006 at 9:04 am
Can anyone explain what a snap is?
I fancy trying this and the snap thing confuses me!
December 9th, 2006 at 4:13 pm
okay, i’m kind of a beginner(shhhh) and the moment i saw this pattern, i fell inlove with it.
As yuo can tell i’m usually very ambitious when it comes to knitting, which typically leave me elbow deep in yarn. well, i guess my piont is do you think i can handle this project and if so HELP!!!!!!
thanks a bunch
December 13th, 2006 at 4:29 pm
I have nearly finished the second front and have been held up as I ran out of yarn and had to get a substitute. Unfortunately it is a different colour so I am going to strip the dye and redye it once complete. To the lady asking what a snap is, we call them domes in New Zealand - hope that helps.
December 13th, 2006 at 4:47 pm
Alex, you’ll be fine if you try not to over-think it and just follow the instructions carefully. I keep a large piece of paper and pen handy when I have shaping on both sides on different rows. To those having trouble printing it, if you can copy and paste into another programme, you’ll be fine.
January 4th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Thank you for postiing this pattern, it is absolutely adorable! I am not advanced but I will definately try to master it!
January 14th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
Could some one please explain how to print this pattern.
I am unable to print beyond pg 2 and saving image to computer makes it too tiny to read.
Thank you. I am really looking forward to knitting this fabulous design.
Thank you.
January 15th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Thank you for posting this pattern. Can you tell me what they considered a size 12 -14-16.
January 19th, 2007 at 5:46 am
This is the most fabulous vintage sweater I have ever seen - and I have seen a few on http://www.yesterknits.com
Thank you so much for posting the pattern.
Anne Marie
January 19th, 2007 at 9:22 am
Anne Marie - I assume a 4-6-8. Most vintage patterns are pretty small.
January 23rd, 2007 at 8:27 pm
This shrug is stunning. I’m going to keep practicing my knitting so I can make this. It’ll become my favorite piece of clothing. Thank you so much for sharing.
Do you mind telling me the origin of this pattern? Just like to know these things incase I can get a copy somewhere. Thanks.
January 23rd, 2007 at 8:34 pm
I think it is a Woman’s Day yearly suppliment book from my memory.
January 25th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
I would love to knit this. Has anyone made it and know how many yds it takes?
Thanks
February 9th, 2007 at 11:53 am
I have nearly finished. I am using cotton yarn off a cone. I can weigh it when finished if you like. I just have the waistband to do.
March 27th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
I finished the last of the sewing up this morning and have washed it. Some more hints:
- work the cuffs first
- work the neckband second and stretch slightly
- work the waistband last and pin it on as you go. Mine was way too short.
- the ties are only for a knot, not a bow.
I am rather disappointed though that despite checking tension and using smaller needles than required, mine is still about a size 12. As I can’t shrink the shrug, maybe I should put on weight?
March 28th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
thank you, such a pretty pattern!
i have a question, though: i’m working on the left front right now (”to shape top of sleeve and front edge”). when it says AT SAME TIME dec 1 st at front edge on next row and every 10th row, does that mean that each time i will decrease on the next row, or is it just once and then every 10 rows?
thanks again, i would be SO grateful if someone could explain this to me!
March 30th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
Hi, Jasmine. Decrease on row 1, then next decrease is on roww 11, the one after that is row 21 and so on. hope that helps. Good luck with yours.
April 3rd, 2007 at 11:21 pm
Hello,
I’m a beginner too, and was hoping someone could explain “K back into every stitch”. Does that mean putting the needle into the last stitch, and making the next knit stitch around it?
April 17th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
I LOVE THIS SHRUG,BUT IM STILL ON MY BEGINNERS STAGE,GOING UP A LITTLE AS INTREMIDIATE.BUT I READ SOME OF THE MAIL,AND SEEN TO ME IS A DIFFICULT PATTERN.
BUT IS LOVELY.YOUR SITE IS PRETTY COOL.
THANKS.
May 8th, 2007 at 11:38 pm
Stripped and redyed it over the weekend but the dye did not come out evenly as the old colours did not strip evenly. Might have to sew a motif over the change in colour.
August 25th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Just call me Grace Kelly:
9 balls of Cascade Cloud 9 in 121 (a nice vintage rose). I scored the 50/50 Angora & Merino mix at $2 each. Now, all I need is a convertible Jaguar, a handsome ex jewel thief, and an winding road (on the coast of France). Ha-cha-da-cha-cha!
I’ll send pics in about 2 years. It’ll take that long with the size 0s, but this is a must-do.