Well anyways, the first thing I knit for baby was a diamond pattern blanket from a 1950’s pattern from the Bear Brand Baby Book, Vol 339. It has a very classic elegant look to it. I thought it appropriate for either gender of baby. I can’t believe a real little baby will be snuggled in this shortly!

I know I’ve been such a bad blogger lately. My sincerest apologies. I hope I can make up for it with a free pattern for you all! This is something I wish I was knitting now. It is a lovely stripped sweater with a pretty lace panel in the front to give a little touch of vintage femininity. I hope someone knits it up and lets me know how it goes!

People have been asking how to easily print my free patterns. I’m not to much of a help with that. My only suggestion is to save the image onto your comptuer and cut it up into pieces to print on pages. I cut it up into 4 pieces this time so if you save, make sure to get all the pieces.

Yes, I am still lost to the dolly world. I started a little at home business of selling their knit and crocheted clothes called Dolluxe! It’s 10x less money than I was making at a “real” job but completely forfiling. I keep busy, use my creativity and get to play with dolls all day! What a lucky little girl I am!

I have to admit, my two vintage projects still remain unfinished. I believe it is all about fear! The lavender sweater has me perplexed. I finished the back and did decreases for the arm holes. I’m not sure if it did it right though as the pattern was very vague about how to do it. I did it along the edge but the lace pattern makes waves on seam ends. I just can’t see this seaming up as nicely as I’d wish it too so I stopped at the decreases on the front. Honestly, I bet if I sat with it for a week it would be done since I stay at home these days.

My husbands sweater is also unfinished mainly because I worry it won’t fit him. The body with out the arms is seamed up. I think with a nice thick zipper it will fit perfectly and snug. Each of those seams took me a few hours though so I’m not looking forward to arm seams. Again, I think this is a daunting task of vintage knitting, new patterns are written to give you really easy to work seam areas and bigger stitches so you can see what your doing. I hate to turn anyone off to vintage knitting because I admit this though. It just takes patience and forethought.

Anyways, on to the pattern!

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I am hoping to be a good girl and bring my husbands grey cashmere sweater pieces with me on Thanksgiving holiday to visit family. All I need to do is seam it up! I thought I hadn’t picked it up for almost a year but I’ve only been knitting for a year!!

I tend to love 1930’s patterns the best. They are form fitting with just enough feminine charm with added bows, ruffles and lacey patterns. They haven’t quite gained the massive shoulders and boxy shapes of the 1940’s, though some of those can be charming still. I am happy to add another vintage knit and crochet book to my collection by Virginal Snow. I have one of her other crochet books but they amazing thing about this one is that it has added color! You get to see all the beautiful color combinations used in that time. Doesn’t they world seem so monotone compared to then?

Well, my first and most beloved girl is named Lulu after Louise Brooks. I cut her hair into a bob (which actually makes her look more starlingly like me as well).

She was the inspiration to get me to pick up that crochet hook again. Lucky me found a perfect 1960’s doll dress pattern and with a little trial and error had all the kinks fixed from this pattern. The result is this beautiful little form fitting doll dress that has a perfect dolly poof to the skirt. I think it has really helped my crochet skills making me anxious to try more!