Hello everyone! I know I have neglected this blog for the last year or so. I have finally found some time again to knit. I have taken off time from making doll clothes so I can make clothes for my little baby boy that still lives inside me. In about 20 weeks he should make an appearance! Of course when you are pregnant the pregnancy police come out in full force. My step mom and own mother think that I shouldn’t be knitting for babies as they are allergic to wool. I googled and found little information. I did read that the quality of the wool and softness makes allergies less likely. I knit with cashmere which is a goat, so does that even count? Anyone have any input?

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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The Blythe world has sucked me up into a vortex, brainwashed by these large eyes. I have only been knitting for dollies all this month. I have cranked out 8 sweaters, 4 for Lulu and 4 for sale on etsy! Well at least these were knit from a vintage patttern. Check out my lil’ etsy shop I opened up: BlytheDolluxe.etsy.com

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?

My excuse for having a US Weekly subscription is that my friend works for the magazine. It’s all her fault I read this junk food for the brain. I guess it’s handy to be “in the know” sometimes, especially when on page 80 of this weeks issue I see Selma Blair wearing something knit in the same color and lace pattern I am knitting! It turns out to be Marc Jacobs. Hey Marc Jacobs, did you come across my blog for fashion inspiration? I’m one of the few sites that comes up when googling “vintage knitting” so the idea is not to far fetched! It’s hard to deny that Marc is all about retro. I’m only disappointed because I don’t even have my sweater done yet! I guess this is good motiviation. Marc, in the mean time can I get the designer version sent to me since I was the inspiration?

Who knew I would become inducted into the secret society of Blythe. One day I started looking at images on Flickr telling my husband “I love looking at them but doubt I will ever buy one”. Three days later I am completely convinced I need one and am emailing sellers over seas and picking out doll names.

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!

For anyone who might be interested, I listed some of the loveliest patterns of vintage stuffed animals on eBay. Purchaser will receive scanned emailed PDF of 8 different patterns including a teddy bear, panda bear, duck, two different rabbits, cat, and penguin. I just love the delicate innocent look to these fellows. Knit them in a soft yarn and baby and adult will both love them! Most patterns are fingering or worsted weight yarn. Patterns are easy to resize by just changing yarn and needle size. Take a look Item #: 250026842747

Hello all! Sorry for the lack of action here sometimes. Knitting doesn’t happen over night! I am about half way up my latest sweater. I have taken a hiatus on it and have picked up my crochet hook again. I crocheted a perfect little doll dress! Stay tuned and I’ll post images of that soon.

There is lots of exciting news comming my way regarding mentions of this blog in magazines. Knit It Magazine is making a debut and mentions me! I should be getting my issue in the mail shortly. Also, now pending is possible vintage pattern submission into another very interesting sounding magazine in the UK called Mag Knits. I’ll keep you updated on any developments!

I’m done with the back piece of my current vintage knitting project. I think it’s so lovely. Decreasing for the armholes was a little strange. The lace pattern makes the normal edges zig zag so decreasing on a zig zag pattern was a little deceiving. Seaming may be a challenge. I think being that the seams are under the arms, no one will ever notice if it isn’t perfect.

Ribbing is complete for the front piece so I will start the pattern again shortly. Today I am working on seaming my husbands sweater up though. I have a Fall feeling swimming around in my head which brings me back to this thick cashmere knit.

What knitter doesn’t stash? It is expected and I really have no idea why it occurs. Sometimes I buy just for the color, making sure I buy enough for a full project. Stashes grow when you have big remainers of yarn left but still keep buying for new projects. I’ve already knit from the rose color and derby grey but still have enough left for baby items or maybe softies. Here I was given a whole cone sample of the white 1ply cashmere. The red also came free since it was accidententally wound with another red color. Stashes form from the folly of imagination. That 1ply white would make a beautiful lace scarf. That brown yarn has a teddy bear formed already in my head. I already see his face with embroidered nose and felt eyes. Black cashmere will get me a very sleek deco sweater, long sleeved and hopefully a cardigan for winter.