Favourites from 'A Stitch In Time'

By Jane Waller

As publication date for A Stitch in Time gets nearer and nearer, Jane Waller tells about the new edition and also shares her favourite garments with us.

Things are hotting up now for 'A Stitch In Time', my very first knitting book, originally published in 1972, is due to come out again later this year. It was a big conservation effort getting the book together back in the early 70s, and I was devastated when a fire at the printer's warehouse destroyed all the remaining stock (together with all the film and printing plates for reproducing the books). Over the years many people have asked if it was ever going to be republished, as rare copies were changing hands for ridiculous amounts of money. For many years I have had a small knitting company called 'Woolly Thinking' and Susan Crawford, the Editor here at knitonthenet, is my new partner. It is through the publishing company, Arbour House Publishing, which she and her husband Gavin run, that 'A Stitch in Time' can be given this new lease of life. In fact, it is because of Gavin's expertise with new computer and scanning techniques that the book can be re-published at all. So I am delighted that it will soon be available again for knitters all over the world to enjoy.

Altogether, there will be over 100 patterns to choose from, more than in the original book, and they now range from the 1920s through to the early 1950s. Susan has cleverly graded many of the patterns, making them multi-sized, so that they will fit many more of us. We have replaced some of the fustier designs with others whose dynamic shaping and beguiling stitch patterns should appeal more to contemporary knitters. By special request I have, however, included the rather intriguing 1920s and1930s swimming costumes, guaranteed to fall about your ankles the moment you enter the sea, which is why men had to have shoulder straps added to their swimming trunks to avoid acute embarrassment. (We have to get fun at the seaside back again somehow.)

We have kept the combination of illustrations from the original magazines and knitting leaflets together with the black and white photographs from the 1972 edition of garments knitted up by women from all over the British Isles. But to these, we have added colour photos, specially taken for the new edition. And, of course, I have again featured a short history of knitwear at the start of each of the four decades, so you don't get bored whilst knitting.

My favourite two garments from the early Twenties are the 'Scarf Jumper' , and the 'Moss Stitch' sweater. The 'Moss Stitch' I made in a pale mossy green cotton and wore for years (see pic. on bike). They are both 'comfort' garments which became fashionable after The First World War; the 'prettiness' given to the 'comfort' by the addition of crocheted borders and edgings. These are more or less still Edwardian in style, when crochet patterns dominated.

But throughout the Twenties, up to 1933, these gave way to all the jazz styles from America: youthful, 'boyish' and slimming. They were in long, tubular designs, all very simple to knit, giving greater freedom and ease of movement to the wearer than ever before, especially useful for tennis and dancing the Charleston. Essential to the Art Deco Era, these garments needed to have an area of geometric pattern in a smart coloured intrusion, always with straight lines. If you want to 'disguise' your figure and have that 'covered-up' look, then these are the garments for you. Although most designs had a background of beige, nowadays you could indulge in a huge range of colours and yarns.

In 1933, styles changed completely to the sweetly feminine. I love particularly the puffed sleeved butterfly jumper, called 'So Completely Feminine'. At this time, it was essential to have elegance and height. This was achieved by shortened jumpers worn with long skirts and dresses cut on the cross; the jumper above tailored to flatter the figure. (Practise looking 'demure' to wear these styles.) There are two Art deco patterns I particularly admire: 'An Interesting Neckline' and 'It's Very Captivating'. If you want to look different and love unusual designs, these are the garments to knit for chic and good style. The 'Party Pretties' underwear sums up the Thirties for me. Nowadays, it would be quite in order to leave off the dress altogether and go to the party just wearing the 'Pretties'!

Towards the end of the Thirties, smartness predominated. Matching accessories of hats, belts, buckles and buttons became all very business-like. We have added more patterns in this period as there are so many good ones to choose from. The knitters had become adept by now and went in for intriguing stitches and patterns. Shaping and design were paramount. I knitted up 'This one for Parties' and it would be interesting to try a heavyish silk or bubbly yarn to give weight to the puffed sleeves and blousiness above the welt. (See pic.) But my two absolute favourite designs from this period are The 'Sunray Jumper' - simple, classic and striking - which I knitted up in leaf green, a mainstay in my wardrobe for years; the other is 'Such Flattering Puffed Sleeves' - the first garment I knitted up from 'A Stitch In Time'. It's easy to knit and looks brilliant in any primary colour. I still wear mine all the time, but have extended the welt a little. I am leaning towards knitting up the smart hat 'Two shades of Greys'. This may be my next delight.

Then, when War broke out, everything changed. After knitting for The Troops, you chose warmth and comfort for the day and romantic sentimental styles with sequins and glitter for ballroom dancing. Glamour still reigned supreme. 'The Midas Touch' I've knitted up as a glamour jumper several times, using various mixtures of large and small sequins - also knitted-in beads on an electric blue silk. Go to town on this one and lash out on an expensive yarn.

As the wool ran out, patterns were presented that only needed about five 50 grams of wool to make, yet were warm because of the 'gaps' in the lacy pattern designs and fitted to flatter the curves in a sexy way. (These are still as cheap to make today - but use pure 3 or 4 ply wool). A more mature look in the later Forties brought twin-sets and Fair Isles. I have started to wear twin-sets again, but have knitted mine in a gorgeous navy alpaca! But the cardigan I've knitted more than any other - I think for the eighth time now, each in a different colour - is 'In Blackberry Stitch'.

The wonderful thing about 'A Stitch In Time' - and the main reason for conserving all these patterns, is that the book acts like a treasury - different patterns from different ages catch your eye and suddenly becoming the important one you urgently want to knit next.

(The original knitting patterns and magazines now form part of a new 'National Collection' at the Art Library of Winchester Art College - and you can add your old knitting-patterns to this Collection so that the whole Nation has a repository).

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has written often highly enthusiastic, comments about 'Knitting Fashions of the 1940s', particularly in online knitting magazines and blogs.

Jane Waller

We are please to announce that the anticipated publication date of 'A Stitch In Time' is 25th September, 2008. We hope to be able to offer an advance ordering facility very soon, but in the mean time you can continue to register your interest here.