Learning to Knit Booklets: Vintage Style

Let’s start with the oldest one from my collection.  It doesn’t have a date on it, but I am guessing it dates from the 1950s or early 1960s.  It features a cute cover, illustrations of a prettily dressed young miss, and a cartoon format to the instructions.

 

The back cover shows a few simple projects.

 

Wait a minute – what is that?  A creepy face on the back of her kerchief!

What was the designer thinking?  Well, we need some kind of embellishment to make the hood appeal to the younger set, and what girl wouldn’t want eyes on the back of her head.

I first learned to knit and crochet in 1973 or 1974, and I still have the little booklet from the class.  Those faces on the yarn are  actually cute.

One of the projects:

Owls were very popular in the 70s, but I’m thinking maybe that’s not the best placement for the owl eyes.

The Gitche Gumee Headband is another groovy design from the same booklet, although it’s neither knit nor crocheted.

 

I  also have a few early 1970s copies of a knitting and crochet magazine called 101 Sweaters.  Seventies fashion wasn’t just ponchos –  although the hairstyles and makeup are dated, many of the patterns hold up well.

 

 

The magazines also have a section for men’s patterns:

The guys on the left are cool, but could the guys on the right be any more dorky in those outlandish sweaters?

That wraps up a look at the good, the bad, the ugly, and the weird knitted and crocheted patterns and fashions of yesteryear. Do you like to collect old patterns or make things from them?

 

 

There’s a New Dog in Town

I took a few photos of my favorite dog related things I’ve encountered on my walks around the neighborhood.

Somehow, I always read this “Dogs Please Close the Gate” sign as instructions to the dogs, and it makes me laugh.

Which one is Lola and which one is Shades?  These St. Bernards are quite an amusing sight when their big heads make an appearance.

I’ve seen this “Who rescued who” sticker on a number of vehicles:

I was going to crop the photo, but noticed that the part of the license plate I captured fits my theme.

But my favorite thing to look at when I’m walking is this:

As you’ve undoubtedly guessed, this post is about my new dog, Sparky.

I wasn’t looking for a dog.  I was going to a new store in the strip mall across the street from the IHOP where I had lunch with my stepmom. I happened to see him in a pen with other rescue dogs outside of the Petco store two doors down.  My eyes were drawn to a cute little dog’s face with cheetah-like black markings, and I just kept looking at him until the lady asked me if I wanted to meet him.  I said yes, and I ended up taking him home that same day.

I forgot how much energy a younger dog has!  The paperwork I was given categorizes him as a pekingese mix a little over 1 year old.  I think he  looks like a long haired chihuahua or papillon mix, and I suspect by looking at his teeth that he is more likely 2 or 3 years old.  I asked the rescue lady for his history, and she told me that another rescue didn’t have room for him and asked if she could take him. So he has been bounced around from home to home several times.

Sparky is the most responsive dog I’ve ever had, in that to correct him I only have to make an “uh uh” sound, and he stops what he’s doing.  He plays with his toys, but never grabs and runs off with my stuff.  Pepper was part terrier, and was very strong willed – barking at neighbors, the mailman and the UPS truck, tearing lizards apart, and defying my authority, so I was ready for an “easy” dog.  This guy just wants to be a companion, and to be bonded to his person. He is the sweetest little creature, and I can’t believe anyone could let him go, because I sure couldn’t.