Vintage 1966 Crochet and Knitted Sweater Instructions

I started making a crochet top like the blue one below, wonder what happened to it. I love the color and flower squares of this blue one, so pretty. And, stripes are so classic. 

These designs are from McCall's Needlework & Crafts Spring/Summer 1966.

Enjoy these free PDF downloads.

Download PDF  Irish Crochet Blouse

I love this colorful striped top, it looks so easy to make...

Download PDF Striped Pullover

This black and white sweater is a true classic, I would love this one too in a nice cotton.

Download PDF Pacesetting Sweater

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you are enjoying these free knitting PDFs, let me know in the comments and of your favorite.

I'll be posting more of the Spring and Summer fashions, so sign up now at the top of this page and don't miss out on the latest PDFs.

Vintage Vogue Fashion 1965

Here are a few fashion picks I liked the best from Vogue's February 1965 23 page spread called  'A Selective Eye on the Best of Everything in American Fashion'. 

The article states, ... Everyone's opportunity: not simply to be well-dressed - in this land of fashion-plenty, that could be accomplished blindfold with a checkbook - but every woman's chance to search the richness and variety of American fashion with a truly selective eye, and find her own uniquely personal image.

The transference: pompon lace cage

Cagey black point d'esprit, reembroidered in chiffon ribbon pompons: the flirt of the season, flinging coquetry at every turn of the black crepe shimmy beneath. By Townley in Whelan lace of Du Pont nylon over silk crepe

Tiers - and the clear charm of white crepe

Tiered white silk, one of the prettiest dresses in years - a slender cascade of deliciously scalloped flounces. Immaculate, enchanting. By John Moore

New evening life for the sailor suit - deeply bared

Sailor suit of the moment - a sexy little romp in crinkly acid-green wool, bared to the midriff. The overblouse pours to the hips above bell-bottom trousers, ties in a loose sailor's knot. By Jacques Tiffeau, $250

Peacock blue bared two ways

One shoulder slashed, one leg bared - a deliciously seductive evening dress in crinkly peacock-blue wool with a close little Empire bodice, softly gathered skirt, By Jacques Tiffeau, $250

I think my favorite is that little pompon number, what about you, would wear any of these? Let me know in the comment, would love to hear your thoughts, thanks!

Vintage Vogue

This six page spread from Feb 1965 Vogue is an article about make-up called Beauty Bulletin, Make-up report to Americans...a tour through the beauty ideas catching the country by surprise... 

I love the make-up, but it was the top and necklace that caught my eye.

I would have loved to have worn this sparkly halter top out dancing back in the day. 

Her bracelet is pretty cool too! Bracelet by Brania available at Lord & Taylor

I love the concept of this necklace, but would tone it down by not using such large flowers. But it make for a nice editorial photo.

A choker necklace with some large pink and white pearls with white drops would look doable. Dahlia necklace by Jack Gilbert at Lord & Tayor and I. Magnin

Would you wear the above halter? Do you design jewelry? Leave a comment would love to hear what you think, thanks!

Instructions to Knit Beautiful Vintage 1948 Sweaters and Dress

Beautiful vintage hand knit sweaters and dress from 1948 Bernat Handicrafter magazine. Choose one or all and try your hand at knitting these gorgeous sweaters and dress.

The evening blouse on the left is a shirred sweater with Bernat Laurelspun and Beada Tinsel. The dress on the right is Bernat Boucle and Beada Tinsel. Instructions for both are included below as PDF file.

Download PDF in landscape view Shirred Sweater

Download PDF Hand Knitted Dress

I want to include these two beautiful sweater also. I love the details of the honeycomb and diagonal stripes. 

Download PDF Honey Comb Sweater

Download PDF Sophisticate Sweater

I hope you enjoy these lovely sweaters, whither you knit or just love vintage sweaters. Please feel free to download the PDF's. If you have trouble opening them just leave a comment or contact me with your email in the sign up form and I can send you a word document with the instructions. Happy Knitting!

Vogue Faces 1968

A face from Vogue magazine 1968

I was taken by the eyes of these models. The look of models for fashion advertisements change over time, from the bobbed hair and thin eyebrows of the 20s and 30s, to the waves and red lips of the 50s, to the big hair of the 70s, here is the look of the 60s...

False eyelashes and the eye shadow goes all the way to the brow.

In this photo her eye shadow is gold

Large eyes

This photo I picked up from Pinterest, has the looks of the 60s with those very large false eyelashes.

So what do you think, have you ever worn false eyelashes? 

1968 Vogue Fashion

Love these little gems from the Sept 1968 Vogue magazine

What could be sweeter than this fun jumper worn over a knit dress...

Wow, $270 for a dress in 1968

Here's a simple shift jumper over a blouse, looks like it has a jacket...

I like the button band across the front.

I really like this tweed coat by Anne Fogarty and the drawing rendition, kind of reminds me of Peter Max's style.

This ad is for Faberge found at Frost Bros. San Antonio, Texas World's Fair City

This is another really cool dress by Don Simonelli with the strips of nailheaded leather ...

Not sure what the cigar in the ad is all about.  Dress sold for $80

I see a lot of the current fashion in these 1960s vintage styles. Styles do tend to recycle through fashion. 

Have a favorite style, leave a comment and share...

Vintage Sweater and Dress Knit Patterns

Please feel free to copy these instructions. 

I have a few charming vintage knitting books that have some very awesome knitting patterns. This book is Bernat Handicrafter 1948. The first knitted patterns I am sharing is a cute color block short sleeve sweater.

The second pattern is called The Traveling Companion is a skirt and jacket. I love the buttons and lapels on this jacket. And, I actually have several vintage knit skirts and tops in my vintage stock of clothing that are very similar to some of the patterns shown in this book.

I hope you enjoy these lovelies even if you don't knit.

Kentucky Hallow Home of Jesse Stuart Life Magazine 1943

I was taken by these photos of Jesse Stuart's (1907-1984) home in W-Hallow, Greenup County, Kentucky, Southern Appalachia. The home, farm and land reminds me very much of this area of Southern Oregon where I live. Jesse Stuart was a novelist, poet and farmer. and writes about the hill people. His books include Taps for Private Tussie and book of poems Man with a Bull-Tongue Plow 1934.

Photo of his wife, Naomi Deane and 14 month old daughter, Jessica Jane.  Photo Loading straw into a haystack with his uncle Jesse Hilton.

Jesse Stuart writes in an unheated shack and is finishing here a long narrative poem he started 11 years ago.

Hope you enjoyed this journey into the past and I for one am glad we have computers to write on, but nothing wrong with hard work, does a body good!

Earmuffs of 1943 from Life Magazine

I love the earmuffs they have in the stores today; frogs, logos, puppies, bunny ears, so many novelties and all very charming. The following earmuffs are from a fashion spread in Life magazine Dec. 6th 1943...

Model Selene Mahri from Sweden, she won the title of 'Miss New York' in the Miss America contest.

Ear muffs can now be worn to the opera if made of fur, like ermine, here is a coat to match, earmuffs, custom made $25

Here is the entire article on earmuff fashion, I found it to be a good and eye opener read, regarding fashion in the 40s...

Five  years ago (November 1938) LIFE reported that the utilitarian ear muff was stepping up in the world. From a $.10 item worn by postmen, policemen, and farmers, it jumped to a $1 novelty for skiers, college girls, models. This year the ear muff has reached the top rung of the fashion ladder. Made of ermine (see cover and above), ostrich feathers, beaded and embroidered fabrics, the ear muff is now a startling but accepted fashion for dress-up occasions. Made of wool, felt or fur, it takes the place of hats for street wear. 

Glorified ear muffs, in a way are a logical development of the hatless vogue. On balmy days a woman who chooses not to wear a hat runs only the risk of appearing not completely dresses. In zero weather she may have her ears frostbitten.

Although men's ears are as susceptible as women's to frostbite, no attempt has as yet been made to promote any kind off ear muffs as city fashion for men.

Top: Velvet ribbon earmuffs  Bottom: Ostrich feathers

Wool rosettes

Leopard to match coat. Small spotted leopard skins from Africa are now practically unobtainable but rabbit, stenciled like leopard, is a fair imitation.

So you wear earmuffs as a fashion statement?