Tuesday 16 February 2010

Knit one, Purl one and leave for 30 years...

Remember a couple of posts ago I confessed to having knitting on the needles that dated back at least thirty years? I've decided to be brave and share it...

I know it dates back that far because the pattern book was given to me by the ex-wife of my ex-husband (Don't ask... it's complicated) who happened to work for Patricia Roberts at the time and that was in 1979!
This is as much as I ever completed. You wouldn't believe how long one of those rows with all the bobbles took. I actually think it is quite horrendous now... all that horrid itchy mohair. But to be fair mohair was quite trendy at the time.

So a challenge to you blogging friends... what do you have lurking on your needles that dates back to antiquity? Post a picture, link back here and let me know. As for me... am I finishing my "Fruit Machine" sweater? Not so likely...
I've cast on another pair of ripple socks...

And I've been knitting tension squares! This is serious stuff... I never knit tension squares.

But I'm quite determined to knit myself a Marion Foale "Gina" jacket now that Gill has tracked down a pattern for me.

And lest you think all this sitting around knitting is not good for me... fear not. In yesterday's Times I found this little gem...

Which sounds like the perfect excuse for an afternoon of knitting with a bowl of Monda's rice pudding on the side!

31 comments:

  1. Crikey, I remember knits like that! Not that I ever knitted any, but I do remember them. It's actually quite nice as a piece of textile, rather than a garment! x

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  2. Hi gina, what memories this post brought back. I knitted aout 6 Patricia roberts jumpers back in the early eighties. Foolishly I got rid of them about 6 years ago - how trendy they would be now. I still have lots of the books, so am going ot hunt them out for a nostalgia session this afternoon.

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  4. Hi Gina - I was going to mention the carb offset knitting... I see you found it too!

    Patricia Roberts! That takes me back, I knitted a very complicated cardi covered with 3D bits and bobs (where is it now?). I know I have still got the little cotton top with alphabet motifs - I think I'll wear it again this year ;-)

    Celia
    x

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  5. Mine's not as bright - olive green jumper begun for hub the same year! Would like to finish it sometime as he is still wearing the one I knitted him (same pattern, Phildar wool) in 1977. Still washes like a dream and he won't be parted from it!!!! I think I'll need to undo it and start again though, as I've no idea what size it/he was then!

    Sue

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  6. Yes, I remember Patricia Robert knits..
    No don't bother finishing it...
    Love the yarn for the sock...could you give it a name please???

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  7. Oooh, my, we'd see you coming in your fruity top!

    The new jacket looks lovely. If I knitted all day instead of going for a walk do you think I'd lose more weight then? Knitting on an exercise bike, now that should be do-able!

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  8. I wouldn't bother finishing it either, but it might be interesting to felt it or run it under the embellisher!

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  9. Here's another Patricia Roberts fan checking in. I would always visit her shops (beginning with the little one off Kensington Church Street) when I visited London. I was sad when that one closed, and then the one near Covent Garden closed. Perhaps the Kinnerton St shop is still open?

    Anyhow...I made a sweater from that very same pattern. I still have it and get lots of compliments every time I wear it. I just love the PR three-dimensional designs merging with those beautiful colors.

    Keep on knitting! xo

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  10. Ok, that add made me burst out laughing -- knitting as a calorie burner -- who knew??? There is a definite charm to your pretty fruit sweater (not even counting how pretty the colors are against the black!) Surely you could make a pillow or something out of it to save it? I LOVE those grapes and cherries -- very clever!

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  11. I remember Patricia Roberts....! I can't confess to things lurking on the needles..yet...as I'm a new-ish knitter, but give me time! Love those ripple socks, such a glorious burst of colour too. Now, you could knit up 'Gina' as part of the knitting olympics (or whatever it's called) - you'd be wearing it before you could say 'I knit' ! And think of the calories you'd burn in the process...

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  12. I could never wear mohair next to my skin, it is far too itchy though very warm. I don't have any unfinished garments hidden away, just 2 or 3 completed ones that make me look like an elephant. I may unpick them and rework them into something, hopefully, more flattering. Love the ripply socks and rice pudding!

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  13. That's some jumper. In 1979 I was 11 years old, just thought I'd share that with you. I love the socks.

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  14. There must be something you could make with that piece of knitting all that time and effort ! Oh I love that jacket pattern ...love Jan xx

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  15. i remember those knits too - the oldest knitting i have on my needles is about 5 years old!!! so have decided to bite the bullet and rip it off the needles and think about making something useful with it!! I just love your ripple socks!

    xxx

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  16. Oh wow how have you managed to keep it all this time - I remember knitting some peculiar items in days gone by - Still the red jacket is lovely and you will look smashing in it. I am going to take up knitting if it makes me loose weight!!!! Bloody Angela has to remind us she is such a whippersnapper eh!!!!!

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  17. Hmmm, don't think I would be tempted to re-start knitting that jumper either - it looks far too complicated! The ripple socks by contrast look complicated but beautiful too! And I love that snippet from the Times!

    Lucy x

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  18. well, I picked up my husband in may of 1986 - does that count...????

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  19. Now that looks complicated! When I was at college, I was forever knitting mohair jumpers. They never fitted me! I've not knitted a garment for myself since but am tempted to give it a go again as I'm in love with Rowan Cocoon!

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  20. D/C may be on to something, think of all the sockage that could be done while cycling on an exercie bike!

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  21. Wow very eighties which is now back in fashion!
    I don't have any knitting but I have an old jumper with knitted flowers and fruit from Laura Ashley about 1990, with 3d grapes!
    Love your socks.x

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  22. Wow Gina - I like the half finished garment dating back to the eighties - I think you should cast off and sew it up into a bag and felt it!!! It would be bang up to date then.

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  23. I remember knitting a mohair jumper in Geometric designs, the colours were red, grey and black. It was for a girl friend an I was so relieved I finished it because it made me itch every time i picked it up! The oldest thing I have unfinished is a knitted doll - she's still awaiting clothes Jane x

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  24. I seem to have binned my unfinished knits somewhere over the years Gina, though for the life of me can't remember doing so! Love the sock wool and oh, that jacket! x

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  25. Ha ha! That knitting is older than me...but not quite as old as Mr P!

    Maybe I should start a project now and leave it to one side for 30 years. A sort of craft time capsule? x

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  26. I think my unfinished knits were unfinished for a reason!! And they do not bear resurrecting!! TizDuster.

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  27. I had the Patricia Roberts books and intended to knit something from them one day, but I never even got around to starting, let alone finishing. I got rid of the books when I realised it wasn't going to happen!

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  28. My word, Patricia Roberts took me back. So did knitting bobbles.... I used to love doing them! I see someone else mentioned Phildar.... my children were kitted out with homeknits from their beautiful books. Their yarns washed and washed and washed.....

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  29. I have an unfinished Kaffe Fassett tapestry with needle poised in light blue for the border. Could you felt that knitting and make it into a pouchy bag?

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  30. OMG Gina - I've been having a trawl round your blog tonight and you are the first person I've come across who knows Patricia Roberts. I've got at least half a dozen of her books and still got two of her ab fab garments that I knitted back in the early 80s. She was the most wonderful complex knitwear designer and I so enjoyed her patterns. I keep planning to visit her little shop round the back of Knightsbridge when I next have a meeting up in town. I used to love the Covent Garden shop.

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  31. would you be willing to sell or share that pattern I found your post because I was looking for that exact pattern, I made quite a few in the 80's for patricia roberts lovers making the grapes from purple anny blatt angora thanks

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