Finds - Bear Brand Baby Book

The full title is Bear Brand Baby Book Infants to 4 Years, Vol. 339

This was published in 1950 by the Bernhard Ulmann Co., Inc. - a 55 page booklet that sold for 50 cents.

I love the introductory paragraph. "Here it is! An instruction book for baby hand-knits so easy to understand, even your baby could almost knit them! This wonderful new Bear Brand collection includes everything in baby knitting - from infants' to "4 year olds" - from summer to winter wear. Each instruction has been as carefully prepared as baby's formula. You'll find all the information you need - what to use, how to use it, and the correct knitting needles needed. Everything's all figured out for you, so all you have to do is tend to your knitting!"

And how's this for selling? "So for the best results and the best service from your hand-knits - choose the right Bear Brand or Bucilla Yarns...Always ask for the BEAR BRAND or BUCILLA WONDERIZED ANTI-SHRINK PERMANENT FIT YARNS for all your knitting."

This photo shows the "Pantie Soakers," "Fancy Pants," "Triangle Soakers," and "Baby Wrapper and Sacque." All the sweaters for infants are called sacques in this booklet.



This set is "For Snow Babies." The Hooded Jacket set includes the jacket, leggings, hood, mittens, and carriage cover. Then there's the "Bunting All-In-One With Hood." Notice the hoods? One pattern is specifically for a girl and the other for a boy.


Can you imagine making mittens for infants? I think I'd make them without the thumb.


The little cats on the upper "carriage cover or crib cover" are duplicate stitched on with a strand around the wrist of each mitten and trimmed with tiny pom-pons.


Ever want to dress your child just like Baby Dumpling Bumstead from the Dagwood and Blondie movies? Now you can.


Doesn't this look like something right out of A Christmas Story? The snowsuit on the right is all one piece, the one on the left includes leggings and a windbreaker.


Nothing says summer fun like water, sand, and wool. The one on the left is "Girls' Sun Suit No. 2170." The boy's suit on the left has knitted belt loops and is held up with a belt - bet that's comfortable.


I'm including these photos just for the Leave It To Beaver effect.




These are not all the photos or patterns in this book. Amazing value for the money. According to a website that calculates relative value, that 50 cents would be worth (in 2008) anywhere from $3.70 up to $24.59, depending on which indicator one is using.

Finds - New Sock Fashions in Wool

This was volume 69, sold for 20 cents, and was printed in 1949 by Fashions in Wool located in Mount Vernon, NY.

My favorite part? "Styled by Hilde."

I'd loved to have met Hilde Fuchs. Hilde is, apparently, a woman with a no-nonsense attitude. There is no introduction, no exclaiming the virtues of this kind of yarn or that kind of needle. Not Hilde. She jumps right in on page one with the instructions for "No. 291 - Cable Socks." The No. 292 Variation Diamond Socks have 4 colors in them.



I'm not sure why the socks with the arrows are called "Clock Socks" - but the arrow is duplicate stitch with the pattern noting that you can make the center line to any length you desire.



Most of the patterns call for the knitter to end at the toe with 20 stitches still on the needles. The directions then say to weave stitches together. Could this be code for kitchener stitch?



I love how the activities for wearing the socks are suggested in the photos. "Ladies anklets" for playing tennis..



and "sport socks" for ice skating.



Here we've got "man's ribbed socks," "herringbone socks," and "fancy ribbed socks." The fancy rib is a knit 4, purl 2 rib. The patterning comes from alternating rounds of that rib with a round of knitting the 2nd stitch from the back, not slipping it off, knitting the 1st stitch from the front and then slipping both stitches off the needles. Then knitting the 4th stitch from the front, leaving it on the needle, knitting the 3rd stitch from the front and slipping both stitches off the needles.



There are "large diamond socks" and "argyle clock socks."



The best-dressed golfer will be seen in "diamond-band socks" or "multicolored socks."



For visiting with your friends (while smoking the omnipresent pipe), "two-toned cable-clock socks" and an uninspiringly named pattern - "men's socks."



For outdoor visiting, "variation argyle socks" and "diamond-chevron socks."



"Spiral socks without heel."



The only acknowledgment in this 23 page booklet is a note under the instruction abbreviation on the last page that lets the knitter know that all models in the booklet were made with Susan Bates Precision Knitting Needles.

Hilde was one busy knitter. The advertisement on the back cover shows three other booklets - "Crochet Baby Book - Vol. 66," "Youngsters' Fashions in Wool - Vol. 67," and "Babies' Fashions in Wool" - all "styled by Hilde."

Adding To The Flock

A package arrived the other day from my Secret Pal.

She's quite good at doing research.

Since starting to knit, I've purchased items with sheep on them that strike my fancy. My Secret Pal has picked up on this fact.

I laughed when I saw the stamps - who knew the USPS had immortalized the Simpson's?



The tissue paper was glittery.


What was inside the tissue paper left me with decisions.

I'm not sure if I'd rather knit with these or display them.



This is a sweater pull. But I think I'd like to use it as a stitch marker.


Thanks, Secret Pal!

Finds

Remember when my mother gave me this?

I've become fascinated with old knitting magazines and booklets and hate to think of these things being thrown out. Lately, when I've been traveling for work, I've been searching local thrift stores for any knitting publications.

Here's what I've found so far.







The title is "Fashion Ready to Make by Columbia-Minerva. Published in MCMLXVIII. Even if you don't remember your roman numerals, I think you all can tell from the pictures that this was printed in the 60's (1968).

The patterns beginning from the upper left and going clockwise: Tartan Stole; Serape; Helmet; Reversible Cloche; Ribbed Sea Cap; Diagonal Cap; Crochet or Knit Berets; Mittens and Scarf Set.

The materials called for include Columbia-Minerva yarns: Wool and Shetland Wool (2 oz. pull skein), Knitting Worsted (4 oz. pull skein), Bulky Nantuk, Nantuk 4-Ply Knitting Yarn; and different sizes of Boye knitting needles and crochet hooks.

More details on the others to follow.

Farväl, Uncle Bruce

September 8, 1954 - August 20, 2009.


Uncle Bruce with his older sisters and his mom.

Gone from our lives much too soon and so unexpectedly.

Vacation Pictorial

Already fall colors are starting to show.


Sunsets as seen from the deck overlooking the lake.



Scenes from various hikes.





Wild raspberries - picked from alongside the road.

A Follow Up To The Last Post

The Horror B-Movie House, as I've come to think of it, was very thought provoking. As I said in my last post, I'm not a hunter. I can't even watch nature channels when the program shows predators eating their prey. I know - circle of life and all that - but I'd rather not witness it, thank you very much. I've never had to kill and pluck the chicken that ends up on my dinner table yet I eat meat. Does this make me a hypocrite? I'm sure some people would think so.

Interestingly, the decor lead DH and a nephew to have an interesting discussion about vegetarians - which DH was until health reasons put a stop to it - and responsible consumerism. I am far from setting myself up as an example; there are many ways I could improve in being a more thoughtful consumer. The older I've gotten - or should I say, the more I've learned about certain issues - the more I've tried to change. I am still learning. I am not a vegetarian because I could not give up eating meat altogether. However, I am concerned about where our food is coming from and how my food - animal and plant - has been treated before it arrives at my house. I try to channel this concern into the decisions about where, and from whom, I purchase our food.

I was really bothered on finding out that it was a woman who had hunted and killed these animals. Yes, I realize this is a sexist reaction. But I have to admit I was even more disappointed/disgusted on finding that one of my gender was not only responsible but so inordinately proud of this hobby/lifestyle. (The trophies are listed in the advertisement as a reason to rent this place.) I've realized that I hold women up to a higher standard than men. If they become mothers, they bring life into the world and, often in the traditional role of caretaking, are there when life ends - that because of these roles I expect them to be more conscious and respectful of life - that, generally speaking, women have been at the forefront of anti-war and anti-violence movements. This isn't a criticism of all women hunters - like I said in the last post, I know people (men, women, and children) who are, what I would call, responsible hunters. But there's something awful about the killing for its own sake or killing for the trophy and even worse (to me) that a woman is responsible for it.

We're in deep waters now, aren't we? Perhaps my reaction to this house says more about me than it does about the owners.

Overkill

This past week was spent vacationing with my entire immediate family - my parents, four siblings and spouses, assorted nieces and nephews, and one nephew's girlfriend. (This is one definition of overkill for DH - a whole week with my whole family.) It's not easy to find a place that can comfortably sleep 20 people ranging in age from 8 to 76. (Really, most of us are too old for the hide-a-bed with the odd bar across your back that results in 6 months of chiropractic appointments.)

While I'm deciding how much family stuff to share (since the majority of them don't know about this blog), I will share our rental house with you.

First - let's get some things clear. I'm not a hunter. Never have been. Never will be. I have a definite viewpoint about unbridled gun ownership that stems from being a city girl most of my life and also stems from my experiences in my chosen profession.

I know people who hunt. Mostly, they're deer hunters - responsible people who understand that firearms are dangerous - who know how to take precautions to stay safe and not harm themselves or other people - people who use/eat what they kill.

But this all was a bit much. Nearly every inch of wall space was devoted to hunting trophies.

This is one wall.


And another wall.


The loft.


On top of the kitchen cupboards.




Another wall.


Above the fireplace.


A capybara. Why would you kill an animal that is so gentle that it will allow humans to hand-feed it and pet it?


This really made me sad - I avoided looking at it each time I passed by it.



Wallaby number 1 in one of the full baths.



I'm all for bringing the outdoors indoors, but this is really too much. Wallaby toilet paper holders - the ultimate in hunter kitsch.

And wallaby number 2 in the the half bath. (The youngest niece proclaimed she couldn't properly use this bathroom because when she was seated to do her business, so to speak, it was staring at her.)


And wallaby number 3 in master bath.



Thankfully the weather was good while we were there so one could spent relatively little time indoors. The height of the walls helped when one was trying to ignore the decor - just avoid looking upwards.

It's funny - when I've described this house to people, it's the wallaby toilet roll holders that pushes the decor from "Field and Stream's dream house" into "Vincent Price horror movie set."

As DH said, you may think it's grotesque, but this place will feature in our family stories for years.