Search This Blog

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Everything Old is New Again

UPDATE:  January 18/2015
Sue Doran has given us a link in the comments to where the pattern for the shawl shown below can be obtained.  https://www.etsy.com/listing/125740185/pdf-crochet-pattern-vintage-70s-piano?ref=market

She is our hero.  I've looked and looked and decided that my pattern must have been one  lost in a flood a few years ago and where my boxes of patterns got soaked.   Check out the link on Etsy.  We bow to Sue


Knitting has suddenly become a revived craft. Everywhere you go, you see women and young girls knitting. Scarves, fingerless gloves, hats, sweaters. Knitting has become a cool and hip thing to do.

Well, it seems that everything old is new again. We are going through a resurgence of crafting. Knitting, sewing, quilting. Just look at the magazines and see the numbers of specialty publications

I credit the economy. When times are hard, people become thrifty and resourceful. Reviewing my collection of craft magazines from the 60's through the 90's, I can see that everything old IS new again.

I learned to knit from my Grandmother back in the early 60's as a pre-teen. The Hippie culture (n which I was briefly immersed) prized homemade and handicrafts. The Carter years brought austerity, stagflation, unemployment, high costs and crafting became even more mainstream. Of course all the Grannies who learned to be thrifty during the Great Depression already had the skills. Nothing new for them however, the young generation during the Carter Recession relearned the crafts. Now.....during this current Great Recession, yet another generation is taking up the sword...I mean the knitting needles. Everything old is new yet again.

I've started scanning the clippings,craft books from my collection. Scanning some of the sketches from my own designs that I've kept forever. First of all to have better organization and access to the patterns and ideas. However, the main reason is that some of those older magazines have become fragile and are literally falling apart.

Really dated ideas that just SCREAM 60's hippie stuff.



Others are just interesting (to me anyway) because they are ideas, colors, techniques potential for other projects.



And some things are just timeless.



I'm making this one for myself now.

18 comments:

  1. I still have that white sweater packed away. I always loved and could not part with it, now Iam glad I didn't...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow. So cool to find someone who had made the same sweater. Timeless pattern isn't it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. LOL! That at shawl is crochet. (I'd pay money to see someone thry that Irish lace with a pair of knitting needles!) It's gorgeous, do you know where you found the pattern?

    ReplyDelete
  4. @ Lezlie.....sorry for the delay in answering. The pattern is from an old McCalls crafting magazine. I ordered the pamphlet many years ago and still have the pattern. I don't crochet very much. At the time I thought it beautiful. Over time I didn't so much....but now...I like it again.

    Everything old is new!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Will you share the shawl pattern?

    ReplyDelete
  6. sorry for the delay.

    I'm still looking for the pattern. Hmmmmm must be here in one of these boxes somewhere.

    When I find it I will put it on this blog for everyone to enjoy.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Did you ever find the pattern? I love this shawl so much and the colors are beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Please count me in on this gorgeous shawl pattern. thanks

    ReplyDelete
  9. Would love to see that shawl pattern as well. Absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for posting the pic.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love the shawl! Directions???

    ReplyDelete
  11. I would really love to have that shawl pattern too if you ever find it. I've been searching for it using every thing I can try, but no luck! Thank you :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ever find the pattern? I'd love to make this, too. Do you remember the name of the pattern or what year it came out? Any info might make searching for it possible.It's the most beautiful I've ever seen!

    ReplyDelete
  13. You can purchase scanned copies of it here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/125740185/pdf-crochet-pattern-vintage-70s-piano?ref=market

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SUE.....You are my hero!!!!My copy must have been destroyed in a flood that we had years ago.

      I'm going to update this ancient post and hope that those who want to get this pattern will see this.

      Delete
    2. :-) You're welcome! I would love to see more postings from you fullstop. Your blog seemed to just stop ...

      Delete
    3. Sue , Site says it's no longer available.........darn. Know of any place else that has the pattern??? Thank you.

      Delete
  14. Found the pattern: https://www.etsy.com/listing/208903022/vintage-crochet-pattern-1970s-flower?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=vintage&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=vintage%20crochet%20shawl%20pattern&ref=sr_gallery_20

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hola Sue!! Buscando patrones para hacer chales he encontrado tu blog y la primera página me ha salido tu chal que es divino. Leyendo los comentarios, en los enlaces ponía que no estaba disponible.
    He encontrado el chal por si queréis hacerlo
    Un saludo!
    Aquí dejo el enlace
    https://www.etsy.com/es/listing/857424715/vintage-crochet-pattern-womens-mod-rose?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=chal+crochet+vintage+flower&ref=sr_gallery-1-39&organic_search_click=1

    ReplyDelete