The pattern is from a Bernat pattern booklet called 'Baby Love' and uses Softee Baby yarn.
A bit more information has surfaced concerning the sweater I showed you the other day that was made by my mother. Sue (Mrs. Noofy) found this reference online and I think it must have been the pattern my mother used, with the addition of a knitted ribbing at the bottom.
It does appear as though there must have been some form of loom used to form the lacy 'bits' which were then joined together with crochet.
Another thing I discovered while going through all those old photos and documents was an autograph book that belonged to my mother. She spent over three years of her life (1938-1941) as a patient in a tuberculosis hospital and the book came about during that time. There are a number of wonderful sayings and poems in that book so over the next while I will share some of them with you instead of my normal 'quotes'.
God is in every tomorrow,
Therefore I live for today,
Certain of finding at sunrise
Guidance and strength for the way;
Power for each moment of weakness,
Hope for each moment of pain,
Comfort for every sorrow,
Sunshine and joy after rain.
Beautiful Blue Baby Sweater. How interesting to have this photo of the sweater type. How precious to find your mother's book. I am certain it was a source of solace for her while in that hospital.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely little sweater! I loved hearing more about your mother and the autographs book... that was a lovely little poem! Thank you for sharing it Mary Anne! Christine x
ReplyDeleteI'm fairly sure you're right in saying the sweater motifs were made on a small loom. My mother had two small plastic peg-looms, in the 1950's, that were (I think)free gifts from a women's magazine of the time. The square was about 3" each side and short pegs, maybe one and a half/two inches tall were evenly spaced upright round the edges. (Apologies for this long explanation..) The idea was to secure a length of yarn to (say) a corner peg and wrap it across the centre to an opposite peg then return and proceed in figure-of-eight to the next peg and so on around the square. Repeat the process half a dozen times then secure the yarn again. The yarn makes a 'daisy' shape inside the loom. To finish off, use a darning needle with a length of yarn, secure it to the centre of the daisy and 'darn' under-and-over round the centre several times, secure yarn. Slip the 'daisy off the loom and crochet around the tips of the petals to join them with chain spacing to give a 'square' motif, then one round of single (UK style) crochet to complete. Make as many motifs as you wish and join together with crochet or stitching into a garment/item of choice. The round loom could be used in the same way. The term 'lazy-daisy' comes to mind, but I'm not sure if this was the name of the little loom. It appeared in a craft toy here some years ago.
ReplyDeleteThe sweater is very pretty.
ReplyDeleteLove the sweater and the quote.
ReplyDeleteI've been enjoying your blog, the links and quotes and the stitchery. Your mention of your mother's stay in a TB sanitarium reminded me of Betty MacDonald's memoir of her time in one, THE PLAGUE AND I. I remembered it as being about that time. Sure enough, when I checked, her stay covered nine months in 1937-38. You may know her other work. She is best known for THE EGG AND I and the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle series of children's books. Her TB memoir, like her other memoirs, is light and manages to wring a fair amount of humor out of a grim situation. She has a deft hand with the absurd. I thought you might enjoy her description of her day-to-day life as a patient in a sanitarium at the same time your mother was in one.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, imagine being in hospital for 3 years with TB. I think I would go stark raving mad, though I suppose I could get a lot of knitting accomplished. =) The sweater is very pretty.
ReplyDeleteSuch a cute cardigan and how lovely to find the autograph album!
ReplyDeleteLove that shade of blue! The quote is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous little sweater! What fun to find the autograph book and all the wonderful sayings and quotes.
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