Name of Book: Vintage Knitwear for modern Knitters
Author: Lise Lotte Lystrup
Any other info: Thames & Hudson, 9780500514207, 2008

Types of patterns: Mostly women’s jumpers and cardigans with a few accessories

Number of Patterns: Cardigan/Jacket: 6; scarf: 3; Jumper: 5; Tube top: 1; Bolero: 3; Twinset: 1; top: 2; Wrap: 1

Split of patterns: Women

Size Range: 32” - 42”

Colour/Black & White: Both, reproductions of the vintage designs are in black & white; modern versions in colour

Schematics: yes

Target Audience: I’d say intermediate, there’s some cabling and patterning but nothing looks too complicated. The author seems to regard anything with cabling as advanced, but colourwork is intermediate for her. This is aimed at knitters wanting something old-fashioned.

How to knit guide: no, a basic guide to some tweaks is there and the abbreviations are spelt out.

Experimental/Classical/Modern: Modern takes on some fairly classical styles.

Comments: This has potential, one of my major issues with the modern pictures are that they’re all pictured on a dressmakers figure, so really you don’t quite get an idea of how someone’s arms interact with the piece, or how it sits against their neck. From that figure it looks like the patterns have been moved from fairly negative ease (as was fashionable in the 30’s to 50’s) to positive ease. The schematics for one of the jumpers (Sports Sweater in Basket Weave) the 32” bust size is 36” around so if you want the look you might have to look at the finished sizing and see what you want out of it. The patterns themselves don’t tell you how the sizing comes out or what kind of ease is involved in each piece. The author complains about inadequate and faulty older patterns, seemingly unaware of some of the Vogue books with updated patterns.

For me there were one or two that slightly tweaked my interest but nothing that made me want to borrow the book, never mind reach for the needles.

Buy/Borrow: Borrow. You might really like the patterns but I was underwhelmed.

Where found: Dublin City Public Libraries has copies.