Letters

I’ve been knitting jumpers for my (step) great grand-daughter who lives in Ohio. While browsing through some vintage magazines I came across the enclosed pattern from a November 1956 (I was eight then!) Modern Knitting magazine. The instructions looked intriguing, but proved to be a lot less complicated once I was actually knitting the garment. I decided to do the hem as a 2×1 mock rib. I use mock rib as I don’t have a ribber. I was using a Bramwell acrylic yarn to knit the waistcoat and although I love the colourful fabric it creates, blocking with a hot iron over a damp cloth is a definite no-no! Hence I wanted a hem which would lie properly.

The original waistcoat is plain and designed for a small boy, but in these unisex days I simply used pink, added a simple single motif of bunny rabbits and swapped the buttonhole band over to the other side to make a neat little top for a small girl. With the brown top, I used a sheep border all the way round the bottom. Instead of having it as a waistcoat with a front opening, I stitched up the front seam, added a false placket and half a dozen clear buttons to make it look like a waistcoat, but it simply pops over the child’s head. I also finished the armholes on the brown one with two rows of double crochet as I thought it looked better, being unable to press the armholes flat.

So, I thought I’d share it with you. There’s a wealth of inspiration from the 50s and 60s , beautifully neat collars, tailored jumpers and so on that can be adapted to today’s fashions. These are particularly useful, I think, to those of us who have older, more basic machines and no ribbing attachment.

Yours sincerely
Vivienne Fagan in Hanwell, London

Many years ago I knitted my children hand muffs with a pattern which I’m sure came from a Machine Knitted News pattern (and I’m talking at least 20 years). Now my grandaughter has found her mum’s original and would like one of her own……..but I can’t find the pattern, nor remember how I did it!

Has anyone got a pattern which I can use / adapt?

Many thanks
Susie

I have recently purchased my first knitting machine so that I can make 4 ply garments for my grandchildren. In the past I have done a lot of hand knitting, usually in DK, and have had access to a wide range of lovely patterned and random dyed wools. Now that I’ve started machine knitting I find that the choice of 4 ply wools is rather drab – the only random dyed wools I can find on the internet tend to be sold in 100g packs for socks, usually 100% wool and VERY expensive.
Can anyone suggest where I can purchase colourful 4 ply wool?

I LOVE machine knitting and want to be able to pass on the craft to others SO I am looking for all those unwanted & unloved machines hiding under beds or in lofts. I promise to give them a new life and get lots of people machine knitting. Personally, I own a Brother 940, with its ribber, garter carriage and motor drive. I use Designer Knit to create designs and stitch patterns. If I can only get one other machine it will be a start as it is so much easier to learn if one can copy the teacher’s movements.

I look forward to hearing from you
Jane Parker

The designs i am working on are fairly simple punchcard designs in a kind of 80’s / graphic design, the jumpers themselves are men’s long jumper and cardigan style. I can send fully recognised patterns and drawing to you if you can help. Please let me know if you know of anyone or anywhere which is worth trying. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you so much. my email address is serencolley@googlemail.com

I’ve just finished knitting a sideways sweater and I must say that it’s very comfortable to wear. I’ve tried to find a machine-knitting pattern for a sideways knitted cardigan but as yet I’ve had no luck. Could you look into your archives to try and locate one and if possible would you be able to print the pattern in one of your future issues?

I was so disappointed not to be able to attend MK LIVE! this year as I’m sure that I must have missed some new exciting goodies that I’d have been happy to purchase. Perhaps I’ll have better luck next year but usually I can’t do an October show as I’m away on holiday. I noticed that in one of your back numbers you had a pattern for a ladies shrug. I wonder if you would be able to print the pattern in one of your future issues?

I’m gradually getting back in the swing of using my knitting machines (Brother 890 and Brother 260 both with ribbers) but I can’t seem to be able to master using the ‘holding technique’ instead of the traditional cast off method. To the accomplished knitter, this is surely a very easy method and I think my problem may be due to ‘senior moments’, which we older people sometimes have – well I do! Would you please print the way of using the method in one of your helpful articles?

I also wonder if you could have a page dedicated to hints and tips from other readers which would, I assume, cover many problems which others returning to machine knitting would find very helpful. I really do look forward to my issue of your magazine each month, as it is a good mix of patterns. Keep up the good work and long life to your magazine!

Many thanks from June Wisdom

I have been looking for a suitable hat pattern for my three granddaughters for the past couple of months without much success. You can imagine my delight when I opened my November issue of MKM and found the article by Helen Macleod about her grandson’s hat. I immediately sorted out some suitable yarn and tried out the pattern. It is perfect. I will certainly be putting her new book on my Christmas list. I look forward to receiving MKM each month and keep all my copies, reading them many time over. Once again, many thanks for the hours of reading pleasure you provide.

Keep up the good work and kindest regards
Shirley Marsden in Doncaster

You may wonder why I am telling you this and it’s because Barbara Tulip lives in Vancouver and we’re hoping to meet up. Should our plans come to fruition, I will take some photos and send them to you on my return and hopefully you’ll be able to print them in a forthcoming edition. Barbara and I have had a few e-mails since you put us in touch and neither of us could believe it when we found out about the ‘Vancouver’ connection. Watch this space for my return!

With all good wishes from Fran Davidson