Pattern Review: 1940s Pin-up Jumper

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I have just finished making the '40s pin-up jumper I mentioned in my first post.

 Knitting with two strands

I had put aside a very fine 2-ply wool from Z Hinchcliffe & Sons for this project.  It was too fine for the pattern, so I decided to try knitting two strands together which I had read could be done to achieve a heavier weight yarn.  It's a bit cumbersome - requiring a strand to be taken from a cone of wool and a ball of wool - and unravelling has been a bit more complicated (have settled for starting a 'mini-ball' of the unravelled wool with the two strands kept together) but overall it has worked out.

I had to use 3mm and 4mm needles instead of the pattern's 2.75 and 3.75 and because of the larger needle sizes (plus the combined thickness of the wool being more like a 4 or 5-ply), the jumper has knit up to a larger size than planned - about a size 16.

Shawl Collars & Ribs

As with most Vintage patterns, there is an attention to detail in how they are written.  So the rib is given not just as "K2, P2" but has a single stitch at each side:

Row 1        K1, P1, *(K2, P2) Rep * to last 4sts, K2, P1, K1
Row 2        *K2, P2.  Rep * to end

This means that the seams, taking in the single stitch each side, are really neat - I am using this from now on for K2, P2 ribs.

The one part that I thought would be complex, the shawl collar, was, quite unexpectedly, simple to knit.  The pattern as a whole is one of the easier vintage patterns I've knit - with the main pattern having a 4 row repeat that creates a wavy lace stitch rib by clever use of slip stitches and knitting into the same two stitches twice.


Summary

I would knit this jumper again possibly in a fine 4-ply in a modern colour.  Because of the thicker wool/needles it has knit up to a bigger size than fits me, so am listing it for sale and you can find it here.


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