The December 1951 issue of Stitchcraft offers some very festive knitting in seasonal colours of red, white and green. Every pattern is all about staying warm, and using thick wool to keep out the cold. The high buttoned neckline adds to the feeling of cosiness in this warming cardigan.

This neatly buttoned pattern has the distinctive high shaped ribbing at the waist, longer line and softer rounded shoulders of early 1950s style. An all-over grid made of bobbles frames the embroidered flowers, which are cleverly placed to accentuate the flattering lines of the ribbed bodice shaping. The bobbles are easy to create over three rows as part of the main knitting, with no additional turning of the work. You may choose to make the back without the bobbles, as in the recreated model, or continue the bobble pattern as in the original.

There are no guidelines at all in the original for the floral embroidery, neither for the colours nor the placing, only ‘embroider lazy-daisies and leaves as shown in photograph’, but both of the photos are not very clear, and there is no mention of embroidering the back, nor apparently the sleeves. Therefore, in recreating the model for this book, the pattern is adapted to omit the bobbles on the reverse stocking-stitch back. This makes the cardigan quicker and more economical to knit, but the bobbles can easily be included if preferred. The embroidery is an interpretation from the pattern’s photographs to create a similar effect close to the original images, but this can be varied as desired.

The original Patons wool recommended is ‘Glengarry’, declared to be a ‘thick wool’ with a tension of 26 stitches to 10 cm/4” knitted on 3.7 mm/9 needles. This is less thick than a modern double knitting (which averages 22–24 stitches to 10 cm/4” on 4 mm/8 needles), and by using a modern double knitting yarn the finished cardigan fits a 36–38” bust with generous stretch at the waist ribbing for a flattering shape. As double knitting is a slightly thicker yarn than the original, the pattern knits up with fewer squares made along the upper front, and consequently the embroidery is placed slightly differently in order to achieve the closest possible effect. For a smaller size, a finer yarn is suggested with smaller needles.

Materials

• 400 g of double knitting
• 1 × pair 3.25 mm/10 needles
• 1 × pair 4 mm/8 needles
• 10 buttons
• 2 safety pins (for front bands)