Let’s help encourage warm spring weather with a bird themed knit-a-long! Everyone loves birds!
For this knit-a-long, you can use your own pattern, it just needs to be vintage (1920s (or earlier) to 1950s) and have birds on it. Not worry, if you don’t have a pattern in your stash we will be providing some patterns or information on where to search! To be part of the KAL please join our Facebook group. The next KAL runs from April 1st to June 30th. No fool’n!
This time of year, people start thinking about their New Year’s resolutions and the majority of these, last for maybe the first week of January. Many years ago I stopped making resolutions. Instead, I have been making pledges and for things that will make me happy. This year I’m extra excited about my pledge for 2019!
Back in June I talked about my Me Made promises to myself and my wardrobe goals and though I wasn’t able to make everything in the potential queue, I’ve made quite a lot. I just did the math and since that post, I have sewn eighteen garments and in 2018 knit nine garments. I was basically sewing a garment a week for a while, though the last few months I haven’t quite sewn as much due to it being a busy time. I have to say, I’m very proud of myself for what I’ve accomplished so far. In 2019 I plan to have even greater success.
Now onto my sewing and needlework plans for 2019! I’ve decided that I don’t want to just sew individual random pieces. This worked perfectly in 2018 because I needed to fill holes in my wardrobe, however, in 2019 I want to go bigger! With the exception of the sew-a-longs over in our Facebook group, I want to focus on very specific themes. The ones I want to do at the beginning of 2019 are Audrey from Little Shop of Horrors (the original) and Miss Lemon from Poirot. These two I am firm on and am thinking about other themes for the rest of the year. I’m also considering re-producing some of Clara Bow’s outfits more towards the end of the year I have them to chime in 2020! The twenties are back baby!
circa 1925: Hollywood film star Clara Bow (1905 – 1965) poses with arms raised in a blouse and matching scarf. (Photo by Merland)
My scariest feat for 2019 will be…. I’m making pants. Being a skirt and dress girl, I don’t remember the last time I actually wore pants. It’s been years. I generally don’t like pants because they have never fit me properly. To get them to fit my hips the waist is always way too big or too low. Solution — make my own! The plan is to make 1930s/1940s wide-legged trousers. They tend to be the most flattering to curvy figures. For my first pair, I may go with an indie pattern or use the one in the Gertie book. I do plan to self-draft trousers, but for the first one, I make go that way.
When it come to knitting, I’m not too concerned because I mostly knit from the patterns from the 1930s to the 1950s. That said, I really want to focus in on themes and I already have a solid plan! AND, I have a few patterns I am creating myself and hope to have them ready in the first half of the year.
A pledge I have made for the blog is to write-up more blog posts about my own makes and with many more photos of those garments. There is something empowering about making your own garments and I want to share it with you all!
As I said earlier, I am really excited about my pledge this year!
Whether vertical or horizontal, everyone needs some stripes in their vintage wardrobe! Adding a little texture or patterns to your knit also makes it all that much more fun! For our first vintage knit-along for 2019 let’s do a stripes-a-long!
For this knit-a-long, you can use your own pattern, it just needs to be vintage (1920s to 1950s) and have a stripe texture. Not worry, if you don’t have a pattern in your stash I will be providing some patterns or information on where to search! The patterns I am providing are all free for use and will be in the files area of our Facebook Group. I will also have an information document in the group as well. The stripes-a-long will run from January 1st to March 31st, 2019.
The beret has been an accessory for centuries but became a fashion staple when made popular in the 1920s by sassy actresses such as Clara Bow, Louise Brooks, Marlene Dietrich, Carol Lombard, and Marion Davies. It continued to be popular as each decade of fashion changed and it is a popular quick knit, crochet or sew when you need to add a little something extra to your wardrobe!
The beret is versatile and can be worn with short hair or long hair. It can be worn all year long. It can be knit, crocheted or sewn! It really is the perfect fashion accessory. For the entire month of December, we will be doing a Beret-a-long in conjunction with the ongoing Accessory-a-long! You can knit, crochet or sew your beret!
Hello! For the month of November we will be doing TWO KALs! All of the details are below!
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Raise your hand if you’ve started knitting your Xmas Jumpers!!! If not, don’t worry, we have the perfect knit-a-long for you! For the month of November we will be knitting Andi Satterlund’s Julgran Jumper! This jumper is knitted in worsted weight and will be a fast knit! We will begin on November 1st and have an end date of November 30th, BUT don’t worry, if you don’t think you can finish it by then, please still do the KAL. It will be a lot of fun!
Andi is super excited that we are doing a KAL for her sweater! I hope you are as well!
The KAL will be from November 1st to November 30th and as with all other KALs and SALs, if you post on Instagram please tag @killerkitsch13 @andisatt and use hashtags #killerkitschknitalong, #andisatt and #julgranalong.
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For some of us the colder weather is coming and with the chilly air and snowflakes we need fall and winter accessories! It’s also time to start your Xmas gifts and what better gift than a handmade accessory!!! For these reasons and sometimes you just need a quick fun knit, we’ve decided to have an accessory-a-long!
The accessory-a-long will run from November 1st to February 28th! It can be a pattern in our .pdf document or one of your own favourite patterns! If you have any patterns that you want to add to accessory-a-long, please send me a .pdf or jpg files and will add them.
As with all other KALs and SALs, if you post on Instagram please tag @killerkitsch13 and use hashtags #killerkitschknitalong #accessoryalong
Thank you to Erica and Beth for providing patterns for this KAL!
Since we are doing a KAL, we won’t be doing a SAL in November. We will continue with SALs in December.
Let’s get all tied up with our bowtie-a-long. See what I did there… all tied up. Bowtie… Ok. Let’s move along.
For our October to December knit-a-long let’s do a bowtie-a-long. We will have two patterns available for this knit-a-long. The first is the Bow-tie Spencer and the second pattern is an updated version of the Elsa Schiaparelli Bowknot sweater. The pattern was re-created and by knitwear designer Lisa Stockebrand (https://www.ravelry.com/designers/lisa-stockebrand). It is a free Ravelry pattern, but for ease, I have put a .pdf pattern in the files area of our Killer Kitsch Vintage Knit-a-long Facebook Group. Both patterns will be available there.
The Elsa Schiaparelli Bowknot sweater is from her 1927 collection. It is beyond stunning!
“Difficulties are made to be overcome ~ Miss Felicity Lemon, Agatha Christie’s Poirot: The Plymouth Express”
Growing up I devoured Agatha Christie novels. When Poirot and Miss Marple finally made it to television, I fell even more in love with both Miss Lemon and Miss Marple and of course will always have a mad crush on Hercule Poirot! I have always wanted to replicate so many jumpers, dresses, heck complete outfits from many of the episodes. I like many others have watched all of the Agatha Christie novel based shows over and over. They are my happy place. Now I am making mine and others dream of owning an Agatha Christie garment come true! Let the Agatha Christie knit-a-long begin!!!
We have three patterns this time around for our Agatha Christie-themed knit-a-long !!! We will be doing the Miss Lemon Sweater and in honour of Miss Marple, a Swagger coat (there are two versions)! The three patterns in the file area of our Facebook group!
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This Vintage Knit-a-long runs from July 1 to September 30th, 2018. I would like to give a huge thank you to Suna (Vintage Granny — http://vintagegranny.blogspot.ca/) for agreeing to allow us to use her pattern for the Miss Lemon jumper! Suna is also a member of our group, please say hi! One of the swagger coats is from my store and the other Miss Marple swagger coat has been donated from Bex of the Subversive Femme. Thank you again to Suna and Bex for donating patterns.
If you are participating in the KAL and are posting your photos on Instagram, please tag me @killerkitsch13 and use hashtag #killerkitschknitalong. If you are using the swagger coat from Subversive Femme, please tag @bexthefemme.
I hope everyone is as excited as I am to get started!
Since Spring weather is right around the corner, we have decided to have spring/summer patterns for our next Knit-a-long (KAL). Going forward we are going to have a theme for most of our KALs. The next KAL (July 1 to September 30th) will be an Agatha Christie themed KAL.
This knit-a-long will run from April 1st to June 30th and during the knit-a-long you are welcome to knit one or all of the patterns. I will provide the patterns to you for free and they will be available in our Facebook Group. (Please do not share the patterns as they come from either my store or a private collection.) In the future we will also be looking for other vintage knitting pattern businesses to sponsor our KALs.
I have posted the patterns in our group prior to the KAL to give you a chance to buy your yarn. Please hold off starting this KAL until April 1st, so we can all start together. Trust me, even I am having itchy start knitting the patterns now fingers.
Please post your progress photos and finished jumpers photos in the group and on Instagram. We will have a progress thread already set up for you.
When you post on Instagram please tag me and use hashtag #killerkitschknitalong. During the knit-a-long I will be reposting your photos in my Instagram and/or adding them to the photos in the group.
I hope everyone is as excited as I am for this next knit-a-long. The last ones have been incredibly fun and all the jumpers beautiful! Don’t worry if you are still working on your jumper from our other KALs, please keep posting about them. We want to see your beautiful work.
Our first KAL of 2018 is off to an amazing start. Our Facebook group and Instagram are lighting up with progress photos and questions. I am super happy how much everyone is loving the sweaters we choose for this Vintage KAL and our last one. The 1938 two colour jumper, the 1937 cable jumper and 1950s bed jacket colour combinations were so incredible! Now the colours being chosen for the 1940s Champion Jumper and the 1950s Blouse, beyond amazing! Many people are already done the front of the Champion Jumper. It is DK (double knit weight) so I’m not surprised.
Here are some progress photos so far.
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To see all the details for the new KAL, please click here and it will take you to a previous post!
AND the winning jumpers are! Ding! Ding! Ding! The #4 the short sleeved blouse and #1 the skater sweater!
I can’t wait to see what colourways everyone comes up with!
Here are the knit-a-long details:
The knit-a-long will run from January 1st to April 30th. During the knit-a-long you are welcome to knit one or both of the patterns. I will provide the patterns to you for free.
To join the knit-a-long is simple. I have listed everything below:
Post your progress photos and finished jumper photos here on Instagram.
When you post photos tag me and use hashtag #killerkitschknitalong
During the knit-a-long I will be reposting your photos in my Instagram and adding them to the photos in the group.
Why a Facebook group? I learned a lot from running my first vintage knit-a-long and it is important to have a central area for everyone to go to ask help questions and one place to store all the knit-a-long files. I also want to build a vintage knitting community and this is a great way for everyone to discuss with all the other vintage knitters in our community.
You can join anytime between January 1st and March 30th and this knit-a-long will wrap up on April 30th.
I hope everyone is as excited as I am for this next knit-a-long. The last one was incredibly fun and all the jumpers beautiful!
We’re just inviting you to take a timeout into the rhythmic ambiance of our breakfast, brunch and/or coffee selections. We are happy whenever you stop by.
Killer Kitsch Designs 