Woolcraft A Practical Guide to Knitting & Crochet
Pattern Booklet
1920-1935 (published)
1920-1935 (published)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
As a general principle, woollen garments were warm, as Gustav Jaeger and his followers so passionately argued in the 1880s and 90s. If a child in a poorer family needed a warm garment, the knitted jumper and cardigan were a godsend to any parent who could use knitting needles and either afford new yarn or unravel an old garment to re-use; patterns were published free in popular periodicals, and copiable if a neighbour had one.
School photographs of groups of children from Board schools provide some of the best evidence of the increased use of knitting in clothing children: before the 1890s, many of the children are wearing garments, particularly jackets, which are too large or too small, and doubtless in some cases so worn out that they provided little warmth. By the 1910s, many of the children, and certainly the majority of the boys, are wearing knitted garments instead. Knitted clothing also had the advantage of a certain amount of elasticity to accommodate a child's growth, and was thrifty. If need be a jumper could be unravelled and knitted up again in a larger size, with a contrasting welt and cuffs of some other yarn, or in stripes using up several old garments.
School photographs of groups of children from Board schools provide some of the best evidence of the increased use of knitting in clothing children: before the 1890s, many of the children are wearing garments, particularly jackets, which are too large or too small, and doubtless in some cases so worn out that they provided little warmth. By the 1910s, many of the children, and certainly the majority of the boys, are wearing knitted garments instead. Knitted clothing also had the advantage of a certain amount of elasticity to accommodate a child's growth, and was thrifty. If need be a jumper could be unravelled and knitted up again in a larger size, with a contrasting welt and cuffs of some other yarn, or in stripes using up several old garments.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Woolcraft A Practical Guide to Knitting & Crochet (manufacturer's title) |
| Materials and techniques | Printed paper |
| Brief description | 'Woolcraft' knitting/ crochet instructions for a total of 89 garments; published in the UK by Patons & Baldwins Ltd, 1920-35 |
| Physical description | List of garments to make: 1. Girl's coat with shawl collar 2. Boy's single-breasted coat 3. Girl's single-breasted coat 4. Boy's single-breasted coat 5. Boy's fluffy coat 6. Fluffy leggings with closed feet 7. Girl's fluffy coat 8. Baby's matinee coat 9. Baby's cape 10. Baby's matinee coat 11. Boy's suit 12. Matinee coat 13. Boy's suit 14. Baby's matinee coat 15. Baby's frock 16. Baby's frock 17-25. Baby's bonnets and caps 26. Girl's vest 27. Baby's petticoat 28. Boy's vest 29. Girl's knickers 30. Boy's underpants 31. Baby's vest 32. Child's romper suit 33. Baby's vest 34. Baby's body belt 35. Baby's all-in-one suit 36. Baby's pilch knickers 37. Baby's leggings with closed feet 38-42. Shawls and adult bed-wrap 43. Boy's jersey 44. Adult garment 45. Boy's cardigan 46. Boy's pullover 47. Adult garment 48. Girl's cardigan 49. Adult garment 50. Girl's pullover 51-61. Adult garments 62. Child's bed socks 63-69. Adult garments 70. Girl's gloves 71. Adult garment 72. Baby's bootees 73. Baby's bootees 74. Baby's bootees 75. Adult garment 76. Baby's slippers 77. Adult garment 78. Girl's stockings 79. Youth's golf socks 80. Boy's knee-length socks 81. Child's socks 82. Child's socks 83. Child's socks 84. Adult garment 85. Girl's sports socks 86-89. Adult garments |
| Production type | Mass produced |
| Credit line | Given by L Booth |
| Object history | Gift of L Booth (RF:92/1774) |
| Production | Attribution note: Original price 6d (2.5p) |
| Summary | As a general principle, woollen garments were warm, as Gustav Jaeger and his followers so passionately argued in the 1880s and 90s. If a child in a poorer family needed a warm garment, the knitted jumper and cardigan were a godsend to any parent who could use knitting needles and either afford new yarn or unravel an old garment to re-use; patterns were published free in popular periodicals, and copiable if a neighbour had one. School photographs of groups of children from Board schools provide some of the best evidence of the increased use of knitting in clothing children: before the 1890s, many of the children are wearing garments, particularly jackets, which are too large or too small, and doubtless in some cases so worn out that they provided little warmth. By the 1910s, many of the children, and certainly the majority of the boys, are wearing knitted garments instead. Knitted clothing also had the advantage of a certain amount of elasticity to accommodate a child's growth, and was thrifty. If need be a jumper could be unravelled and knitted up again in a larger size, with a contrasting welt and cuffs of some other yarn, or in stripes using up several old garments. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | MISC.1040-1992 |
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| Record created | July 1, 2009 |
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