Knitting Fashions of the 1940s: Styles, Patterns and History. - Hardcover

Waller, Jane

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1861268629 ISBN 13: 9781861268624

Publisher: The Crowood Press Ltd, 2006

Synopsis

This lavish book celebrates the patterns and designs of 1940s knitwear. Drawings and photographs from the original pattern magazines accompany modern colour photographs of the garments knitted up for today's wear. In addition it provides a history of wartime Britain and America, often using the actual words of the knitters and designers used by the fashion magazines.

About this title

About the Author

Jane Waller has written three books on the social history of the Second World War and five books on knitwear design, all of which have been inspirational for fashion designers and for film and television wardrobe research. Knitwear from her earlier books can be seen in numerous period films and TV series. Resident - Chilterns, Buckinghamshire

From the Back Cover

Jane Waller was born in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, and raised
in Oxfordshire before moving to London. She has recently returned to the
Chilterns where she now lives with her husband Michael Vaughan-Rees.

Jane has written three books on the social history of the Second World War
and five books on knitwear design, all of which have been inspirational for
fashion designers and for film and television wardrobe research. Knitwear
from her earlier books can be seen in numerous period films and TV series.

From the Inside Flap

In the first half of the 1940s, the wartime scarcity of wools
and dyes produced innovative, figure-hugging lacy designs and creative
stitch techniques of bobbles, cables and ribs. In the post-war period there
was an even more acute shortage of materials, which meant that imaginative
Fair Isle designs and embroidery techniques became the only solution. As
the 1950s approached, however, a greater availability of materials led to
the voluptuous batwing look and looser garments.

This lavish book celebrates the patterns and designs of 1940s knitwear.
Drawings and photographs from the original patterns magazines accompany
modern colour photographs of the garments knitted up for today's wear. In
addition, it provides a history of wartime Britain and America, often using
the actual words of the knitters and designers used by the fashion
magazines.

Patterns appear chronologically, reflecting what was happening at the time,
and progress from the very simple (snood, balaclava or WAAF doll) to the
more intricate blackberry stitch and lacy designs as the knitter becomes
more fluent with the needles. Many of the designs are unusual, and there
are sequins, beads knitted into the fabric, and knitted buttons. American,
British and continental needles sizes are included, as is American
terminology; and measurements are given in both imperial and metric. The
material comes from a collection of over 2,000 historic knitting patterns.

Edition details

• Publisher: The Crowood Press Ltd
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1861268629
• ISBN 13: 9781861268624
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 160