1931 in 2020...Pullovers and Plans and Possibilities

It's 2020--and I'm still knitting for the 20th Century. Which, I imagine, I will be doing for the rest of my life.

This time, it's a May 1931 pullover, found in Madame Weigel's Journal of Fashion. Some years ago, I had a pen pal (pen friend) on Ravelry, a woman from New Zealand. She very kindly sent me the most wonderful old pattern booklets--things that had belonged to an aunt of hers, I believe. They originated in Australia.

I  still have all of them, and my favorites, of course, are the ones from the 1920s and 1930s. This pullover is utterly classic, and even the most modern of 2020 eyes (pun intended) wouldn't see it as odd. It's going to look wonderful, I hope, with a good number of my skirts. The yarn is a 3-ply, rescued from a thrift (charity, op-shop) sweater; two plies of hunter green, one of navy blue. Shetland yarn, my favorite. It's even likely to coordinate with my treasured green jodphurs. Unfortunately, I cannot get the color to show up properly.

It will, I hope, have at least a few outings, tweed outings...rambles and such, as well as being worn more for the city, as in the original photo. That's the plan. I miss my friends greatly.

From start to finish, not including sewing up, it took about 2.5 weeks. It's a hip-length pullover, with pockets and long sleeves...on #4 (American) needles. Staying up till all hours has a silver lining, I suppose.

I hope to do the sewing-up this week.

It was a lot of "mindless knitting", the kind I love. Perfect for keeping the needles clicking along while listening to a radio play (thanks, Auntie Beeb!) or music, or even while reading a book on Kindle or watching a show or film.

In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I just ordered enough new Shetland yarn from WEBS to make another sweater...maybe even the same one again. This time, the yarn is a heathered lilac, very light in color.

A Productive Summer

It's been a busy summer. I didn't do a lot of canning last year, and this year I suspect I've made up for that, even though I'm not finished yet.

So far this year: sweet pickled cherries, sour pickled cauliflower, sour cherry-peach marmalade, black cherry-whiskey jam, sweet cherry-jalapeno chutney, peach salsa, pumpkin pickles, plum jam, white currant jam, dilly wax beans, crabapple jelly.

On the way: beach plum gin, cherry bounce, juniper berry sauerkraut.

Lots of knitting, too. I've made simple shawls for DH's aunts, am finished a February Lady Sweater for my MiL, a cotton scarf for my sister, hats for one of my MI nephews and for a local friend. Still need to make a hat for a new BiL, and maybe a couple of small things for other people.

Here's some good news: if your batch of jam or jelly doesn't set, don't re-make it with commercial pectin (that involves quite a lot of extra sugar). I made my sour cherry-peach jam into marmalade with the addition of lots of lemons, and my black cherry-whiskey jam set beautifully when I added the pulp left over from making crabapple jelly. No extra sugar or off texture.

We haven't gone apple picking yet, though I found some lovely Macoun and RI Greening apples at the farmers market today, as well as some zucchini, so that I can make spicy zucchini pickles.

When we do go apple picking I'll make applesauce and apple marmalade. I also want to make cranberry catsup again--we went through that fast last year.

Colds and Knitting

You'd think the two would play nicely. But with my sinuses all mucked up my brain seems fuzzy. The pumpkin hat was simple enough. But I don't even want to work on the easy lace socks I'm making. And the 30s dress is out, thinking is necessary for that one.

Here's the pumpkin hat before it got to its real owner. Tommy agreed to model, but he looks a little confused. I'm not sure what he thought he was agreeing to wear.

I made a simple garter stitch shawlette for my MiL and am working up an easy ruffle for edging. I managed to make four dishcloths for my SiL's Christmas gift. That seems to be the extent of my knitting ability presently.

Here's hoping this rotten cold will vacate the premises, and soon.

Still. It did provide us all with at least one photo of the Prince of the Harvest. Maybe it's not all that bad.

Falling

Summer got away from me. But in a nice way.

My sister and I finally got away for a long weekend. (A minor miracle, as we've been trying to do this for about 17 years.) We went to Austin, TX, and had a good time. Lots of walking around, good food, shopping--vintage and for presents for those left at home.

Then I went to the first rockabilly weekender I've been to in years. Ten, maybe? It's been a looong time. My husband and I went--and Nora (the car). She didn't start for the return trip, so he had her flatbedded back. And of course she started later, after coming home. Maybe she thinks a grande dame shouldn't have to do so much work without a rest.

But here's some genuine knitting content:

This is the Perfect Pumpkin Hat for All (sportweight version) from Ravelry. It's designed by Janet Jameson.

I made this for the baby of friends whom I know from MI; other dancers. It still needs to be blocked and sewn together, but it was a very fast and amusing knit. Who knows, maybe I'll use it to make a pumpkin tea cozy for this fall!