Musings from Marilyn

Posts Tagged ‘angora sweater’

Now that autumn is firmly ensconced,  I turn my attention once again to those lovely angora sweaters.  I love angora sweaters, but my special devotion lies with vintage angora!  You see, most of the new angora sweaters that you find today are flimsy, thin, and in a blend with about five other fibers, leaving the angora content around 10%.  They tend to pill very easily, and are not soft, furry, or have that extreme hairy fluffiness that vintage angora has.

I am always on the hunt for quality vintage angora.  The best decade for FABULOUS angora sweaters was the 1980s.  OMG, those sweaters are just the bomb!  Usually made in Korea (where I think the best angora comes from), and in incredibly bright colors, with bold shoulder pads and ornate beading and embroidery embellishments.  Just completely out there in that bold 80s way!

But the most fabulous thing about the 80s angora is that is almost always 80%, 90% or 100% pure angora rabbit hair.  It is just incredibly thick and plush, with long fluffy hair.  The softness is not to be believed!  I have sensitive skin, and cannot wear wool or mohair next to my skin.  But angora (and cashmere) is so soft and nonirritating against the skin.  Very warm too, without the heaviness of wool.

I gently wash my vintage angora sweaters in lukewarm water and Woolite.  I air dry, and then carefully comb out any pills with a fine tooth comb.  Never, never, NEVER dry clean angora!  The natural rabbit hair was meant to be washed, not bathed in chemical solvent.  It will turn out sparking clean, soft, glossy and fluffy.

The vintage 1980s white angora bolero and pink angora sweater shown are two that I have sold recently.  They are off to new homes with appreciative angora lovers.

So don’t be afraid of angora!  It is truly a glorious fiber, brought to you by mother nature.

~Marilyn Huttunen

Okay, I found one more 50s knitting pattern for a short bolero jacket!  This one is really cute, with a stand-up shawl collar and cuff sleeves.  It is more fitted than the 60s bolero I posted.  This would look adorable knitted in angora, or some fluffy yarn.

This jacket is for sizes 12, 14, and 16.  These are vintage 1955 sizes which would be a 32″ bust for 12, 34″ bust for 14, and 36″ bust for 16.

I love these styles so much!  Happy knitting, and don’t forget to send me pics of the finished product!

~Marilyn Huttunen

Here is the pattern: Knit Jacket

With all the great sartorial hoopla surrounding Kate Middleton’s (ahem, Princess Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge) white angora sweater that she wore to the royal wedding reception, I thought I would talk a little more about angora.  First off, see that big white fluffy bunny rabbit pictured above?  That is an angora rabbit, and its exquisite hair is used to spin into angora yarn and then knit into garments.  Contrary to some who believe the bunny is harmed or killed to get its hair, it is a very gentle, natural process to harvest hair from those adorable bunnies.

Angora rabbits are specially bred for their long fur; they live long and happy lives while they grow their incredible fiber.  Angora rabbits molt about four times a year, and it is during the seasonal molt that hair is gently combed and removed.  They even purr while hair is being removed, so it must feel good to the bunny!

The angora fiber is amazing.  It is 7 times warmer than wool, more lightweight and much softer.  It has a natural fur-like halo and has many insulating and warming properties.  Plus it is just so doggone sensuous!  Nothing else quite feels like angora against your skin!

Since I buy and sell lots of angora sweaters, especially vintage angora, I have a lot of experience in caring for and washing them.  First off; never, never, never dry clean angora!  I know many labels say to do so, but don’t.  Angora is meant to be very gently washed in cool water and a mild washing liquid like Woolite – not bathed in a harsh chemical dry cleaning solvent.  Lay flat to air dry.  Never put it in the dryer – you will ruin it – the horror!

A gentle hand washing will leave your angora sweater sparkling clean and fabulously fluffy.  It will bring out the radiant beauty of the angora and will feel divine.  And so, gentle readers, start seeking out those wonderful angora pieces.  You are in for a delightful experience!

~Marilyn Huttunen

Since I was so enamored of Kate Middleton’s fluffy white angora bolero that topped the gown she wore to her wedding reception at Buckingham Palace (see my previous blog post of April 30th), I thought to look through my vintage knitting patterns to see if I could find a similar design.

I collect vintage sewing and knitting patterns and have quite a stash. I was fortunate that this snazzy little knit bolero sweater pattern was right up on top of said stash!  Super cute, ‘Knit Bolero with Cable Trim’ knitting pattern from the 1950s.  Boleros are classic, timeless and never go out of style.  This one has short sleeves, which would be perfect for spring and summer, and a cable trim for a bit of texture.

The pattern is for sizes 12-14.  Please bear in mind that vintage 50s sizes are radically different from modern sizes!  A size 12 would be a 32″ bust, and a size 14 would be a 34″ bust.

The materials call for all purpose yarn, but it would be absolutely smashing if  a fluffy yarn such as angora or mohair were substituted.  I’m pretty much a novice knitter, so I wouldn’t be much help in knitting assistance.  I trust you expert knitters out there will know what to do.  Happy knitting!

~Marilyn Huttunen

You can download pattern here:
Knit Bolero with Cable Trim Pattern

I, being somewhat of an Anglophile (okay, an AVID Anglophile), was completely entranced by the royal wedding yesterday.  I loved the somewhat austere solemness of it;  the sense of royal history, and seemingly true love and dedication between William and Kate.  Of course, I loved Kate’s dress.  It was perfectly elegant, modern and gorgeous.  The dress really suited Kate’s individuality, and her lovely radiance shone through, not being obscured by mounds of frothy meringue.

Well, imagine my surprise when I saw what Kate wore to the Buckingham Palace wedding reception.  The dress was another lovely creation by Sarah Burton for McQueen; a strapless ivory silk gazar gown, with a sparkling band of diamante cinching her tiny waist.  What really caught my attention though was the fabulously fluffy white angora bolero sweater that topped the whole ensemble!

You see, I love angora and am thrilled to see it in its rightful place on royal shoulders!  Angora is just incredible; its furriness, lightness, and silky softness is beyond compare.  To see Kate wearing such a stunning sweater is delightful.  You can see the delicate fluffiness of the angora rabbit hair fibers reaching for the sky.  I would guess that her sweater is at least 80% angora, but probably 100% pure angora (she is royalty, after all).

So don that royal angora!  If you’ve never worn it before, you are in for a true sensory delight.  You too, can have the same excellent sartorial experience that Princess Catherine has.  Fluffy rocks!

~Marilyn Huttunen

It’s this time of year when the days shorten, the temperatures cool, and the leaves start to fall, that I start my whole routine of hauling out those good old sweaters.  I really, really love sweaters so this is always a bit of a joy for me; even if it means putting up with brisker weather and loss of sunlight.  Perhaps it is in my Finnish Lapland blood that I don’t mind it so much.  It must be inbred in me to at least somewhat tolerate Arctic Circle conditions.

The great thing about most sweaters is that they seem to last forever.  I am talking about natural fibers here.  Cashmere, wool, mohair, and angora  are my faves; not so much acrylics and cotton.  They will last a long time if you care for them (yes, you can gently hand wash all natural fibers).   Just don’t overdo the washing.  A sweater can be worn many times without it getting dirty, and it’s good for the fibers not to be washed so much.  And please, do NOT dry clean sweaters…no, no, no!

Another fab thing about sweaters is that they usually stay in fashion forever, year after year, if you choose a classic style.  I wear a lot of vintage sweaters and I love cashmere.  Vintage cashmere is super thick and soft, especially the sweaters made in Scotland.  I love wrapping myself up in a comfy cashmere sweater because it’s the only natural fiber that I can wear next to my skin.  Cashmere keeps me warm without much bulk which is always good for looking a bit sleeker.   I mean, I like heavy wool sweaters but I have to wear a layer underneath and I end up looking like a linebacker!

So out come my favorite cashmere sweaters, I’ve kind of missed them.  It is actually kind of sensuous and sexy to wear them; a bit of the old vintage sweater girl aura.   My heavy wool sweaters will come out eventually, when icy cold winter rolls around.   But I only save the big guns for the fiercest weather… girl’s gotta have her fashion priorities!

“She wore a short skirt and a tight sweater and her figure described a set of parabolas that could cause a cardiac arrest in a yak.“  ~Woody Allen

~Marilyn