Musings from Marilyn

Posts Tagged ‘mohair’

I just had to share this fab 1960s knitting pattern for a head scarf.  Perfect for the upcoming chilly days, you can rock the mod 60s head scarf look, and keep your ears warm!

Made in either fluffy angora or mohair, it is triangular with tie strings.  The instructions look pretty easy, so it’s a good project for a beginner.

So get out those knitting needles, buy that angora yarn, and get stitching!

Download the pattern here: Angora Head Scarf Pattern

~Marilyn Huttunen

I love this oh-so chic and elegant vintage 1963 knitting pattern for a fluffy mohair sweater coat!  It has a big collar and an open front, and would be just perfect for snuggling up in this fall and winter.  It’s a great style that stands the test of time.

More importantly, I love this photo!  The model is just way too Euro-hip in her green stretch pants and black ankle boots.  The black leather gloves are awesome, as is the black hat.  But I just adore her sunglasses.  Gawd, they are just about the coolest sunglasses I’ve ever seen, I covet them!

I also like the suave and debonair man as a backdrop too…nice eye candy.

Anyway, I digress…I hope you enjoy the knitting pattern!

You can download the pattern here: Mohair Sweater Coat Pattern

~Marilyn Huttunen

Grab your yarn and knitting needles and GET OUT THERE tomorrow!  The second Saturday in June is officially “World Wide Knit in Public Day”.  Yes, it’s time to show off your fancy stitching to the adoring masses.

Public events are being held all around the world on Saturday, June 11th, and will continue throughout the week.

You can find your local KIP event here: http://www.wwkipday.com/find_kip.htm

It looks like it would be a fun way to encourage the craft of knitting.  As for myself, if I don’t make it to my local event at a city park, I will sit in my front yard and boldly knit.   I’m one of those renegade, independent knitters so I’ll probably do a solo act.  My neighbors already think I’m nuts with my clothesline and push reel mower, so knitting on the front lawn will not seem weird at all. 

Let me know if you knit in public tomorrow!

~Marilyn Huttunen

I realize that it may seem a bit odd that I’m posting knitting patterns when it’s almost summer, but it has been so cool and rainy here in Seattle that it seems like perfect knitting weather!  I am not one to knit in hot weather; I find it most sticky and annoying.  But for those that do, you can work on knitting those pretty cardigans for fall and winter wearing.

This pattern from 1954 is just adorable.  It is a button-up, long-sleeve cardigan with a snazzy collar.  It calls for it to be knitted in petite knitting worsted, but I think it would look smashing in fluffy angora or mohair.

As always, happy knitting!       Cardigan Sweater Knitting Pattern

~Marilyn Huttunen

Going through my vintage knitting pattern stash, I found this sweet 1960s pattern!  Knit in fluffy mohair, it is a button-up cardigan style.  The scallop edge detail is so fabulous.  This would look so pretty in white or pastels.

Again, this is vintage sizing, so a size 12 would fit a 32″ bust / size 14 – 34″ bust / size 16 – 36″ bust.

More vintage knitting and crochet patterns to come!  Happy knitting!

“Knitting is very conducive to thought.  It is nice to knit a while, put down the needles, write a while, then take up the sock again.” ~Dorothy Day

~Marilyn Huttunen

Download: Here

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