Festivals and Flags

Last Sunday saw the very first Vintage festival at Farnham Maltings.

My chap, Giles and I donned our most comfortable vintage-looking clothes and went on our way. We didn’t go that far back, perhaps to the 60s or 70s. We definitely felt ‘the part’ while we were there and that was what mattered. We had a splendid morning and came back with some wonderful bookish finds from the festival. We’re really hoping they do another next year, for which we will make more of an effort in order to perhaps be in with a chance for the Best Dressed contest.

As well as having a fabulous time perusing the rails of pinnies and needlework books of old (me) and the rather large selection of vintage cameras (Giles), we also made a few purchases.

The tantalising stack of books above, comprises three bound volumes of Stitchcraft from the early 1930s and 1940s (you can read more about them in a post on my own blog, here)…and underneath is an original guide to the Festival of Britain in 1951. 2011 marks the 60th anniversary of the national exhibition which opened in London on 3rd May 1951.  The Festival was put on in a time when Britain was in ruins from bombing and still living with austerity measures after the Second World War. It was part of a larger strategy to aid the feeling of recovery and to promote quality design in the rebuilding of British towns and cities following the war.

The Festival also celebrated the centenary of the 1851 Great Exhibition, an anniversary in itself. The main exhibition site was on the South Bank in London, but lots of others were held in other parts of London, Glasgow and many other festival sites around the country.

The picture above shows the layout on the South Bank in London. Buildings such as the Royal Festival Hall were built especially for the festival and remain today. This particular piece of Thames riverside was given a complete overhaul, having previously been shipping wharves, but for 4 months in 1951 it was the centre of Britain's cultural universe.

This year's 60th anniversary celebrations this summer sound like a lot of good fun. There will be all sorts of music, art exhibitions, a literary festival, vintage stylings and lots more. Although many of the original features won't be there, I'm going to take my 1951 guidebook with me and see if I can recreate the original in my mind, if not in reality.

 

I think a really great thing to wear at the South Bank would be Helene Magnusson's Flag cardigan don't you? I can see visitors wrapped up in wonderfully patriotic garb in the evenings, whilst watching some outdoor comedy and enjoying a cup of tea.

You could get one knitted, if you started now, you know...

Happy knitting
Ingrid x

Didn't we have a lovely time at Goodwood

Here's a post from editor, Susan about what she, Gavin and Charlie got up to at Vintage at Goodwood. It was originally posted on her blog Just call me Ruby which you should definitely check out if you don't read it already.

There has been quite a lot of negative feedback about this event. I for one, am really not in a position to comment on the organisational side of things as I wasn't directly involved in that side of the event, and to be honest despite one or two hiccups, had a thoroughly lovely time. I was invited to attend as a volunteer to teach knitting at the Vintage School sponsored by Oxfam.

Each attendee paid £5 for their class which was donated directly to Oxfam. I taught some lovely ladies to crochet, some to knit and some how to make handknitted dress clips and buttons.

The high street was cleverly constructed using prefabricated buildings which were disguised with ply wood shop fronts like Hollywood films of old.

I had my hair curled here.

And watched Curse of the Werewolf at midnight here.

One of the highlights for me was bumping into glamorous retro girls wearing garments from A Stitch in Time. I tried to get photos whenever possible, without scaring people half to death! Here are two To Set off your Summer Frocks together.

This photo was taken just before The Chap Olympiad where my old friend and model for A Stitch in Time, Fleur de Guerre was working. Here are Fleur and I together.

Bizarrely, during the photography for A Stitch in Time I don't think there was a single shot of me and the models together. I'm going to make sure I get some this time round when photographing Volume 2. I also bumped into my friends The Shellac Sisters, who very kindly volunteered to come and DJ outside of my Vintage Knitting class.

One of my favourite places was the Torch Club, which was a 1940s themed dance hall. Here's me with my hair newly curled, and Gavin in his new slip over. This slip over matches the Father's new socks pattern from Vintage Gifts to Knit and will also be available as a pattern in the near future. Gavin got into the spirit of the event too, buying some brylcreem to slick back his hair and shaving off his beard to leave a 40s style moustache.

There was lots of music on over the three days - my favourites were Earth, Wind and Fire, who were everything I wanted them to be and more, and Heaven 17, who took me back to my youth, playing songs from Penthouse and Pavements and finishing with Temptation. I unfortunately missed Squeeze who made a guest appearance during someone else's show. We particularly enjoyed the Let it Rock! stage at night, although the name is somewhat misleading as it had a very eclectic line up of musical acts from The Lady Luck Club to Wanda Jackson to The Damned, with a little Burlesque thrown in too!

Despite some rain, having to camp - which bizarrely, I thoroughly enjoyed and having several copies of Vintage Gifts to Knit stolen, which really saddened me, I had a great time, and hope there will be a next time.

For now
Ruby xxx

Susan Crawford interviewed on Skiff Vintage

Skiff Vintage Knitting Club logo © Skiff Vintage Knitting Patterns 2009

knitonthenet editor Susan Crawford was recently interviewed by Geraldine Warner from the marvellous Skiff Vintage craft blog.

In an insightful interview, Susan talks about how she learned to knit, her love of vintage patterns, and gives some top tips for vintage knitting.

Go and have a read of the interview, and while you are there be sure to take a good look around the site: there are some splendid patterns, interesting essays and lots and lots of inspiration to be had.

If you find yourself encouraged to do some vintage knitting of your own, please do visit the knitonthenet shop to purchase a copy of Susan Crawford and Jane Waller's book, A Stitch in Time which has many, many beautiful vintage patterns to knit, or hop over to Ravelry and take part in the A Stitch in Time group there.

Ingrid
editorial assistant