Retro Monday – Jumpers from the 80s

I’ve been doing a lot of sorting lately. Clothes, yarn, books and knitting patterns too. My favourite period – fashion wise – is from about 1948 to 1962.

So when I started to sort out my vintage pattern collection I initially planned to keep only patterns from this period. I was surprised to find how many patterns from the 1980’s were actually stylish enough to keep and possibly knit in the future.

Just a few easy alterations would not only make these very wearable, but they could easily be tweaked to look like they belong to the 1950’s.

Sometimes I forget how much the 50’s influenced fashion of the 80’s.

For the first pattern a more sophisticated colour palette – blues, greens and white – would improve things greatly. Also lowering the neckline and removing the placket would help.

The fair isle vest just needs a change of colour. It could even make a great novelty Christmas knit in green, red and white with those little reindeer in the design.

The cabled cardigan needs no changes. It’s just perfect as it is but I’d love to see it in red. It really is one of those classic styles that doesn’t date.

Lastly the white cardigan just needs the neckline lowering about an inch and I’d leave out the tie around the waistband.

So I’ll be hanging onto this pattern book for now and really do want to knit at least the vest.

(Please note that I do not own the copyright to any patterns featured in Retro Monday. Unfortunately this means I make or send out copies).