vintage pattern question

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Oops, sorry, I was looking at the wrong page for the yarn details - ignore what I have said above. I will see if I can find the right thing now,

Try asking the advice of the shop assistant where you buy your knitting wool. She (he) ought to know or be able to work it out.

The yarns are old American brands. I can only find one of them listed on Ravelry - Fleischer's Silverflake - obviously discontinued.

It's described as a 75% wool, 25% rayon light fingering. That's similar to a modern-day sock yarn which normally knits to a gauge of 28 sts x 36 rows on 3.25mm needles.

Ravelry says the ball length of Silverflake was 200 metres but the pattern calls for a mix of white and coloured yarns of different brands. I don't know what the ball length for the other yarns would be but generally I'd allow 1400-1600 metres for a cardigan.

The pattern says use a size 8 knitting needle. rember this is American so that would be a UK 5:00 mm. That's big to work sock yarn weight but it is a lace pattern. The pattern gauge is saying 17 x 32.

This is a bed jacket so fit isn't going to be critical but you want it comfortable. I'd look for a washable light 4 ply and definitely swatch before starting the main garment.

Those patterns are so cute! I love the slippers.

Googling for the yarn, I’ve found these links which might be useful.
www.purplekittyyarns.com/discontinued-yarn

thegreygal.com/fleishers-yarn-information/1916-fleishers-yarn-color-chart/

It seems to me that the yarns used are ‘four fold’ which I assume is 4 ply, and were sold in one ounce balls, which would be about 25g in metric.

Does that help you work out what you’d need?

TinSoldier

The yarns are old American brands. I can only find one of them listed on Ravelry - Fleischer's Silverflake - obviously discontinued.

It's described as a 75% wool, 25% rayon light fingering. That's similar to a modern-day sock yarn which normally knits to a gauge of 28 sts x 36 rows on 3.25mm needles.

Ravelry says the ball length of Silverflake was 200 metres but the pattern calls for a mix of white and coloured yarns of different brands. I don't know what the ball length for the other yarns would be but generally I'd allow 1400-1600 metres for a cardigan.

The pattern says use a size 8 knitting needle. rember this is American so that would be a UK 5:00 mm. That's big to work sock yarn weight but it is a lace pattern. The pattern gauge is saying 17 x 32.

This is a bed jacket so fit isn't going to be critical but you want it comfortable. I'd look for a washable light 4 ply and definitely swatch before starting the main garment.

thank you all so much for researching it all for me, its all so helpful
Tinsoldier..l would never have guessed it was america
version..lm sure iv got size 5 mm needles and as it does look very lacy im guessing too thats why its done on large needles in 4 ply.

ll def do a swatch first.
Also thinking about it wool mostly was sold in 25 grm balls when l started crochet in the 60's ..
l think it says 5 balls of the one brand and 3 of the other..l think that would be a total of approx 200 grams of 4 ply ? hmm doesnt sound right..l think iv got a 1000g of 4 ply in my wool stash..ll try that, l think its a washable 4 ply baby wool.

i might start it this evening...the pattern repeats looks like something l could manage, thats why l chose this pattern from the others.

thank you all again so much.

It is looking to me as if the two different yarns used are different weights.

I used this chart, but as you will see, the first of the yarns, the "Germantown" was produced in different weights, and unfortunately none of them match the exact name given in the pattern!

www.purplekittyyarns.com/discontinued-yarn

The first yarn (white) looks as if it might be DK or even slightly thicker. I can't find the exact one, but I think this might be similar: Bear Brand Ever-Match Nylon & Wool Germantown - 120 meters per 2oz skein

But the second yarn, the 'color', is lightweight: Bear Brand Pompadour - 220 yards per 1oz skein.

If I am right, I suppose you would need roughly between 250g - 300g of the thicker yarn, and 100g of the thin one, but please wait for someone else to either confirm or correct that before you commit to anything.

I agree with OldnProud. There might be some variation in the yarn weights to add some texture but it’s really not clear because the yarn names aren’t on the purple kitty list or on Ravelry. Nor is it clear from the picture.

It looks like the colours are alternated but there’s no real need to do that unless you want stripes.

The yarn names are confusing but I read that “zephyr” was a term for very a light weight yarn called Germanwool or Berlinwool that was “light as a breeze”.

My gut feeling is that this the pattern calls for what we now call light fingering or sock weight or something just slighly heavier.

I notice the garment is only one size. The width of back at underarm is only 20 inches. You might be very petite but that isn’t a lot of ease for a jacket to wear over a loose fitting warm nightdress or pyjamas. It isn’t shaped at the back.

The cast on is only 85 for the back but it is on 5mm needles and lacy. Make sure your cast on is loose as it could look tight once you start the lace pattern.

I might be inclined to knit a couple of decent size swatches say 6 inches square in pattern in whatever yarns you have - try a 4 ply and a DK and see how you like the look and feel of the fabric. It’s a simple pattern that could easily be scaled up. Using DK instead, if you have it, might be all you need to do.

iv just done 2 swatches using 4ply wool that iv got in my stash. the first one was on 4 1/2 mm needles, swatch ...turns out 3 1/2 " wide but says should be 4"
so iv just tried 5mm needles with the 4 ply and its now 4 " wide but the length is 1. 1/2 instead of 1 "

as the back says it should be 20" wide which is perfect for me, im guessing the 5 mm needles will work but the length will be diff , which im thinking would be easy to adjust ie do less rows..

does this make sense..l really like the way it looks in the 4 ply, its very lacy....

That sounds good.

Lace can be quite hard to get correct gauge on because of the stretch. I'd go for whichever size needle gives you a body width of 20 inches at the back and adjust the length in the body and sleeves if you want to. It's knit all in one with a bit of neck shaping at the front so it shouldn't be difficult to adapt.

The wool in my stash that l like is yellow 4x 50g balls of 'sirdar wash and wear crepe 4 ply '( machine washable) which sounds old so probably discontinued. l was thinking l could make the sleeves shorter if l run out of wool.
as you say TinSoldier im sure l could adjust the row total to make it work using the wool iv got.
thank you all again for the help. ll give it ago.

paris123

iv just done 2 swatches using 4ply wool that iv got in my stash. the first one was on 4 1/2 mm needles, swatch ...turns out 3 1/2 " wide but says should be 4"
so iv just tried 5mm needles with the 4 ply and its now 4 " wide but the length is 1. 1/2 instead of 1 "

as the back says it should be 20" wide which is perfect for me, im guessing the 5 mm needles will work but the length will be diff , which im thinking would be easy to adjust ie do less rows..

does this make sense..l really like the way it looks in the 4 ply, its very lacy....

It makes perfect sense. As you said, it should be quite easy to do adjust the length be doing fewer rows.

Good luck - let us know how it goes.

Yes, it is discontinued.

Do please check the meterage on the ball band.

Ravelry is telling me there are 466 metres in a 100g ball.

I can see it did also come in 50g balls as someone is selling some vintage balls on eBay in taupe.

If you only have 932 metres you may not have enough.

I've check a couple of other bed jacket patterns and they also say around 1200m for the smallest adult size although those do have full length sleeves.

thank you so much for your help. yes the sirdar wool does'nt look enough and so l found some more paler 4 ply in my stash so im going to alternate the diff shades in the pattern rows.
only problem , the additional 4 ply has no labels , so ll have to remember to hand wash when its finished.

l made a start this afternoon and its looking lovely and lacy..hoping to get it done by the Spring or summer , so it will perfect for a lightweight summer bedjacket. to wear with silky camisole top pj's.

Thank you all again for the help.

That's so pretty paris. Wish I could knit!

flappergirl

That's so pretty paris. Wish I could knit!

l can only do basic knitting..l mostly crochet, but really felt like a change . l started the garment few days ago but even this simple pattern l went wrong after 8 rows.
So l started it again yesterday and followed it better and it looks as if its fine now.
Im sure you have other crafting talents though, everyone does, so be proud of what you can do x