Sunday, August 14, 2011

Vintage knitting pattern: Date-Maker cardigan

In my post on campus-inspired vintage fashions, a number of you expressed that you really liked the Date-Maker sweater pattern that I showed! Here it is again...


It comes from Columbia Style Book vol. 108, a 1946 knitting booklet in my collection. I like the striped sweater on the cover, too. Even better, the original owner signed her name on it!


Since so many of you liked the pattern, I thought I would share it. At least a couple of you asked about a knit-along, so it's something I'm contemplating for fall or winter. What do you think? If there's enough interest, I'd definitely consider it, even though it would be a somewhat challenging pattern to talk about resizing as it's primarily knit in ribbing that angles diagonally. However the good thing about ribbing is it's pretty forgiving.

The interesting thing about this knitting booklet is that the original owner, Ms. Jesky, appears to have only knit Date-Maker out of all the patterns! It's the one pattern in the book that's marked up. In fact, she marked up the pattern in the same way I do (although I always do it on a copy of course). Here's a bit of what the original looked like:


Not very easy on the eyes! I debating between transcribing the pattern or just cleaning up the original scans. I ended up opting for the latter as I felt you'd probably all prefer to work from the original pattern. So I tried to clean it up as best I could.

It looks like a great pattern and should be a quick knit, in worsted weight yarn at a gauge of 5 stitches an inch, with a short overall length and no button bands. You'll also need a crochet hook along with basic crochet skills to crochet around the buckle and opening edges of the cardigan. The pattern as written is for a 32-34" bust and calls for 12 oz. of worsted weight yarn.

A really fun vintage cardigan pattern from 1946! 

Download: Date-Maker cardigan (pdf)

24 comments:

  1. I love vintage knitting patterns and read them like novels

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  2. Thanks! I'm definitely bigger than a 32-34, so may try to upsize this for larger sizes. Let me fuss a bit with a swatch and I'll let you know...

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  3. I really love that stripe!! Guess I should get past my fear of buttonholes and finish my Briar Rose before starting a whole new project ;)

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  4. So nice of you to share with us. It is a very glamorous sweater. I myself, fell in love with the striped sweater.

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  5. I'm much bigger than a 32-34 *sigh* I wonder if my mum could size this for me. I won't be doing the knit along, I have a mum for that ;o)

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  6. I'm in love- the correct size, and worked in a thicker wool- what could be more perfect! I'm off to do a tension square and find some wool.... Tups x

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  7. Thank you for sharing this lovely pattern I am still new to knitting but have down loaded a copy and hope to knit it up very soon.

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  8. Not another cute knitting pattern! I need to get to knitting so I can finish up everything I'm supposed to be working on!

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  9. Thank you ever so much for scanning this! I've saved it to add to my (already enormous) stack of patterns to knit. I love that it looks like a relatively quick knit too. :)

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  10. Both patterns are gorgegous.Oh! I wish I could be in the advance stage of knitting so that I could knit along(sigh)...I would very much enjoy the date-maker. ;)

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  11. Oh! Thank you so very much! Greetings Annette

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  12. Hi Tasha, Thank you for sharing this pattern!
    I just did an anti moth summer clean-up of my wool cabinet, and I think I have just the perfect wool for this!
    I would also like to thank you for sharing your passion for vintage clothes. Seeing your Ravelry page and later this blog inspired me to knit vintage!

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  13. What a cute pattern! Thank you so much for sharing!

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  14. This pattern is amazing and I would definitely be interested in doing a knit along, I really enjoyed the last one. Thanks for sharing it.

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  15. Thanks so much for sharing this pattern! It'll have to go in my queue for the late fall/winter. I love that it's worked up in a worsted weight yarn, for extra wintery-warmth.

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  16. Thanks for sharing the pattern! Yeay for worsted weight vintage patterns.

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  17. OOh this looks fun :) Definitely into my stash of patterns I would like to make :)

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  18. I would love to do a knit-a-long! I was planning to knit myself a cowichan, but maybe I could work on both :)

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  19. Vintage knitting patterns are awesome!!!

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  20. Many thanks for sharing this pattern - I fell in love with it immediately and am knitting it in red, using Red Heart Soft Touch yarn. Just finished sewing a 1948 skirt to go with it and am about to start a 1942 blouse to finish the outfit!

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  21. Thank you! Now if I could just find my waistline again...!

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  22. Came across your blog on a google search for vintage sweater patterns and found the Date Maker! What a treasure. Just started it last night, in a lovely vintage turquoise blue. thanks so much!

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