Saturday, April 25, 2009

Contest winners! (and another vintage jumper)

Thank you to everyone who took the time to leave a guess! The guesses were mixed, although I bet that if I'd given you a good look at my face, pretty much everyone would have known her straight away. My grandmother is the young lady on the top left.

Clockwise, from top left: Dorothy (my grandmother), Joan, Patricia, Marjorie, and Mary. Special thanks to Betty Ann for giving my Aunt Eileen a copy of this photo in the first place, and for taking the time to write such a nice comment. I never would have guessed my grandmother was only seventeen or eighteen when this picture was taken—she looks so sophisticated with her red lipstick and chic dress! Her expression is kind of intense, too.

I had originally said that the first three to guess correctly would win a book, and then I thought I would make it five to keep the fun going a little longer. But it's been a week now, so I think I'll just leave it at three. Chris, Emily, and Geri—ding, ding, ding! Geri opted for Mary Modern in hardcover, and Chris and Emily are going to wait for Petty Magic. Thanks again to everyone who left a guess—it made me so happy to get so many comments and compliments! I think I'll do another little contest in the near future...a riddle, maybe?

So I think I've caught the vintage knitting bug. Check out this classy jumper:


It's another British pattern from the early '40s that a kind Raveler, celester, passed along. I'm using RYC Cashsoft 4-ply in Monet, a muted lavender. I found the perfect plastic pearl-like buttons out of my grandparents' rusted candy-tin (my grandparents on my dad's side) to fasten up the neck. I also picked up a new pair of #2 Addi circulars at the Brooklyn General Store yesterday for the ribbing. (I love this store—huge selection of yarn, gorgeous quilting fabrics, and great customer service!)

But first I'll be working on this hooded shawl from Twist Collective for my friend Shelley, who's getting married in Westport, County Mayo, on December 29th. This is the first time I've ever knit a wedding gift, let alone a piece that will be worn in the wedding, and I'm a teensy bit nervous...

Next blog entry—a recipe!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

You always think of your grandparents as being your grandparents and it's easy to forget that they were babies and teenagers and young adults. Looking at these pictures of Grandma Dorothy has given me a fuller picture of her and what her whole life was like and not just the last eleven years when she was my grandmother.

Kate Scherer said...

Wow! I have never seen this picture. I would have thought I would have an advantage trying to pick out my own Grandma Mary and her sisters. I wrote the story of their shared wedding dress in junior high, so I know all the sister's names. I could not have guessed which one was my Grandma Mary! Now that you list their names, I do almost see my Grandma who I call on the first of every month for Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit. Thank you for this picture!