Vintage Baby Knits: More Than 40 Heirloom Patterns from the 1920s to the 1950s [Hardcover]

Kristen Rengren (Author), Thayer Allyson Gowdy (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2009

While working as a vintage clothing dealer, combing through estate sales and eBay listings, longtime knitter Kristen Rengren amassed hundreds of knitting pattern booklets from 1920 through 1960. Now a knitwear designer, Rengren brings us the result of her combined passions in Vintage Baby Knits, a charming collection of more than 40 contemporary updates of timeless baby patterns.

 

Projects range from small, quick-to-knit items like hats, booties, and shrugs to larger, more challenging designs for sweaters, onesies, and dresses, including a lace christening gown. Beautiful photographs capture a bevy of adorable babies and toddlers wearing these knitted treasures. Also included are sidebars on baby fashion and knitting culture in this bygone era, and a complete reference section. Destined to be a classic itself, Vintage Baby Knits promises family heirlooms for 21st-century babies.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kristen Rengren is a freelance knitwear designer who specializes in vintage styles. Previously she worked as a vintage clothing dealer and as a public relations specialist for independent theater companies and as a development director at DePaul University in Chicago.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: STC Craft/A Melanie Falick Book; 1ST edition (June 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584797614
• ISBN-13: 978-1584797616
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #885,952 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kristen Rengren is a long-time collector of vintage clothing and ephemera and a former vintage clothing dealer. Her work as a knitwear designer and author is inspired and informed by her vast collection of vintage knitting patterns, including thousands of patterns spanning from the 1920s to the 1950s. She has designed for Blue Sky Alpacas and Vermont Organic Fiber Company, among other yarn companies.

Kristen learned to knit in 1994, when a friend taught her to give them both something to do during a long Lithuanian winter. Her first project was a pair of fair isle gloves, but because no one mentioned that they would not be an ideal project for beginners, they weren't finished until the next summer. Previous to her discovering both vintage clothing and designing in 2006, Kristen was variously a development director for a major university and for several experimental theater companies, the director of a major cultural festival bringing together Eastern European artists and their American counterparts, and a professional puppeteer.

Kristen lives in Chicago with her husband, two cats, and more yarn than she cares to admit.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply gorgeous collection of vintage-inspired baby knits May 3, 2009

By Carol S. VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

This book is a must for any knitter who likes knitting for babies; vintage-inspired knitting; and/or knitting with lighter-weight yarns. The patterns -- a whopping 40 of them! -- are inspired by vintage patterns of the 1920s through 1950s, with the patterns updated and clarified, and knit in today's yarns. They include sweaters, a diaper cover, blanket, stuffed toys and many more. Each design is beautifully interpreted and shown in fabulous color photos (with extremely adorable babies modelling them). Production quality is very high: hardcover, full color throughout, schematics, lots of technical info presented in inset boxes. The yarns used range from worsted/DK weight to fingering.

A beautiful addition to any knitter's pattern library and must-have for anyone who likes to knit baby items, either for their own family members or for others.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I want to knit everything in it! June 11, 2009

By Lisa H.

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Okay, maybe not the knit soakers LOL, but this book is great! I will definitely be making lots of these items for my daughter and also for gifts. Some of the patterns are a bit more challenging and others are quite simple. I'm an intermediate knitter, so that's nice for me, I like to have some of both in a pattern book. I couldn't wait to get this book when I saw previews of it and I am not disappointed. I can't wait to get started on my first project - the little shrug.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Huge number of adorable patterns July 22, 2009

By S. Amoroso

Format:Hardcover

I bought this book after seeing all the samples on the author's book tour. The garments are even more adorable in person than in the book's lovely photographs. There are a lot of patterns in this book, with many different kinds of garments, making it a very good value for the money. Texture patterns, colorwork, cables, lace patterns, and garments with interesting construction make for a varied knitting experience. The use of lighter weight yarns makes great use of all the unique sock yarns out there. The author is very knowledgeable about vintage knitting and clothing styles, and provides interesting overviews of the styles and trends that influence her work. All in all, a very beautiful, useful, and satisfying book.