Fingerless mitts

Here's an evolutionary dead-end from the Glove family tree. These fingerless mitts from Bestway have an opening for a thumb, the index finger, and then the remainder of the fingers. The modern evolutionary forms of the fingerless glove have only a thumb-hole and a finger hole, or finger-holes for every digit.

Why did this form of glove never really catch on? I suppose there's no real advantage in having just one finger enclosed. Unlike this scooter glove, where the enclosed finger gives you more control over your throttle, the poor Bestway fingerless mitt had little to offer humanity and can now only be found, stuffed, in museums.

Tip-toppers hats

I couldn't resist these little spring hats from Needlework Illustrated magazine. Yes, I know it's the autumn, but at this time of year I think a pretty, colourful hat is just the job to lift the spirits. So here are "Tip-Toppers to knit and crochet with that May Morning air". No date on the magazine, but I think we're in the late 1940s or early 1950s here.

From the top right, working clockwise: "Sally the teenager wears a horse's tail of tambourine bright ribbons a-swish from the top of her knitted cap."

"Helen comes to town smartly hatted... in a fetching little model of crunchy knitting made with lustrous cotton thread."

"Joanne the sophisticate suits the set of a knitted Jelly Bag to occasion and mood - here formal, informal."

"Rosemary frames pretty head in curving crochet. Easy-to-make style in wool... Good in bright, decisive colours."

Is it just me, or was Needlework Illustrated's copywriter hitting the gin by the time she got to Joanne? Isn't that just random words?

Captain Jack Sparrow doll

The very talented Simon Dack came and took some photos of me and my Pirates of the Caribbean dolls yesterday. Here's a few of Captain Jack enjoying a windy day on the beach in Worthing - I think the bluster gives his hair a real action hero look.


Which is more than can be said for my hair, in most of the shots I looked like Professor Trelawney's unkempt cousin. But I like this one of me and Jack hanging out in a rusty beach shelter on the prom.

I'm working on the pattern for Captain Jack at the moment and hope it have it in my Etsy shop very soon.

Etsy likes cake

Over the moon to have my Facebook Cake button cross stitch sampler promoted on Etsy's Twitter and Facebook feeds yesterday. Loads of lovely comments and new followers on Etsy and Twitter! Fantastic.

Like Cake cross stitch

Like cake? Like Facebook? Then you will definitely like stitching this cross stitch sampler.

The Cake button in the photo is worked in cross stitch, with a half-cross stitch background, on 14 count aida fabric.

You can buy the pattern from my Etsy shop. And you can buy the awesome cakes in the photo from Parklife Cafe, Bath Place, Worthing, UK. If you're ever in Worthing, don't miss Parklife's cakes... very special.

Warming up the Home Front, 1943

From Good Housekeeping magazine, 1943 - "some simple home recipes that add warmth and variety to a wilting wardrobe".

"Take a dated glamour-jacket of long-haired fur and bring to a high standard of usefulness with a few pieces of firmly-woven fabric. Add deep cuffs to the three-quarter or seven-eighths sleeves, drawn into a buttoned band, stitch a scarf-length to the collarless neck and gather the lower edge into a snug waistband, buttoning at front."

Hate fur, love the shape of this jacket. I wonder if it could be done with a modern three-quarter length faux fur jacket? It would have to have huge padded shoulders, though. That is so key to the shape: boxy shoulders, nipped in waist.