antiquecrochet

[antiquecrochet]

[antiquecrochet]

Where to find free patterns

Vintage patterns can be a great resource for all sorts of knits and because many are out of copyright they are free to access. 

I have two websites I go to for free vintage patterns. They are freevintageknitting.com and freevintagecrochet.com. These are my first stop for newer vintage patterns because it collects old out of print pamphlets and makes them easy to read. The sites also have information on discontinued yarn, hook and needle conversion and more. They are a great start to historical (or vintage) knitting. 

For older books you can head to archive.org/details/knittingreferencelibrary. Books in this collection are simply photocopies so you would need to translate the patterns yourself. But it does contain Victorian to WW 2 books. 

Blogs and sites like Ravelry are also a good place to start looking for patterns. There are many free versions of vintage patterns and paid for ones can be helpful because the authors will do the work of updating the needles, yarn and pattern wordage. 

When working with vintage or antique patterns there are a few things to keep in mind. One is stitch definitions — always check what the pattern book describes as each stitch you’re making (this is very important for crochet!) Another one is to convert the needle size and find a good yarn substitution. 

Before you start transcribing or picking a new yarn, make sure it can fit you and if you’ll want to try grading. Vintage sizes are different than modern ones and it is best to use a guide to get an estimate. 

Here’s a quick chart with some measurements for vintage sizes https://purplekittyyarns.com/vintage-body-measurements-size-chart.

The next step is to start transcribing and depends on how old the pattern is. The older the pattern the more likely you'll want to read it through and decide if you need to transcribe it.

This can include typing up the pattern in a way which makes sense for you or to map it out on a chart. This can take a few tries and I like to start with smaller and less complicated patterns. Occasionally you might not even need to transcribe it. 

Next you’ll need to find the yarn substitution which will give you needles as well. If the pattern includes a gauge use that as a guideline to find a substitution. For a more in depth read visit https://knitpal.com/blogs/knitpal/how-to-substitute-yarn-for-vintage-knitting-patterns. 

And once you've found the size you'll need, made the pattern readable and found your replacement you're ready to start knitting. Happy cast on!

[antiquecrochet]

crochet sampler book, late 19th century

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Crochet Country Fair

Book No. 51

Lily Mills Company

1950

Post 2/2 (Pages 9-16) [Pages 1-8]

[antiquecrochet]

Crochet Country Fair

Book No. 51

Lily Mills Company

1950

Post 1/2 (Pages 1-8) [Pages 9-16]

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Floral Doilies

Book No. 268

The Spool Cotton Company

1950

Post 2/2 (Pages 9-16) [Pages 1-8]

[antiquecrochet]

Floral Doilies 

Book No. 268

The Spool Cotton Company

1950

Post 1/2 (Pages 1-8) [Pages 9-16]

[antiquecrochet]

Doilies to Treasure

By Lily Mills Company

Book 1600

Post 3/3 (Pages 17-24)

Post 1 Post 2

[antiquecrochet]

Doilies To Treasure

By Lily Mills Company

Book 1600

Post 2/3 (Pages 9-16)

Post 1 Post 3

[antiquecrochet]

Doilies to Treasure

By Lily Mills Company

Book 1600

Post 1/3 (Pages 1-8)

Post 2/3 Post 3/3

[antiquecrochet]

Pineapple Centerpiece

By Lilly 

Free Leaflet No. D-11

[antiquecrochet]

Good News Everyone!

So I thought my Mother threw out all of my Grandmother's old crochet instruction guides after I set up this blog. Well it turns out she had just squirreled them away. I will be posting more soon once I scan in the other books.

[antiquecrochet]

Tablecloths for the Seasons 4/4

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Tablecloths for the Seasons 3/4

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Tablecloths for the Seasons 2/4

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Tablecloths for the Seasons 1/4 

[antiquecrochet]

Hi

I found a bunch of Crochet patterns in my grandmothers house that were disintegrating. I decided that I would scan them before for they were fully destroyed. Some are in an awful condition, others are better. So if you know how to read patterns Yey!