Vintage-y goodness.

Now that I have a scanner, I can actually put it to use and show you some of the cool things I've scored at the thrift store. Up now: The Complete Book of Crochet, from 1973. Which means that it is older than I am, and coincidentally my husband's age.

Some things in crochet are refreshingly constant. Like hideous projects. Dig this groovy lampshade:
I always thought the seventies must have been much better the first time around, when drugs were readily available so that you wouldn't have to actually see what was around you. After all, what else could explain that hair? (Realize, please, that a) I am kidding and b) I am referring to the men's hair.)

I am guessing, from looking at this, that it stretches over a clear form of some sort. I could see making several of these and hanging them about an Italian restaurant, perhaps. Wouldn't they really spruce up Buca di Beppo? (Speaking of that restaurant, if you want to have their tiramisu for dessert, be sure to designate a driver first; it's even more alcoholic than tiramisu tends to be.)

Other than the lampshade, I actually do like most of the patterns in the book. I don't see myself making most, if any, of them, simply because it is 99% thread work, and I haven't the patience for that. (I have the deepest respect for those folks who do have the patience, though.)

Here's a lovely skirt, even if it does look as if you could use the same pattern for a bedspread:
The lady looks as if she is just recovering from seeing that lampshade for the first time.

This is actually made in DK (double knitting) weight yarn, which is close to sport weight (I debate that they're the same). I love the stripes. You do, however, use an incredibly small hook for the yarn given--3.5mm. Which I think is like an E hook.

The book calls this a "Long Evening Skirt", by the way. I can so totally see this being worn out to the symphony, but maybe I'm just odd that way.

I could also, as I hinted earlier, see this as a baby blanket. But I am odd that way.


Next, something I think I might actually make for myself:
It's a snood. I'm not 100% sure what snoods are, mind you, other than apparently something lacy to hold your hair up and away from your face. This one appears to be done in a Solomon's Knot (also called a love knot), which is actually explained in detail in the beginning of the book.

It is, of course, thread crochet.

I love things like this. So elegant. I know that at the time it wasn't kosher for Catholic women to go to Mass without a headcovering of some sort. Plenty don't these days, of course.

Being Protestant, that's never applied to me or mine, of course. But wouldn't it be a lovely thing to start up again? A snood at church? Something to put you in the correct frame of mind...

Last one:
This is called a "Baby Shawl" in the book, not a baby blanket. I cannot figure out what kind of yarn it uses, since it just says "3 ply". I'm guessing sport weight, as it also calls for a 3.5mm hook. The motifs seem to be relatively simple cluster-stitch squares. There is a certain elegant simplicity to it I appreciate greatly.

As a sidenote, I actually have a pram similar to that one. I bought it for my first child but I've never actually used it. It's currently in storage on the Mainland.