Wednesday 20 September 2017

Reviewing the 1942 Bow Snood Pattern

Last year for Snoodtember, I shared a number of free vintage Australian snood patterns, and asked my sister Rhiannon (of Parlour Duck Crafts) to look over the instructions and tell us how they looked.


One of the most admired patterns was this snood with a bow from The Australian Women's Weekly in 1942 (and yes the jumper pattern is there too!). I loved it, and Rhiannon obviously knew it too because when Christmas rolled around, there was a beautiful bow snood of my very own! (And matching red crocheted gloves.)



So this year, I'm sharing what it's like to wear, and Rhiannon has kindly shared her thoughts and experiences of making it up. Here goes!

From Tanith: The Wearer's Perspective

I love this snood. It's fun and different and really cute. I guess the only downside is that it doesn't have the versatility of a plain snood, but since I have a few others that are plain that doesn't bother me.

The bow is a bit tricky. It certainly doesn't just sit up like that by itself. I found that by holding the bow the way you want it to sit and sticking a bobby pin or two into the middle, you can get a very good result pretty easily.

As a wearer, I'd recommend this snood pattern if you are looking to add something a little different and special to your collection. 
 
 

From Rhiannon: The Maker's Perspective

Last year as part of Snoodtember, Tanith asked me to review a number of vintage snood crochet patterns which featured in magazines and newspapers freely available through Trove.  After I did so, I decided to try several and blogged about them (http://parlourduck.blogspot.com.au/2016/11/vintage-snood-pattern-reviews-belated.html). I also made the fabulous-looking "Snood with Bow" but as that was a gift I didn't blog about it!  
 
The pattern didn’t give tension/gauge information, but did specify a No. 4 knitting cotton and a No 10 aluminium crochet hook. I chose Sullivans Mercerised Knitting and Crochet 4 ply cotton because it closely matched the description and as a bonus it came in a red which closely matched the lighter weight crochet cotton I was using to make the accompanying gloves. Because the final size of the snood didn’t have to be exact, I used my trusty Stratnoid 13, a lovely vintage hook which suits my hand comfortably and is about 2.5m, even though a no 10 should be closer to 3 or 3.25. I have learnt that I often work with a looser tension than vintage patterns expect, so a smaller hook isn’t a huge issue for me.

The instructions for the crochet mesh are straightforward and as most of the snood consists of repeating a pattern for many rows, it was easy to fall into a rhythm and the body of the snood worked up quickly. The instructions to finish the edge require a bit more care, as you need to pay attention to exactly which edge you are working on, but there is nothing complicated about them. The bow is once again easy to work, as after the initial set-up rows you are just repeating the same pattern for 50 rows. By far the hardest part for me was making the strip of mesh up into the bow shape, working out how to balance the length of worked mesh into the bow loops and the hanging ends. I haven’t had much experience with that tacked style of bow

The final step was starching it all so the bow sat nicely. I decided to make my own, heating water and corn-starch, and it was a bit strong.  I spent a few days gently handling the bow and snood, working them between my palms, to soften them up, rather than washing and starting again, simply because it was a miserable rainy week and I wasn’t sure it would dry

This was a nice pattern which worked up quickly, but the snood itself isn't particularly different from many patterns available. The impact comes from the bow, which could be added to any snood pattern which you already have and know works for your head.
 
 
For anyone making this up, folding a strip into a bow is easy once you have a bit of practise. I do this a lot with ribbon (and sometimes paper for wrapped presents). But it is a bit hard to explain, so I hope this photo might help. Fold the crocheted strip in this way, then sew it together in the centre. Once it is attached this way, you can gather it up the centre and attach to the snood.
 
 
I hope this is helpful to anyone who wants to try their hand at this snood pattern, or perhaps do as Rhiannon suggests, and add a bow to another snood pattern. 

Now I just need that Southern Cross jumper!
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16 comments

  1. So interesting to hear both of your perspectives! This snood is a beautiful and fun piece, and I love the matching red gloves. Lucky you having such a talented sister.

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    Replies
    1. Hehe I really am lucky! And that she chooses to use her talents to make me presents :)

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  2. This is super cute in person (well in pictures lol). And like Jessica said it was cool to read the 2 perspectives. Thanks for sharing!

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  3. Such a cute snood, it looks fabulous on you. I think those gloves are the same pattern that I've made one glove from in turquoise. I couldn't face the other glove afterwards so it's sat in a bag waiting for me to get on with it again! xx

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! That would be cool if it was the same glove pattern. We could be glove twins (but in different colours)!

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  4. I love the bow! It's impossible to not feel happy when you are wearing a bow on your head, right? :)

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  5. What a great present! A matching set was a super idea. Lovely to hear from both the maker and the wearer.

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  6. I'm loving this snood! I have been thinking about making one for ages but just haven't gotten around to making one. Just hopped over to Parlour Duck Crafts and I love the white snood with the pink rose too! xoxox Keep the snood love going!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! I hope you do get one made, it really would be a super cute look on you!

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  7. Hello, I wasx hoping you could maybe give some more detailed instructions on how you made the bow. I have the strip of mesh worked up, I'm just struggling on how to actually make it into a bow and attaching it. The original pattern is pretty vague :(

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    Replies
    1. Yes, the original pattern is very very vague!

      I find it hard to explain in words but I've added a photo to the post that I hope is helpful. Please just ask if you have any more questions!

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  8. Hello!

    I decided to take a crack at this snood myself after seeing it on Pinterest, but it’s my first attempt at a vintage crochet pattern and I wonder if I’m doing it right.

    For the main piece, should it be increasing in size every row? The description of turning rows was hard for me to follow, so I’ve been ending every row with a ch 6, turn, dc into the middle of the last mesh loop. So I’m ending up with a large trapezoid as I keep working it up.

    Im also a bit confused on how this will become the final snood, what with the ‘attach thread at opposite end’ instruction. 😅 I’m so confused on why the wide end would go in the back, and the narrow end in the front as the headband. I think with my foundation row it’s not big enough to go all the way around my head. I’ve really lost the plot lmao

    Worst case, I’ll just frog it and adapt a different snood pattern, but if this makes any sense I’d love your advice! Thank you so much for making this post, your tips really helped me this far!

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    Replies
    1. Hi!
      Basically no, it shouldn't be increasing in size. Like many vintage patterns, it isn't as clear as modern patterns, so I can absolutely see where it could look that way though.

      Going through the pattern step by step:
      Commence with 57 ch. Make 1
      d.c. into 9th ch. from hook * 6
      ch., 1 d.c. into 3rd ch. Rep. from
      * to end.


      At this point, the dc into the 9th chain makes the first mesh space,
      And then the remaining ch having a dc every 3 gives us 16 further meshes, 17 in total.

      Turn with 6 ch. Make
      1 d.c. into middle of 6 ch. of previous
      row,


      Make 6ch, and turn. Now work a dc into the first mesh space of the base row, the one you just finished, making a 'narrow' mesh. (It isn't actually much smaller than the others but when it is first worked it can seem that way as it isn't the same base width as the others across the middle of the rows)

      * 6 ch., 1 d.c. into middle of
      next 6 ch. of previous row. Rep.
      from * to end.


      The final dc is made into that 9ch loop at the start of the base row, still leaving us with 17 meshes. It isn't a 'tidy' end, as this dc isn't anchored in a particular stitch of the loop and so will move. If you wanted to make it clearer to yourself, you could work the dc into the middle chain of that loop. But there will be a bit of the mesh in the base row that will look like it is remaining 'unworked'.

      Each subsequent row makes a narrow first mesh, but now we are working our final dc into the narrow starting mesh of the row below so it isn't as untidy as the first row. You should still have 17 meshes on each.
      (I'm going to continue in another comment as this is getting long)

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    2. This row is rep. throughout. Continue until 31 rows have been completed.
      Now work 6 ch., 1 d.c. into
      middle of 6 ch. of previous row, * 3
      ch., 1 d.c. into middle of next 6 ch.
      Rep. from * to end.


      As these meshes only have 3ch instead of 6, they are smaller and will make this final row shorter and slightly draw up the tension.

      Continue on around side by working 1 d.c. into each d.c.

      You will be working this (dc, 3ch, dc, 3ch) from the end of that final mesh row down the 'side' - I.e. the one made up of end of rows, until you reach the base row. Because you are working only into the dcs along there, not any of the chain spaces, again this draws up the tension. You will NOT continue working along the chain of the base row.
      Fasten off. Join cotton at op-
      posite end,


      By this, you will join the yarn into the other end of that final mesh row, ready to work UP the other side.
      and work to match end
      completed. Do not break off cotton.

      To do this, work up the other mesh end side doing 3ch, 1 dc into each dc, and then along the starting row, work those 3ch, dc, 3ch, dc shorter meshes to pull up the tension there.
      Now you have a rectangle of meshes with the start of some shaping thanks to those final rows.

      Make 4 ch., * 1 treble into first space,
      1 ch. Rep. from * all the way
      around edge. Thread tape or
      crocheted ch. through edge just com-
      pleted.

      I would, and pretty sure I did, use elastic instead of tape or cord.

      I hope this helps! Please ask if you need more clarity on anything.

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