People of the past knew the magic of a handmade garment — the uniqueness, the custom fit, the time and care taken by the knitter. In today’s world of mass-production, we now crave the individuality and satisfaction that comes with creating a piece of clothing for ourselves or a loved one from scratch.

Knitters in the early decades of the twentieth century had their pick of patterns which were published regularly in a variety of books, newspapers and magazines. Vintage Knits presents a curated selection of these patterns from Australian publications of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, tested and updated to make them practical for today’s knitter. The book features vintage material from the original publications with contemporary full-colour photographs of the garments as they have been recreated today. Interwoven throughout the book are sections reflecting on the social and cultural history of knitting in Australia.

Tapping into the trend for everything vintage, as well as the ‘handmade revolution’ and resurgence of knitting, this book will bring style and joy to any modern knitter!

published in May 2022 by NLA Publishing

bookshop.nla.gov.au