Zipper jacket

Zipper jacket

Heavy weight jacket hand knitted with zip front, no side seams. Natural colours of pure wool, possibly hand spun. Geometric patterns and stripes in three shades of natural wool A Cowichan jacket, with swing tag still attached. The Cowichan are a group of Coast Salish peoples who live in the Cowichan Valley region on Vancouver Island  (Wikipedia).  They are famous for their knitting in hand-spun wool, typically in natural colours, and including geometric motifs and representations of local wildlife in the designs. Patons archive hand written swing tag label says “Hudson Bay Mans Zipper Jacket”. Zipper jacket Label "Cowichan Indian Sweater - Handmade in Canada" Bought from Hudsons Bay Co $35. Branded "Lightening" zipper

Zipper Jacket with reindeer motif

Zipper Jacket with reindeer motif

Heavy weight jacket hand knitted with zip front, no side seams and shawl collar. Natural colours of pure wool, possibly hand spun. Reindeer on chest. Patons archive hand written swing tag label says “Thick Zipper Jacket Reindeer Motif”. This reindeer jacket inspired a pattern in an early 1950s Patons & Baldwins booklet, SC33 Moorland Hand-knits for the Family, a collection of knits in a double knitting wool. The jacket pattern appeared in a booklet of knits in a P&B DK wool.  It is described as a “North American Indian coat”. To get yarn thick enough, 3 strands of DK were knitted together. The design was revived in the 1960s, when Patons introduced a chunky yarn, Big Ben, in leaflet P&B 1136. (It is described in that pattern as a “Western Frontier jacket” on the cover, and a “Red Indian Zipper” inside the leaflet).  Patterns for small boys based on the jacket were also published. 

Colourwork jacket with buttons

Colourwork jacket with buttons

Wool jacket knitted in red, light grey and dark grey on cream background with 6 buttons to the neck, which has a stand up collar. Adult size, set in sleeves and all over colour patterning with densely patterned yoke and seeded pattern on body and sleeves. Rib trim on body and sleeves and sewn on button bands. These appear to cover cut edge indicating the body was knitted in the round and cut; ie steeked. The sleeves are knitted in the round from the cuff and are sewn into the sleeve head with large cross stitches. The garment has been worn as it has obvious marks and stains. From the Faroe Islands. Patons archive hand written swing tag label says ‘Traditional Faroe Coat’.

Bohus cardigan

Bohus cardigan

A Bohus product cardigan, finely knitted in light natural wool, patterned fronts, plain back and sleeves and deep rib to body.

The knitted fabric of the fronts is patterned in both colour and texture work in five colours of wool. Knitted flat and seamed. Label in back neck ‘Bohus STICKNING’ a company which existed in Sweden to produce hand knitted garments as a poverty reduction measure. Unworn. Name of design not known.

Embroidered Cardigan

Embroidered Cardigan

Embroidered Jacket

Embroidered Jacket

Jacket, the label states "replica of Florentine knitted coat 17th C". Hand knitted flat and seamed, the fronts are lined and hand embroidered in floral patterns worked in Swiss darning/duplicate stitch. The plain yellow sleeves are knitted flat and seamed with a shaped cuff. Hook and eye fasteners up the front edges. Short vent in centre back.

Embroidered Cape

Embroidered Cape

A hand knitted wool cape, the label states ‘Historical collection – knitted cape with motifs brown/blue and gold’. The deep border is dark blue moss stitch. The motifs on the sides are knitted into the fabric with additional embroidery and conceal inside pockets.

Patons archive hand written swing tag label says “Historical Collection, Knitted Cloak with Motifs, Brown, Blue and Gold”. Patons own “handknitted model” label contains the same information.

Textured coat with matching hat

Matching Hat

Textured coat with matching hat

Shaped jacket with buttons

Shaped jacket with buttons

A golfing jacket, Patons archive hand written swing tag says ‘Published 1896 but knitted in 1960s - golfing jacket’ knitted in green and white wool. This garment was knitted to a pattern in the Universal Knitting Book, published by John Paton Son & Co.  It appears in the 4^th edition, which is in the Guild collection. The 4th edition of the Universal Knitting Book is dated 1913.  The golf blouse may have been in earlier editions. It is thought that the Universal Knitting Book was first published in 1899; the British Library catalogue only lists the 2^nd edition, with a date of 1903, which fits a 1^st edition date of 1899, too.

The fronts and back are knitted in a textured fabric consisting of a fine cable separated by narrow panels of textured stitches. These are edged with green cuffs, rib and wide button bands. The sewn on front bands have decorative buttons, the fastenings being concealed poppers down the fronts and hooks and eyes on the welt. Most edges have a picot hem.