"Woolly Jumpers" (Bestway no. 442, 1933)

 "Knitted jumpers are once again at the height of fashion," begins the introduction to Woolly Jumpers

"but with what a difference from the loose, shapeless models that were previously in vogue!  The newest and smartest models fit every bit as perfectly as garments made from cloth, and they are knitted in an endless variety of dainty and attractive stitches, forming the most original designs and patternings."

Legend has it, that home-knitting became a popular hobby after World War I, as women who spent the war "knitting socks for soldiers" sought a new use for their needles.  Over the course of the 1920s, knitted garments changed from being mainly sportswear to becoming fashionable daywear.  These woolly jumpers from Bestway fit the fashionable lines of the 1930s perfectly, skimming the figure but not squeezing or constraining it.

Since my last few posts touched on the need for economy in hard times, I should comment that knitting books like this one enabled skilled knitters to achieve a stylish look at a low cost!

The jumpers depicted on the cover are described, going clockwise from the top left:

A TRIUMPH IN KNITTING
A PERFECT LITTLE JUMPER WHICH SHOWS THE HEIGHTS THAT HAVE BEEN ATTAINED IN MODERN KNITTING, BOTH IN SHAPING AND IN PATTERN WEAVING

A JUMPER AND CAP TO MATCH

Very slimming and particularly smart is the effect of the stripes in this simple waisted jumper.  The pattern is knitted in herringbone fashion with points arranged at the centre back and front and on the top surface of the sleeves.  The jumper is most attractively worked in a three-colour scheme, three shades of the same tone being blended in the stripes.

SMART AND SO PRACTICAL

A JUMPER FOR EVERYDAY WEAR IN A LIGHT OPEN STITCH WITH A STRIPING TO MATCH THE NOVEL JABOT AT THE NECKLINE