Last Saturday's yarn bombing incident in York made me wonder, yet again, why I haven't picked up my old "weapons" for so long. In the 1970s we were a family of crafting crusaders. "Everybody's Knitting" (see above, my dog-eared copy) was always at my side, it's illustrations inspiring my creations...
...my family were happy to fight alongside me, or, at least, to tolerate the itchiness.
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It started early with granny squares and bobble hats...
...and home-made coats galore; tartan ones,
crochet ones,
patchwork ones too,
and more tartan! Just how many homemade coats does one boy need? (Please note the home produced toys/weapons, and Mum is camouflaged in crochet too!) By the end of the 1970s the house was full of hand-printed fabrics, experimental batiked denim, hand-made wooden buttons and embroidered pictures galore...
Naturally, this was our eco-chariot of choice
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It was another time - innocent and internet-free - and I think that was a draw-back. Now we have Etsy, Folksy etc. and many crafty bloggers, all fighting for the cause. If we'd had personal computers back then, we might have conquered the world...
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I remember growing up in the 70's wearing home made clothes, I particularly remember a pair of purple flares with yellow rick rack and lots of home made jumpers! Love your eco chariot of choice, my son used to go to school with a lad whose parents raced citroen 2 CV's.
ReplyDeleteJo xx
I think the 1970s was quite a fun decade - not so cool as the 1960s of course.
Deleteoh, home-made candles, tiedye in the saucepan on top of the stove (sometimes with wax dripped patterns), patched jeans, the joy of finding the very first Body Shop, Laura Ashley prints from her kitchen table...we acually lived thru all that and now its being re-created all over again!
ReplyDeleteI've been noticing "celebrities" on knitting patterns- so far I have Frank Bough in a tank top and Roger Moore in a cardi- and like all dealers, 2 items is officially classed as a collection!
Have a good week
x
Oh the nostalgia! Glad it's not just me who has "been there and done that."
DeleteI like the dealer's definition of a collection too!
Fabulous photo's Nilly - thank you for sharing them. What's the story behind the little embroidered lady - is it your own handiwork or one picked up on your travels?
ReplyDeletep.s. There's still time for the bloggers to conquer the world...
Thank you Murgatroyd - the embroidery is one of my 1970s efforts.
DeleteWhat a power-house of a knitter you were Nilly. I am so impressed. Must confess couldn't have seen you in any other chara!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Murgatroyd... Bloggers of the world unite!
LLX
Actually the one before was a soft-topped Land Rover - not so eco-friendly!
DeleteThat hand printed fabric is wonderful, as is the handmade button. Like you, sometimes when I think back to that time I am amazed at all I made, from soap to knitting and quilts, candles, spinning,and on and on.......it was fun wasn't it? And to answer your question...I think a little boy can use all the coats his mothers love can whip up!
ReplyDeleteYes, I was just the same - and I used to gather wool from the hedgerows which my mother spun into yarn and dyed with berries for me to use. (The printed fabric & button were my ex-husband's handiwork. We are all interested in Native American culture & imagery.)
DeleteAwww, what lovely photos and fantastic creations - toys, buttons and clothes included! I used to have a 2CV called Pru, but she didn't have square headlights, I don't remember seeing those but lovely nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree that we could definitely take over the world - let's do it!!
Axxx
I think S reg is 1977-78, so square headlights must have been not so "square" that year!
DeleteWhat a lovely nostalgic post, and great to see your pictures of your handiwork. I used to knit dozens of gorgeous little items for Em I remember Phildar patterns being so different. I hung up my needles for over twenty years and only picked them up again when attending College, I had forgotten how much I loved to knit. Do you knit now? Jaynex
ReplyDeleteOh yes - I loved Phildar patterns too and they still look good.
DeleteWhat a great Post bringing back loads of Nostalgia. In the 50's thru 70's my Family almost always made their own Clothes and often our own Toys as well. Now everything is mass produced and a lot of the Artistic Element and Self-Expression in Wardrobe and Creativity has fallen by the wayside. Thankfully there are still some of us left who enjoy and prefer the Hand-Made and Artist Inspired Creations... as an Artist I'm Thankful of that! Thanks for coming by for a Blog Visit and leaving such a complimentary assessment of our Antique Mall... it is two levels of Huge and I so enjoy having some Retail Space there to Sell my items.
ReplyDeleteBlessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian
Wise words, Dawn. I think we made nearly all my first son's clothes and toys - he loved Native American costumes, made camps out of sticks and leaves and painted great pictures of them. He didn't seem to need plastic toys.
Delete~ What a great post, Nilly......Bringing quite a few memories back for US all!
ReplyDeleteLove the picture of you and your boy....And I agree, we were all clothed in patch work and knits and crochets and tartan! No wonder these making skills are having a revival...I have been trying very hard to teach Olivia,to crochet...BUT honestly she really struggled with some thing so rewarding and creative, that I gave up or rather she did! They seemed to be able to do all the techno jargo and not have too much time for the simple things...(she can sew though)...~ any ways off my soap box now! I 'LOVE' your Citroen car! Must get in my wish box NOW! hehe...love Maria x
How true Maria - maybe today's grandma's & mums can't prise the younger generation away from all their screens for long enough to teach them. Time seems very hard to find these days - and do any of us have the patience our mothers had?
DeleteThat 2cv pictured above is still on the road!
ReplyDeleteThat 2cv pictured above is still on the road!
ReplyDeleteAmazing - I'll tell my ex!
DeleteThanks to you.
ReplyDeleteHonda car leasing deals & Citroen car Leasing