Discover the history of Bestway knitting patterns, from Amalgamated Press and wartime leaflets to post-war fashion and their legacy today.

There is something truly magical about discovering a knitting pattern that has stood the test of time. These patterns carry whispers of the past, stories woven into every stitch, and a charm that modern designs sometimes lack. As I delve into the world of classic knitting patterns online, I find myself drawn to the delicate intricacies and timeless elegance that vintage designs offer. It’s like holding a piece of history in your hands, ready to be brought to life once more. E

Unfortunately, most vintage patterns are made for a set size, unless they detail other sizes. I suppose at the time, resizing patterns was a skill that came as second nature for most knitters, but I find it as rare as hen’s teeth to find detailed instructions helping people to do this nowadays. For small increases, say going from a 34" to 36", you can look at increasing the size of your needle to create a bigger garment, but it has limitations before your garment begins to lo

The first hurdle to overcome when embarking on a knitting project is to determine what yarn to use. This becomes a little more challenging when knitting from vintage patterns because over the decades, the goalposts have moved for yarn weight. Whilst DK (double knitting) and chunkier yarns are popular today for how quick they are to work up, they weren’t very popular pre-1950s. Even when we do see DK yarns being introduced around the 1950s, it was a completely different beast

Blocking your knitting, whilst not essential, will really transform your hard work from something that is merely home-made, to something that is beautifully hand-crafted. It's also really easy to do. In terms of equipment, you will need the following: Your knitting project Blocking T-pins Foam mats Basin of tepid water Towel Blocking wires (optional) No rinse washing liquid (optional) As you can see in the picture, my pieces of knitting are curly around the edges, and are a b