fables & fabulous yarns: columbia minerva vintage knit fashions

not too long ago i discovered this fabulous knitting pattern book on etsy. its the columbia-minerva knit fashions for boys and girls no.775 from 1970 titled 'fables & fabulous yarns'. not only is it full of fabulous floral backdrops, the knitted outfits are downright charming - though maybe i feel that way because i never had to wear a woolen pinafore myself!

flowers, crazy stuffed animal props, pinafores and knee socks - what more could you want?! how about some poems? well you've come to the right pattern book!

the introduction goes:

a long time ago

in the kingdom of make believable knits

the children declared their independence

and moved across the valley to live with the friendly animals.

they were happy until autumn when it came to their notice

that the animals coats were growing thicker and warmer

while their own clothes were getting thinner.

as winter approached, envy grew into hostility,

until the animals, alarmed for their lives,

sent the tiger in delegation to persuade the children

from persisting in their foolishness.

"children" said the tiger,

"your pride threatens the peace of our land.

rob us of our coats and you rob yourself of friends,

and when our coats wear thin on your backs you

will be lonely and cold too. let us carry you home where you

can enjoy the fruits of the affectionate adults."

the children heard his words and met

in council to deliberate the matter.

a few thought it more romantic to sneak home

under cover of darkness and gather yarns to knit for

themselves. but the majority said this was not a time

for romance. "all we can knit anyway is scarves and who

wants to go around all winter wrapped in a scarf

when we could have cardigans and dresses and caps and slacks.

let us return and reconsider independence when we

know better how to care for ourselves."

secretly relieved at being outvoted,

the few joined the many and they all set out at once

astride the larger animals. the adults were likewise

relieved and decided henceforth they would

try to give their children a greater sense of freedom.

and so you will notice as you

read through our book that while the children and

their animal friends play happily together,

the grownups are not anywhere to be seen.

they are behind the scenes knitting.

signed,

the fashion director

now on with the fashion parade! please note, the poems are featured above the photos in the book. i didn't write them. i can only write rude limericks and thats another story for another time!

two maids garbed in knits of high fashion

met an ass who ate yarns with a passion

said they in protection

please try for "delection"

these flowers as alternate ration

how sweet are those knee socks and mary-janes? and i love those hair ties the girls wear. can someone who had some tell me what they're made of? are they wool? they look like ropes and remind me of sesame street!!

three sisters in dress of a sailor

took their pet to be fit by a tailor.

when faced by a bear

all covered with hair

the merchant turned five degrees paler.

as my mother would say, 'nautical but nice!' i wish i'd had some sailor outfits as a child. how did they get the skirts to not stretch all out of shape? can you tell i'm not a knitter?

a toast to warming snacks and sweaters

sköal to saint bernard the bold

it may be june,

but none too soon

to start and knit for winter's cold.

plaid trousers! i die. how terrible is that stuffed st bernard? it looks like someone won it at a fair! i'd like that hooded cardigan, and those red mugs though, please.

two sisters found a baby 'roo

playing in the hollyhocks.

they spent the morning at the zoo

and picnicked there on lollypops.

lollypops, knee-socks and hollyhocks! oh my! i love the little girls matching tights and polo neck combination. i had a lot of pinafores as a child and i still love them. i just look like a sack in them now thankyouverymuch puberty!

a career kangaroo

who sold fruit at the zoo

was caught making book on the side.

when asked to foreswear

this shady affair

he said, "by the book i'll abide."

these last two outfits i do not envy. and judging by the kid's expressions, they share my sentiment. the girl looks like she's saying "a brown pleated skirt?! thanks mum. now i can wear my school shoes on weekends too" and the boy looks to be saying "you think you've got it bad? i'm going to be missing more than this one tooth when i wear this around the guys!"

so what do you think, should we petition to get more poetry+knitting crossover books published? i'm thinking haiku+crochet! sonnets+cross stitch!