fables & fabulous yarns part 2: columbia minerva vintage knit fashions

a couple of months back i did a post on the columbia minerva knitting book "fables and fabulous yarns". i know you wanted to see more, so here for your viewing pleasure, are some more "fables and fabulous yarns"! you might remember the book featured knitting patterns, as well as rhymes and stories to accompany each picture.

four friends of rural estate

engaged in uneven debate

with cock to preside

and calf to decide

the merits of chicken or steak

get a load of the fisherman chic, eh? the boy looks like he's the son of michael nesmith from the monkees. the wool hat is hereditary, i hear.

an escaped circus bear grew homesick

forhuman companionship. one day

he met two schoolgirls in the park and

to win their confidence and approval performed

his tricks for them/ they were so delighted

that they took him home and started a circus

from which he longed to escape.

moral: to change one's life one must first change oneself

firstly, that bear's tongue is obscene, and secondly, he really doesn't look too miserable, does he?

a giraffe sunning himself among the flower

met two children dressed for ice skating.

when they complained of the heat he asked

why they were wearing warm knits.

"our mother has just completed these garments

which so please us that we cannot wait until cold weather to wear them"

"silly children" replied the giraffe, "today you wish for winter and in winter you will long for summer. put away your fine clothes and enjoy them in their time."

moral: preparing for the future should not be confused with living in the future.

the funniest thing about this picture is that this isn't the first arranged marriage officiated by a giraffe. also, young man, how long does that beanie really need to be!?

a social climbing lion cultivated the company

of two stylish sisters only to learn that their

clothes were handmade for pittance and their graceful manners those of all loved children.

humbled by this lesson he gave up pretention

in favor of good company and the three became

fast friends.

moral: what one finds by chance is often superior to what one seeks.

hello tartan ensemble! please be mine? i've always wanted a tam o'shanter o'my own. meanwhile i think i've had scarves warmer than that icy blue knitted dress on the right. i think it needs another 4 foot of hem to keep out the wintry draught!!

a camel who lived in osage

aspired to succeed on the stage

she took position

as traveling musician

accepting fresh fruit as her wage.

looking at that girl's mohair cardigan just makes me itchy. no wonder the other two have moved away from her. its like a penny-whistle gang war picnic just broke out..

easter and the equinox

come hand in hand among the flowers

welcoming their woodland friends

and greeting with april showers

awwww... look! there's woodland friends! and a boy in a nautical inspired jumper! the little girl looks like she's off to a birthday party. i recall owning a lot of party outfits like that. there just aren't enough opportunities to wear jumpers and patent leather shoes anymore. sigh.

birthday bear of yellow hair

how doest thou see the morrow?

i cannot say for now's today

and time is not to borrow.

i feel sorry for the girl on the left.. she looks like she's borrowed her grandpa's clothes (beside the skirt!). now, i wasn't really into pink when i was little, but i'm pretty sure i more wasn't into beige and brown. i bet her mum made her wear her school shoes with that outfit.

there are still some more outfits not shown from this book, so if you're very well behaved i'll post some more again, soon.