The Shellac Sisters - a 78 rpm adventure in pictures

Jenny, Virginia, Jane and Theodora

The Shellac Sisters celebrated ten years of spinning 78s together at the end of 2014 with cocktails and dinner at The Gilbert Scott, part of the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel. I've been meaning to put up a blog post and a page about The Shellac Sisters for a long time, so here it is. 

The Shellac Sisters (with cocktails) at The Gilbert Scott Bar
Mine's a Corpse Reviver No.2.

The Shellac Sisters began DJing with gramophones in 2004, after a birthday picnic that summer when one of the sisters brought a gramophone and a handful of 78s along. It sounded great, and filled the picnic spot with sound loud enough to dance to. It didn't take long before we had all 'found' a gramophone (or two).

One should never dress down to a picnic.

It's been an amazing ten years, with gigs varied and exciting. Take a look at the page if you want to see more, but here are a few of my favourite pics from the past ten years.

On a platform in the middle of a man-made moat at

The V&A

This has to be one of my absolute favourite gigs of all time: A private party for a publishing company, which had the fantastic idea of hiring the V&A for a summer party. They flooded the outside area, and we had to jump on the platform before it got too high! We were then stranded there for the whole performance. Or, at least I thought so. Thankfully Jane had had the forethought to purchase some wellies in advance. Mine were leopard print.

Tate Britain 

I don't know who took this photo, but thank you whoever you are. My hubby doesn't dance much anymore, so this is a very precious picture. It was a Late at the Tate night, and we drew a huge crowd of Lindy Hoppers.

 I Knit Day 2007

I shouldn't have been at this gig, as it was on a Saturday when I work. It was for the wool shop I Knit in Waterloo. A whole day of knitting workshops, stalls and a talk by Jane Waller, whose 1972 book 'A Stitch In Time' I'd long coveted. It was a real turn of fate that got me here - one of those days when everything changed for me.

It wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been scratched by a cat in my garden a couple of months before. I got a really bad infection in my hand that needed surgery (Cat Scratch Fever)! I couldn't work for about six weeks, so at the last minute my mum and hubby convinced me to go along to this gig, as it wouldn't be too strenuous. That was the day that I met Susan Crawford and Jane Waller. Jane was talking about the re-issue of 'A Stitch In Time', with Susan, and when she saw The Shellac Sisters she offhandedly asked us if we would model for the book. I immediately said 'Hell yeah!' I wore my knitted dress that day, which later came to be featured in the book.

I've thought about that day many times since, and what got me there. It sounds a bit trite, but out of something awful, really awesome things can happen. Well, they did for me on this occasion.

The V&A

Another V&A shot, with both of us beaming with happiness. A very gallant gentleman kindly waded out and supplied us with refreshments of the bubbly kind, which may help explain it.

This was shot in an alleyway next to The Rose & Crown pub in Walthamstow for a newspaper article. I honestly can't remember which newspaper, though I've got a copy somewhere. I nearly didn't go, even though it was only up the road from me. It's not that I'm lazy (though I am!), just that I was feeling a bit sorry for myself. I was five months pregnant and feeling sick all the time. In retrospect (and in spite of the look on my face), I'm glad that I went.

This is from a picnic, and one of V's photographer friends took a couple of shots of us for promotion as we really needed them in the early days. I don't know why the other ladies' faces are cut off though. It wasn't me, really!

 The National Theatre

A nautical themed party for the National Theatre. We were on the roof, the deck, with views over London and the river. It was summer, an English summer, so there was a torrential downpour. Like the hats? They are all made by Jane (in the red hat), who is a milliner.

Gotta love that moat!

Theodora.

We're Gonna Hang Out The Washing On The Knitted Line - Part 2

Bored of the knits yet? I'm not. In fact these posts have made me realise I haven't got nearly enough! And these aren't even all of them, but the others are either duller colours, or cardigans (which are tricky to hang on a line).

I've been longing for some colder weather, and at last I can start wearing my woolens again.

I'll start with 'Embroidered With Tiny Flowers', from, you guessed it - A Stitch In Time. I knitted this before the new edition was even photographed. In fact, I finished it just before the first shoot in February 2008, and took it with me. It was a hit with Susan Crawford, and it ended up in the book. I knit it in the first (and only) size from the original pattern.

Unfortunately, you can't always rely on vintage patterns being free of errors, which is one of the reasons I now prefer to knit patterns from updated versions of vintage knitwear. To put in excess of 40 hours into a jumper, then for it to turn out the wrong size is a little infuriating. That's not to say you can't ever work from an original pattern, and even size it up or down, you just need to know what you're doing. I still have a recent example of this on the needles (When Jumpers Go Bad, from June 8th).

The tiny flowers were the first embroidery I had attempted, and they were sweet and fun to do at first. However, after a few hours I realised I wasn't even halfway through. Still, it got done, and I was thrilled with the result. I used Drops Alpaca which is super cheap, and made it for less than £20! Alpaca gets bloody hot though; I've worn it dancing, and I bake.

Here is 'Such Flattering Puff Sleeves', in Jamieson & Smith 2 ply jumper yarn.

This strong mustard shade for 'Such Flattering Puff Sleeves' is long discontinued by Rowan now (Scottish Tweed 4 ply - I was lucky to get it in the sale). One of the simplest knits you could ever undertake, which makes it a really satisfying beginner project. I would strongly suggest knitting shoulder pads in the same yarn, or all that knitting will be wasted without the puff. Also, unlike so many vintage patterns from the 1930s which require 3 ply wool, this calls for a 4 ply. A plethora of yarn choices!

The beret in the middle is the pattern I mentioned being photographed in my last post. It's now almost ready to go, if I can stop stressing about any mistakes and the layout of the pattern. It's not like it's a new design - it's from 2006! It will probably take a bit longer. Grr.

Onto the 'Eleanor Sweater' from 'The Corticelli Sweaters for Spring' booklet. It is one of Iva Rose's copies. I made this with some coned pale grey cashmere. The pink is angora, from Orkney Angora.

I have to eat my words about not trusting original patterns, but then I had no choice, this was made pre-Stitch In Time. I had to hunt around for button moulds, but they really set off the jumper. Such a simple design but so pretty. I haven't worn it that much, as again the heat factor is off-putting. It is the first and last time I have knitted with cashmere. Give me breathable wool please. Cotton's good too...and silk...

Next is my leafy green 'It Cannot Fail to Please'. I've talked about this in a previous post, so I won't go on about it. The pale green beret next to it is rather a good shade to tone with it, though. Knitted in an aran weight alpaca and silk mix, it has such a wonderful sheen and drape, even after years of wear.

Let's look at the Copley's wartime jumper again. The pattern calls for 3 ply 'Excelsior' or 'Climax' wool. I'd certainly get excited if I could get my hands on that wool now! I knitted it in 'supersoft' lambswool from the Handweaver's Studio. It's not actually soft - it's quite scratchy, in fact, but I don't mind. It holds its shape better than softer yarns. The colour I used is no longer available, and I recently bought some to try out the tension for a skirt. It's not strictly a 4 ply, but nearer a 3 ply. I wouldn't recommend it without stringent tension swatching. You have been warned.

It comes on cones - what is it about me and cones? I couldn't get enough of them back then. I took along my 1940s floral dress to the shop to match the colour so I could pair them up.

(Sorry, but this is one of the only pics I have of me wearing it!)

I knitted some shoulder pads for it, even though the original doesn't have them. I think
it suits the short-sleeved version. The velvet ribbon finishes it off (along with some badges).

To finish: 'The Rose Jumper', a very special knit for me, which features on the cover of A Stitch In Time.

The silk and big sleeves make it quite heavy on the washing line, but it is a beauty.

I'm a bit knitted-out now, so I need to rest before Saturday when I am going to a Joan Crawford dinner party - a virtual one! - to mark the launch of the Joan Crawford cookbook by Silver Screen Suppers. I'm particularly looking forward to making the Joan Crawford cocktail. And taking some funny pictures of the cooking and drinking while wearing my own Joan Crawford.

I hope you liked my knitted washing line. I've enjoyed doing it, and writing about it.

Theodora.

Hats, hats and more hats

I quite like hats.

In fact, I bloody love them. Knitted, crocheted, felt, fabric, straw...

I thought I would give some of mine an outing.

These are some of the knitted ones.

And some of the crocheted ones.

Hats to match jumpers I've knitted, a favorite vintage dress, a knitted scarf, gloves, or my winter coat.
 
The vast majority are berets. That was no surprise to me, but the colours are. I thought I had more red, but there is a distinct lack of it. So many muted colours, some brights, and a lot of black crocheted hats. I've broken my no-black rule!

The first beret I designed was back in 2002 for Cast Off, the first guerilla knitting group to spring up in London, the brainchild of Rachael Matthews of Prick Your Finger. It was made in mohair, and I called it my Raspberry Beret as I had just launched an 80s club night with my then boyfriend called Prom Night. I went through a phase of knitting nothing but mohair berets in crazy colours - and I still wear them.





















I can't find that ruby red one now, and you can just see the Raspberry Beret on the right, worn with another of my knitting (and crochet) obsessions - bows.

What is it about hats? Why don't we wear them every day now?

The Shellac Sisters always wear hats, usually supplied by the wonderful milliner Jane Fryers. The hat I'm wearing below also doubles as a weapon - I nearly took out a few eyes last time I wore it!

More Jane Fryers creations in velvet. (That's her on the far right).

It's part of the whole vintage package. You can't go full-on vintage without a hat. They finish an outfit, pull it all together.

A hat can do so much for you, it can reflect your mood. It cheers me up no end to put on a brightly coloured beret and a slick of red lipstick. Hats take me off into a fantasy world, along with 30s dance bands.

Put on a big slouchy beanie and you can hide from the world. Or pull a man's baseball cap down low and no one will recognise you. I've done that a few times. Essential for bad hair days. They can be immensely practical, but also utterly ridiculous.

Is that a beard?

In an aside, I've been meaning to get this pic up of Rosalind Russell in The Women, one of my all time favorite movies. Glamorous, and knitting. Role model? You bet!

Oh Carmen. She did kind of pull it off though. The bigger the personality, the bigger the hat.

I think that is the key. Confidence. Or just having no shame. You have to be the kind of person who thinks it's a great idea to knit a matching raspberry beret for your baby. (And a Pineapple Dance Studio style sweatshirt with matching legwarmers). Poor B.

Men and women wore hats every day until the 1960s, and some older people never stopped wearing them. My grandmother never went to mass without her hat on, and my grandfather was never seen out in public without his trilby. Most people only wear them in Winter now, just to keep warm. Sensible, but so dull. Especially if you look at the average Joe on the street. A dark coloured machine-made beanie. Yawn.

I'm so glad Autumn is here, so many more opportunities to wear hats. And inflict them on my child.

So, what is it about hats? Do you love them or loathe them?

KNITWEAR Chanel to Westwood

I recently went along to the Fashion & Textile museum in London for an exhibition devoted to knitwear. KNITWEAR Chanel to Westwood. How could I not go?

As the title suggests, it spans a good century's worth of knitwear. It was wonderful to see the jersey suits by Chanel, but my faves were of course the hand knits of the 30s and 40s.

I couldn't take any pics in there, and there aren't very many on the website, but the main garments on display from those decades were predominantly fair isles. Well worth a visit just for that.

One piece that has really stayed with me though was a knitting bag, a sausage shape with multicoloured crochet circle sides. The main part was completely covered in embroidered lazy daisies in lots of bright cheery colours. Exquisite. That bag for me completely sums up the make do and mend ethos, something so beautiful made despite the tight restrictions on wool

In other news, I am busily working away on new designs for hats, which are my most favorite thing in the world to knit and crochet.

Here is a peak at just two.

The jumper that I'm wearing with this one is a firm favorite too, and will be appearing in it's own post soon.

 Excuse the lame selfie!