Dawn Nylon Yarn, American Thread

American Thread Company did not heavily advertise their products, with the exception of the Womens Needlecraft related magazines. 

This 1957 advertisement was a promotion of Dawn Nylon Yarn, as well as their newly released Star Sweater Book No 127 - 4 to 14 Fashions.

Photos from ebay shop casavantclassics

Dawn Nylon Yarn was introduced to the market in 1951.  It's a 3 ply permanent 'Crimp-set".  Anti Shrink, Moth-proof.   You'll find a few more details over at Ravelry.    I do not have the pattern book 127 in my collection, but do have a number of patterns that use Dawn Nylon in the shop from magazines and 'other' pattern books.

 The first reference to a sales price is October 1951 at 39 cents.  I found a variety of newspapers ads that were all sales promotions from individual stores.

Dawn Nylon remained active in the market until 1969, this being one of the last advertisements I found.   Really, an 18 year life on the yarn was a pretty good run.

I'm sure I'll come across more magazine ads for Dawn Nylon; there's still quite a number of magazines awaiting review and processing.   Should I come across anything, I'll add it to this post.

Thanks for dropping by,
Lorrie

Update - 3/17/2019.   Here's another fun ad from McCalls Needlecraft Magazine - 1959.

Bernat BlarneySpun Yarn

Tucked inside a 1965 issue of McCall's Needlecraft magazine is this sweet advertisement for Bernat
Blarneyspun.

Bernat introduced the Blarneyspun yarn in the U.S. market in November 1964.   It is an import directly from Ireland.  It remained an active Bernat yarn until the mid-1980's.

(picture from Ebay seller gatherlj)

It is an Aran weight yarn, 100% wool, which is detailed quite well over at Ravelry.  As the name (Blarney) might suggest, it was designed for those marvelous Irish Knit Sweaters often called Fisherman.   The yarn was also used in many big needle knitted designs.   See reference chart below for possible yarn substitutions.

Here's a fun 1965 write up ...

My favorite part .... "Blarneyspun it is, to make a knitters heart happy for the sheer clicking of the needles"

This January 1965 newspaper article gives just a bit more history to 'Irish Knits'.   I always enjoy this type of article.  Written up to look like a regular newspaper feature, but oh-so-clearly a Bernat sponsored (and probably paid for) Bernat paid promotion.

Bernat issued their pattern book No 145, Blarneyspun Collection to promote the yarn.  It has a delightful selection of  ... you guessed it ... Irish Knit sweaters.   A number of patterns from this book, as well as a few others, are available in the shop.    

Bernat placed this yarn comparison (substitution) guide on the back page of the No 145 Collections book.  

Should I come across more 'Bernat Blarneyspun' magazine advertisements, I'll come back and post them in this post.  

Thanks for dropping by.  

Doreen Knitting Pattern Books by Nell Armstrong

On the back cover of Doreen Curtain Pulls, Volume 98, is this small advertisement referencing 5 of her previous books.

 I have four different books so far and each one are under the Doreen name with, by Nell Armstrong, always referenced, along with the volume number for the specific book.   Below this advertisement was a notation that if your local dealer (remember this was 1949), does not have the books, to write directly to the company - Doreen Knitting Books, Lowell, MA.

So, who was Nell Armstrong of Doreen Knitting Books?     I spent a good hour searching Google, and all I came up with was she copyrighted several books between 1947 and 1952.   The books were copyrighted under her name, Nell Armstrong, not a company name with Doreen being part of the book title.    Searches for the company name itself netted nothing.    I have book 105, and these are in the 90's.    This number series would imply that it started at Number 1, however, I could find no reference in Google to any books before earlier than the 90 series shown above. 

So, who was Nell Armstrong of Doreen Pattern Books?    And how many pattern books did she issue?    I don't know.    Do you know anything about her or her company?  

Thanks for dropping by,
Lorrie

Stitch in Time Leaflets, Vintage Coats & Clark's

Here we go .... it is Fall, 1953, and Coats and Clark's issue out (what I believe was a yearly) campaign aimed towards school girls ... The Stitch in Time Pamphlet. This pamphlet may have been distributed through Home Ec classes.

This is the Stitch in Time  - Fall 1953 - Volume 24, No 1, Called The New Look in Crochet.

The patterns featured are all beginner designs with a couple personal and home accessories worked in Speed-Cro-Sheen.  The two open page pamphlet that is wrapped in promotional material.

The pattern featured here is the 'Suit Yourself Hat and Bag, which is a cute half hat and matching drawstring bag.

The receiver gets the patterns and completes an easy survey and mails back to Coats and Clark's.

Can you see yourself, as a young teen, filling out the survey, mailing it in and waiting impatiently for your pattern book to arrive?

The Tweed Place Mat is an attractive beginners design with a solid contrast border that measures 12 x 18".

The leaflet finishes off with another two basic designs - The Candlelight Placemat and Gourmet Potholders.

The back page gives us promotional thread information for the Speed-Cro-Sheen.   It's here, I'm sure, the young girl starts thinking 'what color her hat will be?".

I've several of these 'Stitch In Time' Issues from the 1940's and the format has significantly changed.  The earlier publications were marketed as Spool Cotton Company, and these shows Spool Cotton as the Issuer with Coats & Clark's as the Copyright.   Apparently, 1953 was part of the company transition period.

Hope you enjoyed the pamphlet.
Thanks for dropping by,
Lorrie

National Needlecraft Bureau

I recently came across a packet of old 1940s pattern that were issued by The National Needlecraft Bureau. This lot is mostly craft related, and quite fun.  Such as ....

E-284 Stocking Dolls and Clown)

I took up a search to see what I could learn about National Needlecraft Bureau.   Their patterns were largely mail ordered through newspapers, however, seem independent of the other mail order firms (such as Needlecraft Services).  I find tracks of their activity between the early 1940s to the late 1960s.  An old newspaper article indicated they, in support of the poor economic times (WWII) were putting out a number of craft patterns to be made as childrens presents.   

National Needlecraft in the 1940s and 1950s also were active in the various state fairs, hosting a number of crocheting and sewing competitions.   I have a feeling that many of the award winners at the state fairs may have been the pattern source.  Although, I do not have any facts that specifically state that.  

Crafts were not the only patterns.   I have several other that are of the home decor category. And in old newspaper archives I have found quite a few references to clothing and accessory sewing and crochet patterns.

Rose of Erin Doily 

But the information I could find ends there.  Was National Needlecraft Bureau actually an organization formed to promote the arts during the war era, and continued on?   Their involvement imply far more than a mail order pattern operation, if they were .     There are trails to two different address in New York, but as far as who started it, how did it end, who were the people involved, etc, I've hit a dead end.   

My collection of the National Needlecraft patterns can be seen in my shop, should you care to visit.   

If you know any of the details regarding The National Needlecraft Bureau ..... please share !

Footnote- 10/29/17:   This post was originally issued on my Shop Talk Blog in February 2011.   Since then, well, I've received zero feedback or information about National Needlecraft.   Bummer!   So, in the next month (or so), I'm going to restart the investigation.   

Thanks for dropping by 

Lorrie  

Spinnerin Alpine Yarn, A Daring Bold Fashion

Is it possible to be more fun than this ?   Okay, on the one hand, it is just a 1966 Spinnerin advertisement for a knitted coat pattern in their new Alpine Yarn.   But, really, on the other hand,  it's a piece of historical fun.

More than the jacket (which is a quite nice knitting pattern), its the hat with the chin strap, and those wonderfully round, and glaring plastic, sunglasses, and the white gloves (just slightly past their fashion trend).  And, did you notice shoes (first glance, one might think they are socks), and the unusual accessories, the leg ties right over the top of the shoes.

This woman shows us the guts to be who we are.  Wear what we want.   In style or not.  Create our own style.  Say hello to the world and let them think what they want; without a care.  I want this outfit.    But, more than that, I want the ability to wear it well.

Oh .... in case you came in wanting more information about the yarn itself ...  Spinnerin introduced the Alpine Yarn to the market in 1962. 

It's a blend of 90% wool and 10% mohair on 2-oz skeins.

And, according to this 1967 newspaper advertisement, interchangeable with knitting worsted.

Spinnerin published their pattern book No 177, to promote their Spinnerin Alpine Yarn.  I do not have this book in inventory .... but, perhaps one day.   There are, of course, a couple other patterns calling for this yarn in the shop, should you care to drop by. 

Spinnerin Alpine yarn remained active in the market into early 1971.   And, that's all I know.

Thanks for dropping by,
Lorrie 

American Thread Crochet Pattern Leaflets AM & AASQ

I learn a little more each week as I work my way through these vintage pattern.  When working through a McCalls Needlework and Crafts Magazine (1962), I came across this American Thread Advertisement. 

I have quite a number of American Thread Leaflets in my collection.  Typically the pattern leaflets are an excerpt of a pattern from one of the American Thread' books, presumably issued as a book promotion.  But, in looking at this advertisement, I see that there is no pattern book referenced; just two separate leaflets that are mail away offers.

Leaflets AASQ for cardigans and a skirt, and AM for three block motif skirts.

One just had to clip out the pattern offer and mail away with 15 cents (apiece).  Now, this was still an American Thread promotion in part ... a promotion for their Dawn Knitting Worsted.

Thanks for dropping by,
Lorrie