Designing a Knitwear Collection : from inspiration to finished garments

By: Jantiene van Elk

From sportswear and sweaters to lingerie and couture, knitwear accounts for most of the apparel we wear. (...) Both students and professionals will find inspiration from the gallery of work by knitwear designers on display here - from icons such as Chanel, Sonia Rykiel, and Missoni to today´s hottest practitiones such as Stella McCarthy, Marc Jacobs, and Alexander McQueen. (from the back text)

And more: history of the industry, basics of yarn selection, stitch patterns, and CAD programs, etc.

A great book for the Textile museum´s library, interesting for the knitters in the Textile Lab, especially for the textile students. It´s historical and practical!

Designing a knitwear collection : from inspiration to finished garments / Lisa Donofrio-Ferrezza ; Marilyn Hefferen. - New York : Fairchild books, 2008.

Library treasure V

By: Jantiene van Elk

For the real knitters, two complete patterns: caterpillar lacework and 'simple stairs' border.

Editor of this book, Elisabeth Rogge, was involved in women´s craft since the end of the nineteenth century. She organised exhibitions and published and edited journals and publications on arts and crafts, interior design and clothing.

Together with Louise Thomson she edited this book. At first, they wanted to give it the title: 'Grootmoeder´s breiboek voor haar kleindochter Louise' as it is based on the patterns grandmother Thomson collected for her granddaughter.

Grandmother Thomson designed the patterns in the middle of the nineteenth century. Her granddaughter kept the patterns, and published them, as there was a revival of women´s crafts in those days.

In the book are photo´s and drawings of all kinds of knitted borders, with full instructions for knitters.

Kant-breiwerk naar oude patronen / door Louise Thomson en Elis M. Rogge. - Amsterdam : Van Holkema & Warendorf, [s.a.].

Vrouwen in vormgeving 1880-1940 / Marjan Groot. - Rotterdam :010, 2007.

You can find more on Elis. M. Rogge in the Biografisch Woordenboek van Nederland

Library treasure IV

By: Jantiene van Elk

Knitting was for centuries a professional craft for both men and women. Knitting became a useful leisure activity for women from the middle class at the end of the eighteenth century. In times of war and economic malaise knitting as a means of providing for the need for clothing always gained in importance and it was par excellence a task for women.

This pattern book is a perfect illustration of knitting as a means of providing cheap clothing. The title gives this away: 'For big boys and girls from age 8-16 with leftover yarn'. Like most of these old pattern books, number 416 from the Groote Hollandsche Beyer-serie doesn´t have a date. It does remind me of a picture of my mother and her twin brother in their Holy Communion clothes. My mother hated the stiff clothes.

Voor groote jongens en meisjes van 8-15 jaar van resten uitgehaalde wol / Beyer. - Amsterdam Wereldmode, [s.a.]. (Groote Hollandsche Beyer-serie ; H 416)

Library treasure III

By: Jantiene van Elk

After the First World War, women´s emancipation had a huge influence on fashion. A boyish look, with flat chest and little waist, was in fashion. Paul Poiret, parisian couturier, banned the corset.

At the same time, underwear became more comfortable. In this picture you can see some examples of this comfortable underwear. A camisole with straight nekcline, knickers, a camisole with a V-neckline, and a bra, all knitted.

Unfortunately the patterns for these underwear garments are missing, because I love 1930s fashion a lot!

Nieuw gehaakte en gebreide kleeding / Otto Beyer. - [s.i.] : Beyer, [ca. 1930]. (Beyer´s handwerkboeken : serie H ; nr. 63)

Library treasure II

By: Jantiene van Elk

`Craft joy` is the title of a book by Everlasting, a yarn company in the Netherlands. The company organised a contest for women. A selection of the patterns by women from all over the Netherlands was published in this book. The book was published in the 1930s. It has beautiful full colour pictures. In the book are patterns for babies and children, women, and interior decoration, for example a carpet and a bed throw. Two pictures are really special: on the beach and in the bath room. Children and women all wear knitted or crocheted clothing. Even the bath mat and the beach towel are knitted. An additional picture, with all the craft pieces, is on another page.

Blogger Berthi wrote a blogpost on this book.

Handwerkvreugd : samengesteld door Nederlandsche huisvrouwen daartoe uitgenoodigd door de Everlasting-fabrieken. - 's-Hertogenbosch : Malmberg, [ca 1930]. -2e druk. 1e dr. : 1920.

Library treasure I

By: Jantiene van Elk

In the library of the Textile museum lots of beautiful old pattern book are kept. Actually, craft isn´t in our collection profile, but many people donate these beautiful books to us and luckily some were accepted in the past. I love to see what intricate designs women could make, what styles were in fashion and how the patterns are presented.

These pictures are from Beyers Handwerkboeken / serie H No. 62 : Kunstbreiwerk. Kunstbreiwerk translates as Art knitwork. Art knitwork could be used as rims and borders on lingerie, as you see on the picture. The book is undated. The patterns are on a seperate sheet.


The book is available in the library (only on show, not for lending). Library openings hours: tuesday till friday, 10:00 till 13:00.

Kunstbreiwerk / Otto Beyer. -Zeist : Van Wees & Weiss, [s.a.]. (Beyers Handwerkboeken / serie H No. 62)