Flea Market Finds

One of the best things about summer holidays is having time to go to all the flea markets, yard sales, garage sales, and auctions that abound on Manitoulin during the summer tourist season.

Last weekend I found these.  I couldn't resist.  There were these two, gorgeous, hand knit sweaters for a ridiculously low price.

They are heavy, heavy, heavy big bulky sweaters.  Like the Cowichan sweaters or a curling sweater.  They're not true Cowichan sweaters - not knit in the round, not the right symbols, but they definitely haven't been laundered and the wool still contains some lanolin.

This first one is just a tad too small for me to actually wear and while the knitting is good, the finishing leaves something to be desired.  That's the Miss Particular Knitter in me talking.

A zipper was added but it was put in poorly with bulges along it.  Plus the zipper doesn't go quite to the bottom of the ribbing.  The seams are very bulky and uneven. 

It's the second sweater that's the real find.

It's a hunting theme sweater.

Again, it's hand knit in the Cowichan style with a heavy single ply wool yarn.  It weighs a ton!! 

The knitting and finishing on this one are spectacular.  Perfect zipper, pockets, collar, and even a lining.

I know this one was worn because there's even a few burrs still attached to one sleeve.

I wish I knew who knit this.  I wish I knew who wore it.  I wonder how it ended up at a church flea market.  I want to know the story behind such a beautiful sweater.

It was kind of sad to see these just tossed in a pile at the flea market.  I imagined some of the nicer things I've knit over the years suffering the same fate.  I hope not, and so I 'rescued' them.

The hunting sweater hasn't been tried on yet by dear hubby.  Although it's finally cooler, it's still just a tad too warm for these!! 

The first step to have them dry cleaned so they smell better.  The moth ball odour and stale lanolin wasn't helping anyone else want to buy them!  And then???  Maybe eBay, maybe I'll find someone they fit???

Thanks for the lovely words about the Maple Leaf Socks.  I'm glad I finally knit the pattern because I've looked at it for awhile, but I'll not ever be knitting it again.  The leaves were just too fiddly and really a pain to make.

A new project has begun and this time around I'm not going to run out of yarn or even come close.  I've started another pair of socks - this time toe-up.

I keep trying toe-up socks and trying and trying, but have not had much success.  This time the toes look great so progress continues.

One last shot of the wrong side of the great hunter sweater.  Each end has been woven in neatly and then tied to another end.  What a great idea and not the slightest chance of an end peeking through or getting loose.

I love this sweater.  Ridiculously low price.  Fifty cents each.

Comments

[Nicola Manning]

Great scores! Lucky you! I can tell you the hunting sweater is a Mary Maxim pattern. I used to have it. From the fifties I think.

[Lisa]

I also tend to rescue handknits from thrift shops and yard sales. It seems so sad to see someone's time and work on offer for so little. Sometimes I unravel them and make new things, other times I repair them and then find just the right person for the sweater and give it to them. If found a wool aran pullover in perfect condition for $5.00 once.

[Deb]

The way the sweater was finished (the nice one that is) reminds me of the way my grandmother finished her intarsia work-that little trick with tying the ends together. She has long since died, but I wonder if it is somthing her era was taught, or something particular to her area? (The Gaspe region of Quebec)? Interesting, I must say.