In the Fields

The next day at Brimfield the fields opened and we were lucky to get a good parking space in the local church's lot for a contribution to their activity fund. I had vague memories of our Brimfield visit a few years before and, unrealistically, kept expecting to find the same vendors and booths! I had to make myself let go and just let the experience flow over me. It was a beautiful sunny day with a nice cool light breeze. The antiques glowed with a "Buy Me" glimmer, but we feared for the rows and rows of glass-wear in that breeze!



The people-watching was very rich in the fields. There were many people wearing vintage, looking so cute! And it was a bit easier to take photos in this vast outdoor area.



The antique clothing on their racks waved at us. I think we looked at every item! E was looking for 40's dresses for a movie costumer, M was looking for 30's to 50's haberdashery for the next Fifties Fair in Sydney, and I.... well, I really really wanted to find some vintage knitting or crochet tools: needle gauges, wool-holders, needles or hooks, stitch holders and counters, even little flat bone, bakelite, or mother-of-pearl bobbins for colour-work.



Only M found what he was looking for, although E found a pair of pointy-toed shoes. M and I speculated that many antique dealers just toss the knitting and crochet items thinking that they are of no value. Anything needlework related - other than finished lace itself - was very hard to find! I was lucky enough to find several vendors with stacks of knitting booklets and they were happy to move them on to a buyer - happy enough to always throw in a couple free when I bought a handful.

Here are a few of my finds...

Vintage Vogue Knitting - including the 8th volume of the magazine!



Potholder patterns:



(this is the back cover showing more patterns)





A WWI (1918) pattern booklet for soldier's items from Star Needlework Journal:



Some 30's booklets:





Bedjackets (these would make beautiful sweaters) and an early 1900s Crochet Nightgown and Corset Cover Yokes booklet from Clarks:



40's fashions and Juvenile Styles:



The two hard-cover books I picked up are The Big Book of Knitting from the early 40's and the 1920 volume First Steps in Dressmaking from the Women's Institute series (I already have this series' volumes about sewing lingerie and sewing for maternity and infants):



The sewing book is a self-study textbook that contains directions and patterns for beautiful characteristic 20's clothing:



The patterns - just like 20's knitting patterns - are simple, with mostly kimono-type sleeves and the layouts are easy to copy by drawing out the shapes and measurements given in inches onto paper or cloth. The booklet also gives information on how to send away for "pre-printed paper patterns for the items in this book" for 10 cents.











The Big Book of Knitting is full of patterns for knitting clothing for everyone, all ages, as well as accessories and the home. I also found some patterns for knitted bathing suits - very similar to those finished items I saw displayed all through the Fashion Fair!



But, although all the stockings, scarves, men's vests, and other patterns are wonderful, the best - in my opinion - are the women's knitted blouses!









and, the hats! Oh, those caps and cloches! I've already identified a couple that I'll make for my winter hat-wearing, and I found these wonderful vintage celluloid hat pins for them:



That was the extent of my fun finds at the Brimfield Antique Fair. Two days is really not enough to explore all the fields full of booths and tents! But I needed to return for work and for our local Sheep & Wool Fair. What a busy time of year!