THE HILDA JUMPER

In 1988 I knitted my first vintage jumper from a pattern Mum had written on scraps of paper from which she knitted her own in the 1940's.  Later that year I found the original pattern in a book in the library and, although I always called my jumper "The Hilda Jumper" for obvious reasons, I was delighted to learn that the original pattern was called "Jersey With A Soft Bow".

This jumper is still going strong after all these years and, amazingly, still fits me - the joys of feather and fan stitch!  I wore it to the first 1940's event that my husband, Bob, and I went to in 2008 and it drew the attention of a re-enactor.  That lady, whose name I never took, begged me to start a website but, as each item can take four week or more to knit, depending on work and family commitments, it would take years to build a stock so I began my Hilda's House Facebook page a few years later.

I knitted a black short sleeved version which I donated to a fundraising day for Help For Heroes at Fox Vintage in Buckingham.

I hope to find time to knit a short sleeved version for myself but the biggest decision is what colour!

A Hilda Jumper is also now in Australia which would please my Mum enormously as she always wanted to visit that country.  My lovely customer there, Linda, has kindly agreed that I may share her picture.  Thank you Linda.

ABOUT STAN & HILDA'S HOUSE

Hello and welcome to Stan & Hilda's House.

This blog is dedicated to my never-ending journey into the vintage world, particularly the 1940's, which is an era I love because of the clothes and the never-give-up attitude of the people who lived in that era.  The main inspiration are my late parents, Stan and Hilda who met during World War 2, married on 8th April 1947 by special licence as Dad was due to return to Jamaica to be demobbed from the RAF.  They were the first inter-racial marriage in our home town and were married for 62 years before Mum's death in 2009.  Dad joined her in 2014 and they are sadly missed, but both left a legacy of memories, my brother's love of the blues, and my love of knitting and sewing.

My Dad, Stan, came from a family of tailors in Jamaica and Mum was one of a large family of farming stock.  My Grandfather and Grandmother are in the wedding photograph above.  Gran taught all her daughters to knit, and Mum passed that talent onto me.  It was a given that I should name my Facebook business page after her to showcase my hand knits - Hilda's House with ladies and girls clothing - and I have a growing customer list.  My Facebook page for mens' and boys' hand knits was started last year and is called House of Stanley.

www.facebook.com/HouseofStanley
www.facebook.com/HildasHouse