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Giveaway: A Head for Trouble

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a head for trouble giveaway

Congratulations to vanesseva!

Last week I told you about the fun new book A Head for Trouble by Julie Turjoman, which is full of hats and accessories inspired by the fictional lady detectives of the 1920s. In it you’ll also learn a bit about hat fashion and construction and get bios of the leading ladies who inspired these fun fashions.

It’s a great book if you’re into flapper style, and I’m giving away a digital copy this week.

If you’d like a chance to win, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, November 9. Why don’t you tell me if you could live in any other decade, which one would you choose. I think I’d go for the 1960s.

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

Comments

  2. I am sitting here knitting, and watching Miss Fishers Murder Mysteries- and I have to say, the roaring 20’s are it! I would have loved to have known some of the women of those times- the daring and brave, head strong and trying to succeed in a man’s world. Thanks for the great question, and I hope I win so I can don my flapper hat and charleston in style!

  3. While I enjoy late Edwardian fashions as well as the 20s (& 30s skirts) there isn’t any past decade I would want to live in. The future is where I look.

  5. Since I was young (this being the late 80’s/early 90’s) I’ve wanted to BE THERE in the late 1970’s, less than a decade before I was born… right in New York when post punk, hip hop and street art movements coalesced….the time of Warhol, grafitti, the scum manifesto, basquiat and the horrible music! Im drawn to the low income diy style of living from then….although i may not completely convey this look now…only a little bit 🙂

    Next choice would definitely be the mid century, preferably in the 50’s, as it reminds me of a childhood I dreamt I always had, surrounded with clean lines and colorful kitchen counters. While folks have just started to hoard this latest trend, I’ve always had an always building, eclectic mix of midcentury items since early high school. I would make quite a pretty penny if I wasn’t so attached to my things!

    Two totally different era’s, with completely different looks!

  6. I would chose to live in the 1920s – the style, the outfits, the music… I think I would really enjoy myself.

  7. I think I’d like to try out one of the decades coming up- didn’t all of the futurist’s writings make times like 2050 sound fantastic??? (I still want a flying car!) This looks like a lovely book- thank you for the giveaway! 😉

  10. Seeing as how I’ve already lived in 7 decades, EEEEEK!, I have to go pretty far back to find one that I’ve not already messed up in. In fact rather than choose a decade, I’d like to pick a couple moments in history that I wish I could have enjoyed.

    Since my all-time goddess of music is Ella Fitzgerald, I’d love to have been at the Apollo Theater in 1934 when she first appeared in their talent contest. Then I’d hop up to VE and VJ days to celebrate the (all too fleeting) peace after the end of WWII. After that it would be pretty kewl to jump to the 50s and watch myself arrive on the planet.

  13. I would like to try living in the fifties, with the war and rationing behind us and colour and style decorating all areas of life.

  21. I would love to go way back to the 1950s,When times were slower.GIVE ME MAYBERRY!!!! HA!HA!HA!!!!

  22. I have to laugh at the replies which said the 50s and the 70s since I grew up during those years—makes me start to feel old!! I would love to visit the roaring 20s. My grandmother always talked about them and how wild she was–would love the chance to experience those days with her. I love the clothing of the colonial era, but I do not think I would have made a very good pioneer. I do not care for cold weather and without the modern convenience of heaters, I would freeze for sure!!

  23. I was a teen in the 70s it was nice to be young but, I’d have to say the 90s because I really enjoyed raising my 3 children during that time.

  24. That’s a tough one! I was born in 1960 and I think it would have been fun to have been a young adult during the sixties rather than a little kid. I also like the 20’s, it sounds like it would have been an exciting time with lots of new discoveries and changes in the world.

    Thank you for the chance to win this book. These hats would suit my girls very well. 🙂

  25. I appreciate everything the past has accomplished …that I have the ability to enjoy life today and would love to experience far into to future… to have real peace…. Thanks for the giveaway!

  28. It would have to be the “taming of the west” days for me! Fresh air, growing your own food, making your own clothes – relying on yourself and other people. Would miss my computer friends but not the phone!!! 🙂

  33. I agree with “Kitten with a whiplash” in that I would love to visit certain periods in time but not actually live in any of them. All of the time periods have their good and bad times. Thank you for this contest.

  34. I would love to take a trip back in time to the 20’s,30’s and 40’s. The fashion of those times for women were amazing!! Love them.,

Have you read?

Pencil Knitting Patterns

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns! 

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil. 

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn. 

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point. 

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up. 

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.