Veterans Day & Eagle Sweater

Flashback Summer: Veterans Day & 1940s Eagle Sweater - vintage knitting pattern

Happy Veterans Day!  In the US we're honoring the men and women that have served and who are currently serving in our armed forces.  If that is any of you, thank you.  You're an asset to our country. 
Flashback Summer: Veterans Day & 1940s Eagle Sweater - vintage knitting pattern

Every Veterans Day, the chaplaincy department at my husband's school holds a special service and lunch for the current and former military students.  It's always nice to be with the other veterans, and obviously it's a chance for me to wear über patriotic stuff!

Flashback Summer: Veterans Day & 1940s Eagle Sweater - vintage knitting pattern

Flashback Summer: Veterans Day & 1940s Eagle Sweater - vintage knitting pattern

It's no secret that I like this sort of look.  My "1940s meets old VFW man" aesthetic tends to include a lot of red, white, blue, eagles, etc.  When I saw a sweater on IG made by @sprigsbylor, I fell in love with the eagle motif and my mind began whirling!  She was kind enough to help me track down the pattern and I bought it from the Wearing History Etsy shop.  (a TLDR pattern summary is at the bottom!)

Flashback Summer: Veterans Day & 1940s Eagle Sweater - vintage knitting pattern

Flashback Summer: Veterans Day & 1940s Eagle Sweater - vintage knitting pattern

While I initially wanted to go for a blatantly obvious patriotic color scheme of bright red, white, and blue, my husband suggested a more low key combo.  I figured he was right and a more subtle color would be more versatile.

Flashback Summer: Veterans Day & 1940s Eagle Sweater - vintage knitting pattern

Flashback Summer: Veterans Day & 1940s Eagle Sweater - vintage knitting pattern

So, I went for US Air Force colors, navy blue and Air Force blue.  This sweater is a test run of the pattern, so I decided to use a yarn I can get locally that is very easy on the budget: Sugar 'n' Cream cotton yarn.  I've only seen this yarn used for dishrags, but it did work for a sweater.  It's a bit thick and the ribbing doesn't have as much "spring-back" (for my lack of a technical term), but it's very breathable and the colorwork is distinct.

Flashback Summer: Veterans Day & 1940s Eagle Sweater - vintage knitting pattern

I really like this sweater, and I'll be knitting it up in a different color soon. Stay tuned! 

Flashback Summer: Veterans Day & 1940s Eagle Sweater - vintage knitting pattern

TLDR knitting details
Yarn: Sugar 'n' Cream Original - 1 ball light blue, 6 balls indigo
Needles: 3.25 mm (for ribbing) and 3.5 mm (one size smaller than pattern calls for)
Pattern: "1940s Patriotic Stars & Eagles" from Wearing History
Year: 1940s
Notions: snaps (not called for in pattern, but I needed them at the neck to get the sweater over my head)
How historically accurate is it?  Very accurate!
Any tricky parts to the pattern?  No actually!  It was pretty simple and the charts were easy to follow.  
Did you change anything?  I wasn't able to pull the sweater over my head when I was done.  It wasn't due to the ribbing, just the size of the neck hole.  The pattern didn't call for it, but I opened it up along the right shoulder and added a snap closure.  I also knitted short sleeves instead of long.  Lastly, I knitted it with needles one size smaller than called for just for a slightly snugger fit.
Time to complete: A month
First worn: November 10, 2017
Total cost: pattern was about $3, yarn about $10 (I had coupons and sales!)
Notes: This is a great pattern.  The colorwork isn't difficult.  I have some of the yarn floats showing through the pattern, but this is probably my fault.

Outfit details
sweater: me made
trousers: me made, Wearing History "Smooth Sailing" pattern
earrings & 1970s coat: thrifted
boots: Kmart

2 comments

  1. I love how you incorporated the Air Force colours- it's subtle, but personal.
    And, the mix of brown and blue in this outfit is lovely too!
    The Artyologist

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  2. I love the low key blues and the whole outfit! The proportions of the sweater and trousers together are spot on.

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