The Knitting Fiend

Like a moth to the light, I am drawn to the comments triggered by my post “Fugly?!” ( That is, of course, the post in which I agreed so enthusiastically with Marilyn.)

Once again I can’t help but agree with Marilyn’s observation about the 1980’s:

There were other excellent knitting magazines as well–Better Homes & Gardens had an excellent bi-yearly magazine, ….

No doubt! Who could forget “Better Homes and Gardens?”

Although I am saddened my library lacks any of the bi-yearly magazines to which she refers, I nevertheless cherish my copy of “Better Homes and Gardens Creative Ideas, Fall 1981.”

Behold the cover!

Isn’t your heart warmed by the image of two cover models rejoicing in the success of Ronald Wilson Reagan’s first year in office? Don’t the two shimmer and glow in their festively colored garments adorned with fair-isle and stripes? Can’t you just feel your pulse quicken as you imagine an even deeper V-neck on a man’s sweater pattern?

Still, as someone at Marilyn’s comments page correctly observed, you can’t predict the contents of a magazine from the cover. And yet, I always do! So, imagine my surprise if I flipped open the magazine and found the quite unexpected, yet utterly delightful “Aviator’s Jacket”? (Guess what? That white yarn is furry. What a treat?!)

Older knitters like myself surely remember the joyful feeling when an issue like this hit the grocery store aisle. Those of us with sympathetic hearts are moved by the sad plight of younger knitters who, doomed to the drek publishers print these days, can only imagine the ecstacy of knitting during the 80s!

Yet, my joy in having lived through that decade of delightful knitting is mixed with regret.

I sigh when I recollect that I, a poor graduate student, felt I couldn’t afford the 5 balls of Unger Gespa and 2 balls of Roly Poly to knit the figure flattering jacket of my dreams. I had to settle for ordinary wool and knit plainer things.

Shaking myself, I remind myself of my purpose. I post these Reagan era knit confections for a reason, which is to remind upstart young knitters of this: