1960s crochet

It's easy to associate crochet with bad 1970s kitsch -- orange-and-brown afghans, poodle tea cosies, Phentex slippers. At the thrift store last week, though, I came across evidence that crochet was just as mod as knitting in the 1960s. Consider exhibit A: McCall's Crochet, 1965:


The secrets to good crochet (both then and now) are colour and gauge (as in, finer gauge is better). Here's McCall's idea of a good project for "new crocheters":


It's nice, right? I like the description -- "straight skirt and boxy hip-tip jacket" -- and I like that the model's prop is a pair of binoculars. I also like these two cardigans:


"Two classic cardigans of identical style and stitch differ only in their smooth or fluffy textures." And look at these fancy coats!


I think both these models are saying "prune." There are fancy outfits for Barbie, too -- a "stylish, easy-to-make street wardrobe":



Exhibit B: Häkeln von A bis Z, publication date unknown:


This booklet is bilingual (German and French) and bicraftual (crochet and knitting). Apparently, diagonal was all the rage in photography when this was published:



Almost every photo is angled like that, with models tilting one way or the other -- and sometimes both on the same page:


I like this girl -- she looks slightly uncomfortable but really modern, and she has such a cute haircut:


Speaking of cute haircuts, I'm hoping to have one by about three o'clock this afternoon. Keep your fingers crossed for me! You'll see the results when I model my Twilight Scarf for you (so if I show you the scarf on a hanger, you'll know the haircut didn't go so well).