Thursday 21 July 2011

Knitting Mysteries

I made the jumper in this pattern a little while ago, and have worn it loads of times since. But there were a few mysteries on this pattern, which I've been attempting to investigate. 
  Number 1 -

I noticed this photo caption on the inside cover. It's this picture which drew me to the pattern in the first place - where was this crazy swinging 60's haunt, and was it still there? I had dreams of being able to re-create the photo. After some searching on the web (it's actually spelt Flanagan's), I found out it was a well known restaurant at 100 Baker St, seemed to be known for it's steaks, and is even mentioned on the website for Focal Point, a group based in Liverpool in the 60's, who hung out there when they were in London. Imagine - I was getting more and more excited about visiting! 

But it was not to be - Flanagan's is gone, and is now a branch of a popular pizza chain. Oh well......

 Number 2 -

I noticed this on the back of the pattern. It's something I've seen on loads of Emu patterns, ranging from the 50's to the 70's. Who was Janet Minton? Was she an all knowing knitting goddess, who could answer any knitting query? Or was it just a name used by a group of people at Emu, to give the impression of a personal service? When you Google the name, you just get more pictures of Emu leaflets, but no info on the great lady herself (I assume she is great - she must be if she can answer all knitting questions!)  Does anyone know anything about her?

4 comments:

  1. What fabulous observations! Perhaps you could create a little shrine to Saint Janet, patron saint of knitters everywhere.

    Keep us posted if you find anything.

    Sarah xxx

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  2. I reckon that 'Janet Minton' was a Woodbine smoking man who looked up his answers in the Reader's Digest Book of the Complete Knitter's Compendium!

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  3. I have no idea, but I do love your jumper.

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  4. Just found your blog in searching for information on Janet Minton. I'd like to know who she was too - I'm looking at an early Emu pattern, from the 1950s at the latest (more likely 1940s), which has a message from Janet Minton inside: "Both practical and good-looking is this long-sleeved V.neck pullover for the schoolboy." etc. So it sounds as though she was the designer as well as the knitting expert. If she existed at all....

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