This purple sweater was the first vintage style knit I made over 10 years ago. The yarn, merino wool from Rowan, was gifted to me by my grandma in law after she gave up knitting. It's the Jayne button top from the book Knit Vintage by Madeline Weston and Rita Taylor. Even with my body shape changing over the years, it still fits and will hopefully last another 10 years
This Friday (1st May) marks the start of Me Made May 2026 and below are photos of items I have either knitted or sewn for myself over the years.
If you have not heard of Me Made May before, it was created by Zoe Edwards back in 2010 as a personal challenge to create a handmade wardrobe of clothes and wear them as much as possible.
The aim of Me Made May is to encourage people to develop a better relationship with their handmade clothes and asks makers to wear their handmade clothing and accessories more, or in different ways, during the month of May.
You can join in by setting your own challenge involving your me made clothes.
My aim for Me Made May this year is to complete my 5 projects that are currently in my to do pile, which include 2 jumpers, a knitted dress which needs seaming up, a skirt and a dress for my birthday.
Being able to sew and knit my own clothes helps me make items to fit my body size/shape and style. I can make things that I want to wear that I can't usually find in mainstream retail shops. And because I made them myself, I want to care and keep them for as long as possible.
Have you heard of Me Made May before? Do you have any hand made items that you love wearing? Is there anything you would love to make for yourself to wear?
Below are links to shorts/videos of the items in the post photos.
I haven't posted a video for a while but I'm still here! 🙋‍♀️
I'm currently working on two projects that I'm planning on sharing with you when they are complete.
The first one is my version of the iconic heart and arrow sweater worn by Ginger Rogers in Carefree from 1938. I'm using merino wool yarn I unravelled from a dress I bought from a charity shop a while ago. This is the short on how I did it youtube.com/shorts/xlOfXNDFAG...
The second project is a pattern from Stitchcraft 1945. The original pattern is knitted with 2 ply yarn and fits a 28-30 inch bust, however I'm experimenting with yarn and needle size and knitting it with DK yarn on 4 mm needles to see if it will size up to fit me that way without the need of adding extra stitches. So far, fingers crossed, it seems to be working, so I'm excited to post a video about that when it's done.
Are any of you working on a project at the moment?
Does anyone else feel like they have an ever growing, never ending list of things to do and complete recently? The last couple of weeks have been filled with either redecorating my soon to be craft room, knitting a jumper and making roses to embellish an outfit for a wedding this weekend.
Which is your favourite decade for fashion and style? I sway between the 1940s, 50s and early 60s depending on my mood. I like the 40s for the understated glamour and their ingenuity to make things out of limited resources, the 50s for full skirts and cat eye liner and the 60s for the bright colours, prints and big hair. If your favourite fashion decade isn't on the list, comment below which one and why it is your favourite.
Bought a new pattern to add to my collection recently and from the hairstyle and thin eyebrows, my guess is it's from the 1930s. As I flicked through the pages I was horrified to see that a hole had been cut out! When I went to check the other side I realised it was a tension square that you placed over your knitting and could check that you had the correct amount of stitches and rows per inch. I have never come across that in a vintage knitting pattern before.
So far 60 people have added Jumping Hurdles Turban knitting pattern to their favourites on Ravelry, which may be a small number compared to other patterns on the site, but is still exciting to me. I've added a currency converter on the website so customers outside the UK can see how much it will cost in their currency. So far I've included Australian Dollars, Canadian Dollars, Euros and US Dollars. If there are other currencies you would like included as a customer, let me know. Pattern is still available as a PDF download from the website
Emily@Ultimate Pin-Up
Day 1 of Me Made May
This purple sweater was the first vintage style knit I made over 10 years ago. The yarn, merino wool from Rowan, was gifted to me by my grandma in law after she gave up knitting.
It's the Jayne button top from the book Knit Vintage by Madeline Weston and Rita Taylor.
Even with my body shape changing over the years, it still fits and will hopefully last another 10 years
#memademay #memademay2026 #knitvintage
11 hours ago | [YT] | 12
View 2 replies
Emily@Ultimate Pin-Up
This Friday (1st May) marks the start of Me Made May 2026 and below are photos of items I have either knitted or sewn for myself over the years.
If you have not heard of Me Made May before, it was created by Zoe Edwards back in 2010 as a personal challenge to create a handmade wardrobe of clothes and wear them as much as possible.
The aim of Me Made May is to encourage people to develop a better relationship with their handmade clothes and asks makers to wear their handmade clothing and accessories more, or in different ways, during the month of May.
You can join in by setting your own challenge involving your me made clothes.
You can find out more about Me Made May at Zoe's website sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.com/p/about-me-made-may…
My aim for Me Made May this year is to complete my 5 projects that are currently in my to do pile, which include 2 jumpers, a knitted dress which needs seaming up, a skirt and a dress for my birthday.
Being able to sew and knit my own clothes helps me make items to fit my body size/shape and style. I can make things that I want to wear that I can't usually find in mainstream retail shops. And because I made them myself, I want to care and keep them for as long as possible.
Have you heard of Me Made May before?
Do you have any hand made items that you love wearing?
Is there anything you would love to make for yourself to wear?
Below are links to shorts/videos of the items in the post photos.
1940s embroidered jumper - youtube.com/shorts/FfTLn3evni...
Making an off the shoulder top - youtube.com/shorts/n_VLNnhSBJ...
Deer print skirt - youtube.com/shorts/9vq3_wJ9zB...
Knitted waistcoat - youtube.com/shorts/Oyba47wsOy...
1940s bed jacket - youtube.com/shorts/Vc59LevISk...
1930s jumper - youtube.com/shorts/UdXYe68biY...
1940s threaded jumper - youtube.com/shorts/Tb5z342wJt...
1960s yellow jumper - youtube.com/shorts/i6eGu_-8n4...
2 days ago | [YT] | 30
View 1 reply
Emily@Ultimate Pin-Up
I haven't posted a video for a while but I'm still here! 🙋‍♀️
I'm currently working on two projects that I'm planning on sharing with you when they are complete.
The first one is my version of the iconic heart and arrow sweater worn by Ginger Rogers in Carefree from 1938.
I'm using merino wool yarn I unravelled from a dress I bought from a charity shop a while ago.
This is the short on how I did it youtube.com/shorts/xlOfXNDFAG...
The second project is a pattern from Stitchcraft 1945. The original pattern is knitted with 2 ply yarn and fits a 28-30 inch bust, however I'm experimenting with yarn and needle size and knitting it with DK yarn on 4 mm needles to see if it will size up to fit me that way without the need of adding extra stitches.
So far, fingers crossed, it seems to be working, so I'm excited to post a video about that when it's done.
Are any of you working on a project at the moment?
1 week ago | [YT] | 13
View 5 replies
Emily@Ultimate Pin-Up
More 1930s knitting pattern available for free from www.subversivefemme.com, all to fit 40 inch / 101.5 cm chests and over.
1) Edinburgh Cardigan - to fit 40 inch / 101.5 cm
subversivefemme.com/curvy-month-pattern-3-edinburg…
2) Cardigan Coat - 40-42 inch / 101.5 - 106.5 cm
subversivefemme.com/curvy-mont-pattern-4/
3) Sensible Knitted no.2 - fit up to 41 inch /104 cm chest
subversivefemme.com/curvy-month-pattern-7-2/
4) Noreen Jacket - to fit 42 inch / 106.cm chest
subversivefemme.com/curvy-pattern-6-noreen-jacket-…
5) Feather weight blouse - 40-42 inch / 101.5-106.5 cm chest
subversivefemme.com/a-feather-weight-blouse-c-late…
6) Sensible knitted no.2 - 40-42 inch / 101.5-106.5 cm chest
subversivefemme.com/curvy-month-pattern-two-a-sens…
7) Waldorf blouse - 40 inch/101.5 cm chest
subversivefemme.com/curvy-month-pattern-1930s-blou…
1 month ago | [YT] | 16
View 0 replies
Emily@Ultimate Pin-Up
Free 1930s Knitting Patterns to fit 40 inch / 101.5 cm chest and over.
Below are the links for the patterns shown in the recent short I've uploaded, all from www.subversivefemme.com
1) 1930s Cardigan with Check Pattern - to fit 46 inch / 117 cm chest
subversivefemme.com/curvy-month-8-1930s-cardigan-w…
2) 1930s Sleeveless Vest with Check Waist - to fit 40 and 44 inch / 101.5cm and 111.5cm chest
subversivefemme.com/curvy-month-7-1930s-sleeveless…
3) 1930s Outsize Jumper with Knitted in Vest - to fit 44-46 inch / 111.5-117 cm chest
subversivefemme.com/curvy-month-3-1930s-outsize-ju…
4) 1930s Becoming for a Large Figure - to fit 40, 42 and 44 inch / 101.5, 106.5 and 111.5 cm chest
subversivefemme.com/curvy-month-3-1930s-becoming-f…
5) Nola, drop-stitch blouse c. 1935 - Finished size 41 inches / 104 cm
subversivefemme.com/curvy-month-4-nola-drop-stitch…
6) Grace Lace Cardigan, c. 1930s - Finished size 43 inches / 109 cm
subversivefemme.com/curvy-month-6-grace-lace-cardi…
1 month ago | [YT] | 17
View 3 replies
Emily@Ultimate Pin-Up
Does anyone else feel like they have an ever growing, never ending list of things to do and complete recently?
The last couple of weeks have been filled with either redecorating my soon to be craft room, knitting a jumper and making roses to embellish an outfit for a wedding this weekend.
1 month ago | [YT] | 0
View 0 replies
Emily@Ultimate Pin-Up
Which is your favourite decade for fashion and style? I sway between the 1940s, 50s and early 60s depending on my mood. I like the 40s for the understated glamour and their ingenuity to make things out of limited resources, the 50s for full skirts and cat eye liner and the 60s for the bright colours, prints and big hair.
If your favourite fashion decade isn't on the list, comment below which one and why it is your favourite.
1 month ago | [YT] | 2
View 3 replies
Emily@Ultimate Pin-Up
Free pattern for 'A Jumper Threaded with Colour' now available on my blog.
www.ultimatepinupvintage.com/post/knitting-bestway…
Watch the short here on how I made it
youtube.com/shorts/Tb5z342wJt...
2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 34
View 1 reply
Emily@Ultimate Pin-Up
Bought a new pattern to add to my collection recently and from the hairstyle and thin eyebrows, my guess is it's from the 1930s. As I flicked through the pages I was horrified to see that a hole had been cut out! When I went to check the other side I realised it was a tension square that you placed over your knitting and could check that you had the correct amount of stitches and rows per inch.
I have never come across that in a vintage knitting pattern before.
#vintageknitting #1930s #fashionhistory
2 months ago | [YT] | 18
View 2 replies
Emily@Ultimate Pin-Up
So far 60 people have added Jumping Hurdles Turban knitting pattern to their favourites on Ravelry, which may be a small number compared to other patterns on the site, but is still exciting to me.
I've added a currency converter on the website so customers outside the UK can see how much it will cost in their currency. So far I've included Australian Dollars, Canadian Dollars, Euros and US Dollars. If there are other currencies you would like included as a customer, let me know.
Pattern is still available as a PDF download from the website
www.ultimatepinupvintage.com/category/all-products
2 months ago | [YT] | 5
View 0 replies
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