Vintage Lux Knitting Books
July 14, 2009 by Noreen Crone-Findlay
Filed under books, yarn crafts
A few weeks ago, I was absolutely delighted to find a copy of the ‘New Lux Knitting Book – 1951 edition’.
One of my treasures is a 1958 edition of the Lux Knitting book. My grandmother gave me her copy many years ago, and it’s a treat.
photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright
So, to find an even earlier edition just had me over the moon.
The 1951 edition is particularly poignant,
because of a statement from the editor.
The un-named editor explains
that it is the first edition in more than 7 years,
because of a paper shortage from ‘the war’.
Apparently, the previous Lux Knitting book
sold out in a few short weeks,
and could not be reproduced
because there was no paper for it.
Yikes….. I had no idea!
I absolutely love many of the baby and toddler patterns in the Lux books, and am working on some of them for our daughter’s baby.
(Wheeeeeeeeeeee and hee hee hee- I am still giddy with delight about the new baby… wheeeeeeeeee)
I’d love to know more about the history of the Lux Knitting books…. bless the Lux soap company for sponsoring these wonderful books that give a window on domestic life in the 20th century.
Here’s a link to a blog that has posted images from a New Zealand edition from 1942. Lux NZ
I searched on the net to see if there was any history of the Lux knitting books, and checked Wikipedia, too… but didn’t find any info.
Do you know anything about them? When did Lux start the series? How long did they publish them?
It may seem trivial, but, they are an accurate and valuable reflection of our history of yarn crafting- so I’d love to know more…..
I always love reading your posts, but this one is extra special! I had completely forgotten about Lux soap! I wasn’t aware of the knitting books… how cool! What other goodies came in soap boxes? I remember Dolly Parton and Porter Waggoner hawking soap with towels in the boxes. There must have been other prizes. I just can’t remember them. Thanks for the blast from the past!
Hi Diane
I think that the books must have been sold in yarn shops and department stores as they have prices marked on the cover. The 1951 edition was 50c and the 1958 one was $1.00.
Also, the editorial in the 1951 edition says that the entire edition of the 1944 edition was sold out in the first week…. so it makes me think that they were not bonus gifts in the soap….
The advertisements in the books are so sweet! The 1951 edition has a drawing of an Elephant mamma and baby hanging laundry out and being oh so happy because the soap flakes were ‘jet blown’! ROTFLOL!
Wow…. soap with towels in the boxes…. that must have taken some mighty big boxes- wonder if there was any room left for soap?
LOL!
Oh, I didn’t know about the Lux books. Which is silly, since I knitted this pattern http://brainylady.blogspot.com/luxsockees.htm
a couple of years ago and it says right there it’s from the Lux Knitting book from 1938. I remember I changed some things about it, but they really look almost just like the picture. I think I only changed the toe.
Oh wow, Katherine! Thank you… I LOVE those socks (and have already printed the pattern…. LOL) I was just looking sadly at the holes that I have walked into my fave ’sockees’…. will darn them, but will also start a pair of the Lux sockees…. fun!
Maybe you could try the online Encyclopedia of NZ, or the National Archives. they are sure to have more info.
Thanks Sue,
Tried both, but no luck with either…
Shucks…
I’m just looking through three tattered copies my mother carried with her through all the many moves in her life. They were published in Canada – but presumably the same as the New Zealand version. I can’t find any dates on them yet. There’s a four-page War Supplement in one of them that’s really charming, and the men’s section in another is entirely military garb.
Hi Leslie
My copies were all printed in Canada, too. But the ads are quite American looking… Hollywood beauties exhorting the joys of Lux soap etc. I wonder if there were editions published in the US or Britain?
I’d love to see yours! Don’t you love it when a treasure like this survives?
I looked through the collection more carefully this morning and this is what I’ve got:
1939 wartime supplement
1940
1941
1942
1944
1952
The sidebar comments during the war are fascinating. I knew about knitting for people in the services, but I hadn’t known about the Red Cross appeal for warm knitted things for British victims of the Blitz. Well into the 50s, maybe even in the 60s, my mother (and I to a lesser extent) knitted children’s sweaters for the Red Cross. I guess the project started then.
There are some lovely basic (and some not-so-basic) patterns in these books. I remember my mother making many, many baby sets for friends, and even my dolls, from these books. One pattern is so thoroughly used that she retyped it and put that more readable version in the book (1952).
I’d love to scan these books and make them available on the web, but I don’t think I have the storage space for them.
Hi Leslie
I went searching on the net to see if I could find more Lux Knitting books, but sadly, couldn’t…. you have a veritable treasure trove there!
Thanks so much for the inspiration! Because of your note, I went searching all around on the net, and found some other fun stuff out, and have blogged about it.
Here’s the link:
http://www.blisstree.com/hankeringforyarn/historic-needlework-books-digital-archive/
Thanks so much for telling me about your Mom’s collection… how wonderful!
I am hoping that I will find other Lux Knitting books!
I finally got around to scanning the 1939 wartime supplement. You should be able to see it here:
http://momles.livejournal.com/2162.html
If you want a PDF of the text of it get in touch with me (lesliel8 at gmail dot com) and I’ll send it to you.
Hi Leslie
Wow… that is so neat! Thank you so much…. what a treasure!